There is a general apprehension among a section of citizens that public behaviour, civic sense and social courtesy have been gradually eroding in this country. Behaviours such as littering in public places despite available bins, spitting, improper parking, honking needlessly, and flouting traffic rules are becoming routine across many urban and tourist spaces. What is intriguing is that one can also observe a sharp contrast between how well-maintained private homes and family spaces are kept compared to how indifferently shared public goods (streets, parks, and public transit) are treated. This behaviour occurs across income and education levels, showing that wealth and formal education do not automatically translate into public-mindedness. Given this reality, public behaviour and civic sense in India are widely discussed as facing an ongoing crisis, often described by analysts as a “civic deficit” or “erosion of civic capital,” rather than a sudden, one-way collapse. However, no major or noteworthy scientific study statistically concludes that Indian people are universally becoming more discourteous. However, certain recent sociological data and national reports analyse these behavioural shifts through the lenses of civic capital, rapid urbanisation, and institutional design. Some research initiatives have also revealed certain aspects of the changing public behaviour in India: One such study tracked public discipline, civic responsibility, and empathy across several cities and came out with some significant observations. The study revealed a sharp divide between high civic awareness and daily implementation, highlighting that while a vast majority reject behaviours like littering in theory, weak law enforcement and a fear of personal harassment often limit public intervention. Other similar studies, in the meantime, have said that though government initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission have significantly expanded physical infrastructure (such as public toilets and waste management systems), these initiatives have not been wholly successful. This finding in turn has indicated that building infrastructure alone does not change habits without stronger local enforcement, social accountability, and cultural conditioning.