Mains Practice Questions

Q. Explain with examples what do you mean by the term empathy. Also, discuss how it is an important trait for the present-day civil servants?

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. 

Q. Explain the term probity and its relevance to civil services in India.

Q. Citizen’s Charter seeks to continuously improve the quality of public services for the people so as to respond to their needs and wishes. In the light of the statement discuss the foundational features of a citizen’s charter and what do citizens expect out of it.

Q. Highlight the differences between codes of ethics and codes of conduct.

Q. Discuss the term Constitutional Morality and its significance?

Q. Discuss the basic principles of the communitarianism school of thought.

Q. Illustrate the contribution of Plato in the evolution of the theory of virtue.

Q. Explain the term cultural relativism and associated problems with it.

Q. Globalisation has been widely debated as a matter of boon or bane for the world. In this context, discuss the ethical challenges posed by the process of globalization. 

Q. What are the main factors responsible for gender inequality in India? Discuss the contribution of Savitribai Phule in this regard. (UPSC GS-4 Mains 2020)

Q. Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them. (UPSC Mains GS-4 2020)

Q. What teachings of Buddha are most relevant today and why? Discuss. (UPSC GS-4 Mains 2020)

Q. What are the main components of emotional intelligence (EI)? Can they be learned? Discuss. (UPSC GS-4 Mains 2020)

Q. “Education is not an injunction, it is an effective and pervasive tool for all-round development of an individual and social transformation”. Examine the New Education Policy, 2020 (NEP, 2020) in light of the above statement. (UPSC GS-4 Mains 2020)

Q. Discuss the role of ethics and values in enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National Power(CNP) viz. human capital, soft power(culture and policies), and social harmony. (150 words) (UPSC GS-4 Mains 2020).

Q. Discussing the main challenges in upholding highest ethical standards in civil services, suggest effective measures to overcome such challenges.

Q. “Lack of knowledge confuses the intellect, while education provides the knowledge to the true soul- Rabindranath Tagore” Elaborate this quote in the present context? (150 Words)

Q. “An independent judiciary enjoying public confidence is a basic necessity of the rule of law.” In light of the statement, discuss the need of Code of Conduct to be followed by the judges. (150 words)

Q. “Artificial intelligence (AI) is important for the development of humanity in the near future.” Discuss the ethical implications that arise from the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. (250 words)

Q. “Desire, ignorance, and inequality—this is the trinity of bondage.” What does the given quotation mean to you in the present context? (150 words)

Q. What do you understand by Corporate Governance? Why is it important for the success and sustainability of an organisation? (150 words)

Q. Ethics examines the criteria for judging human actions as right or wrong. What are the various sources of ethical guidance for a civil servant? (150 words)

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

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)