Mains Practice Questions

Q. Public service must evolve to a level where probity becomes a way of life and honesty is a routine expectation. Comment. (150 words)

A coaching centre in an area dominated by migrant workers and daily wage earners, caters to a specific group of women students – those who come from financially poor backgrounds and have dropped out of formal schooling due to familial pressure as well as financial issues. The girls come from such families who will marry them off if they don’t study and pass their exams.

However, the centre has always struggled with poor finances for many years and lacks basic infrastructure and facilities such as laptops or Wi-Fi. Moreover, after a nationwide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, teaching has become more difficult. The teachers at the centre continue to teach students even when their salaries stopped coming due to the financial crisis that the centre faces. Not only the centre but the students also do not have laptops/mobile with a proper internet connection. Also, the students as well as the teachers are not very well versed with technology.

You are the manager of the centre, identify the various ethical issues of the given case. Based on your understanding, suggest measures to deal with the crisis. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by the term ‘Gandhian Ethics’? Discuss with examples the application of the Gandhian ethics in public service. (150 words)

Q. Genuine engagement with media ethics seems to be declining in the present times. Discuss the ethical issues that plague Indian journalism. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by the theory of utilitarianism? Critically analyse the usefulness of the theory. (150 words)

Q. “It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude.” Do you agree with the statement? Substantiate with examples. (250 words)

Hundreds of people have died in a district of Punjab after consuming spurious liquor. The police have conducted several raids to catch the culprits responsible for this mishap. The raiding teams seized large quantities of "lahan" - the raw material for making liquor - from various villages and dhabas in the region around the district border. The preliminary investigation has confirmed a long-established system of illicit liquor outlets in the whole state.

It is alleged by the media that the hooch tragedy is the direct and natural consequence of the patronage given by the leaders, including ministers and MLAs for turning a blind eye to the rampant illicit liquor trade in the state.

Meanwhile, the state government is under attack from opposition parties for not taking immediate and adequate action. The state government in a hasty response transferred district magistrate and suspended several police officials for negligence of duty.

You are the newly appointed district magistrate of the region.

a. Identify the stakeholders and the ethical issues involved in the case.

b. What best course of action will you adopt to resolve the issues in this case?

c. What long term steps will you take to make sure such incidents do not occur in future.

Q. “Corruption is an important manifestation of the failure of ethics.” In the light of the statement discuss the various reasons for the prevalence of corruption and measures needed to eradicate it. (250 words)

Q. The quality of service delivery in a public organisation can be improved by internal and external appraisal. Discuss (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by code of conduct? Discuss how it differs from code of ethics? (150 words)

Q. Define Work Culture. Discuss its importance in the success of any organisation. (150 words)

According to a report that was published in the major daily newspaper, two school girls who got married after completing their Class X were denied admission in government girls’ higher secondary school.

The reasons cited by the school Headmistress for denial of admission to them in Class XI was that the admission to Class XI was not automatic and that the presence of married girls in the school would distract the other school girls from their studies and adversely affect their academic performance.

You are a newly appointed District Magistrate of that area and come across this information through local newspapers. On investigation it was found that the marriage of the minor girls was a common phenomenon in certain communities of that region and here school going girls often get married immediately after completing Standard X.

The parents of the girls are reluctant to file complaints under the fear of penal action for having solemnised the marriage of minor girls.

a. Identify the stakeholders and ethical dilemmas involved in the case.

b. What would be the best course of action taken by you as a District Magistrate to manage the situation?

Q. Discuss the importance of virtues for civil services conduct. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the contributions of Swami Vivekanand’s philosophy in the evolution of ethics? (150 words)

Recently, Municipal officials with the help of police razed down several temporary shelter homes in a slum area, claiming that they had encroached upon the land in the city where a beautification project has been planned. The residents of this slum are traditional bamboo artisans who were resettled here five years ago after being displaced from another site.

Eviction from a slum during the lockdown rendered people homeless. The families claimed that the lockdown affected the wedding season during which they used to earn a bare minimum amount for their subsistence to earn a bare minimum amount for their subsistence by selling bamboo items and utensils. Now they are left with no other means of livelihood and are homeless after losing their shelter. means of livelihood and homeless after losing their shelter.

Meanwhile some displaced residents started working as ragpickers, but now due to lockdown the scrap warehouses have been shut. Due to which the savings of the affected people is drained and they are on the verge of being famished.

You are the Divisional Commissioner of that area and it is your responsibility to resolve all the issues including the rehabilitation of the displaced people in implementation of the beautification project.

a. Identify the stakeholders and the ethical issues involved in the case.

b. What are the options available to you? Which one do you think will be the most appropriate step that can be taken. Justify.

Q. “Social influence and persuasion can contribute in eliminating social evils in the society”. Discuss. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the relevance of objectivity in the governance of modern day society. Is it desirable to attain absolute objectivity? (250 words)

Q. “Efficient utilisation of public funds is fundamental to a sustainable society.” Examine the reasons for the lack of efficient utilisation of public funds. (150 words)

You are the District Collector of an area that has recently witnessed a communal riot between Hindu and Muslim communities. Many people have lost their residences, businesses and lives because of these riots. During the communal violence, schools were targeted and burnt; ambulances were denied access to the grievously injured; and journalists were beaten up. A list released by the hospital showed that several victims had died of assault and burns (from acid and fire). The hospitals in the area are flooded with the victims, and are running short of doctors and infrastructure to cater to the large population.

As many people had died of gunshot wounds, several policemen have been accused of siding with the rioters instead of trying to maintain the law and order.

Many students in the area are to write their class 10^th and 12^th Board exams, and are now staging a protest demanding the exams to be postponed. Several families who have lost their homes, have created makeshift tents in front of your office to express their protest. The media is blaming the government for its inaction and you are under the pressure to immediately hold a press conference and speak on the behalf of the government.

a. Identify the stakeholders and the ethical issues involved.

b. What course of action will be most appropriate to establish the law and order in the area again? Justify. (250 words)

Q. Do you agree that the Right to Information Act, 2005 is a master key to good governance? Justify. (150 words)

Q. “The ideas for creating a system of education should be aimed at promoting international co-operation and creating global citizens”. What do you understand by this statement in the present-day scenario? Explain. (250 words).

You are a Chief Medical officer running a hospital in a primarily lower-income neighborhood, where many of your patients are recent migrants from different parts of the country. You are granted a fixed annual budget of Rs.1 crore through your local public health department, and it is unlikely that you can obtain additional funding for any year. Traditionally, you have used your entire budget for the past several years.

One day, a frightened, thin young man appears to the clinic with a folder of medical records. He is accompanied by his aunt, who explains to you that he was recently diagnosed with a rare type of cancer that, if untreated, will result in his death within six months. After further inquiry, you determine that his cancer is treatable, but will require Rs. 50 Lakh (Half of the total annual budget) to save his life.

Treating this single patient means that there will not be enough money to treat all of the other patients who come to the clinic over the course of the year. In other words, his medication is not cost-effective because for the same amount invested in supplying the clinic, the hospital could prevent many more deaths or disability adjusted life years for a greater number of patients. However, allowing a patient to die of a treatable condition feels wrong on many levels.

a. Identify the stakeholders and ethical dilemmas involved in the case.

b. What are the options available to you? Which one do you think will be the most appropriate step that can be taken and why?

Q. “Building of social capital plays a crucial role in good governance, economic development and social harmony of the nation”. Discuss (250 Words)

Q. What do you understand by ethical dilemmas? Give examples of some of the ethical dilemmas faced by the civil servants in present times. (250 words)

You are the manager of a reputed firm. One of your employees has just been diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer. He has confided in you about the status of his health. He has also asked you not to say a word to anyone because he considers his health to be a personal matter. Over the next few months, this employee is absent frequently, especially during his radiation treatments. His absences are not a major problem for the company because he can work from home.

However, some of your other employees think that their co-worker is getting special treatment, and they are ready to go to your boss to complain. This would create unnecessary and unhelpful problems for the sick employee if other employees complain about him.

a. Identify the stakeholders and the ethical issues involved in the case.

b. How would you handle this situation? Suggest most appropriate course of action. (250 words).

Q. Examine the Stoic's models of ethics in terms of its suitability for modern civil servants? (150 words)

Q. Discuss the various ethical values enshrined in the Indian Constitution? (150 words)

You are the manager of a company that has been worst affected by the lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic. All the businesses of the company have been halted and there is no source of revenue generation in the company during the lockdown. Due to this, the company will not be able to sustain for long and pay full salaries to all of its employees. Moreover, the government plans to extend the lockdown period in order to tackle the spread of the infectious disease.

As a manager, you have to decide on cutting down the salaries of the workers and lay off some of them in order to keep the company running. However, your decision will leave many poor workers without any source of income.

a. Identify the ethical dilemmas involved in the case.

b. What are the possible courses of actions available to you? Which one do you think will be the most appropriate step that can be taken and why?

Q. Discuss the differences between teleological and deontological systems of ethics? (150 words)

Q. Mahatma Gandhi's concept of trusteeship was an instrument of human dignity. Is it relevant in contemporary society? (250 words)