Law and Morality

21 UPSC Mains GS IV questions on Law and Morality, 2013 to 2026, newest first, as UPSC set them. See also practice questions on Law and Morality toppers answered.

1. 2026 Q2(b)Discuss how national security can be balanced with concerns of human rights.10 marks · 150 words
2. 2026 Q3(a)Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had cautioned that employing civil disobedience within a constitutional democracy equates to endorsing ‘anarchy’. How should modern democracies navigate the ethical dilemmas posed by civil disobedience movements that aim to promote social justice against policies that may raise genuine concerns?10 marks · 150 words
3. 2026 Q7Lata, a mother of two children, was admitted to a hospital for acute abdominal pain. Her sister-in-law, Sujatha, accompanied her. Dr. Mansi examined Lata and recommended a diagnostic laparoscopy. Lata’s consent was taken to conduct the medical procedure under general anesthesia. During the laparoscopy, Dr. Mansi’s team discovered a tumor in Lata’s uterus. A closer examination suggested that the tumor could be malignant. One option before Dr. Mansi was to extract a sample for biopsy. In that case, if the tumor was malignant, Lata would have to undergo another surgery for removal of the uterus. An alternative was to remove the uterus immediately. Dr. Mansi had to take a quick decision. As Lata was under general anesthesia, Dr. Mansi explained the situation to Sujatha. Sujatha agreed with Dr. Mansi’s recommendations for a hysterectomy, wherein Lata’s uterus would be removed to avoid the risk and pain of undergoing another surgery. Dr. Mansi removed Lata’s uterus after receiving Sujatha’s consent in writing. Lata was informed of this the next day. She was very upset and felt betrayed as she had not consented to the removal of her uterus. Lata complained to the police who tried to convince her that Dr. Mansi had acted with good intention to help a patient. Sujatha was of the same opinion, however Lata was not convinced and decided to approach the court.20 marks · 250 words · Case study
4. 2025 Q1(b)“Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and adherance of the rule of law.” Examine the significance of constitutional morality for public servant highlighting the role in promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration.10 marks · 150 words
5. 2025 Q3(c)Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context ? “The strength of a society is not in its laws, but in the morality of its people.” – Swami Vivekananda10 marks · 150 words
6. 2024 Q3(c)Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context ? “In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so.” — Immanuel Kant10 marks · 150 words
7. 2024 Q4(a)“The concept of Just and Unjust is contextual. What was just a year back, may turn out to be unjust in today’s context. Changing context should be constantly under scrutiny to prevent miscarriage of justice.” Examine the above statement with suitable examples.10 marks · 150 words
8. 2024 Q4(b)“Mindless addiction to Form, ignoring the Substance of the matter, results in rendering of injustice. A perceptive civil servant is one who ignores such literalness and carries out true intent.” Examine the above statement with suitable illustrations.10 marks · 150 words
9. 2024 Q5(b)The soul of the new law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is Justice, Equality and Impartiality based on Indian culture and ethos. Discuss this in the light of major shift from a doctrine of punishment to justice in the present judicial system.10 marks · 150 words
10. 2022 Q3(a)What does each of the following quotations mean to you? “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have the right to do and what is right to do.” —Potter Stewart10 marks · 150 words
11. 2022 Q5(b)Write short notes on the following in 30 words each : (i) Constitutional morality (ii) Conflict of interest (iii) Probity in public life (iv) Challenges of digitalization (v) Devotion to duty10 marks · 30 words
12. 2020 Q4(a)Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them.10 marks · 150 words
13. 2020 Q11Parmal is a small but underdeveloped district. It has rocky terrain that is not suitable for agriculture, though some subsistence agriculture is being done on small plots of land. The area receives adequate rainfall and has an irrigation canal flowing through it. Amria, its administrative centre, is a medium sized town. It houses a large district hospital, an Industrial Training Institute and some privately owned skill training centres. It has all the facilities of a district headquarters. A trunk railway line passes approximately 50 kilometres from Amria. Its poor connectivity is a major reason for the absence of any major industry therein. The state government offers a 10 years tax holiday as an incentive to new industry. In 2010 Anil, an industrialist, decided to take benefits to set up Amria Plastic Works (APW) in Noora village, about 20 km from Amria. While the factory was being built, Anil hired the required key labour and got them trained at the skill training centres at Amria. This act of his made the key personnel very loyal to APW. APW started production in 2011 with the labour drawn fully from Noora village. The villagers were very happy to get employment near their homes and were motivated by the key personnel to meet the production targets with high quality. APW started making large profits, a sizeable portion of which was used to improve the quality of life in Noora. By 2016, Noora could boast of a greener village and a renovated village temple. Anil liaised with the local MLA to increase the frequency of the bus services to Amria. The government also opened a primary health care centre and primary school at Noora in buildings constructed by APW. APW used its CSR funds to set up women's self-help groups, subsidize primary education to the village children and procure an ambulance for use by its employees and the needy. In 2019, there was a minor fire in APW. It was quickly extinguished as fire safety protocols were in place in the factory. Investigations revealed that the factory had been using electricity in excess of its authorized capacity. This was soon rectified. The next year, due to a nationwide lockdown, the requirement of production fell for four months. Anil decided that all employees would be paid regularly. He employed them to plant trees and improve the village habitat. APW had developed a reputation of high quality production and a motivated workforce.20 marks · 250 words · Case study
14. 2019 Q3(a)What is meant by the term ‘constitutional morality’ ? How does one uphold constitutional morality ?10 marks · 150 words
15. 2018 Q4(a)“In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not prohibited expressly or by clear implication.” Examine the statement with suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her duties.10 marks · 150 words
16. 2018 Q12Edward Snowden, a computer expert and former CIA systems administrator, released confidential Government documents to the press about the existence of Government surveillance programmes. According to many legal experts and the US Government, his actions violated the Espionage Act of 1917, which identified the leak of State secrets as an act of treason. Yet, despite the fact that he broke the law, Snowden argued that he had a moral obligation to act. He gave a justification for his “whistle blowing” by stating that he had a duty “to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.” According to Snowden, the Government’s violation of privacy had to be exposed regardless of legality since more substantive issues of social action and public morality were involved here. Many agreed with Snowden. Few argued that he broke the law and compromised national security, for which he should be held accountable.20 marks · 250 words · Case study
17. 2017 Q8(b)Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly. What do you understand by this statement ? Explain with illustration in the contemporary times.10 marks · 150 words
18. 2016 Q5Law and ethics are considered to be the two tools for controlling human conduct so as to make it conducive to civilized social existence. (a) Discuss how they achieve this objective. (b) Giving examples, show how the two differ in their approaches.10 marks · 150 words
19. 2015 Q1(b)Differentiate between the following : (i) Law and Ethics (ii) Ethical management and Management of ethics (iii) Discrimination and Preferential treatment (iv) Personal ethics and Professional ethics10 marks · 200 words
20. 2015 Q3(a)“A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also has to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties.” Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples, where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically.10 marks · 150 words
21. 2013 Q11Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is known for its manufacturing clusters on firecrackers and matches. The local economy of the area is largely dependent on firecrackers industry. It has led to tangible economic development and improved standard of living in the area. So far as child labour norms for hazardous industries like firecrackers industry are concerned, International Labour Organization (ILO) has set the minimum age as 18 years. In India, however, this age is 14 years. The units in industrial clusters of firecrackers can be classified into registered and non-registered entities. One typical unit is household-based work. Though the law is clear on the use of child labour employment norms in registered/non-registered units, it does not include household-based works. Household-based work means children working under the supervision of their parents/relatives. To evade child labour norms, several units project themselves as household-based works but employ children from outside. Needless to say that employing children saves the costs for these units leading to higher profits to the owners. On your visit to one of the units at Sivakasi, the owner takes you around the unit which has about 10–15 children below 14 years of age. The owner tells you that in his household-based unit, the children are all his relatives. You notice that several children smirk, when the owner tells you this. On deeper enquiry, you figure out that neither the owner nor the children are able to satisfactorily establish their relationship with each other.25 marks · 300 words · Case study

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