NEW DELHI, Dec. 5 -- Corruption undermines the values of democratic institutions and slows down economic growth. But the stressful experience of getting a job done in a government office paves the way for the bribe to creep in although bribery is a penal offence in India. According to a report published by Transparency International in 2020, India has the highest rate of bribery (39%) in Asia. It says, 50% of those involved in bribery are asked to bribe. Of the people surveyed 42% had paid bribes.

Every individual has a story of bribe to share and largely we are forced to pay bribe for a job which is legal but is not happening. My first experience of paying bribe was in my 12th grade when my National Merit scholarship money was not comin...