Mains Practice Questions

Q. Examine the following quotation: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried”.- Winston Churchill (250 words)

Q. Does learning from cultural and civilisational values makes one moral and ethical or rather turns him/her towards orthodox and regressive thinking? Give reasons in support of your answer. (250 words)

Q. You are a Superintendent of Police in a district where caste-based discrimination is rampant. In a recent case, members from the Dalit community were prevented from cremating the body of an old woman from their community at the public crematorium. People belonging to the dominant upper caste community have destroyed the funeral pyre and have allegedly threatened the family of the deceased.
After the police intervention, the Dalits staged a protest and the body was cremated on the ground in front of the residence of MLA of the region, who also belongs to the dominant community. In the process of investigation, you come to know that not only family members of the MLA but some of your relatives too have been involved in the destruction of the funeral pyre.

1. What will be the possible ethical dilemmas that you might face?
2. What will be your course of action? Justify. (250 words)

Q. "It is important to address not only the physical violence but even the verbal and structural violence, expressed in gender, caste and regional discrimination in order to become a peaceful society." Comment. (250 words)

Q. Do you agree that effective leadership requires power-sharing and participatory decision making? Substantiate your answer with suitable examples. (250 words)

Q. You are an auditor with a government department. Your son is starting a business and for that, he needs a large amount of loan from a bank you are auditing. But he couldn’t secure a loan from the bank because of his bad CIBIL score. Moreover, you cannot take the loan as the amount far exceeds your salary range. When you scrutinize the accounts of the bank, you find that its balance sheet has hidden stressed assets. However, one Assistant General Manager of the bank offers you help in return of favour that you do not reveal the balance sheet of the bank.

1. What are the values in conflict in the above situation?
2. What are the various options before you? Also, provide justification for each of the option. (250 Words)

Q. Law and Ethics are considered to be the two tools for controlling human conduct so as to make it conducive to civilized social existence.

1. Discuss how they achieve this objective.
2. Giving examples, show how the two differ in their approaches. (250 words)

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you in the present context?

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. – Aristotle (150 words)

Q. Amrita, a young IAS officer, has joined a government department. After working for a while in this department, she realizes that the position of women staff is subservient to male staff. The male staff does not want to take orders from senior women officers. Moreover, women are not taken on serious departmental projects and are discouraged from participating in such projects. Amrita through informal channels comes to know that even the Head of the Department is of the same mindset and believes that women should not be sent to this department. Discuss the course of action Amrita should take so that the work culture becomes conducive for women.

Q. Increase of probity in governance does not always result in a decrease in corruption. Do you agree? Substantiate your argument with examples. (150 Words)

Q. In case of conflict between human values and other fundamental values, the former should triumph. Do you agree? Justify your argument with an appropriate example. (150 Words)

Q. Several villages in Jharkhand have resorted to Pathalgarhi – a tribal tradition of erecting stone slabs to demarcate the area of their villages’ jurisdiction, declaring their autonomy and self-rule in the areas under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. In these localities, no outsider including the government servants is allowed. From various sources, it has come to be known that tribals are not happy with the state and central government as they feel ignored, marginalized and have been experiencing the plunder of their resources on which traditionally they enjoyed control. They hold new laws and developmental activities responsible for their plight.

Suppose you are a DM in one such affected district where this movement is going on, what strategies will you adopt to tackle the issues on short term as well as long term basis. Give justification for your strategies. (250 Words)

Q. Analyze with an example, the role of discretion in decision making. (150 Words)

Q. Do you agree that sometimes rules and laws become the basis for moral corruption in society? (150 Words)

Rajesh is posted as a District Nodal Officer for a leading oil marketing company in a certain district. He has been authorized to make the Ujjwala scheme a success in the district. However, he finds that behavioural issues on the part of residents are a big hurdle. Most of the residents have the apprehension that food cooked on LPG is not healthy and is tasteless. They are also apprehensive about the safety of LPG. These challenges persist even after the conduct of LPG Panchayat and safety awareness camps, and residents dismiss these as misleading. Apart from this, other factors that are checking the success of the scheme include the affordable availability of biomass and unaffordability to refill the LPG cylinder. In view of the above situation, identify and evaluate the options before Rajesh so that he can make the Ujjwala scheme successful in the district. (250 words)

Q. What is environmental ethics? What are the various issues involved in environmental ethics? (150 Words)

Q. State the ethical challenges that the process of globalization has engendered. Also suggest the ways to overcome these challenges. (250 Words)

Q. From ‘rat-hole mining’ to ‘open cast mining’, India has witnessed major mining disasters. The main reason behind these calamities is the unscientific, illegal and unsafe mining in India. As and when such disasters are in the news, the incumbent governments and administration address it at the immediate level. But there is indifference to providing sustainable solutions which frequently causes such disasters. After such calamities, an administrative tendency has also been observed which puts the blame on victims. The tacit consensus of the government and administration to unsafe mining activities in India and the attraction of miners are mainly linked to revenue and employment realization. But such activities also lead to widespread loss to the public exchequer and environmental degradation. Therefore, there should be a holistic preparedness to prevent such calamities and to comprehensively cope if they occur. 

1. Identify the underlying ethical issues in the above case. 
2. As competent authority, discuss some of the feasible strategies to prevent and combat such calamities. (250 words)

Q. “Public service is the basic objective of the welfare state”. In the context of this statement, enumerate ‘Public Service Values’ towards which all public servants should aspire. (250 words)

Q. A basic issue in international relations is how to reconcile one’s interests with values one professes. Discuss. (150 words)

Q. You are the Vice-Chancellor of a Public University. Recently, the management has decided to increase the hostel and tuition fees substantially. The students are unhappy with the management's decision and are staging a widespread protest in the university campus. 

A student from the weaker section came to you and explained his inability to pay the proposed hike in fees due to his weak financial family background. His father is a ragpicker and his mother works as a maid. He informed you about similar conditions of other financially weak students who are unable to pay the hiked fees. He also informed you that one of his friends is planning self-immolation in protest under the influence of some politically motivated students. 

With the passing of the day, the protest is growing violent, with several incidents of violence between security forces and students. 

Even though you also do not agree with the management's decision, but are under severe pressure from the government to implement the proposed hiked. 

In such circumstances, is it right to move forward with the management's decision?

1. Identify the moral dilemma faced by you. 
2. Analyze your role and duties, along with a suitable course of action.

Q. Explain the significance of Gandhi’s Talisman for a civil servant in pursuit of administrative justice? (150 words)

Q. Analyze the relevance of the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev in modern India. (150 words)

You are a struggling reporter of a news channel and have been under severe pressure from your Editor-in-Chief to bring some sensational news to boost Television Rating Points (TRPs).

You have interviewed a famous religious leader of a minority faction on the recent Ayodhya verdict of Supreme Court. In the interview, the religious leader used a provocative statement and urged the members of the community to rebel against the court ruling. If the interview is aired, it might spark communal tensions and law and order problem in society. You are very well aware that if the interview is presented to the Editor-in-Chief, he will definitely air it to boost TRPs. The interview may lead to the exponential growth of your career.  

In such circumstances, would it be right to present the interview to Editor-in-Chief?  

1. Identify the moral dilemma faced by you. 
2. Analyse your role and duties as a responsible reporter, also suggest your course of action.

Q. The RTI Act is a strong weapon that enhances accountability, citizen activism and, consequently, participative democracy. Comment. (150 words)

Q. Explain how the basic philosophy of Jainism can help to tackle various social and environmental problems. (150 words)

The Government has planned the strategic disinvestment of State Road Transportation Corporation in a phased manner by allowing some private companies to ferry buses on marked routes. The outraged workers have called for a strike against the move. You are the head of the workers union of the transport corporation. In a meeting with State officials, they have informed you about the circumstances of inefficiency, corruption and deteriorating quality of service to commuters. You have also presented the worker’s viewpoint and their complaints of low payscale and non-payment of salaries from the past few months. A deadlock has occurred between the two parties where no-side is willing to lose. To break the deadlock, the officials offer you a bribe and other perks to comply with the decision of privatisation in a phased manner. State transport services are in a state of peril and there is a huge outcry among the common masses.

1. Identify the moral dilemma faced by you.
2. Analyse your role and duties, also suggest your course of action.

Q.What do you understand by man animal conflict? Examine the conflict in light of environmental ethics and sustainability. (150 words)

Q. Gandhiji's vision and philosophy encompasses human rights and sustainable development. Discuss. (150 words)

Q. You are a senior officer at an intelligence agency working for the internal security of the nation. You find out that a junior officer has been a victim of honey trapping through social media. In all of this, his phone was hacked and confidential files were leaked. 

The entire department has come together and wants you to take strict action against that officer for his behavior. That junior officer is highly skilled and a valuable asset for the organisation. He is also very close to you as you have mentored him throughout and he also respects you a lot. Moreover, any action against him might attract media attention and bring a bad repute to the organisation at large.

(A) What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation? 

(B) Also, suggest a course of action you would like to follow.