GS4 · Topic
Family, Society and Education
The role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values, and what happens when they fail to.
173 UPSC Mains GS4 questions on Family, Society and Education that toppers answered in test series, CSE 2014–2025, most answered first. Open one to see how toppers opened, built and closed it.
Through their actions, interactions, and teachings, schools have the power to mold the moral compass of the next generation. In this perspective, discuss the significance of value-based education in preparing the youth to address the contemporary challenges of society.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2020–2024
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Your 16 year old cousin, Leena, loves to play basketball but her peers mock her short height, so much so that Leena has developed a negative attitude towards all sports. As a responsible elder cousin, how will you convince Leena to take up sports once again?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
Unstable marriages and families can lead to failures of moral development in children and overall moral decline in the society. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2021–2022
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. What do you understand by this statement? In your opinion, which five values should Indian education system inculcate in every student? Justify your choice.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Morality is neither divine commands nor universal principle of thought rather practices developed by groups of human beings striving to avoid mutually harmful conflict and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. Comment.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2021–2022
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Theories
Explain why superstitious beliefs and practices abound in India. In this context, discuss the importance of inculcating scientific temper to remove superstitions.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give. (i) Highlight the importance of value of altruism for a society. (ii) Discuss the role of education in imparting such values.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2018–2020
Human ValuesFamily, Society and Education
Critically examine the role of educational institutions in shaping ethical decision-making skills in future civil servants. How effective are current educational paradigms in instilling ethical behaviour among the youth?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2024–2025
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Knowledge and skills are important, but they must be grounded in ethical principles for true success. In this context, discuss the importance of ethics in education and the role of educational institutions in imparting ethical values.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2025
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
How can responsible and informed social media use be nurtured among children to make the internet a safer space for them?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2025
Family, Society and EducationTechnology and Ethics
Educational institutions complement the role of the family and the society in shaping our values. Discuss. Can digital education perform this value inculcation function effectively?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
What do each of the following quotations mean to you? "The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home." - Confucius
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2025
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Jiya is a first-year student studying political science in a metropolitan city. Jiya belongs to Viddhi, a village located in the state of Satya Pradesh. Even though Jiya is very fond of her ancestral home, she has limited knowledge about the socio-cultural aspects of the region. One day, while talking to her father, Jiya expresses her desire to visit her ancestral place. Her father readily agrees, and advises Jiya to inform her paternal uncle, Suresh, who lives in Viddhi, about her travel plans. On the destined day, Jiya arrives at her village to a grand welcome organised by her uncle. Later in the day, Suresh informs Jiya that in the evening they were all to attend a marriage function in the village. At the function, while having dinner, Jiya noticed that a separate seating arrangement was being made for some people. Unlike others, these people were waiting for their meals sitting on the floor, at a substantial distance from the main dining area. This made Jiya curious. On enquiring, Alakh, a 15-year-old boy, told Jiya that the members of his communities were not allowed to sit on chairs in any public occasion in the village. Alakh also told Jiya that even though he did not like the idea of sitting down in front of his friends, his mother and father, both advised him to follow the norm. Jiya asked him as to why different treatment was meted out to some people despite belonging to the same place. Alakh informed Jiya that even though they all belonged to Viddhi, members of his communities lived in separate habitations; had separate wells; and even worshiped in separate places. He also told her that various prohibitions were put on them like they were not supposed to ride a horse as part of their wedding procession, not allowed to wear turbans, which was a common head gear for others etc. Upon returning from the function, Jiya talked to her uncle about the matter. Suresh told Jiya that it is an accepted practice in the region and it is not wise to question the age-old traditions. Next day, while going to the market with her aunt, Jiya passes by the local government school. She at once recognized Alakh in the school uniform. To her surprise, instead of studying inside with other students, he, along with some other students, was sweeping the school corridor. While Jiya was perplexed, her aunt passed it off as a routine affair and told her that it was not out of ordinary for the likes of Alakh to do such jobs. Though Jiya left for her home in a few days, the incidents in Viddhi left an indelible mark on her psyche. As a political science student, Jiya realised that such practices and traditions were a blatant violation of an individual's rights. However, what she did not understand was the reasons behind overt acceptance of such practices by the society. The things witnessed by Jiya at Viddhi are not isolated incidents, but a part of larger systematic cycle of exclusion, and marginalisation. Such incidents are commonplace in many parts of the country even today. a) Discuss the role of various stakeholders in checking such biases and building an egalitarian order. b) Why do such discriminatory practices continue in the society?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2020–2024
Empathy and CompassionFamily, Society and Education
Even though the state actors who make rules and implement them have an important role to play in the fight against corruption, the battle is not likely to succeed without the active efforts of various segments of society. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2021
CorruptionAccountability and Ethical Governance
Patriotism can hold different meanings for different people, often shaped by personal experiences and convictions. What does patriotism mean to you? Explain narrating incidents from your life when you exhibited patriotism.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Human ValuesEthics in Private and Public Life
The education sector in India is embedded in a restrictive regulatory environment and is considered a public good. Although private participation is allowed in the education sector, but at all levels, these institutions have to function on a not-for-profit basis. The Supreme Court had ruled that educational institutions are permitted a 'reasonable surplus to meet the cost of expansion and augmentation of facilities' but they are prohibited from charging a capitation fee or profiteering. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical concerns in allowing the operation of educational institutions on a profit motivation? (b) Is the most important role of education preparing people for gainful employment or should education and knowledge be appreciated for their own sake? (c) Discuss various ways in which value-based education can be instilled.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2021
Family, Society and EducationDimensions of Ethics
“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” – Confucius.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2025
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Akhilesh is a young 22-year-old man living in Utsav Nagar, who is preparing for the prestigious Civil Service Examinations, conducted by UPSC. Akhilesh is the younger of the two siblings in the home. The elder sister of Akhilesh, Sarita, is an economic graduate and works as a teacher. Akhilesh and Sarita are from a family of modest means. Their father is a retired government employee and mother is a house wife. Sarita and Akhilesh contribute to the household income by giving tuitions to the children. Recently, Sarita's marriage has been finalized by her parents. Everyone in the family is happy about the prospects of Sarita's marriage. However, the groom's family has expressed their wish for a car and furniture as gifts for the groom. Sarita's father agreed to their demands happily as he did not want to break the prospective alliance. It was also the dream of Sarita's father to wed her daughter in a grand manner. During a dinner conversation at home, he tells his family members that he has decided to sell off their ancestral land in order to arrange for the wedding. Akhilesh and Sarita are well aware that the family has limited means, and a lavish wedding, in addition to the gifts, may further aggravate the already strained financial condition of the family. Akhilesh, in the course of his preparation, has studied about the menace of dowry in the society. He knows that making a demand for dowry, in any form, is illegal and a punishable offence. After consulting his sister, Akhilesh decides to talk to his father. However, when Akhilesh presents his concerns to his father, he gets surprised by his reply. Akhilesh's father tells him that dowry is a social norm and as a member of the society they are duty bound to accept the demands of the groom's family. He also tells Akhilesh that marriage ceremony is a matter of social prestige for the whole family. A lavish wedding will not only appease the groom's family but also increase the social status of their own family. Further, his father tells him that it is out of his own love and volition that he has agreed to the gifts. He also explained to Akhilesh that the car, furniture etc., will be used by Sarita at her in-law's place. Akhilesh could not argue with his father, even though he was not in agreement with his father's view. He and Sarita believe that giving/accepting dowry would lead to propagation of a social evil. They also are of the view that a profligate wedding, without due concern for family's finances, is illogical. a) What are the various ethical issues involved in the above case study? b) You are a close friend of Akhilesh. What advice will you give, in this situation, to Akhilesh in order to convince his father to abstain from giving dowry and organising a lavish wedding?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentFamily, Society and Education
What do each of the following quotations mean to you? "There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent." - Mahatma Gandhi
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2024–2025
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
"Academic freedom is the bedrock of scholarly inquiry and intellectual progress." Examine the ethical issues that arise when educational institutions yield to political, social, or economic pressures and compromises academic freedom.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers
Family, Society and EducationDimensions of Ethics
Social values are not merely the context in which the public agency operates; they form its essence. Analyse.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2018
Civil Service ValuesFamily, Society and Education
Developing a Scientific temper, innovative mindset, and civic-conscious citizens are major objectives of higher educational institutions. Can higher educational institutions be instrumental in promoting integrity education among youth to establish a public culture of integrity and a corruption-free political culture? If yes, how?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023
Family, Society and EducationIntegrity
You have recently been posted as a Nodal Education Officer in one of the districts, where mass cheating in examinations is a regular phenomenon. Media reports have shown parents and relatives scaling school walls and buildings to pass answer chits to students taking secondary school examinations in the district. Moreover, with the advent of new technological devices, cheating in examinations has become more sophisticated and exam rules are flouted openly. On investigation, it has come to your notice that these rackets are run by many school authorities, including exam invigilators who are mostly teachers, and they are hand in glove for profits. With a shortage of staff, invigilators threaten go on mass strikes if any action is taken. Conducting the exams, cancelling them on account of cheating and having re-exams are a loss of time and money for the government and this vicious cycle goes on. As the Nodal Education Officer of the district, address the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the above case? (b) How will you resolve the issues in the given case? (c) What long-term strategy needs to be adopted to deal with the menace of cheating in various examinations?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023–2024
CorruptionCrisis Decision Making
Despite changing family structure, it still plays an important role in nurturing core societal values. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2020
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
Many Indian cities are facing a major problem of management of household waste. Huge volume of wastes has meant that landfill sites are facing the problem of overcapacity. On the other hand, the waste-to-energy plants constructed to solve the problem are also facing flak due to their inefficiency and release of poisonous pollutants. The manner of waste disposal by people is identified as one of the main reasons behind this problem. The government has notified rules regarding disposal, collection and treatment of waste and has initiated numerous awareness campaigns in the past. Still, the problem does not seem to be getting under control. Given such a situation, answer the following questions: (a) What do you think is the reason behind the apathy of people towards issues like waste disposal that affect the larger interests of society in general? (b) Identify the stakeholders and the significance of their involvement in addressing the issue.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Probity in GovernanceEnvironmental Ethics
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place. How does this statement apply to a civil servant? 6(a) How societal members can make a huge difference - the. Give your perceptions in this regard with due justification.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022
Ethics in Private and Public LifeHuman Values
What does each of the following quotations mean to you? "The end-product of education should be a free creative man, who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature." Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2025
Human ValuesFamily, Society and Education
Discuss the role of family in inculcating values in your life. What modifications would you like to make in such values while passing it on to your children? Illustrate with examples from your life.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
You are appointed as the principal of a school, which is located in a backward district. A colleague brings to your attention that a group of boys indulge in smoking during school hours within the vicinity of the school. The same group has also repeatedly been caught consuming alcohol in the school premises. No form of punishment seems to be effective while dealing with this particular group. Upon investigation, you find that the boys belong to low-income families and have picked up the habits from elders at home and neighbours. The teachers are concerned about the effect it will have on other students. You also realise that this problem has to be addressed as quickly as possible. In this context, answer the following questions: 20 (a) Identify the factors that make young people take up such harmful habits? What is the role of educational institutions in inculcating right habits among the students? (b) How would you address the immediate issue? Analyse the options available to you in this regard. (c) How will you bring about a behavioural change among students in this case?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2019
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values
“Children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate.” In this context, discuss the importance of role models in inculcating values in children.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2020
Family, Society and EducationHuman Values