Case Studies

Q. You are posted as the General Manager of a large public sector manufacturing unit. Recently, tensions have escalated between the management and the workers’ union. The union has raised demands regarding increased wages, better safety standards, and permanent absorption of contractual workers.

While some of their demands are legitimate and align with labour welfare norms, others may have a severe impact on the company's financial health. Moreover, you discover that a few influential union leaders are instigating workers to go on an indefinite strike, even though negotiations are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, a group of junior employees approaches you confidentially, expressing concern that the aggressive approach of the union may harm their career prospects and lead to a prolonged factory shutdown. At the same time, pressure mounts from the Ministry to avoid disruptions and meet production targets crucial for national supply chains.

In the midst of this, a senior union leader offers to de-escalate the situation in exchange for personal favors, such as awarding contracts to firms linked to him and ensuring his relatives receive preferential treatment in job promotions.

You are expected to submit a report to the Ministry suggesting a path forward that ensures industrial peace, protects workers’ rights, and prevents unethical compromises.

A. Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.

B. How would you balance worker welfare with organizational sustainability and public interest?

C. How should you respond to the offer made by the union leader? What mechanisms should be used to ensure transparency and accountability?

D. What ethical values and principles of public administration should guide your conduct?(250 words)

Q. “Emotionally intelligent leadership is critical to crisis management.” Discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance administrative effectiveness in times of public emergencies and disasters. (250 words)

Q. John Rawls emphasized “justice as fairness.”Analyze how this principle can be used by government functionaries while allocating scarce resources to competing public interests. (150 words)

Q. Despite being the largest cotton producer globally, India lags in productivity. Critically examine the key challenges in cotton productivity in India and evaluate the role of recently launched “Mission for Cotton Productivity” in addressing them. (250 words)

Q. India’s participation in the Axiom Mission marks a shift towards global human spaceflight collaboration. Analyze its implications for India’s space sector. (150 words)

Q. While India ranks high in consumption equality, it continues to witness deepening wealth concentration. Analyse the disconnect between economic expansion and distributive justice in India. What policy measures are needed to bridge this gap? (250 words)

Q. “Declining legislative productivity reflects a deeper crisis in parliamentary democracy and national consensus.” Examine with reference to recent parliamentary sessions in India. (150 words)

Q. Examine how globalization has influenced the cultural fabric of Indian society. Does it threaten traditional values or foster pluralism? (250 words)

Q. Evaluate how the emergence of economic nationalism laid the intellectual foundation for political nationalism in India. (150 words)

Essay Topics:

1. Convictions make history, conscience sustains it.

2. Ideals without action are ornaments, actions without ideals are accidents.

Case Study:

You are the Managing Director of "XYZ Biotech", a rapidly growing pharmaceutical firm based in India, with operations in several developing countries. Your company has recently developed a breakthrough mRNA-based vaccine for a rapidly mutating tropical disease affecting large sections of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.

The vaccine has demonstrated 94% efficacy in Phase III clinical trials and has the potential to save thousands of lives. However, the vaccine is expensive to manufacture, requiring specialized cold-chain storage, and proprietary biotechnology inputs licensed from international partners. The pricing strategy proposed by your Board is to recoup R&D investments and generate profit by pricing the vaccine at Rs. 3000 per dose, which makes it unaffordable for many low-income populations in target regions.

Meanwhile, several NGOs, global health organizations, and even a few governments are urging you to waive your patent rights, or adopt tiered pricing to allow cheaper versions or voluntary licensing for public-sector manufacture.

You are also under pressure from investors, who expect high returns due to the innovation. Some stakeholders suggest cutting costs by outsourcing trials to countries with weaker regulatory standards, while others propose delaying access in poorer countries to focus on wealthier clients first. Your own conscience is conflicted—you believe in public health as a right, but also have obligations to shareholders, employees, and long-term sustainability of the firm.

a) Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case.
b) What would be your immediate response to the situation described above?
c) If a global health coalition asks for voluntary licensing of your vaccine, how would you respond both ethically and strategically?
d) As a conscientious public-spirited executive, suggest a balanced strategy that ensures innovation, affordability, and ethical integrity.

Q. “While a strong moral compass is essential for public servants, rigid moral absolutism may sometimes conflict with the practical demands of governance”. Discuss the role of ethical pragmatism in helping civil servants strike a balance between idealism and effective decision-making in complex administrative situations. (150 words)

Q. "Procedural integrity is a cornerstone of good governance, yet there are situations where strict compliance with rules may result in outcomes that violate the spirit of justice. In such circumstances, should a civil servant uphold substantive justice even if it means deviating from procedural norms?" Discuss with relevant examples from public administration. (150 words)

Q. “India’s renewable energy transition is necessary, but not yet sufficient.” Analyse the environmental and socio-economic trade-offs in large-scale solar and wind energy projects. (250 words)

Q. “In a country where deprivation wears many faces, economic policy must begin at the margins, not the median.” Examine in the context of poverty alleviation strategies in India. (250 words)

Q. "The Indo-Pacific is not just a geographic space but a strategic vision." Analyze India’s Indo-Pacific strategy in the backdrop of China’s assertiveness and evolving regional alliances. (250 words)

Q. "The Vice President’s role as Rajya Sabha Chairperson is central to the spirit of bicameralism." Discuss the constitutional and practical significance of this role in ensuring federal balance. (250 words)

Q. "Marginalized communities in India face layered vulnerabilities that go beyond economic deprivation." Analyze with examples. (150 words)

Q. Evaluate the role of moderates and extremists in shaping the early phase of the Indian National Movement. Were their methods complementary or contradictory? (250 words)

Essay Topics:

1. The line between right and wrong is drawn with the ink of perspective.

2. Science can explain the stars, but only reason can guide our steps.

Case Study

Vikram is an environmental officer working with a state government’s department responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations in the construction and industrial sectors. Recently, a large real estate company has proposed a new residential complex on the outskirts of the city, and Vikram’s department is tasked with evaluating the environmental impact of the project. The company has submitted the required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, which states that the construction will have minimal impact on the local environment.

While reviewing the report, Vikram notices several discrepancies and omissions. Key details about the impact on local wildlife, soil quality, and water sources have either been underrepresented or completely ignored in the report. Vikram’s initial analysis suggests that the construction could have significant adverse effects on the local ecosystem, but the developers have provided a large donation to a local charity that Vikram's department is associated with. The charity has funded several environmental initiatives in the past, and Vikram is aware that this donation will enhance the department’s reputation and attract further funding.

Furthermore, Vikram’s superior, the head of the department, has publicly praised the development as a much-needed project for the city’s growth and has hinted that the real estate company might receive expedited approval if the environmental report is favorable.

Vikram feels torn between his duty to uphold environmental regulations, his concern about the long-term ecological consequences, and the pressure to support the development in exchange for future funding opportunities for his department.

Questions:

a) What should Vikram’s course of action be in this situation to ensure the integrity of the environmental review process?

b) How can Vikram justify his decision if the real estate company pressures him to approve the report despite the discrepancies?

c) How do personal interests and external pressures compromise environmental ethics in this case, and what measures can be taken to prevent such conflicts in future projects?

Q. “Sustained ethical behaviour in public service demands not just conviction, but also psychological resilience.” Discuss the phenomenon of ‘ethical fatigue’ and how to address it in the civil services. (150 words)

Q. "Integrity without compassion is rigidity, and compassion without integrity is weakness."
Discuss the significance of balancing integrity and compassion in public service. Illustrate with suitable examples. (150 words)

Q. "Disasters in India are often a result of development choices rather than natural hazards alone." Examine how unplanned urbanization has contributed to increasing disaster risk. (250 words)

Q. "Indigenous defence technology plays a critical role in enhancing India’s strategic autonomy and national security”. Discuss its significance in the context of India’s evolving security landscape. (250 words)

Q. "The concept of social justice in India is intertwined with the principles of equality, affirmative action, and social empowerment." Discuss how the Constitution of India addresses social justice, particularly for marginalized communities. (250 words)

Q. "The promise of democratic decentralization, envisioned through the constitutional amendments, remains far from fully realized due to various constraints." Discuss. (250 words)

Q. How do regional variations in soil types across India influence patterns of cropping intensity and land degradation? (250 words)

Q. The ideals of liberty, equality, and nationalism shaped the course of revolutions and redefined the global order in the 18th and 19th centuries. (250 words)

Essay Topics:

1. The future belongs to those who can adapt, not to those who resist change.

2. The more we divide the world into ‘us’ and ‘them’, the more we lose our connection to ‘we’.