Q. Can human actions be considered ethical if they violate societal norms but serve a higher moral purpose? Discuss with examples. (150 words)

Q. How does objectivity differ from neutrality and impartiality? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples from public service. (150 words)

Q. Discuss the current flood management strategies adopted by Indian cities. How effective are these strategies in mitigating urban flooding, and what improvements can be made in flood risk management and disaster preparedness? (250 words)

Q. Assess the role of green investments in India’s transition to a sustainable economy. How can India integrate environmental sustainability with economic growth in the context of its ‘Net-Zero’ emissions target by 2070? (250 words)

Q. India is navigating an increasingly complex and dynamic geopolitical environment. Discuss how India seeks to balance its multilateral engagements with the pursuit of strategic autonomy in foreign policy. (150 words)

Q. The role and institutional independence of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been a subject of increasing debate in recent times. Discuss the key issues affecting its functioning and suggest reforms to enhance its autonomy. (250 words)

Q. Primary rocks form the foundation of Earth’s geology. Discuss their types, formation processes, and distinguishing features. (150 words)

Q. The colonial administration in India significantly altered the traditional tribal systems. Analyze the consequences of these disruptions and the responses of the tribal communities to these changes. (250 words)

Essay Quotes:

1. The measure of a man is what he does with power.
2. Poverty is the worst form of violence.

Case Study:

As an Airworthiness Officer with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), you have been assigned to conduct a post-crash safety audit following a tragic incident involving a major airline. A commercial aircraft operated by the airline crashed, resulting in fatalities, civilian property damage, and significant public concern over the safety of air travel.

During your audit, you uncover alarming issues with the airline's operations. These include recurring technical faults in the fleet, such as flight control irregularities, as well as incomplete and inconsistent maintenance logs. Despite multiple complaints from crew members over the years, these concerns were neither properly addressed nor escalated by the airline’s management.

Additionally, you find that the airline has inadequately maintained crew training records, casting doubt on the airline’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. A crew member further alleges that the crashed aircraft had known mechanical issues and that staff complaints had been ignored for an extended period.

The airline is part of a well-connected and influential business group, with a strong public image. A senior executive from the airline downplays the severity of the issues, insisting they are minor and will be resolved. Furthermore, your superior has informally advised you to tread lightly, suggesting that highlighting these problems could harm national morale and cause a political backlash.

You are now faced with a difficult decision: should you file a thorough and detailed report of your findings, which could potentially trigger urgent reforms in the airline’s operations but may provoke political and personal risk? Alternatively, should you withhold certain findings to avoid causing harm to the airline’s reputation and national sentiment, despite the potential risks to public safety?

Questions:

(a) What are the key ethical issues present in this case? Highlight the conflicting duties and interests affecting your judgment.

(b) What are the options available to you? Discuss the merits and demerits of each.

(c) Which option would you choose and why? Justify your decision using relevant ethical principles and the responsibilities of a regulatory authority during a crisis.

Q. How does this quotation by John C. Maxwell, "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way," apply to civil servants in the current context? (150 words)

Q. Attitude plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of civil servants. How does a positive attitude contribute to efficient civil service, and what personal and external factors influence the development of this attitude? (150 words)

Q. Discuss the impact of deforestation on biodiversity and climate change in India, highlighting the government initiatives undertaken to mitigate these effects. (150 words)

Q. Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a key tool in improving governance and public service delivery in India. Discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with its adoption in the public sector. (250 words)

Q. The concept of federalism is fundamental to India's political structure. Discuss its role in promoting effective governance and ensuring political stability in a diverse country like India. (150 words)

Q. With reference to Supreme Court judgments, discuss the role of the judiciary in promoting social justice in India, and how its interpretations have shaped policies for marginalized sections of society. (250 words)

Q. The evolution of Indian painting from cave murals to miniature traditions reveals shifts in patronage and cultural narratives. Comment. (150 words)

Q. India is poised to reap a demographic dividend due to its young population profile. Discuss the opportunities and challenges of leveraging India’s demographic dividend for economic and social development. (250 words)

Essay Topics:

1. In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.
2. The ends do not justify the means.

Case Study:

You are a senior surgeon in a prestigious hospital in Bengaluru, known for its state-of-the-art facilities and high-profile patient base. During a routine audit of the hospital’s procurement and billing practices, you uncover a troubling scenario-the hospital’s administration is involved in a practice where certain high-cost medical supplies and treatments are being marked up exorbitantly, even though alternative, more affordable options are available.

The hospital has entered into a partnership with several suppliers, ensuring that these high-cost supplies are purchased exclusively, despite their high price and limited effectiveness compared to other alternatives.As the chairperson of the Ethical Medical Practitioners Association, you are deeply concerned about the implications of these practices on patient care and financial sustainability.

However, some senior doctors in your hospital, who are benefiting from kickbacks provided by the suppliers, urge you to remain silent about the issue to avoid disrupting hospital operations and to preserve their personal benefits. They argue that the inflated prices are helping to maintain the hospital’s high profit margins, which are crucial for its survival and continued growth.

Questions:
(a) Identify the main stakeholders and ethical issues involved.
(b) Analyze the potential consequences of exposing the unethical practices for both the hospital and the healthcare system.
(c) What actions would you take in this situation, and what ethical principles would guide your decision-making process?

Q. What does this quotation mean to you in the present context: “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.’’-Oscar Wilde (150 words)

Q. How does integrity serve as a source of strength and empowerment in an individual's life? Illustrate with examples. (150 words)

Q. The convergence of organized crime and terrorism poses a significant threat to India’s internal security. Examine the nature of this nexus and its implications for counter-terrorism efforts.(250 words)

Q. India’s economic growth has been uneven in generating employment and ensuring equitable income distribution. Discuss the structural issues contributing to this disparity and propose corrective measures. (250 words)

Q. Discuss India’s use of soft power as a foreign policy tool in the context of an emerging multipolar world order. Highlight its key role in enhancing India’s global standing and influence. (250 words)

Q. The Attorney-General is the chief legal advisor and lawyer of the Government of India. In light of this statement, discuss the role and responsibilities of the Attorney-General of India. (150 words)

Q. Evaluate the extent to which British colonial policies in the 19th century contributed to the decline of traditional Indian industries and the emergence of a colonial economic structure. (150 Words)

Q. Tropical cyclones are products of complex interactions between oceanic and atmospheric systems. Discuss the factors responsible for their formation and regional distribution, with special reference to the Indian Ocean region. (250 words)

Essay Topics:

1. Justice is the first virtue of social institutions.

2. Freedom is the recognition of necessity.

Case Study:

A well-established Indian food products company recently developed a new product intended for the international market. After securing all necessary approvals, the company began exporting the product and proudly announced its success. It further assured consumers that the same high-quality and health-beneficial product would soon be made available in the Indian market.

Following due process, the product received approval from the relevant domestic authority and was launched for Indian consumers. Over time, the product gained significant market share and contributed substantially to the company’s profits, both in India and abroad.

However, during a routine inspection, a random sample test revealed that the version of the product sold domestically did not comply with the standards approved by the competent authority. Further investigations uncovered that the company had been selling substandard products in India, including items that had been rejected for export due to quality issues.

This revelation caused public outrage, tarnished the company’s image, and led to a sharp decline in its profitability and consumer trust.

Questions:

1. Identify and analyze the ethical issues present in this case. Discuss the competing values and responsibilities involved.

2. What actions should the competent authority take against the company?

3. What remedial measures can the company adopt to manage the crisis, regain consumer trust, and restore its public reputation?