The Truth About Civic Sense: India’s Most Ignored Value

Have you ever wondered why foreigners dislike India and Indians so much?

Why are they often rude to us, pass racist comments, and hesitate to visit our country? For many of them, India is never the first preference to travel. Why? What makes them so critical of us.

Even those who do visit often leave with complaints, and one of the most common is that Indians lack civic sense. But what exactly is civic sense?

• Lack of civic sense in India

Civic sense refers to how individuals behave in public spaces and within their communities. It’s about social responsibility and ethics like behaving decently, keeping our surroundings clean, and being mindful that our actions don’t harm others or the environment.

In our country, many people don’t even know what civic sense means not even the educated ones.

Our ignorance and lack of awareness are not just affecting individuals but our society, our nation, and even our global reputation.

You might wonder,” What exactly are we doing wrong?”

We lack civic sense in countless ways:

Throwing garbage on the road, honking unnecessarily in traffic, breaking traffic rules, speaking loudly in public, blasting loudspeakers or DJs during celebrations, jumping queues, parking vehicles randomly, driving on the wrong side or on footpaths, overtaking dangerously, scribbling on historic places, dirtying scenic spots, damaging public property… and the list goes on far beyond our imagination.

What we’ve normalised here would never be tolerated in countries we admire like Japan, Canada, Britain, or some countries in Europe.

Deep down, we do know it’s wrong yet we ignore it.

This issue is just as serious as unemployment, poor infrastructure, or corruption in our country.

But why do we Indians lack civic sense, while people in many developed countries don’t? Lets find out-

First Reason: Lack Of Social Awareness and Education.

Did your school ever taught you civic sense, beyond outdated syllabus and rote learning?

Did your parents ever sat down with you  to explain that the public spaces, our surroundings, and this country are ours to respect and protect just like our homes?

No? That’s the root.

When neither schools nor families teach us about civic responsibility, how will we learn it? And when the actions of our parents or society don’t reflect any civic awareness, children naturally imitate what they see.

A child sees his father spitting on the road or tossing a cigarette on the street and thinks it’s okay.

I once saw a child walking ahead of me, casually spitting every few steps as if he was doing something heroic and even trying to look cool while doing it.

And I understood where it was coming from.

This is one major reason for our lack of civic sense.

Second Reason: Lack Of Responsibility and Ego.

We are careless about our civic duties because we don’t think it’s our job to keep the environment clean or maintain peace in public spaces.

And there’s an internal ego: “Why should I clean this?” or “I didn’t throw it!” or worse “Let the sweepers do their job. That’s what they’re paid for.”

We believe we only owe our homes cleanliness not our surroundings.

Even among so-called literate people, there’s a mindset and feeling of privilege “How would it look if I picked up that wrapper? It doesn’t suit my image.”

We simply don’t care how our actions affect others.

We’re selfish, forgetting that as human beings, we live in a society and that society is our shared responsibility.

When an Indian misbehaves abroad – litters, speaks loudly, ignores rules the entire country’s image takes a hit.

Whether in India or elsewhere, we represent our nation everywhere we go and in both places we LACK CIVIC SENSE

Third Reason: The Blame Game.

We blame the government for everything.

But a country only grows when both its government and citizens take equal responsibility and work together, something we sorely lack.

Blaming the government is a habit especially during family gatherings where political talk fills the room. Elders complain: “The government doesn’t do anything,” or “Politics is a dirty game.”

And young listeners internalize this belief that government is always at fault, and politics is hopeless.

But we forget that citizens, too, carry responsibility.

Even when the government does provide public services like buses or trains — we tear the seats, litter, scribble on walls, and damage property.

Then, we turn around and blame the government for the poor condition of these services.

They build open gyms, public parks, and recreational spaces and we trash them.

There’s a difference between constructive criticism and blindly blaming everything on the system and we fail to understand it.

Yes, the government does fail at times and calling that out is our right. But blaming them for dirty streets or broken bus seats when we’re the ones destroying them is just stupidity.

And this habit extends into our personal lives too, we start blaming others for our own mistakes, which is toxic for us and for society.

Fourth Reason: Lack Of Real Patriotism.

Yes, you read that right.

Our so-called patriotism comes out only on January 26th or August 15th and then it goes back to sleep.

Real patriotism is not about shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” or “Vande Mataram,” or putting patriotic posts online.

True patriotism shows in our actions, in our daily behaviour, in how we think not just for ourselves but for our country. It’s about contributing rather big or small, towards a better nation.

This two-day drama of patriotism needs to be unlearned and we need to step above it.

Fifth Reason: No Strict Law or Action.

Careless citizens are supported by careless laws.

There are hardly any strict rules or if they exist, they’re rarely enforced. Everything is treated casually, because we don’t value public spaces or the country’s image.

One Cleanliness Day or a Swachh Bharat campaign won’t bring lasting change.

Change needs consistency, love for the nation, self-awareness, and yes- strict enforcement.

Sixth Reason: Crowd-Following Mentality.

We see garbage already dumped at a spot and assume it’s okay to throw ours there too.

We see someone talking loudly so we think it okay too.

We see someone breaking traffic rules so we do the same.

This mentality is dangerous. It creates a chain that keeps repeating unless we decide to break it. Just because others are doing it doesn’t make it right. We need to stop taking negative inspiration from others.

Our problem isn’t just action, it’s also normalization.We don’t see dirty streets, broken rules, or loud behaviour as problematic anymore we’ve simply adapted to it.

But until these things start bothering us, until we feel discomfort and shame about them nothing will change.

These are the major reasons why we Indians lack civic sense.

And it’s not just affecting the cleanliness of our streets and peace in our surroundings.

It’s creating public chaos, increasing diseases, and ruining the reputation of our nation.

Many people in India are talented, full of potential, intelligence, and creativity. But when they go abroad to study, work, or build something great, their respect and opportunities shrink not because of who they are, but because of the image India has earned due to our careless behaviour.

Every Indian abroad represents the whole nation.

And when civic sense is missing, repeated behaviour creates a belief and that belief soon becomes a stereotype. A racist, generalized image of all Indians gets created and it’s not without reason.

Some people get offended by how foreigners treat us but we don’t understand why that treatment exists.

The hard truth is, we earned it.

And until we take responsibility, nothing will change.

A country’s growth is not just about GDP and infrastructure, it’s also about how it’s citizens behave.

If we truly want to become like Japan, Canada, the UK, or the US, we must also become like their citizens.

So what can we do? How do we begin?

1. Unlearn the mindset that public spaces aren’t our responsibility. Instead, believe “This country is mine. I own it. It’s my responsibility to keep it clean and peaceful.”

2. Spread awareness among your family, friends, and colleagues.It won’t be easy. People will ignore or mock you. But planting the seed matters.

If you’re a parent or have young children around, teach those children civic sense. Kids learn fast and they are also the future of our nation. Also, reflect on your own behaviour – ask yourself: Am I being too loud? Am I following public rules?

3. Carry your own waste.

If you eat a snack and there’s no dustbin nearby, fold the wrapper and keep it in your pocket or bag.

Many Japanese citizens carry small plastic bags for wet and dry waste and dispose it of at home. We can learn from them. It’s not hard to adapt. It just needs little effort and love for your country.

Self-awareness is the key. It’s not easy to stay constantly mindful and responsible with you’re actions but with time, we can improve.

We can become citizens who are truly patriotic, who cooperate with the government, and who follow civic sense not out of fear, but out of pride and love for our nation.

In the end, I would like to say:

Being a proud Indian isn’t about waving the flag, it’s about becoming the reason it flies higher every day.

📩 If you ever wish to share your thoughts or reach out, feel free to Contact me

🌿 If you like quiet reflections and thoughtful words, you can find me on Instagram.