Mains Practice Questions

Q. Examine the importance of accountability and transparency in promoting ethical behavior in public administration. (150 words)

Q. Evaluate the impact of cultural values on ethical behavior in public service. (150 words) 

Case Study 

You are an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer posted in a developing country that is known for its human rights violations and corruption. Your job is to represent India's interests and promote friendly relations with the host country. However, you find that your host country's government is involved in several unethical practices, including suppression of political dissent, censorship of media, and siphoning off foreign aid. 

One day, you receive a confidential report from your embassy that confirms the host country's government's involvement in illegal activities, including money laundering, trafficking of drugs and arms, and supporting terrorist organizations. The report also states that some Indian companies are indirectly involved in these illegal activities by providing them with funding and logistics support. 

Q. In this scenario, what would you do as an IFS officer, and how would you justify your actions ethically? 

Q. How can ethical considerations be incorporated into environmental policy-making? (150 words)

Q. How can civil servants promote integrity and probity in public life? (150 words)

Case Study

You are a district collector of a drought-prone area where farmers are suffering from crop failure and debt. You have been allocated funds by the state government to provide relief measures such as food grains distribution, loan waivers and employment generation schemes.

However, you find out that some local politicians and officials are involved in diverting these funds for their personal gains. They have also threatened some honest staff members who tried to expose their corruption.

You have evidence against these corrupt people but you also know that they have strong political connections and influence in the area.

Q. What will you do in this situation?

Q. What do you understand by ‘moral courage’? Why is it important for a civil servant? Give an example of a situation where you displayed moral courage. (150 words)

Q. Explain how ethics contributes to social and human well-being. (150 words)

Case Study

You are a junior officer in a government department that deals with food distribution schemes. You have been working under a senior officer who is respected and admired for his efficiency and honesty. However, one day you come across some documents that reveal that he has been siphoning off funds from the schemes for his personal use. You are shocked and confused by this discovery.

What would you do in this situation and why?

Q. What are the principles of natural justice? How are they applied in administrative decision making? Explain with examples. (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by emotional intelligence? How can it help you in improving your interpersonal skills and decision making? Give examples from your own life or from any public figure. (150 words)

Case Study

You are a senior executive at a large healthcare organization that has recently implemented an artificial intelligence (AI) system to assist doctors in diagnosing and treating patients. The system uses machine learning algorithms to analyze patient data, identify patterns and predict outcomes. It has been designed to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

However, the system has recently come under scrutiny from the media, patient groups and regulators who are concerned about the ethical implications of using AI in healthcare. There are concerns that the system may be biased, as it has been trained on data that may not represent all patient populations. There are also concerns about the potential loss of privacy and autonomy for patients, as their data is being collected and analyzed without their explicit consent.

You have been tasked with addressing these ethical concerns and ensuring that the healthcare organization is operating in a responsible and ethical manner.

What steps will you take to address biases in AI systems and ensure that they are transparent and accountable?

Q. What are the key ethical theories and frameworks, and how can they be applied to real-world ethical dilemmas? (150 words)

Q. What ethical principles should guide decisions regarding issues such as human rights, conflict resolution, and the use of force in international affairs? (150 words)

Case Study

Shradha Sharma is a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. She has been working for the past 20 years and has a reputation for being honest, competent, and impartial. Her department has been tasked with granting environmental clearances to a large corporation that wants to build a new factory in a forest area.

Shradha Sharma knows that the project could have serious environmental impacts, including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. She also knows that the corporation has a history of flouting environmental norms and regulations in other parts of the country.

Shradha Sharma is under intense pressure from the corporation to grant the clearance, as it would create thousands of jobs and bring in large investments. On the other hand, she is also under pressure from environmental activists and NGOs who are urging her to reject the clearance, citing the potential environmental and social costs.

Shradha Sharma is facing dilemma between her duty as a public servant to promote development and create jobs, and her duty to protect the environment and safeguard the interests of the local communities. She has to decide whether to grant or reject the environmental clearance, and her decision will have far-reaching consequences.

Q. What factors should Ms. Sharma consider in making her decision? What are the possible solutions to this ethical dilemma, and what are the trade-offs involved in each solution?

Q. How does the principle of utilitarianism relate to ethical decision-making in public policy? Discuss with the help of an example. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the concept of "ethical relativism" and evaluate its merits and demerits as a basis for ethical decision-making. (150 words)

Case study

You are a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Rural Development. The Ministry is responsible for implementing various welfare schemes for rural areas such as employment guarantee, housing, and sanitation programs. Your personal values and beliefs are aligned with the objective of the Ministry to bring about positive change in the lives of rural citizens.

One of your close friends, Tarun, who is a successful businessman, approaches you with a proposal to start a joint venture. Tarun wants to bid for a rural sanitation project that is currently being tendered by the Ministry. The project involves the construction of toilets in rural areas and is part of the government’s larger mission to improve sanitation facilities in rural India.

What would you do in this situation?

Q. What are the key principles of deontological ethics and how do they differ from consequentialist ethics? (150 words)

Q. What is the relationship between ethics and morality in a society, and how do they differ from each other? (150 words)

Case study

Mr. Sudarshan is a highly competent and experienced civil engineer working in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing the construction of a major road project in the state. The project has been awarded to a private company, Rudra Inc.

During the course of the project, Mr. Sudarshan becomes aware of certain irregularities and unethical practices being carried out by Rudra Inc. These include the use of sub-standard materials, overcharging for work done, and making payments to government officials such as Mr. Bhushan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, to secure the project contract.

What should Mr. Sudarshan do in this situation? What ethical principles should guide his decision-making process?

Q. Discuss the role of probity in public administration and evaluate its impact on the functioning of public institutions. (150 words)

Q. Explain the different types of attitudes and how they influence our thoughts and behavior. (150 words)

Case study

Recently, the Digi Bank-Biocoin loan fraud case was in the news for loan fraud and irregularities in loans provided to the Biocoin Group by Digi Bank, where Teesha Verma was the CEO and Managing Director. Verma and her family allegedly received kickbacks in exchange for granting loans to the Biocoin group, many of which became non-performing assets (NPAs) and caused a loss of 1,730 crores to the bank. Furthermore, Teesha Verma's husband was in the head position in Biocoin company, and the loan indirectly benefitted him, as he siphoned off all the funds to his Swiss bank accounts. The Enforcement Director is called upon to carry out the further investigation, further you as the senior officer leading the case and there has been political pressure to hush up the matter so that Teesha and her Husband don’t get involved in the case.

As a senior enforcement director officer what would you do in this situation? Also Suggest actions that could have been taken to prevent and address these ethical violations.

Case Study

Recently, in a tragic incident occurred in west Delhi where a 20-year-old woman was found naked and dead. She had been dragged beneath a car for 12 kilometers. According to reports, the occupants of the car, which included the son of a ruling party president, were aware that the woman was trapped under the car but chose to keep driving in order to avoid getting caught. Additionally, there is reported pressure on the police by the ruling party to resolve the case quickly and protect the accused.

As a IPS officer you were given responsibility to handle the case, what would you do in this scenario?

Q. Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant and justify their inclusion in the matrix. (150 words)

Q. What is the meaning of key ethical terms such as 'right', 'wrong', 'love', and 'compassion'? How do these terms relate to our understanding of morality and ethical principles? (150 words)

Case study

An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer is posted in a host country as the Ambassador of India. The officer is tasked with representing India's interests and promoting bilateral relations between the two countries. However, the host country has a poor human rights record and the government has been accused of committing atrocities against ethnic and religious minorities.

The IFS officer has been approached by representatives of these minorities, who have requested assistance and support from the Indian government. They have also provided evidence of human rights abuses to the officer. However, the officer has been advised by the Ministry of External Affairs to not interfere in the internal affairs of the host country and to maintain good relations with the host government.

If you were in the position of IFS officer, what would you do in this situation?

Q. What are the ethical considerations surrounding the use of technology in warfare and armed conflicts, and how can they be addressed? (150 words)

Q. Discuss the role of rational thinking in resolving ethical dilemmas in the field of education. (150 words)