Mains Practice Questions

Q. What ethical principles should guide decisions regarding issues such as human rights, conflict resolution, and the use of force in international affairs? (150 words)

Q. How does the principle of utilitarianism relate to ethical decision-making in public policy? Discuss with the help of an example. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the concept of "ethical relativism" and evaluate its merits and demerits as a basis for ethical decision-making. (150 words)

Q. What are the key principles of deontological ethics and how do they differ from consequentialist ethics? (150 words)

Q. What is the relationship between ethics and morality in a society, and how do they differ from each other? (150 words)

Q. Explain the different types of attitudes and how they influence our thoughts and behavior. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the role of probity in public administration and evaluate its impact on the functioning of public institutions. (150 words)

Q. Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant and justify their inclusion in the matrix. (150 words)

Q. What is the meaning of key ethical terms such as 'right', 'wrong', 'love', and 'compassion'? How do these terms relate to our understanding of morality and ethical principles? (150 words)

Case study

An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer is posted in a host country as the Ambassador of India. The officer is tasked with representing India's interests and promoting bilateral relations between the two countries. However, the host country has a poor human rights record and the government has been accused of committing atrocities against ethnic and religious minorities.

The IFS officer has been approached by representatives of these minorities, who have requested assistance and support from the Indian government. They have also provided evidence of human rights abuses to the officer. However, the officer has been advised by the Ministry of External Affairs to not interfere in the internal affairs of the host country and to maintain good relations with the host government.

If you were in the position of IFS officer, what would you do in this situation?

Q. What are the ethical considerations surrounding the use of technology in warfare and armed conflicts, and how can they be addressed? (150 words)

Q. Discuss the role of rational thinking in resolving ethical dilemmas in the field of education. (150 words)

Q. How do organizations and institutions address ethical challenges, such as corruption and discrimination? (150 words)

Q. What are the ethical considerations in public policy making and how do they impact the well-being of citizens? (150 words)

Q. Discuss some parallels between Buddhism and modern ideas on emotional intelligence. (150 words)

Q. An ethical workplace culture ensures the success of the firm and improves employee job satisfaction. Elucidate. How can ethical culture be introduced into a company? (150 words)

Q. What is Cultural relativism? What are the problems which cultural relativism presents to morality? (150 Words)

Q. “A person's moral principles are the consequence of several factors”. In the light of this statement discuss the role of mass media and social media on the formation of moral ideals. (150 Words)

Q. Discuss the role of ‘moral conscience’ in promoting ethical behavior. (150 words) 

Q. Recently, many private businesses are facing ethical dilemma to lay off their employees. What do you think about this? Discuss. (150 words) 

Q. What are the ingredients of corporate governance? What is their rationale. (150 words)

Q. Outline briefly the views of any two modern public administration thinkers on the ethical ideas for civil servants. (150 words)

Q. “Corruption is a moral degradation of character of public servant as well as of the defects of government systems and procedures “. Examine (150 words)

Q. What are the moral lessons one can learn from Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? Elucidate (150 words)

Q. What duties do government employees have in terms of ethics that are generally accepted? (150 Words)

Q. Discuss aspects of Hindu ethics which are relevant to modern administration. Give examples to justify your answer. (150 words)

Q. How can information and communication technology help in reducing corruption? illustrate your answer with two examples (250 words)

Q. “The unexamined life is not worth living”, how would you interpret this statement of Socrates? (250 words)

Q. Discuss how a good character is necessary for holding higher positions in civil services. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by probity in governance? Based on your understanding of the term, suggest measures for ensuring probity in government. (250 words)