Mains Marathon

Day 53: Full Length Test 5

Q1.(a)."Moral courage is often tested when personal interests collide with the greater good."Analyse the significance of moral courage as a dimension of ethics. Illustrate with examples how it shapes ethical choices in public administration. (150 words)
(b). Differentiate ‘deontological ethics’ from ‘consequentialist ethics’ with illustrations from policy-making decisions. (150 words)

Q2.(a)."Positive attitude is not denial of reality, but a constructive engagement with it." Elaborate with reference to crisis management in governance. (150 words)
(b).“When morality guides power, justice thrives; when power corrupts morality, tyranny begins."Examine the scope and challenges of integrating moral reasoning into political decision-making in a democracy. (150 words)

Q3.(a)."Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done." In the present socio-political environment, how can a civil servant ensure impartiality and non-partisanship while dealing with politically sensitive matters? (150 words)
(b).“The family sets the tone, society amplifies it, and institutions sustain it.”
Assess the roles and interplay of family, society, and educational institutions in the value-building process. (150 words)

Q4.(a)."Data drives decisions, but emotions drive acceptance.” Discuss how emotional intelligence complements evidence-based policymaking. (150 words)
(b)."Trust in governance rests on the ability to rise above self-interest."Examine how the principle of probity in public life can act as a safeguard against conflict of interest in public administration. Provide relevant examples. (150 words)

Q5.What do each quotation convey to you in the present context :
(a)."No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." – Theodore Roosevelt (150 words)
(b)."I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy." — Rabindranath Tagore (150 words)
(c). Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do." — Potter Stewart (150 words)

Q6.(a). "Gandhi’s ahimsa and Rawls’ justice walk different paths but meet at fairness."
Examine the convergence of Eastern and Western moral thought in shaping inclusive governance. (150 words)
(b). "A public office is a public trust.” Critically examine the concept of public service in India. How should the values of selflessness, dedication, and accountability guide civil servants today? (150 words)

Q.7.Riya, a young IAS officer, is posted as the Director of the State Digital Media Governance Mission (SDMGM). Her department has recently launched a platform called “DigiVoice”, which integrates AI-driven content moderation, citizen complaint redressal, and social media analytics to track misinformation, hate speech, and online harassment. The stated objective is to ensure responsible online discourse, prevent cybercrime, and protect citizens from harmful content.

However, civil liberties groups and free speech advocates have raised concerns. They argue that the platform’s AI algorithms are opaque, there is limited citizen oversight, and the criteria for flagging or removing content are unclear. Critics warn that the system could censor legitimate dissent or political criticism under the guise of controlling misinformation.

During a technical audit, Riya discovers that the AI content moderation tool is being trained using private datasets from social media companies, some of which include personal user data without explicit consent. Additionally, preliminary reports indicate that certain trending topics are artificially suppressed, potentially influencing public opinion ahead of local elections.

When Riya raises these concerns with her senior officials, she is instructed not to disrupt the rollout, as the platform has strong political support and is being promoted as a “landmark initiative in digital governance.” She is under pressure to give a favorable report before the elections.

A. What are the ethical dilemmas faced by Riya in this situation?

B. What options are available to her? Critically examine the consequences of each.

C. What course of action would you recommend, considering ethical principles, constitutional rights, and public interest?

D. How can long-term policies be designed to balance AI-driven content moderation with freedom of speech and privacy?  (250 words)

Q.8.Sahana, a young IAS officer, has been posted as the District Education Officer in a backward rural district. She is responsible for improving girls’ enrollment, retention, and learning outcomes in government schools. During her field visits, she observes several persistent challenges: many classrooms are dilapidated, overcrowded, and poorly ventilated; sanitation facilities are either non-functional or insufficient, particularly for adolescent girls; and access to safe drinking water is limited. Teachers often report for duty irregularly, and many lack proper training in pedagogy or gender-sensitive teaching methods.

Parents express concern that their daughters are reluctant to attend school regularly because of unsafe and unhygienic conditions, poor quality of teaching, and lack of basic amenities. They are especially worried about adolescent girls’ privacy and safety due to inadequate toilet facilities. Despite these issues, higher officials and local politicians prioritize meeting enrollment targets and reporting quantitative indicators, rather than addressing qualitative deficiencies.

During her review of school accounts, Sahana discovers that funds earmarked for infrastructure development, teacher training, and sanitation improvements have been partially diverted to other non-educational projects. Reporting this misuse could attract political backlash, as some local officials are influential and the matter is considered sensitive ahead of local elections.

Sahana must decide how to act ethically while balancing bureaucratic accountability, political pressures, and the welfare of girl students. She is concerned that failing to act may perpetuate gender disparities in education, but aggressive reporting may affect her career and relationships with local authorities.

A. What ethical dilemmas does Sahana face in this situation?

B. What options are available to her? Critically examine the consequences of each.

C. Recommend a course of action to ensure safe, quality, and equitable education for girls, with ethical reasoning.

D. Suggest long-term strategies to improve infrastructure, teaching quality, and sanitation facilities, ensuring sustainability and accountability. (250 words)

Q.9.You are a senior diplomat representing India at a high-level international trade and economic summit. The summit aims to negotiate a global digital trade agreement, including regulations on cross-border data flows, intellectual property, and e-commerce taxation. Developed nations are pushing for stringent norms that would favor their technology firms and limit data sovereignty for developing countries. They argue that harmonized rules are necessary for global economic growth and innovation.

India, however, insists on protecting its citizens’ data, supporting domestic technology industries, and ensuring equitable market access for developing countries. This stance is supported domestically but has led to frustration among powerful trading partners, who claim India is delaying consensus.

During the negotiations, a multinational corporation offers you an exclusive consulting position with lucrative compensation, subtly implying that supporting their proposals could help secure your career advancement. While no explicit quid pro quo is demanded, the offer creates a potential conflict of interest.

Simultaneously, you receive confidential advice from a fellow diplomat that compromising India’s position could facilitate technology transfer, foreign investment, and long-term strategic partnerships, which may benefit the country’s development goals. However, yielding too readily could weaken India’s negotiating credibility and violate principles of fairness and sovereignty.

A. Identify the ethical dilemmas faced in balancing national interest, personal gain, and international cooperation.

B. How should you reconcile national sovereignty and equitable global engagement with ethical responsibilities as an international negotiator?

C. How should you respond to the corporate offer, and what ethical values should guide your conduct?

D. Suggest long-term strategies to uphold integrity, fairness, and strategic interests in international economic negotiations. (250 words)

Q.10.Arjun, a young IAS officer, has been posted as the District Collector in a Naxal-affected district. He is responsible for restoring law and order while promoting development, but he quickly realizes the situation is far more complex. Many villages lack schools, healthcare, and employment opportunities, leaving youth vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups. At the same time, security forces pressure him to prioritize counter-insurgency metrics, often ignoring socio-economic grievances.

Local communities, however, are deeply distrustful of administration efforts. They report harassment during security operations, corruption in welfare schemes, and delays in public service delivery. Civil society groups emphasize that heavy-handed policing without participatory development fuels alienation and radicalization.

Arjun also discovers that some development funds have been misallocated by local officials, and whistleblowing could trigger political backlash. Furthermore, media coverage of any incident is often sensationalized, adding pressure to take visible action, even if short-term security measures compromise human rights.

He must decide how to balance immediate security needs, administrative accountability, and long-term socio-economic interventions. Any misstep could either exacerbate violence or undermine public trust, and the decisions have ethical, legal, and political ramifications.

What ethical dilemmas does Arjun face in balancing security, development, and public trust?

What options are available to him? Critically examine the consequences of each.

Recommend a course of action to reduce radicalization while upholding human rights and administrative integrity.

Suggest long-term strategies to address poverty, education, and governance gaps in conflict-prone areas.  (250 words)

Q.11.You are a senior officer in the Ministry of Defence, responsible for overseeing the procurement of a new fighter aircraft fleet for the Air Force. The project is critical for national security and air superiority, involving a large budget and long-term strategic implications. During the tender evaluation, you discover that one of the shortlisted vendors has close political and bureaucratic connections, and some technical specifications may have been tailored to favor their products, raising concerns about fair competition.

Additionally, recent flight trials of aircraft from this vendor have reported minor but recurring technical glitches, which, if ignored, could potentially lead to flight accidents, risking pilot safety and operational readiness. You also learn that maintenance and spare parts costs for this model are significantly higher than alternative options, which may strain defense finances over decades.

Meanwhile, a foreign defense company offers you a lucrative consultancy contract after the deal is finalized. While no explicit quid pro quo is demanded, it is implied that supporting certain decisions could help you secure the opportunity. Simultaneously, political authorities and senior officials are pressuring you to expedite procurement, citing urgent security threats. Any delay may affect defense preparedness, international strategic partnerships, and India’s credibility in joint exercises, but fast-tracking could compromise safety, transparency, and ethical norms.

A. Identify the ethical dilemmas in this multi-dimensional defense procurement scenario.

B. What options are available to you? Critically examine the consequences of each.

C. Recommend a course of action that ensures transparency, safety, accountability, and strategic preparedness, with ethical justification.

D. Suggest long-term measures to prevent corruption, favoritism, and safety compromises in high-value defense acquisitions. (250 words)

Q.12.Meera, a young IAS officer, has been posted as the Controller of Examinations in a state public service commission. Her primary responsibility is to ensure the smooth, fair, and transparent conduct of competitive examinations. Recently, several incidents of question paper leaks in state-level examinations have come to light. Investigations suggest that some examination officials and outsourced personnel may have colluded with private agents to leak questions in exchange for money.

During an internal audit, Meera discovers irregularities in printing, distribution, and storage of question papers, and preliminary evidence indicates that financial incentives were used to influence staff. Students from certain centers appear to have received prior access to question papers, creating widespread resentment among aspirants and raising concerns about the integrity of the selection process.

When Meera raises these issues with her seniors, she is instructed to avoid escalating the matter publicly, as high-profile individuals and political stakeholders are indirectly implicated. She is also under pressure to ensure the examination results are declared on schedule to avoid backlash from candidates and the media.

Meera is now faced with a complex ethical dilemma: upholding the integrity of the examination system versus political and administrative pressures to cover up malpractices. Any misstep could either compromise fairness and meritocracy or jeopardize her career and relations with influential officials.

A. Identify the ethical dilemmas faced by Meera in handling paper leaks and corruption.

B. What options are available to her? Critically examine the consequences of each.

C. Recommend a course of action to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in the examination process, with ethical reasoning.

D. Suggest long-term measures to prevent leakages and malpractice in competitive exams. (250 words)