At 9 pm on Saturday evening, Rashika, a Joint Secretary, was still engrossed in her work in her office. Her husband, Vikram, is an executive in an MNC and frequently out of town in connection with his work. Their two children aged 5 and 3 are looked after by their domestic helper. At 9:30 pm her superior, Mr. Suresh calls her and asks her to prepare a detailed note on an important matter to be discussed in a meeting in the Ministry. She realises that she will have to work on Sunday to finish the additional task given by her superior. She reflects on how she had looked forward to this posting and had worked long hours for months to achieve it. She had kept the welfare of people uppermost in discharging her duties. She feels that she has not done enough justice to her family and she has not fulfilled her duties in discharging essential social obligations. Even as recently as last month she had to leave her sick child in the nanny’s care as she had to work in the office. Now, she feels that she must draw a line, beyond which her personal life should take precedence over her professional responsibilities. She thinks that there should be reasonable limits to the work ethics such as punctuality, hard work, dedication to duty and selfless service.

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Srushti is a young and dynamic IPS officer, posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in a communally sensitive district. Her husband Arjun is an IAS officer and posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in the same district. Both are honest, sincere and deeply committed to their work. They have a daughter who is just four months old, and is looked after by a domestic helper. Srushti resumed duty just two weeks ago after six months of maternity leave. At 9 PM on Saturday night, Srushti is in her office reviewing the security arrangements with her team for an upcoming local festival. The situation in the area has been tense throughout the week due to a flare-up between two communities over a petty issue. Around 9:30 PM, she gets a call from the Superintendent of Police. He asks her to prepare a detailed law and order brief for a high-level meeting the next morning. Srushti reaches home at 10 PM, feeling exhausted. She has not been getting proper sleep during the week due to frequent night patrolling. Arjun also returns around the same time after a long day in the field. Their daughter has been unwell and cried through most of the previous night. Arjun expresses concern about Srushti's heavy workload and the baby's condition. He tells her that she can not keep pushing herself like this and that the child needs more of her attention. Srushti replies that she cannot afford to step back. She adds that people are already judging her and questioning her commitment to work for availing maternity leave. The conversation gradually turns into an argument. Arjun feels Srushti is ignoring her health and family, while Srushti feels judged and unsupported. Later that night, as Srushti sits at her desk preparing the report, she pauses and reflects on the purpose of her work. She had joined the IPS to serve the people and protect the vulnerable. But now, she wonders if she is being fair to her own child and family. Even as recently as last week, she had to cancel the family dinner as she had to attend an urgent meeting at the SP office. She also feels the weight of expectations. Male officers with children are rarely questioned. But as a new mother, she is constantly under scrutiny. Many in the department believe that women, especially new mothers, are not suitable for field duty. Srushti starts thinking about her options. She knows that whatever decision she makes will not only impact her own future but also influence the expectations placed on other working mothers in uniform. a) What are the ethical issues involved in the above case? b) Evaluate the options available to Srushti in the above situation. c) What suggestions would you make to help officers like Srushti maintain a healthy work-life balance.”

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

• You are an honest and responsible civil servant. One evening when you reached home, you found that your wife was upset with you. On inquiring, you found the following: a) She asked that whom you actually are making happy with your morals and values- government or society? Because neither of the two is supportive and appreciative of the way you work. b) She questioned how even your juniors are better well-off than you, and the way she feels marginalized in the lavish parties of his seniors, given the ordinary lifestyle they live in. c) She also complained that how your work culture and value-filled lifestyle has disturbed the peace & harmony of the family, especially the children who have to change schools due to frequent transfers. After a small quarrel with her, at night you were thinking about the matter and were in a dilemma about it. You, yourself were convinced by her complaints to an extent. In this situation, explain how will you convince your wife and even yourself for the right? Also, discuss how will you keep your conscience intact with your founding values?2 answers
• In a Tier-1 city, Aparna, a 28-year-old management consultant, works 14-hour days and most weekends. Her firm praises her "ownership mindset" and "hustler spirit." On the surface, she is successful and driven. In reality, she struggles with insomnia, anxiety, and a growing sense of emptiness. Her emotional burnout is dismissed by peers as "just part of the grind." In a small rented room in Delhi, Arjun, a 26-year-old civil services aspirant, has been preparing relentlessly for the past four years. He studies 10-12 hours daily, battling financial pressure, rising self-doubt, and the emotional weight of repeated failure. His family back home has pinned all their hopes on him. He finds it hard to sleep, avoids social interactions, and suffers in silence—fearing that any acknowledgment of stress would be perceived as weakness, or worse, defeat. Meanwhile, Meena, a 42-year-old government school teacher in a small town, has been silently battling depression for the past two years. After losing her husband during the pandemic, she returned to work to support her children, but overwhelming responsibilities, lack of support, and workplace indifference pushed her further into emotional isolation. Despite being a dedicated educator, her performance has declined, and colleagues whisper that she has "lost interest." These individuals—spread across professions and geographies—are united by an invisible crisis: deteriorating mental health, fuelled by social stigma, institutional neglect, and the glorification of hustle. (a) Identify the ethical issues surrounding mental health. (b) What attitudinal and behavioral strategies can be adopted to effect attitudinal change around mental health, especially in high-stress environments? (c) As a future civil servant, how would you act as a change agent in your sphere of influence to promote mental well-being while balancing administrative efficiency and empathy?1 answer
• Jayant is a hard-working and dedicated IAS officer. He is currently posted in a remote district in North-East India. Jayant is married to Sarita who used to work as a software engineer before her marriage. Sarita is a well-educated and ambitious woman who wants to be known by her name and not only as the wife of IAS officer Jayant. Sarita wants to restart her career and has been searching for a suitable job for some time. She has found a good job in an MNC that pays well, but she will have to move to Bangalore for it. Sarita wants to take up this opportunity but Jayant's mother does not want Sarita to move to Bangalore. Jayant also wants Sarita to stay with him so that they can have kids and start their family. Sarita proposes that Jayant move with her to Bangalore as she will get a salary that is substantially more than Jayant's. Jayant and his mother found this proposal offending. Further, Jayant does not want to leave the job that he has dreamed of since his childhood and for which he has toiled hard. The entire issue has become a reason for daily fights between Sarita and Jayant, and has taken a toll on their married life. The issues in personal life of Jayant have creeped into his professional life as well. He is not able to concentrate on his work which has resulted in his poor performance. Just a few days back, Jayant made a blunder and was scolded by his senior for being absent-minded in his work. His behaviour in office has also changed. Now Jayant gets easily irritated and often talks rudely with the staff in the office. This is negatively impacting the motivation level of his subordinates. Jayant is aware of his degrading performance and he thinks that he is failing both in his personal and professional life. You are a mutual friend of Jayant and Sarita. One day you received a call from a distressed Jayant and he asks you for your advice on this issue. 1) Help Jayant identify different options available with him to cope with the crisis? Discuss the merits and demerits of each of these options. 2) As a mutual friend, what advice would you give to Jayant and Sarita in this case so that they can return back to being a happy couple? 3) How can Jayant develop the qualities that are required to handle such crisis situations in life?1 answer