GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

"If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars."-Rabindranath Tagore

Answered by 6 toppers · CSE 2024–2025

Human ValuesIndian Thinkers

Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From all 6 answers · about 170 words · 33% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening83%
  • A quotation17%

Body

  • Points and prose50%
  • Points50%

Close

  • No separate close50%
  • A quotation17%
  • A summary17%
  • A way forward17%

The toppers’ answers

A R RajahAIR 7 · CSE 2025 · 140 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Rabindranath Tagore, the poet extraordinaire for Bengal, talks about the aspect and futility of "crying over spilt milk".

Body · points

Diagram
Meaning of Quote - Crying over Sun - Weeping over failure - Weeping for loss of relationship - Not seeing stars - Tears blinding us from path of true success - Ignoring the 'real' people in our lives

Present Context:

  1. Personal well-being 1.1) People are often seen feeling sorry for the loss of relationship. Eg: Frequent breakups are seen.

1.2) People need to focus on the other stars in their life. Eg: Friends being there for you.

  1. Career Success 2.1) Loosing heart for a job firing. 2.2) However, focus should be on the next target. Eg: Kalam ji failing Air-force pilot test -> becoming President.

  2. Future orientation 3.1) Past is history -> future should be focused. 3.2) Outcomes to be seen as learning curve. Eg: Civil Servants implementing policy -> Gram Sabha giving feedback.

  3. Failures to be seen as stepping stone. Eg: Edison's light bulb.

Close

Vivekananda's "arise, awake and stop not" should be followed during failure.

More on Human Values

Values as such and where they come from: lessons from the lives of leaders, reformers and administrators, and the values named in the syllabus.

All GS4 questions on Human Values