In public service, as a member of a government body or department, a chemical engineer shall not participate in decisions with respect to professional services solicited or provided by them or their organizations in private engineering practices.

• A. Absolutely true
• B. Absolutely not true
• C. It is okay to participate in the decision-making if there is no professional fee for the public service work
• D. Not sure

Answer: (A)

Conflict of interest and impartial decision-making in public service. When a chemical engineer serves on a government body or department, decisions about professional services that are solicited from or provided by themselves or their own organizations create a direct risk of bias or self-dealing. The integrity of public processes relies on officials acting in the public interest, free from signals of personal gain or favoritism. Even if there is no professional fee involved, the link between the official’s public duties and their private engineering practice can influence judgments, undermine trust, and give the appearance of preferential treatment. Therefore, the rule is an absolute prohibition on participating in those decisions, ensuring decisions are made solely for the public good. The other options misinterpret this safeguard: the prohibition does not depend on fees, and uncertainty or reversing the stance would erode ethical standards designed to prevent compromising impartiality.