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STEVE CHIOTAKIS: The world is getting more corrupt. That’s according to a new survey from the group Transparency International. In fact, the report claims a quarter of people around the world have paid a bribe in the last year. And one of the worst places is India.

From New Delhi, the BBC’s Divya Arya reports.

DIVYA ARYA: When you think of corruption, places like Iraq and Afghanistan usually come to mind. But this survey says some surprisingly developed countries are also near the top.

Three quarters of Indians asked say the country has become more corrupt in the past three years — and more than half have paid a bribe, way above the worldwide average.

Mr. A. N. Tiwari leads an anti-corruption body within the government. He says the problem is out of control.

A. N. TIWARI: No sector of the government is now free from corruption. I don’t believe the traditional instruments available to the government can combat this corruption.

The government itself has recently become involved in a huge scandal over cell phone licenses — and allegations of fraud. Clearly, there’s still a lot to clean up in a country that prides itself on being the world’s biggest democracy

In New Delhi, I’m the BBC’s Divya Arya, for Marketplace.