Case Studies

You are posted as the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation in a major North Indian city located along the Yamuna River. The river is the city’s lifeline, providing water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural needs. Over the years, however, the Yamuna has become heavily polluted due to untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and religious offerings. A recent National Green Tribunal report has criticised your corporation for failing to meet sewage treatment targets and for allowing illegal industrial discharges.

On assuming office, you discover that several textile and dyeing units are secretly releasing untreated waste into the river at night. Many sewage treatment plants under your jurisdiction are either non-functional or operating far below capacity, partly due to corruption in maintenance contracts. Religious organisations continue to immerse idols and floral offerings into the river, citing cultural tradition, and have mobilised public sentiment against any restrictions.

Environmental activists are running a campaign that is gaining national attention, while the local media have started linking rising cases of skin ailments and loss of aquatic life directly to the state of the river. Political leaders, however, advise you to go slow on enforcement until after the upcoming elections, warning that strict action against industries or religious groups may provoke unrest. Meanwhile, the government has directed you to prepare a detailed action plan for river rejuvenation.

A. Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.
B. How would you balance environmental duty with political and cultural pressures?
C. How would you ensure accountability in industrial compliance and transparency in sewage treatment operations?
D. Suggest key measures for sustainable river management and state the ethical values that should guide you. (250 words)

Q."Integrity without knowledge is useless and knowledge without integrity is dreadful." Examine how the balance between ethical integrity and professional competence is vital in public service. (150 words)

Q.“A public servant should be politically neutral but not morally indifferent.” Justify this statement with examples. (150 words)

Q. Critically analyze how climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts in India. Assess the preparedness of India’s disaster management framework to address cloudburst events. (250 words)

Q."A river’s purity is the first casualty of unchecked progress."Discuss the challenges in implementing effective wastewater treatment to curb river pollution in India. (150 words)

Q. “Small alliances, like silent anchors, stabilize regional multipolarity.” Examine India–EFTA ties through the lens of strategic balancing in a multipolar world. (250 words)

Q. Critically assess the constitutional validity and contemporary relevance of inserting 'Socialist' and 'Secular' into the Preamble through the 42nd Amendment. (150 words)

Q. “The oceans play a critical role in the Earth’s climate system.” Examine the influence of ocean currents and phenomena like El Niño on Indian weather patterns. (250 words)

Q. The architectural heritage of India embodies the spirit of syncretism. Discuss with reference to Indo-Islamic and colonial architecture. (150 words)

Essay

Q.1.Happiness is a how, not a what; a talent, not an object. (1200 words)
Q.2. In automating convenience, we have outsourced our conscience. (1200 words)

Case Studies

Q. You are posted as the General Manager of a large public sector manufacturing unit. Recently, tensions have escalated between the management and the workers’ union. The union has raised demands regarding increased wages, better safety standards, and permanent absorption of contractual workers.

While some of their demands are legitimate and align with labour welfare norms, others may have a severe impact on the company's financial health. Moreover, you discover that a few influential union leaders are instigating workers to go on an indefinite strike, even though negotiations are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, a group of junior employees approaches you confidentially, expressing concern that the aggressive approach of the union may harm their career prospects and lead to a prolonged factory shutdown. At the same time, pressure mounts from the Ministry to avoid disruptions and meet production targets crucial for national supply chains.

In the midst of this, a senior union leader offers to de-escalate the situation in exchange for personal favors, such as awarding contracts to firms linked to him and ensuring his relatives receive preferential treatment in job promotions.

You are expected to submit a report to the Ministry suggesting a path forward that ensures industrial peace, protects workers’ rights, and prevents unethical compromises.

A. Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.

B. How would you balance worker welfare with organizational sustainability and public interest?

C. How should you respond to the offer made by the union leader? What mechanisms should be used to ensure transparency and accountability?

D. What ethical values and principles of public administration should guide your conduct?(250 words)

Q. “Emotionally intelligent leadership is critical to crisis management.” Discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance administrative effectiveness in times of public emergencies and disasters. (250 words)

Q. John Rawls emphasized “justice as fairness.”Analyze how this principle can be used by government functionaries while allocating scarce resources to competing public interests. (150 words)

Q. Despite being the largest cotton producer globally, India lags in productivity. Critically examine the key challenges in cotton productivity in India and evaluate the role of recently launched “Mission for Cotton Productivity” in addressing them. (250 words)

Q. India’s participation in the Axiom Mission marks a shift towards global human spaceflight collaboration. Analyze its implications for India’s space sector. (150 words)

Q. While India ranks high in consumption equality, it continues to witness deepening wealth concentration. Analyse the disconnect between economic expansion and distributive justice in India. What policy measures are needed to bridge this gap? (250 words)

Q. “Declining legislative productivity reflects a deeper crisis in parliamentary democracy and national consensus.” Examine with reference to recent parliamentary sessions in India. (150 words)

Q. Examine how globalization has influenced the cultural fabric of Indian society. Does it threaten traditional values or foster pluralism? (250 words)

Q. Evaluate how the emergence of economic nationalism laid the intellectual foundation for political nationalism in India. (150 words)

Essay Topics:

1. Convictions make history, conscience sustains it.

2. Ideals without action are ornaments, actions without ideals are accidents.

Case Study:

You are the Managing Director of "XYZ Biotech", a rapidly growing pharmaceutical firm based in India, with operations in several developing countries. Your company has recently developed a breakthrough mRNA-based vaccine for a rapidly mutating tropical disease affecting large sections of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.

The vaccine has demonstrated 94% efficacy in Phase III clinical trials and has the potential to save thousands of lives. However, the vaccine is expensive to manufacture, requiring specialized cold-chain storage, and proprietary biotechnology inputs licensed from international partners. The pricing strategy proposed by your Board is to recoup R&D investments and generate profit by pricing the vaccine at Rs. 3000 per dose, which makes it unaffordable for many low-income populations in target regions.

Meanwhile, several NGOs, global health organizations, and even a few governments are urging you to waive your patent rights, or adopt tiered pricing to allow cheaper versions or voluntary licensing for public-sector manufacture.

You are also under pressure from investors, who expect high returns due to the innovation. Some stakeholders suggest cutting costs by outsourcing trials to countries with weaker regulatory standards, while others propose delaying access in poorer countries to focus on wealthier clients first. Your own conscience is conflicted—you believe in public health as a right, but also have obligations to shareholders, employees, and long-term sustainability of the firm.

a) Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.
b) What would be your immediate response to the situation described above?
c) If a global health coalition asks for voluntary licensing of your vaccine, how would you respond both ethically and strategically?
d) As a conscientious public-spirited executive, suggest a balanced strategy that ensures innovation, affordability, and ethical integrity.

Q. “While a strong moral compass is essential for public servants, rigid moral absolutism may sometimes conflict with the practical demands of governance”. Discuss the role of ethical pragmatism in helping civil servants strike a balance between idealism and effective decision-making in complex administrative situations. (150 words)

Q. "Procedural integrity is a cornerstone of good governance, yet there are situations where strict compliance with rules may result in outcomes that violate the spirit of justice. In such circumstances, should a civil servant uphold substantive justice even if it means deviating from procedural norms?" Discuss with relevant examples from public administration. (150 words)

Q. “India’s renewable energy transition is necessary, but not yet sufficient.” Analyse the environmental and socio-economic trade-offs in large-scale solar and wind energy projects. (250 words)

Q. “In a country where deprivation wears many faces, economic policy must begin at the margins, not the median.” Examine in the context of poverty alleviation strategies in India. (250 words)

Q. "The Indo-Pacific is not just a geographic space but a strategic vision." Analyze India’s Indo-Pacific strategy in the backdrop of China’s assertiveness and evolving regional alliances. (250 words)

Q. "The Vice President’s role as Rajya Sabha Chairperson is central to the spirit of bicameralism." Discuss the constitutional and practical significance of this role in ensuring federal balance. (250 words)

Q. "Marginalized communities in India face layered vulnerabilities that go beyond economic deprivation." Analyze with examples. (150 words)

Q. Evaluate the role of moderates and extremists in shaping the early phase of the Indian National Movement. Were their methods complementary or contradictory? (250 words)