UPSC Mains 2019 · GS IV · Q11 · 20 marks · 250 words · Case study

In one of the districts of a frontier state, narcotics menace has been rampant. This has resulted in money laundering, mushrooming of poppy farming, arms smuggling and near stalling of education. The system is on the verge of collapse. The situation has been further worsened by unconfirmed reports that local politicians as well as some senior police officers are providing surreptitious patronage to the drug mafia. At that point of time a woman police officer, known for her skills in handling such situations is appointed as Superintendent of Police to bring the situation to normalcy.

If you are the same police officer, identify the various dimensions of the crisis. Based on your understanding, suggest measures to deal with the crisis.

हिन्दी में

एक सीमांत राज्य के एक जिले में स्वापकों (नशीले पदार्थों) का खतरा अनियंत्रित हो गया है । इसके परिणामस्वरूप काले धन का प्रचलन, पोस्त की खेती में वृद्धि, हथियारों की तस्करी, व्यापक हो गई है तथा शिक्षा व्यवस्था लगभग ठप्प हो गई है । सम्पूर्ण व्यवस्था एक प्रकार से समाप्ति के कगार पर है । इन अपुष्ट खबरों से कि स्थानीय राजनेता और कुछ पुलिस उच्चाधिकारी भी ड्रग माफिया को गुप्त संरक्षण दे रहे हैं, स्थिति और भी बदतर हो गई है । ऐसे समय में, परिस्थिति को सामान्य करने के लिए, एक महिला पुलिस अधिकारी, जो ऐसी परिस्थितियों से निपटने के लिए अपने कौशल के लिए जानी जाती है, को पुलिस अधीक्षक के पद पर नियुक्त किया जाता है ।

यदि आप वही पुलिस अधिकारी हैं, तो संकट के विभिन्न आयामों को चिन्हित कीजिए । अपनी समझ के अनुसार, संकट का सामना करने के उपाय भी सुझाएं ।

Corruption Pressure and Loyalty

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “You are SP of a district where the use of drugs is prevalent, especially among the youth. The neighbouring districts are also suffering from the same problem. There is a huge hue and cry in the national media about the drug issue and the government and political parties are pressurising the police and district administration to act on the issue. A big deal of drugs is busted by the police in your area and all the culprits have been arrested. However, even before you reach your office, a minister from the ruling party of the state calls and asks you to release few of the culprits. You have long suspected the role of many senior leaders in this drug menace of the state. You have also been informed by your juniors that a few officers who dared to act against people involved in drug dealings were transferred or suspended on wrong charges earlier. 1. Identify the options available to you. 2. Evaluate the pros and cons of each of your options.”

Sudhir KumarAIR 42 · CSE 2017 · 382 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

The present case denotes effect of political pressures on bureaucracy and nexus of crime and politics.

Rackets like drugs, local alcohol can never function without political support as it needs protection.

Body · points

Options available

i) Not paying any heed to political pressure and doing probe with full honesty

Pros

a) Public needs officials who can hold their ground in adversities.

b) Crime-politics nexus would be broken. It would also cleanse political systems as they wont get illegal funding.

c) Youth can contribute to the development than being becoming unconscious by drugs

Cons

i) I may get transferred, or worse, attacked by criminals protected by politicians.

ii) May cause conflict between the two spheres.

Towing the politicians line and leaving some criminals and not probing fairly involvement of politicians in racquet

Pros

i) Will save conflict with politicians

ii) May save me from transfer, suspension

Cons

i) Will break the confidence of public from bureaucracy.

ii) Youth would be spoiled.

iii) Criminals would get more strength.

iv) Failure of 'rule of law'

Informing the Health Secretary and taking his opinion on matter by providing him with all facts

Pros

i) Balanced approach

ii) Will lead to more accountability as more levels of bureaucracy included.

iii) Will deter politicians from taking steps against me for honest probe

Cons

i) The secretary may put the moral pressure back on me

ii) Criminals may take it as sign of weakness of administration and police.

Ask judiciary for a honest probe for all involved, not leaving any criminals.

Pros

i) Covers all aspects to lend credibility as judiciary is respected by all spheres.

ii) Will lead to uncovering of participation of political leaders, thus ending nexus and corruption.

Cons

i) May be unfeasible if the case is not much highlighted nationally.

ii) May prolong the prosecution etc.

Close · a way forward

Thus a mix-match approach would be prudent here. I will work under the aegis of rule book, to which my primary allegiance lie. Getting strayed by political pressures is a sign of moral crisis and does not augur well for DPSP of keeping youth away from intoxicants. I will have to think of larger benefit than fearing about transfers. Because if I fear here, I would be pressurized everywhere and this would be failing of my service obligation.

3 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper IV, Q11. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.