Ethics, integrity and aptitude

An international beverage company has a signature drink that it sells all over the world, with children being its major consumers. In India, the version of the drink complies with Indian food and health regulations, but is less healthy than the one sold in developed countries. Though the company is not in violation of any law in India, but it is selling an inferior, less healthy product in a developing country like India. There is however, a price differential with the drink sold in India being cheaper than the one sold in developed countries. Identify the various stakeholders and discuss the issues that arise in this situation.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Corporate GovernanceLaw and Morality

You are posted as a Customs official in one of renowned port cities of India. Your team has recently intercepted a consignment having over 5000 kilograms of red sandalwood. Red Sandalwood, also known as Red Sanders, is a prohibited item for export and is covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) list and hence you detained a few individuals for their alleged involvement in trying to smuggle it to another country. However, you later come to know that these people are working for an influential businessman with close ties to the ruling party of the state. Your seniors in the department have verbally instructed you not to register any compliant as yet. You are fearful that a deal will be struck between the businessman and a few corrupt officers of your department and the detained persons will be freed. You are ready to go ahead and file the complaint but at the same time are also fearful of departmental action against you if you disobey your seniors. (a) What are the various options available to you in the given case? Evaluate the merits and demerits of each of these. (b) Also indicate (without necessarily restricting to the above options) your course of action and the reasons for the same.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCorruption

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' - Martin Luther King Jr.

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Human ValuesEmpathy and Compassion

With stars in your eyes, you have recently cleared your probation and are posted as the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Delhi. The first task allotted to you is to check drunk driving especially at night time. You accordingly form teams comprising of officials of several departments and instruct them to do their best to bring the offenders to book without any sort of fear or favour. In the first week itself you get more than a dozen calls from your subordinates where they were threatened of dire consequences when they tried to apprehend the drunkards especially those driving luxury cars. When you discuss the case with your team, they too advise that those with 'connections' can be pretty harmful, especially for an officer like you who has just completed his probation. They even narrate instances where young officers like you were given so-called 'penalty postings' when they apprehended relatives of politicians. a) What do you tell your subordinates to do in such a situation when they look to you for advice? b) What will be your course of action to tackle the menace and at the same time boost the morale of your force? Explain.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Crisis Decision MakingPressure and Loyalty

Success may not lead you to happiness, but happiness is definitely the key to success. Discuss this statement based on your understanding of happiness and success.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Dimensions of EthicsHuman Values

“The morality of the individual and the morality of the state are one and the same.” Plato

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

World ThinkersDimensions of Ethics

Possible factors that can drive a child to a crime

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Family, Society and EducationDimensions of Ethics

Kailash is a climate conscious and responsible citizen. Kailash left his well-paying job as a senior manager in a multinational company and started a small firm that manufactures eco-friendly products. The motto of his company is "zero wastage and green for welfare". His firm makes bio-degradable polymer which can be used as an alternative to plastic bags, bottles, plates etc. Kailash thinks that this will promote a healthier environment and will have a positive impact on people's health. It will also help address the problem of climate change by reducing one's carbon footprint. For this to be achieved, he believes that not just products, but the process should be less polluting. This is why, he invested heavily in non-polluting machinery. These machines are certified as "green machines". In fact, some of them were even imported from other countries. All of this has gained him a good reputation in the eyes of critics and environmentalists. But as the technology used in manufacturing these products is new, imported and expensive, the products made by Kailash's firm is costlier than conventional plastic products. Kailash has proved that his product is environmentally benign, but he was unable to scale up production because he ran out of funds. Kailash knows that if he could start manufacturing the polymer at a large scale and leverage economies of scale his product would become more price competitive to conventional plastics. Kailash used last of his funds to publicize his product. Kailash thought that with this publicity, raising funds from the market would be easy. Kailash reached out to many investors, and they showed great interest in Kailash's product. But none of them were willing to invest money in this product. They feared that this new product, being much expensive, would not be able to compete with the conventional plastic products. Kailash's firm is also losing his existing customers who complain about very high cost of his products. Both Kailash's prospective investors and past customers know that this technology is less polluting and environmentally benign and has a positive attitude towards it. But consumer concern and attitude about the environment does not readily translate into the purchase of environmentally friendly products. Academic research has also identified this gap between purchase intentions and behaviors. Kailash knows that if he changes the production procedure, things can look better for the company on the financial front, but that can take away his reputation and will also be against his own beliefs. The only possible hope is to expand his consumer base, sell his products at full capacity and convince investors to invest in his eco-friendly venture to keep his green industry running. Consider yourself in Kailash's position and answer the following questions: a) How will you induce behavioral change to nudge people to move towards eco-friendly products? b) What factors will you have to consider while inspiring such a change?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Environmental EthicsSocial Influence and Persuasion

Manoj is a young boy studying in class tenth of Nav Bharti school. Even though Manoj is pursuing science stream as desired by his parents, he has always been more inclined towards arts. His skills in various performing arts viz. music, dance etc., has always received high praises from his friends, teachers and relatives alike. It was his desire to make a name for himself in this field. However, when Manoj informed his parents about his dream, their reaction though disappointing, did not come as a surprise. His parents who have always desired to see him as an engineer, were vehemently against his wish to pursue performing arts as a career option. His father explained him that by being an engineer he can lead a financially rewarding life, which they themselves could never afford. Further, his father also belittled his dream by saying that music and dance did not constitute an honourable profession. Manoj's father also pointed out to Manoj that Praveen, Manoj's cousin, had settled with a high paying job after completing his engineering degree form a renowned university. Though Manoj never enjoyed studying mathematics and science, he did not want to go against his parent's wishes. Therefore, after completing his board exams, Manoj was sent to Pota. Over the years the reputation of Pota as the coaching hub for entrance examinations had grown far and wide. The determination of Manoj's parents to make their son an engineer was undeterred despite the high fees of the coaching centres in Pota. Therefore, in order to pay the high fees of the coaching institute, Manoj's parents mortgaged their only asset, the ancestral family land. Manoj tried to convince his father against it, but to no avail. In order to fulfil his parent's aspiration, Manoj started working hard and giving his best. However, despite his consistent and honest hard work, his performance in mock tests remained sub-par and could neither meet the expectations of the teachers in Pota nor that of his parents at home. In addition, due to the alienation from the environment of school, friends, and family Manoj started remaining depressed. Further, in Pota he did not get anytime for pursuing his hobbies in performing arts. He started keeping to himself and even avoided talking to his parents on phone. Even after two years of gruelling coaching regime, Manoj's condition remained unchanged. The situation came to such a pass that Manoj used to be in a constant fear of failure in the annual Engineering Entrance Examination (EEE). He was aware about the high financial stakes that the exam bore for his family. It was under this pressure that Manoj gave the EEE. Finally, the results were out, and Manoj was unable to make it to any prestigious engineering college. Even though the result was on the expected lines for Manoj, the realisation that he has failed in the examination crushed him mentally. What made the matters worse was the disappointment that Manoj noticed in his parent's voice over the phone. Manoj felt like a criminal in his mind who had squandered the scarce family resources. Unable to bear the pressure, Manoj took a fatal jump off the building of his hostel. He left behind a note apologising to his parents for being unable to fulfil their aspirations. a) What are the qualities lacked by Manoj's parents? b) What qualities in a person can prevent him/her from taking the extreme step of committing suicide? c) What are the various ethical issues with the education system as depicted in the case study?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Family, Society and EducationHuman Values

Do you think that relationship between the virtues of integrity and courage is mutually reinforcing? Give reasons to justify your views. 2. "If emotion without reason is blind, then reason without emotion is impotent."- Peter Singer.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Dimensions of EthicsEmotional Intelligence

Explain the role of society in imparting values. In this context also, discuss a situation wherein acquired values learnt from home or school guided you in a situation of dilemma.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Family, Society and EducationHuman Values

Identifying the issues associated with utilization of public funds, discuss the various ethical principles which can help devise strategies for better utilization of public funds in India.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Utilisation of Public FundsProbity in Governance

There is broad consensus that the state has failed to effectively deliver public services to its citizens, particularly the poor. In this context, discuss the need for providing incentives, building state capacity and ensuring transparency for better service delivery.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Quality of Service DeliveryTransparency and Information

You are the Chairperson of Staff Selection Commission of a state. Recently, an exam for recruitment to the position of sub-inspectors was conducted by the Commission. But a video of some students using hi-tech devices like spy-mics, and placing "solvers" to cheat in the exam by hiding bluetooth devices in wig, has been surfacing on the internet. Also, this is not an isolated incident; many instances of organized cheating scandals have shocked the state in recent years. Students are agitated and demanding cancellation of the exam and there is pressure on you to resign. However, your daughter had also appeared in this exam and is confident of clearing it. There are many other students who had waited for this exam for a long time and are hopeful of clearing it with honest efforts. Whatever decision the Commission takes is bound to affect the career of a large number of candidates who appeared in the exam, including your own daughter. (a) Highlight the ethical issues concerned in the case. (b) Why is cheating in examinations prevalent in many states across India? (c) What measures would you take to make sure that a similar situation does not arise in future?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Conflict of InterestCorruption

You are posted in the Department of Mines, and one of your roles is to help your Department Head negotiate mining leases with private contractors. Recently, the state government demarcated a new mining zone and planned to invite bids for the mining blocs. You were instructed to oversee the bidding process and speed up the contract negotiations. As planned, the tenders were released, bids came in, and tenders were allocated as per the norms. All this happened at a breakneck speed. You wondered, why the hurry? But it was not your place to think and question; you quietly went about your work. As the contractors were about to start operations, you had to instruct them on environmental concerns to watch out for. And to do that, you read the environmental impact assessment report submitted by a consulting firm hired by the department. To your surprise, the report was shoddy and looked cooked up. You got suspicious and raised the issue with your Head, who politely instructed you to do what you were told, and he reminded you that the Department of Mines was under pressure from the Ministry. After the meeting, you, on your own accord, did some digging and found out that the report was fraudulent and the mining activity that was about to start would lead to a massive environmental disaster which the State could not afford. (a) What are the issues and value violations you notice in the above case? (b) What are the options available to you? (c) Discuss the advantage and disadvantages of each option and identify your chosen course of action. (d) Do you think that environmental considerations are sometimes overrated at the cost of development?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Environmental EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government

You have recently started working at your dream company. You have been hired in the strategies department along with two other new joiners. All of you have just graduated out of college. You have very friendly relations with your co-joiners. The three of you have been helping each other at work. The experience of working together has built strong camaraderie between the three of you. Your boss has publicly appreciated the strong team-spirit displayed by you and your colleagues. At the annual review, you have been given a higher pay raise, and a more lucrative job profile. The promotion doesn't come as a surprise to you. You have worked beyond office hours more as a rule rather than as an exception. The project you worked on was adjudged 'the best project of the year in business impact' at the annual corporate awards. One of your co-joiners remarks, in presumably good humor, that you should suggest to your boss to allocate similar high impact projects to your friends as well. You also perceive suggestions towards the shared surname being the reason for special affinity of your boss towards you, indicating the fact that your boss and you have the same caste. You feel hurt but you also try to think about the remarks with an open mind. You assess that the three of you have indeed worked hard with sincerity. One of your friends, in fact, worked very efficiently despite a personal tragedy at home. There was already a salary differential between you and your colleagues based on the pedigree of your college. The higher pay raise to you has expanded the differential pay structure further. You always considered the initial pay differential to be against the principle of equal pay for equal work. But now you feel your friends may not have been given equal opportunities as well. a) You are inclined to the belief that the efforts and talent of your colleagues have been under-appreciated and you start feeling guilty about your promotion. b) Based on the given information, discuss the options that are available to you for addressing the guilt. What are the merits and demerits of those choices? Which option would you choose? Justify.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Corporate GovernanceIntegrity

Kautilya’s teachings for running an effective administration and achieving welfare goals remain relevant even today. Justify with suitable illustration.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Indian ThinkersCivil Service Values

ABC Ltd is a leading Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the country. You have been newly appointed as the Assistant Director (Administration) responsible for the overall management of the internal affairs of the enterprise. One day you get requests from two Officers serving in your department about giving them postings at places different from where they have been recently transferred. The rules stipulate that the individual requests are not to be entertained for postings except under two circumstances- the first being when the Officer has already served for more than three years at the same station, and the second when the Officer is faced with some genuine exigency justifying his request. The Director (Administration) has the final say in such cases. The concerned officials approach you in the matter and apprise you of their problems. One of the officers, Officer X, claims to be close to the Director, and says that he wants the posting of choice because he feels that the place where he has been transferred is not 'suitable enough'. He even subtly hints that in case his request is not accepted, he will approach the Director and inform him about your 'inappropriate behavior'. The second officer, Officer Y, informs you of the deteriorating health of his mother and produces a number of medical records to back his claims. He requests for leniency on the ground of his mother's ill health since he being the only child is responsible for the upkeep of his aged, widowed mother. (a) How do you plan to handle the cases of the two officials? (b) Give suitable logic for your course of action.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentEmpathy and Compassion

Capital punishment, or "death penalty," is an institutionalized practice designed to result in deliberately executing persons in response to actual or supposed misconduct and following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that the person is responsible for violating norms that warrant execution. Punitive executions have historically been imposed by diverse kinds of authorities, for an expansive range of conduct, political or religious beliefs and practices, for a status beyond one's control, or without employing any significant due process procedures. Punitive executions also have and continue to be carried out more informally, such as by terrorist groups, urban gangs, and mobs. For centuries in Europe and America, discussions have focused on capital punishment as an institutionalized, rule-governed practice of modern states and legal systems governing serious criminal conduct and procedures. In light of the above debate of capital punishment, answer the following questions: (a) What are the arguments in favour of and against having capital punishment in the criminal justice system? (b) Do you think capital punishment has a place in modern civilised society? Examine in the context of moral implications involved in awarding it.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentLaw and Morality

According to you, what are the main reasons behind prejudice against certain sections of a society? Discuss with examples.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion

Why do you want to be a civil servant? What attributes, do you believe, a civil servant ought to possess? Justify your answer with illustrations.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Aptitude for Civil ServiceCivil Service Values

Even though the incidents of wars are detrimental to all, it is the women who have been the worst sufferers of all forms of human conflicts. Historical evidences from throughout the globe have highlighted the skewed vulnerability of women to violence in all its manifestations. In the medieval period, the situation of women remained particularly vulnerable; treated as second class citizens in comparison to men, their condition became particularly deplorable during wartime. Invariably, women were considered as part of the plunder, leading to their sexual and psychological exploitation. Similarly, during the second world war, the then Imperial Japanese Army exploited women, pushing them into sexual slavery. These women were euphemistically termed as comfort women. The objectification of women as a commodity for comfort made their exploitation complete and absolute. Issue of comfort women, one of the largest incidents of human trafficking, continues to be a diplomatic flash point between South Korea and Japan. In contemporary times too, we get to see the manifestation of various social crimes against women. Dharmendra, a young District Magistrate, posted in Khainom, capital of Ranipur recently became witness to such an incident. Ranipur is one of the North Eastern states of India. Ranipur has a rich ethnic diversity consisting of both tribal and non-tribal population. Issues such as access and ownership over resources, settling of outsiders (non-tribals) in tribal areas, dominance/influence over government appointments etc., have remained the bone of contention between the tribal and non-tribal people. However, the matters came to a head when the demands from the non-tribal community for being recognized as tribals started gaining force. These demands were fiercely opposed by the tribals fearing that it will reinforce the positions of non-tribals; allow them to buy land in tribal areas and therefore will marginalize the already backward tribal community in the state. Within no time the situation took a communal turn. Khainom was particularly worst hit. In addition to the incidents of plunder and loot, Khainom gained global attention when a video of a tribal girl being sexually assaulted by non-tribal men surfaced in the social media. The video clearly depicted a group of 20-25 men molesting a tribal girl in front of entire village. A police car, and few police personnel were also visible in the video. The passivity of armed police personnel towards safeguarding the women was being severely criticised across all quarters. Even though this particular incident came into public domain, it was by no means an isolated happening. Many such occurrences of targeting women from both the communities were reported throughout Ranipur. The political leadership of the state has taken cognizance of the events in Khainom. Dharmendra has been instructed to prepare a holistic plan to avoid such incidents in the future. a) What recommendations should Dharmendra make to create a safe environment for the women? b) What are the factors that have led to victimization of women, especially during conflicts?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Empathy and CompassionCivil Service Values

Sunil has been posted as a DM in a hilly district which is vulnerable to several natural disasters. The district is known for a pilgrimage site and is frequently visited by tourists from all over India. The major occupation of locals therefore lies in the hospitality business. Unfortunately, after a few days of his joining, the district faced a major earthquake. It has led to high casualties and damages to the essential infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Both locals and tourists are trapped at different routes and locations. An international convoy of dignitaries from a neighboring country which has come to pay their obeisance at the pilgrimage site, is also trapped due to the disaster. Because of this, Sunil has to divert most of the available resources in the rescue operation of the foreign dignitaries. People are emotionally distressed due to the disaster, and delayed response from authorities to their needs has led to a law-and-order situation in the district. People from other states whose families are trapped and need immediate assistance are also getting restless and flooding the emergency helplines with complaints and requests. (a) Discuss the issues being faced by Sunil in the given scenario. (b) Mention a course of action that Sunil must take to maintain law-and-order as well as to expedite rescue operations of all concerned..

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Crisis Decision MakingEthical Dilemmas in Government

Mr X is travelling by road with his family to attend a marriage ceremony. His grandfather, who is the head of the family is also travelling with him. On the way to their destination, all of them stop at a road side restaurant for lunch. This is a well-known restaurant owned by one of the friends of Mr X. The place is known for its tasty and hygienic food. However, the grandfather notices a picture on the wall of the restaurant and enquires about the religion of the restaurant owner. Mr X's friend belongs to a religion different from the grandfather's religion. The grandfather has a negative attitude towards the religion of Mr X's friend and he insists that he will not eat in that restaurant. He demands that the entire family should leave the restaurant immediately as they are travelling for a happy occasion and eating at this particular restaurant will pollute them. Mr X tries to calm down his grandfather and explain to him that religion has nothing to do with purity or pollution. He also reasons that several travel magazines have rated the restaurant highly, especially for its superior hygiene standards. Also, he points out that there is no restaurant in the way for the next 100 Km and it will be difficult for all to make do without food for that long. However, his arguments fall on deaf years, and which is more his grandfather admonishes him for bringing the family to the restaurant despite being aware about the religion of the owner. Mr X's friend feels insulted and discriminated against due to his religion. Mr X's father is upset but refuses to say anything out of respect for the grandfather. Entire family is embarrassed by the attitude of the grandfather and they are getting ready to leave the restaurant. Mr X is confused regarding how he should act in this situation. a) What are the various ethical issues in the above case study? b) Imagine yourself in the place of Mr X. Evaluate the different courses of actions available with you. What is the most suitable course of action?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2022

Ethics in Private and Public LifeAttitude