Mains Practice Questions

Q. You are a traffic constable and while on duty you see 3 people riding a motorcycle without a helmet and jumping the red signal. On stopping them, you came to know that one of them met with an accident due to potholes and is severely bleeding and due to non-arrival of ambulance they are taking him to the hospital. On further enquiry, you came to know that the driver does not have a driving license and works as day wager. While on his way to work, he found the man lying injured on the road and in a rush to take him to hospital, he left his helmet on the site of an accident. The driver expresses his financial inability to pay increased fines. Recently, due to the enforcement of new Motor Vehicles Act, you are under severe pressure from your seniors for strict enforcement.    

1. What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation. 

2. Also suggest a course of action you would like to follow. (250 words)

Q. “Businesses cannot be successful when the society around them fails.” Analyse the need for Corporate Social Responsibility in light of the above statement. (250 words)

Q. Examine the following quote:

“ I'd rather have a free press without a government than a government without a free press.” (250 words)

You are posted as an SDM in a division of district which is undergoing ethnic turbulence since sometime. There has been a substantial loss of lives and property due to the disturbance, following which you are given implicit orders by the ruling party of the area to move a certain section of population, belonging to a particular ethnic group, out of the area to control the situation. This order has put you in a difficult position as it goes against your own ethical values of targeting a section of population and moving them out of their homes. However, not following the orders will be taken as dereliction of duty and will put the onus on you for the loss of lives.

A. In this situation, what are the options available to you?

B. In your opinion, what can be the most appropriate course of action and why? (250 words)

Q. Examine the contribution of Bhakti movement to ethics along with its impact on society. (250 words)

Q. What is empathy? Is it an important trait for the present-day civil servants? Explain with examples.

Q. Ambedkar warned that Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul, but in politics, Bhakti or hero worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship. Comment. (150 words)

Q. Discuss Kautilya’s philosophy of “Yatha Raja Tatha Praja” (As the king is, so will be the people) in the context of today’s political leadership in India. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by conscience? Discuss the different conceptions of conscience given by moral thinkers. (250 words)

Q. Examine Kautilya’s ideas on governance and corruption. How far are these ideas relevant in today’s Indian society. (250 words)

Q. A free media has a crucial role in the prevention, monitoring and control of corruption. Analyse. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by feminist ethics? How is “ethic of care” different from “ethic of justice”? (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by bioethics? Discuss issues related to bioethics in India. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by cognitive dissonance? Give some instances where a civil servant may experience cognitive dissonance. (250 words)

Q. Define and differentiate between the following terms:- (150 words)

(a)Sympathy

(b)Empathy

(c)Compassion

Q. Discuss how ‘Right to Information’ has helped in furthering the goals of democracy and impediments still remaining in its implementation. (250 words)

Q. Which are the institutions in India that promote ethical accountability in public service and what are the challenges in ensuring it? (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by emotional intelligence? Substantiate its significance in civil services. (150 words)

Q. Differentiate between the following terms:  

1.Meta ethics and normative ethics.

2.Deontology and consequentialism

(250 words)

Q. Examine the relevance of ‘honesty’ and ‘courage of conviction’ in the context of civil service.

Q. Which are the seven essential principles of public service that serve as guide for civil servants. (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by ethical egoism and how does it impact ethics? (150 words)

Q. Non-violence, in its active sense, includes truth and fearlessness. Discuss. (150 words)

Q. Gandhi believed that even for attaining noble objectives, men have to only adopt good means. Examine. (150 words)

Q.What do you understand by environmental ethics and what is its significance? (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by ethics and what are its determinants? How is ethics different from values? (250 words)

Q. Ethics is nothing else than reverence for life. Comment. (150 words)

Q. Which woman reformer in your opinion has played a significant role in disrupting social evils and has been a shining beacon of hope? (150 words)

Q. Corruption in India has revealed extreme poverty in thought leading to erosion of basic human values. Comment. (250 words)

Q.Can public ethics diverge from private ethics for a civil servant? Analyse with relevant examples.(150 words)