Aptitude for Civil Service

14 UPSC Mains GS IV questions on Aptitude for Civil Service, 2013 to 2025, newest first, as UPSC set them. See also practice questions on Aptitude for Civil Service toppers answered.

1. 2025 Q4(a)“For any kind of social re-engineering by successfully implementing welfare schemes, a civil servant must use reason and critical thinking in an ethical framework.” Justify this statement with suitable examples.10 marks · 150 words
2. 2022 Q1(b)Apart from intellectual competency and moral qualities, empathy and compassion are some of the other vital attributes that facilitate the civil servants to be more competent in tackling the crucial issues or taking critical decisions. Explain with suitable illustrations.10 marks · 150 words
3. 2021 Q1(a)Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix.10 marks · 150 words
4. 2021 Q1(b)Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in the public servants.10 marks · 150 words
5. 2021 Q2(b)Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example.10 marks · 150 words
6. 2021 Q4(a)Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant?10 marks · 150 words
7. 2021 Q5(b)Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations.10 marks · 150 words
8. 2018 Q1(a)State the three basic values, universal in nature, in the context of civil services and bring out their importance.10 marks · 150 words
9. 2016 Q1(b)Why should impartiality and non-partisanship be considered as foundational values in public services, especially in the present day socio-political context ? Illustrate your answer with examples.10 marks · 150 words
10. 2014 Q3(a)“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” What do you understand by this statement? Explain your stand with illustrations from the modern context.10 marks · 150 words
11. 2014 Q4(b)There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide-ranging impact on society and environment. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence to handle such responsibility?10 marks · 150 words
12. 2013 Q1What do you understand by ‘values’ and ‘ethics’? In what way is it important to be ethical along with being professionally competent?10 marks · 150 words
13. 2013 Q2(a)What do you understand by the following terms in the context of public service? (i) Integrity (ii) Perseverance (iii) Spirit of service (iv) Commitment (v) Courage of conviction15 marks · 250 words
14. 2013 Q2(b)Indicate two more attributes which you consider important for public service. Justify your answer.10 marks · 100 words

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination question papers, upsc.gov.in. Topics are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.