Mains Practice Questions

Q. Does Corporate Social Responsibility suffice for everything that is needed in corporate ethics? Critically analyze? (150 Words)

Case Study

An elevated corridor is being constructed to reduce traffic congestion in the capital of a particular State. You have been selected as project manager of this prestigious project on your professional competence and experience. The deadline is to complete the project in next two years by 30 June, 2021, since this project is to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister before the elections are announced in the second week of July 2021. While carrying out the surprise inspection by inspecting team, a minor crack was noticed in one of the piers of the elevated corridor possibly due to poor material used. You immediately informed the chief engineer and stopped further work. It was assessed by you that minimum three piers of the elevated corridor have to be demolished and reconstructed. But this process will delay the project minimum by four to six months. But the chief engineer overruled the observation of inspecting team on the ground that it was a minor crack which will not in any way impact the strength and durability of the bridge. He ordered you to overlook the observation of inspecting team and continue working with same speed and tempo. He informed you that the minister does not want any delay as he wants the Chief Minister to inaugurate the elevated corridor before the elections are declared. Also informed you that the contractor is far relative of the minister and he wants him to finish the project. He also gave you hint that your further promotion as additional chief engineer is under consideration with the ministry. However, you strongly felt that the minor crack in the pier of the elevated corridor will adversely affect the health and life of the bridge and therefore it will be very dangerous not to repair the elevated corridor.

(a) Under the given conditions, what are the options available to you as a project manager?
(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by the project manager?
(c) What are the professional challenges likely to be faced by the project manager and his response to overcome such challenges?
(d) What can be the consequences of overlooking the observation raised by the inspecting team?

Q. How impartiality and non-partisanship play a vital role in ensuring a neutral approach in public service? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. (150 Words)

Q. Examine the relevance of the following terms in the context of civil service: (150 Words)
(i) Integrity
(ii) Impartiality
(iii) Objectivity
(iv) Tolerance

Q. What is the key difference between sympathy, empathy and compassion? Highlight the role of empathy in shaping leadership. (150 Words)

Q. How can Emotional Intelligence (EI) help in administration and governance in India? (150 Words)

Q. “Thinking should become your capital asset, no matter whatever ups or downs you come across in your life”- A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Elucidate. (150 Words)

Q. Ethics and politics are the fields completely opposite to each other. Do you agree? (150 Words)

Case study

Pollution is severely affecting the health of people in a metropolitan city. One of the major causes of this environmental calamity is widespread stubble burning by farmers in the surrounding regions after harvesting paddy crop. Despite an outright ban imposed by the government and the introduction of subsidy packages for buying advance machines to dispose stubble, stubble burning remains unabated. The cause for farmers’ indifference towards machines is the belief that the use of machines like happy seeders leads to a fall in the output of successive crops. Recently, the state High Court has called for stringent implementation of the ban order in the neighbouring district of the state capital. You are the District magistrate of one of these districts and want to get rid of this polluting activity. However, your efforts are not yielding desirable results on the ground because of the politicization of this practice. Now, the local leaders are pressuring you to ignore the ban for this season and send deceptive data to the High Court otherwise they will lose support in the election. Although you are against stubble burning, you genuinely sympathize with the farmers for their predicaments.

The district also has a history of farmers’ movements which were at times violent. You are well aware of this and want to avoid any untoward incident of violence or agitation in this politically charged atmosphere.

(a) Identify the various issues involved in the case.
(b) As a District Magistrate of the concerned area, what will be your course of action in resolving the issue? (250 Words)

Q. Prejudice can exist without discrimination. Comment. (150 Words)

Q. What are the ethical issues involved in using artificial intelligence in military security? (150 Words)

Q. How is capability approach different from utilitarianism? Discuss. (150 Words)

Case Study

The municipal corporation of a city approved felling of trees to develop public transport infrastructure. Amidst the concrete jungle of the district, area X is a treasured green patch. With increasing environmental awareness, people have come on the streets to spread the message of conservation and stand against the indiscriminate felling of trees. The Municipal Corporation is of the view that developing viable public transport infrastructure will dissuade people from using private vehicles and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint. Meanwhile, activists say it is the sole surviving natural floodplain of the area, whose reclamation through construction and felling of trees would lead to greater inundation during the monsoon. The state government alarmed by widespread public protest against the felling of trees has constituted a committee to look into the matter and suggest alternatives for this project. You are appointed as the chairperson of this committee, What course of action will you recommend to the government for assuaging public concern and limiting environmental impact? (250 Words)

Case Study

You are posted as a District Magistrate. You come to know about a situation in the village under your jurisdiction where the population is suffering from Anaemia. An initiative was taken to provide fortified rice to villagers in order to provide nutrition to them but villagers deny to eat them as they have the misconception of the rice being the plastic rice. On the other hand, the village is also influenced by the Leftist movement and you get to know that Naxalites are using this public perception for their own benefit, making it more difficult for the government to reach the people.

An alternate initiative was taken by providing iron tablets to people but it created another misconception among villagers that these tablets lead to more weight of babies in pregnant mothers leading to delivery complications. Thus, it also ended in failure.

(a) What are the various issues involved in the above case study?

(b) How will you change the perception of the people in the backdrop of the spread of misinformation by the Naxalites? (250 Words)

Q. What are values? Highlight the importance of values in governance. (150 Words)

Q. What is lifeboat ethics? Explain with examples. (150 Words)

Q. What do you understand by attitude and attitude change? Highlight the factors that influence attitude change. (150 Words)

Q. Define the terms cooperation and competition. What are the determinants of cooperation and competition? (150 Words)

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you?

“Life doesn’t make any sense without interdependence. We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, it is better for us all.”- Erik Erikson

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you? (150 Words)

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves.” – Dalai Lama

Q. “Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with suitable illustration. (150 Words)

Case Study

A reputed food product company based in India developed a food product for the international market and started exporting the same after getting necessary approvals. The company announced this achievement and also indicated that soon the product will be made available for the domestic consumers with almost the same quality and health benefits. Accordingly, the company got its product approved by the domestic competent authority and launched the product in Indian market. The company could increase its market share over a period of time and earn substantial profit both domestically and internationally. However, the random sample test conducted by inspecting team found the product being sold domestically in variance with the approval obtained from the competent authority. On further investigation, it was also discovered that the food company was not only selling products which were not meeting the health standard of the country but also selling the rejected export products in the domestic market. This episode adversely affected the reputation and profitability of the food company.

(a) What action do you visualise should be taken by the competent authority against the food company for violating the laid down domestic food standard and selling rejected export products in the domestic market?

(b) What course of action is available with the food company to resolve the crisis and bring back its lost reputation?

(c) Examine the ethical dilemma involved in the case.

Q. Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations. (150 Words)

Q. An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate. (150 Words)

Q. In the case of crisis of conscience, does emotional intelligence help to overcome the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to follow? Critically examine. (150 Words)

Q. “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation”. Examine the statement with reference to the ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society. (150 Words)

Case Study

Pawan is working as an officer in the State Government for the last ten years. As a part of routine transfer, he was posted to another department. He joined in a new office along with five other colleagues. The head of the office was a senior officer conversant with the functioning of the office. As a part of general inquiry, Pawan gathered that his senior officer carries the reputation of being difficult and insensitive person having his own disturbed family life. Initially, all seemed to go well. However, after some time Pawan felt that the senior officer was belittling him and at times unreasonable. Whatever suggestions given or views expressed by Pawan in the meetings were summarily rejected and the senior officer would express displeasure in the presence of others. It became a pattern of boss’ style of functioning to show him in bad light highlighting his shortcomings and humiliating publicly. It became apparent that though there were no serious work-related problems/shortcomings, the senior officer was always on one pretext or the other and would scold and shout at him. The continuous harassment and public criticism of Pawan resulted in loss of confidence, self-esteem and equanimity. Pawan realised that his relation with his senior officer was becoming more toxic and due to this, he felt perpetually tensed, anxious and stressed. His mind was occupied with negativity and caused him mental torture, anguish and agony. Eventually, it badly affected his personal and family life. He was no longer joyous, happy and contented even at home. Rather without any reason he would lose his temper with his wife and other family members. The family environment was no longer pleasant and congenial. His wife who was always supportive to him also became a victim of his negativity and hostile behaviour. Due to harassment and humiliation suffered by him in the office, comfort and happiness virtually vanished from his life. Thus, it damaged his physical and mental health.

(a) What are the options available with Pawan to cope with the situation?

(b) What approach Pawan should adopt for bringing peace, tranquility and congenial environment in the office and home?

(c) As an outsider, what are your suggestions for both boss and subordinate to overcome this situation and for improving the work performance, mental and emotional hygiene?

(d) In the above scenario, what type of training would you suggest for officers at various levels in the government offices?

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you?

“Every work has got to pass through hundreds of difficulties before succeeding. Those that persevere will see the light, sooner or later.”- Swami Vivekanand (150 Words)

Q. Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant? (150 Words)

Case study

You are a partner in a law firm. One of the clients of your firm is a man of high social repute and has a flourishing business. This client has empanelled the firm for the last five years. However, this client has been involved in what is being dubbed as India’s biggest bank fraud. The client is on the run and it is believed that he has escaped to a country which can extradite him only if provided with substantial proof. In connection with this case, investigating agencies raid your firm and find incriminating evidence against the client.

But you know that, there is still a lot of information available with the firm, which is vital for ascertaining guilt of the client. You realize that it is very important for the country to get hold of the client and bring him to justice.

Faced with this situation, what will you do? Critically examine various conflicts of interest and explain what are your responsibilities as a responsible citizen of the country. (250 Words)