Mains Practice Questions

Q. “Can political neutrality coexist with committed constitutionalism in public administration? Examine with suitable arguments.” (150 words).

Q. “Attitudes are the invisible drivers of administrative behaviour.” Discuss how the attitudes of public officials influence policy outcomes. (150 words).

Q. The ethical life of a civil servant lies at the intersection of authority and conscience. Analyse this tension in the context of democratic governance. (150 words).

Q. In public administration, legal correctness does not always ensure ethical soundness. Analyse the ethical challenges this paradox creates for civil servants. (150 words).

Q. While transparency and accountability are essential pillars of ethical governance, their effectiveness is limited in the absence of integrity and moral courage. Discuss with suitable illustrations. (150 words).

Q. “Ethics in public administration goes beyond personal integrity to include institutional responsibility.” Discuss . (150 words).

Q. Discuss the significance of impartiality and non-partisanship in ensuring ethical governance. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the ethical challenges arising from overlapping private relationships in public offices. How can conflict of interest be institutionally addressed? (150 words)

Q. Public trust in administration is a function of value-based conduct rather than procedural efficiency alone. Discuss. (150 words)

Q. Emotional Intelligence is often described as the “moral compass of leadership.” Critically analyse this assertion with suitable examples. (150 words)

Q. Ethics operates at multiple levels, individual, organizational, and societal. Examine these dimensions of ethics and analyze how ethical failures at one level can undermine ethical governance as a whole.(150 words)

Q. In a society marked by growing materialism and individualism, human values often come under stress. Discuss the relevance of human values in ensuring ethical governance and inclusive development. Illustrate with suitable examples. (150 words)

Q. How does lack of probity in public administration affect public trust and institutional credibility? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. (150 words).

Q. Explain the role of empathy and compassion in strengthening ethical decision-making and improving interpersonal relationships in public service. (150 words).

Q. “Emotional intelligence is as important as intellectual ability for effective leadership.” Discuss this statement in the context of public service delivery. (150 words)

Q. How does sound corporate governance contribute to ethical business practices and long-term sustainability of organizations? Illustrate with suitable examples. (150 words)

Q. Accountability and transparency are foundational values of ethical governance. Analyze their ethical significance and explain how the absence of these values affects public trust in democratic institutions.(150 words)

Q. Attitude plays a critical role in shaping ethical behaviour in individuals and institutions. Examine how attitudes influence ethical decision-making in public administration. (150 words)

Q. “Despite unprecedented advances in genome engineering, synthetic human genome projects remain constrained by ethical and biosecurity concerns.” Discuss. (150 words)

Q. “Probity ensures the moral compass of a civil servant, while aptitude ensures functional excellence”. Elucidate with suitable examples . (150 words)

Q. “Integrity is less about resisting temptation and more about eliminating situations that generate temptation.” Discuss. (150 words)

Q. “Emotions are not obstacles to ethical reasoning; they are its raw material.” Examine the statement in the context of public service decision-making. (150 words)

Q. “Innovation without compassion leads to exploitation.”In the era of AI, surveillance technologies, and digital monopolies, what ethical principles should technologically advanced nations uphold to prevent digital colonisation and ensure equitable technological access worldwide? (150 words)

Q. “A civil servant’s success depends more on emotional competence than on cognitive ability.” Do you agree? Substantiate with examples. (150 words)

Q. “Integrity is not an act but a habit formed through small, invisible choices.” Discuss how micro-decisions shape moral character, drawing upon Aristotle’s virtue ethics. (150 words)

Q. “Ethics lies in choosing the ‘right’ even when the ‘good’ seems more attractive.”
Discuss with reference to the conflict between deontological duty and consequentialist outcomes in public life. (150 words)

Q. What are the essential features of good governance? Critically assess how e-Governance initiatives have contributed to enhancing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in India.(150 words)

Q. Explain how moral intuition and moral reasoning together influence ethical judgment. Illustrate your answer with examples from civil services.(150 words)

Q. What does quotation convey to you in the present context?
“The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.” — Bill Bullard (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by the term ‘crisis of conscience’? Illustrate with the help of an example from your personal or public life how you handled such a situation. (150 words)