Essay on Bribery: The term bribe refers to any amount of money or other valuables given to a person in exchange for an undue favour. It is given to make profits from the receiver that wouldn’t be possible in normal, fair circumstances. A bribe may take many forms, such as money, gifts, property rights, shares, or even special privileges. This unfair exchange encourages corruption and slows down the economic growth of the nation.
To make you learn more about the topic of bribery, we have covered an Essay on Bribery in 100, 200 and 500 words. The objective of this essay is to make the concept easily understood and help students express their thoughts clearly.
Table of Contents
Essay on Bribery 100 Words
Bribery is the act of giving money, gifts, or special favors to someone in a position of power to gain unfair advantage. It is a dishonest way to get things done by breaking rules and avoiding fair procedures.
For example, when someone pays a government officer to pass a file quickly or to win a contract, it is bribery. This act creates inequality and promotes corruption in society. It harms honest people and weakens public trust in the system.
To fight bribery, we need stricter laws, transparency in work, and strong moral values among both citizens and officials.
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Essay on Bribery 300 Words
Bribery is the act of offering, giving, receiving, or agreeing to receive money, gifts, or any valuable item with the dishonest intention of influencing a public official or public action. It can involve speeding up a process, winning a contract, or avoiding penalties, often at the cost of fairness and justice. While money is the most common form, bribes can also include gifts, services, or other benefits. This unethical practice allows individuals to bypass rules, leading to injustice and inequality. Bribery discourages honest efforts, rewards the wrong people, and weakens public trust in institutions.
Bribery is a major cause of corruption in society. It spreads unfair practices, reduces efficiency in public services, and affects development.
Corruption becomes deeply rooted when bribery becomes a regular part of daily dealings, whether in getting licenses, admissions, or even justice. It also leads to poor decision-making, where merit takes a backseat.
In a corrupt system, those who refuse to offer bribes often face delays, rejection, or unfair treatment. This breaks the morale of honest citizens and affects the overall growth of a country.
To tackle bribery, India has strict laws in place. The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PCA) is the main law that criminalizes both giving and accepting bribes, referred to as undue advantages. Public servants found guilty under this act can face imprisonment and fines.
Additionally, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) also addresses bribery. Section 171B deals with offering or accepting bribes by public servants, while Section 171E focuses on bribery through treating, like offering food, drinks, or entertainment to influence decisions.
Penalties under these laws can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense. These laws aim to create a fair system where honesty is valued and corruption is punished.
While laws provide a strong framework to fight bribery, lasting change also depends on active citizen participation and ethical practices in daily life. By supporting transparency and reporting corrupt acts, we can all play a role in building a more honest and fair society.
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Essay on Bribery and Corruption 500+ Words
Bribery means offering or accepting something valuable, such as money, gifts, or favours, with the wrong intention of influencing someone’s decision, especially when they hold a position of power. It is often used to gain unfair advantages that go against laws and ethics.
When public officials take bribes, they act against their duty to serve honestly and fairly. This act becomes part of corruption, which is the abuse of power for personal benefit.
It affects important systems like education, healthcare, law enforcement, and public services by lowering their quality and making them less trustworthy. When bribery becomes common, public trust in the government and justice system starts to break down, harming the overall progress of the country.
Types of Corruption and and its Impact
Bribery can take many forms depending on the situation. Cash bribes are direct payments given to influence decisions, often in business or government deals. Gift bribes involve giving costly items, trips, or favours to get someone to act dishonestly. Kickbacks happen when someone secretly receives a portion of profits in exchange for approving a deal or contract.
Favour bribes include offering jobs, promotions, or other personal benefits in return for support or special treatment. Treating, especially during elections, involves offering food, drinks, or entertainment to attract votes unethically.
These acts harm society by promoting unfairness and injustice. They allow undeserving individuals to get ahead while honest people face disadvantages. Over time, corruption reduces the quality of public services, wastes government money, increases inequality, and weakens trust in the system that is supposed to treat everyone equally.
Popular Bribery and Corruption Cases in India
India has witnessed several major corruption and bribery scandals that have shaken public trust and shown the urgent need for transparency and accountability in governance.
One of the most infamous cases is the 2G Spectrum Scam (2008), where telecom licenses were sold at prices far below the market rate. This caused a loss of around ₹1.76 lakh crore to the government and involved senior politicians and bureaucrats, raising serious questions about fairness in public resource allocation.
The Commonwealth Games Scam (2010) was another big scandal, where funds meant for the international sports event in Delhi were misused. There were inflated bills, poor construction quality, and mismanagement, highlighting deep-rooted corruption in government planning.
The Coal Allocation Scam (2012) involved the unfair distribution of coal blocks to private companies without a transparent bidding process. This led to huge financial losses for the country and criminal investigations against top officials.
More recently, the Valmiki Corporation Scam (2024) in Karnataka exposed financial irregularities in housing projects meant for marginalised communities. The Adani bribery allegations in the renewable energy sector also sparked national debates on corporate transparency.
These cases show how corruption, past and present, slows down development and creates distrust. Students must stay informed, promote honesty, and support fairness to build a better nation.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Laws in India
India has strong legal frameworks to prevent and punish bribery and corruption. The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PCA) is the main law that punishes both the person who gives a bribe and the one who receives it.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) monitors and controls how foreign donations are used in India, preventing misuse of international funds.
The Indian Penal Code (IPC) also plays an important role. For example, Section 171B deals with bribery related to public servants, and Section 171E punishes “treating” during elections.
These laws aim to protect public money, ensure transparency, and promote fairness in society. They send a clear message that dishonesty will not be accepted in a democratic country like India.
How to Overcome Challenges of Bribery and Corruption?
To fight bribery and corruption, we need both strict legal enforcement and public awareness. Citizens must be encouraged to report corrupt practices through safe and easy channels like anti-corruption helplines.
Using digital systems for payments and applications in public offices can reduce opportunities for bribery by limiting direct contact between people and officials.
Teaching students about honesty, ethics, and civic duties in schools will help them grow into responsible citizens who stand against corruption. Strong laws, regular audits, open governance, and timely punishment will build a system where fairness is valued and corruption is rejected.
Bribery and corruption are not just crimes, they are serious moral failures that harm the nation’s progress. They reward dishonest behaviour and create unfairness in society.
To build a better and more just country, we must spread awareness, demand transparency, and always choose to do what is right. Students play an important role in this fight, as they are the future leaders and changemakers. When we stand together against corruption, we help shape a society based on trust, fairness, and honesty.
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FAQs
Ans. Bribery is the act of giving or receiving money, gifts, or favours to influence someone’s actions unfairly. It leads to corruption and dishonesty. It breaks trust in systems and harms fairness in society, especially in public services and governance.
Ans. A bribery essay can end by highlighting how corruption damages society. Conclude by encouraging honesty, strict laws, and public support against bribery. Remind readers that a corruption-free world begins with personal integrity and responsible actions by every citizen, especially youth.
Ans. Bribery itself has no positive importance. However, understanding bribery helps us recognize its dangers and fight against it. Knowing how it works makes people aware and encourages them to support transparency, law enforcement, and build a fair, just, and equal society.
Ans. We can stop bribery through strong laws, transparent systems, and digital services. Public awareness and strict punishment are important. Teaching values in schools and encouraging people to report corruption will help build a fair and honest society for all citizens.
Ans. Bribery is bad because it gives unfair advantages and rewards dishonesty. It harms honest people and weakens the legal system. Bribery also increases inequality, wastes resources, and damages public trust in government, law, and everyday services meant for citizens.
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