UPSC Prelims 2013 · CSAT
Question 75: Decision Making and Interpersonal Skills
You are the head of your office. There are certain houses reserved for the allotment to the office staff and you have been given the discretion to do so. A set of rules for the allotment of the houses has been laid down by you and has been made public. Your personal secretary, who is very close to you, comes to you and pleads that as his father is seriously ill, he should be given priority in allotment of a house. The office secretariat that examined the request as per the rules turns down the request and recommends the procedure to be followed according to the rules. You do not want to annoy your personal secretary. In such circumstances, what would you do ?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a) or (c).
You made the allotment rules public, and the secretariat has applied them correctly. As head of the office you should not bend them for someone close to you; that would be favouritism. UPSC accepts two ways of staying fair: explain the position to your secretary yourself, which shows respect and softens the refusal, or simply agree with the office note, which keeps the process impartial. Allotting the house or sitting on the file is not acceptable.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Acceptable. Explaining the rules personally keeps the rule and the relationship intact.
- (b) Wrong. Bending your own published rules to win loyalty is favouritism.
- (c) Acceptable. Following the office note shows the rules apply to everyone.
- (d) Wrong. Holding the file avoids the decision and delays others.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2013, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.