Ethical Dilemmas in Government

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

Vihar is a state in the Northern part of the country. Prohibition laws in the state completely ban the storage, possession, sale, and consumption of liquor in any form. Despite the ban, the liquor mafia in the state has succeeded in supplying spurious liquor through various illegal dens. The activities of liquor mafia flourish under the nose of both the civil administration and the police department. Many Civil Society Organizations, women organizations etc., on numerous occasions complained to the authorities about the illegal production, sale, and consumption of liquor, but their complaints have fallen on deaf ears, and no substantial action was taken by the government to curb the menace. As fate would have it, one day there was an unfortunate incident when a large group of fifty construction labourers died after consuming spurious liquor from an illegal den being operated by the mafia. Many of the victims were sole bread winners of their families. While the state was clear on its position that consuming liquor in the state was an illegal activity that warrants no sympathy or compensation (for the next of kin) from the government, families of the victims and also many CSOs were demanding compensation for the families of the deceased construction labourers. The incident got both national and international coverage in print, electronic, as well as the social media. The pressure on the state government was mounting to amicably resolve the issue. Anjali is posted as the Joint Secretary in the Secretariat. The CM has asked her to create a detailed report on how should the state government handle this crisis. a) Under the given circumstances, what measures should Anjali recommend to handle the above crisis. b) Critically evaluate the decision of state government to not compensate the victims of spurious liquor.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023–2024

Crisis Decision MakingRules versus Compassion

You are the manager of a company X, in which you have worked since last 15 years. It is known for its unique values and the work culture which is very healthy and encouraging. You and your team work synergistically with each other and also enjoy harmony with personal and organizational values, a bond which has evolved over years. Recently, you got to know that your company has been acquired by another company Y and you along with your team would now be employees of company Y. After interacting with the top management of company Y, you realize that the core values followed by company Y are completely different and opposite to that of the value system of company X. For example, the core value of company X is 'customer satisfaction' but that of company Y is 'profit maximization'. (a) What conflicts do you think you will face in this situation? (b) Examine the merits and demerits of the options available to you, and which option would you choose and why.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2018–2023

Corporate GovernanceWork Culture

How are ethical concerns and work culture of public institutions different from those of private institutions? Examine the desirability of adoption of work culture similar to private institutions in public institutions.

10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023

Work CultureEthical Dilemmas in Government

Abha is currently working as the DM of a district. One day, she went to a village for inspecting the progress of a certain village development project. Abha was not satisfied with the pace of the work and wanted to talk with the Sarpanch of the village about the same. Abha went to the panchayat office where she found the Sarpanch standing just outside the office. The Sarpanch greeted Abha and offered her a seat. Abha sat down and started discussing the matter with the Sarpanch. She noticed that Sarpanch was still standing. She thought that Sarpanch was not sitting because of hesitation or out of respect for the officer. She requested him to take a seat but he reluctantly sat on a wooden stool. Abha jokingly asked him if he liked the stool so much that he chose it instead of a chair, to which the Sarpanch replied that he was not allowed to sit on a chair as he belonged to a Dalit community. Abha was taken aback by this response. Abha enquired further about the issue. The sarpanch explained that since the Sarpanch position was reserved for SC community, he won the election. But despite being the official head of the panchayat, he did not have any power. He was neither allowed to enter the panchayat office nor was given access to official documents. A separate water pot was kept for him outside the office and he was not allowed to use the common water pot. He worked as a rubber stamp who merely signed the given document. He went on to tell Abha that last year he was not even allowed to hoist the national flag during the Independence Day celebration. Abha was shocked about hearing the kind of discrimination that the Sarpanch faced. On the basis of this case study answer the following questions: 1) Why do caste-based discriminations still persist even after 75 years of independence? 2) Examine the various ethical issues involved in this case. 3) Identify various stakeholders and their responsibilities for creating an egalitarian society.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentEmpathy and Compassion

Propose a course of action that respects judicial authority while upholding the values of compassion, fairness, and responsible governance.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentRules versus Compassion

Sunshine electronics is a domestic mobile manufacturer and you are its CEO. Sunshine electronics has made an affordable 5g phone with over 80% domestically sourced components. It has spent a large amount of money for promotion of the phone. General public is excited about the new phone and the company has already received over 1 lakh pre-launch orders from various online shopping portals. The achievement of the company has also received recognition from the highest political level and has been cited as a successful example of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat. The Central Minister of Electronics and Information Technology is the chief guest in the launch event of the new mobile phone. Just a day before the launch of the new phone, you received a call from the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of your company. He informs you that the US has banned Huwu Technologies Pvt. Ltd. from doing business in the USA and a similar ban is expected to be imposed by the EU in the next few days. The ban on Huwu is based on a report claiming that Huwu has been working very closely with the Chinese government and there are technical 'backdoors' in the components made by Huwu that allows it to spy on users of the devices that have these components. The new phone made by your company also uses a chip manufactured by Huwu. To fulfil the pre-orders in the shortest possible time, Sunshine Electronics has also manufactured around fifty thousand devices. Cancelling or postponing the launch event would be embarrassing for political dispensation and financially disastrous for your company. On the other hand, going ahead with the launch would mean potentially risking the privacy and security of your customers. 1) On the basis of this case, identify the various ethical dilemmas involved. 2) What principles of corporate ethics would you consider while taking the decision in this case? 3) Examine various options available with you for handling the issue at hand. What will you do in the given case?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023

Corporate GovernanceEthical Dilemmas in Government

Mr. X is a billionaire businessman who heads a conglomerate engaged in insurance, energy generation and distribution, and manufacturing. Despite being globally known as a great philanthropist, he turned down a shareholder request seeking the disclosure of the conglomerate's actions on issues related to climate change as well as diversity and inclusion. Because of increased attention to climate and diversity issues, many leading firms have committed themselves to incorporate relevant considerations in their business strategies. Therefore, some industry-observors wonder if Mr. X is out of touch with the industry at large and have warned him that failing to address climate change issues puts his businesses under systemic risk. But, Mr. X maintained his vote against the disclosure proposal, while at the same time acknowledged the importance of both climate change and a diverse and inclusive work force. However, Mr. X believes that such ethical issues take secondary importance to maximising shareholder profit. (a) Discuss the importance of including climate change strategies and diversity and inclusion in a business organisation? (b) In your opinion, what matters more for a business organisation - socio-environmental concerns or shareholder profit? (c) How can the two above-mentioned issues be reconciled?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023

Corporate GovernanceEthical Dilemmas in Government

You are the District Magistrate of a district, which is the hub of coaching centres for engineering as well as medical entrance exams. Recently, around 5 students have committed suicide owing to academic and social pressure. Students in the age group 15-18 years from across the country come to the district with the dream of getting admission into prestigious institutions like the IITs and AIIMS. However, the coaching institutions are business-minded and want to have toppers from their institute so that they can attract more students. They create a lot of pressure on students to perform, with differential treatment like forming different category of batches depending on students' performance. These students live as Paying Guests and in hostels away from their families and many cannot tackle the huge burden of competition and the associated mental stress. The recent spate of suicide by 5 students has been highlighted by the national media and you have been asked by the Chief Minister to present a report of the situation and take steps on the matter. The Chief Minister has also asked you to keep the matter away from limelight so that the coaching centres continue with their business and generate revenue for themselves as well as the state. Upon investigation, you find out that 2-3 of the most famous coaching institutions are run by political leaders of the ruling party. They are involved in false advertisements in order to lure students. They also create undue pressure on the students to perform. Also, there is an emerging black market for performance enhancing drugs, which have become common among the students. (a) Highlight the stakeholders involved and discuss the associated ethical issues in the given case. (b) Given the situation, what will be your course of action? (c) Discussing the various reasons for increased cases of suicides among students, suggest measures to address the issue in the long-run.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentPressure and Loyalty

Analyze the following options for the course of action that you would take and evaluate their merits and demerits.

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Crisis Decision MakingEthical Dilemmas in Government

Rashmi is a trained nurse and has an experience of over 20 years. She joined as a contractual nurse in a government hospital during the second wave of Covid-19. At the peak of the second wave of Covid, the health system of the country crumbled under the large number of infections. There was a severe shortage of not only items like medicine, oxygen cylinders etc but also of trained staff. To address the bed shortage, many temporary covid camps were established and to cope up with the dearth of trained staff, the government started hiring on contractual basis. Many nurses, computer operators, sweepers and others in support staff were temporarily hired for the covid period in accordance with outsourcing policy for emergency services at government hospitals. Due to their immense contribution in fight against the pandemic, they were recognized as 'corona warriors'. During their hiring, a verbal promise was made to them that, 'corona warriors' would be given preference in other government hirings. Rashmi signed a contract stating the term of her employment as three months, which was subsequently extended for three more months and so on. After a year, as the number of covid infections have declined, the government has closed many of the temporary camps. Vaccination drive has also shown a decelerating trend as the majority of the population has been inoculated with at least one dose. This has reduced the requirement of nurses, computer operators and other supporting staff. Rashmi was served a 15 day notice and her contractual employment was terminated. Government has cited that since covid wave has subsided, health infrastructure in the country. [Note: The source text appears to be missing text here.] Rashmi recalls her ordeal while taking care of patients during the second wave of Covid-19. She did continuous night shifts which usually stretched to 12-13 hours. Wearing PPE and 3 layers of masks made simple tasks like drinking water or using the washroom very difficult. Dealing with patients, some angry while others grieving, was an emotional drain. Rashmi also played a very important role in the vaccination drive, sometimes vaccinating more than 400 people per day. Many corona warriors contracted disease and died while doing their duty. Corona warriors have put their life on the line to save the country from the pandemic. But after termination of the contract, Rashmi feels that the government has acted with a 'use and throw' attitude. Rashmi and other corona warriors have started protesting near the health ministry, demanding permanent government employment. On the basis of this case, answer the following questions: 1) What are the various ethical issues involved in this case? 2) Do you think Rashmi is justified in demanding a permanent government job? 3) Do you think the government is justified in terminating the contracts of corona warriors? 4) Consider yourself in the position of Health secretary in the concerned state. What would you do to address the issue at hand?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentDedication to Public Service

Prachinmath is a pilgrim town nestled in the laps of Himalayas. The town is part of one of the border states of the country. It serves as the base for a highly revered and well-known pilgrimage undertaken by millions of people every year. The people of Prachinmath, who are largely from a close-knit community of Pahadi tribe, have lived in the area for several generations. The Pahadi people, since many generations, have developed a lifestyle which is integral to the ecosystem of Prachinmath. The traditional knowledge of the tribe passed from one generation to other have helped the people in living with the environment in a sustainable manner. The people of Prachinmath worshipped the local deity, and believed it to be their destiny to live in the region in a peaceful and harmonious way. However, the increasing pace of unplanned development, uncontrolled religious tourism, creation of strategic infrastructure etc., in the contemporary times have fundamentally altered the minimalistic nature of relationship that the people of Prachinmath had with the local/fragile environment. Prachinmath Bachao Committee (PBC), a civil society organization of Pahadi tribals, has consistently opposed the unbridled and brazen exploitation of the resources of Prachinmath. They have through petitions, jan sabhas, nukkad nataks etc., highlighted the grave consequences of the unsustainable development model that the state and Union governments were adopting for Prachinmath. However, their petitions had fallen on deaf ears. Moreover, the government justified the infrastructure creation in Prachinmath in order to cater to its strategic and religious significance. The problems came to a head when the government decided to construct a tunnel in Prachinmath, in order to generate hydroelectricity. The PBC as well as prominent geologists of the country vehemently opposed the idea citing its negative impact upon the region. The scientific community was of the opinion that as Prachinmath sits on geological fault lines and is built on a debris of a landslide, any large-scale construction may cause irreparable damage to the environment. Nevertheless, the government went ahead with the project, constructing the tunnel in a record time, citing its necessity for the energy security of the country. Even many economists were of the opinion that increased energy capacity will help India curtail its import bill. Such steps were hailed by the government as the stepping stone of the country towards strategic autonomy. The worst fears of the local and scientific communities came true when the houses in Prachinmath started showing large cracks. The reason for the crack, as found out after a detailed study, was attributed to the subsidence of land in Prachinmath. The sinking of the land, development of large cracks, collapsing of the buildings etc., caught the attention of social, electronic, and print media alike. Overnight, Prachinmath became the talk of the country. Even the international media highlighted the episode, and the existential threat that it posed to the local communities as well as the environment. The state and Union governments swung into action and formed an expert committee, comprising of scientists, bureaucrats, NDRF/SDRF personnel etc., to look into the matter. The committee advised the government to evacuate Prachinmath completely, as the sinking of the land was continuing. Working on the recommendations of the committee, government prepared a detailed resettlement and rehabilitation plan for the people of Prachinmath. The Pahadi people, who squarely blamed the government for the crisis, felt cheated by the actions of the government and refused to evacuate from Prachinmath, the place of their ancestors. a) What are the various conflicting interests in the above case study. b) As a DM of the district in which Prachinmath falls, how will you convince the people to evacuate from the area? c) What can we do to avoid such situations in the future.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Environmental EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government

Recently CJI Chandrachud held "RTI as dead letter", largely due to inefficiency and unwillingness to disseminate info causing opaque governance.

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Transparency and InformationProbity in Governance

Rashmi is a trained nurse and has an experience of over 20 years. She joined as a contractual nurse in a government hospital during the second wave of Covid-19. At the peak of the second wave of Covid, the health system of the country crumbled under the large number of infections. There was a severe shortage of not only items like medicine, oxygen cylinders etc but also of trained staff. To address the bed shortage, many temporary covid camps were established and to cope up with the dearth of trained staff, the government started hiring on contractual basis. Many nurses, computer operators, sweepers and others in support staff were temporarily hired for the covid period in accordance with outsourcing policy for emergency services at government hospitals. Due to their immense contribution in fight against the pandemic, they were recognized as 'corona warriors'. During their hiring, a verbal promise was made to them that 'corona warriors' would be given preference in other government hirings. Rashmi signed a contract stating the term of her employment as three months, which was subsequently extended for three more months and so on. After a year, as the number of covid infections have declined, the government has closed many of the temporary camps. Vaccination drive has also shown a decelerating trend as the majority of the population has been inoculated with at least one dose. This has reduced the requirement of nurses, computer operators and other supporting staff. Rashmi was served a 15 day notice and her contractual employment was terminated. Government has cited that since covid wave has subsided, contractual human resource would be laid-off and the money saved would be used for augmenting health infrastructure in the country. Rashmi recalls her ordeal while taking care of patients during the second wave of Covid-19. She did continuous night shifts which usually stretched to 12-13 hours. Wearing PPE and 3 layers of masks for the entire period of duty made simple tasks like drinking water or using the washroom very difficult. Dealing with patients, some angry while others grieving, was an emotional drain. Rashmi also played a very important role in the vaccination drive, sometimes vaccinating more than 400 people per day. Many corona warriors contracted disease and died while doing their duty. Corona warriors have put their life on the line to save the country from the pandemic. But after termination of the contract, Rashmi feels that the government has acted with a 'use and throw' attitude. Rashmi and other corona warriors have started protesting near the health ministry, demanding permanent government employment. On the basis of this case, answer the following questions: 1) What are the various ethical issues involved in this case? 2) Do you think Rashmi is justified in demanding a permanent government job? 3) Do you think the government is justified in terminating the contracts of corona warriors? 4) Consider yourself in the position of Health secretary in the concerned state. What would you do to address the issue at hand?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCivil Service Values

You are posted as a District Development officer in a district with a low literacy rate and poor health indicators. As you took charge, your Health Secretary had given express instructions that your priority is to improve health indicators by enhancing the delivery of healthcare services. After taking over, you traveled around the district to study and identify ways of improving healthcare services. During your field trip, you discovered that the issue was not the accessibility of services; it was something else. You found the problem was the myths, misconceptions, and malpractices that hindered the uptake of health services. For instance, people believed that vaccines caused impotence, immunization was equivalent to birth control, using antenatal care was counterproductive to the health of the mother and baby, and so on. You realize that these beliefs were the behavioral barriers that stood in the way of health and nutrition services. And these behavioral barriers made it difficult for front-line workers to reach out. You discussed your observations with the Health Secretary, and he advised you to seek inputs from the neighboring district DDO who was doing some good work. When you met with the neighboring DDO, you learned he was experimenting with using the Faith leader's influence and reach to persuade people. You were unsure about roping in faith leaders to help you overcome the behavioral barriers. As a civil servant you felt it would be a mistake to involve faith leaders in health service schemes. When you shared your apprehensions with the Secretary, he firmly instructed you to try and innovate. (a) What are the issues involved in the above case? (b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Faith leaders as influencers and persuaders? (c) If not faith leaders, what are your other options to break the behavioral barriers? (d) Do you think it is ethically right for a civil servant to involve faith leaders in promoting government schemes?

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Social Influence and PersuasionEthical Dilemmas in Government

How should a public servant reconcile legal mandates with humanitarian obligations in contexts of informal urban settlements?

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentRules versus Compassion

Abha is currently working as the DM of a district. One day, she went to a village for inspecting the progress of a certain village development project. Abha was not satisfied with the pace of the work and wanted to talk with the Sarpanch of the village about the same. Abha went to the panchayat office where she found the Sarpanch standing just outside the office. The Sarpanch greeted Abha and offered her a seat. Abha sat down and started discussing the matter with the Sarpanch. She noticed that Sarpanch was still standing. She thought that Sarpanch was not sitting because of hesitation or out of respect for the officer. She requested him to take a seat but he reluctantly sat on a wooden stool. Abha jokingly asked him if he liked the stool so much that he chose it instead of a chair, to which the Sarpanch replied that he was not allowed to sit on a chair as he belonged to a Dalit community. Abha was taken aback by this response. Abha enquired further about the issue. The sarpanch explained that since the Sarpanch position was reserved for SC community, he won the election. But despite being the official head of the panchayat, he did not have any power. He was neither allowed to enter the panchayat office nor was given access to official documents. A separate water pot was kept for him at the office and he was not allowed to use the common water pot. He worked as a labourer and only signed the given document. He went on to tell Abha that last year he was not allowed to hoist the national flag during the Independence day celebration. Abha was shocked at the severe kind of discrimination that the Sarpanch faced. On the basis of this case study answer the following questions: 1) Why do caste based discriminations still persist even after 75 years of independence? 2) Examine the various ethical issues involved in this case. 3) Identify various stakeholders and their responsibilities for creating an egalitarian society.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Empathy and CompassionEthical Dilemmas in Government

The terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, on December 2, 2015 resulted into killing of 14 people and injuring 22 others. Both the perpetrators involved in the attack were killed in a shootout by law enforcement later that same day. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducting the investigation recovered an undamaged iPhone in the shootout from one of the shooters. The phone had a six-digit password and was set to eliminate all its data after five failed password attempts. FBI desired access to the data for which it appealed the Apple, a private company, to create a new software that would enable FBI to unlock the phone. They wanted to extract data like contacts, photos and calls from locked iPhones in order to assist in criminal investigations and prosecutions. Apple denied the request of the FBI to build a backdoor into the iPhone. Apple argued that building a backdoor would have far reaching consequence beyond the case and would jeopardize the data security of other Apple users as well. They further explained that while selling their devices, apple has entered into a legal contract promising to preserve the privacy of their users. Allowing government to access the iPhone will lead to breach in trust that exist between the customer and the company. The government suggested utilization of the tool only once for this particular phone. Opposing the suggestion, Apple explained that once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices. The company concluded it would be wrong for the government to force them to build a backdoor into their products. The case was widely covered by the print and electronic media. There was a surge in 'for and against' debate on the social media platforms. Tech giants such as Microsoft and Facebook also supported Apple and displayed their opposition to the government's demand for creating a backdoor. The families of victims and survivors of the attack supported the FBI's demand. The National Sheriffs' Association remarked Apple's stance as "putting profit over safety" and "has nothing to do with privacy." Considering the whole situation, do you agree that Apple's action was justified? Why or why not? Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Technology and EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government

You are a Foreign Service official working in an embassy overseas. One of your duties was to liaise with the local Indian community, one of the country's largest immigrant groups. A group of wealthy Indian immigrants wanted to build a place of worship and a school to promote their language and culture. The school was intended to act as a center for promoting and preserving Indian culture among the immigrants. The Indian community leaders went through all the legal procedures to acquire the land, got the building plans approved by the city council, and with all the approvals in place, the construction work began. A few months into the construction, the locals started complaining about noise, and slowly a campaign began against the construction of a religious structure. The local city councilors joined in and raised the issue of how Indian immigrants having their own cultural space will lead to a similar demand from other immigrant communities. And this may escalate intolerance among different ethnic groups. The local politicians filed a public lawsuit to halt the construction and demolish whatever was built. Indian community responded with their lawsuit and approached the embassy for help. They wanted the Ambassador to take up the issue with the government. Meanwhile, the Ambassador deputed you to meet the Indian community leaders to understand the issue and prepare a report. You met with the community leaders and found that the reason for local antipathy towards the Indian community was just an expression of latent racism and intolerance. You presented your observations to the Ambassador and requested him to do something as the Indians were on the right and were being victims of racist behavior. The Ambassador, in turn, replied that he would not like to get involved in local politics. The Indians were citizens of that country; they had nothing to do with India besides ethnicity. Further, a crucial Economic agreement was about to be signed between the two countries in the coming weeks, and he did not want to jeopardize the growing relations between the two countries over some local politics. You were shocked to see economics getting priority over the diaspora. (a) What are the issues involved in the above case? (b) Do you agree with the Ambassador's position of prioritizing economics over helping the diaspora? Why/why not? (c) Among Care, Consequentialism, and Duty, what do you think is the appropriate perspective to guide Indian Foreign policy? Justify.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethics in International RelationsEthical Dilemmas in Government

Anand Singh is a government bus conductor working with the Nav Pradesh Transport Corporation. Anand has completed 35 years of service and is due for retirement next year. Anand is happy because he is hopeful of getting his daughter, Madhvi, married from the money he will receive as his retirement benefits. However, Anand's wife pesters him to earn more money in one way or the other. Anand likes his job, and all the passengers in his route vouch for his good nature and helpful behaviour. One day, Suresh, Anand's boss, called Anand in his cabin. He told Anand that a complaint has been filed against him by a person for illegally taking the ticket money from him without issuing the receipt for the ticket. Suresh explained to Anand that this act amounted to misappropriation of government money. Suresh always saw Anand as a decent individual and he asked him as to why he indulged in such an act? Anand, visibly disturbed, told Suresh that as the conductor of a government bus he receives a meagre salary, grossly insufficient to meet the needs of his family. He told him that that his younger daughter, Sarita, suffers from chronic kidney ailment, and requires dialysis twice a week. A huge chunk of his paltry salary goes towards the cost of Sarita's treatment. Moreover, as a single bread-winner of the family, he has to cater to the needs of his elderly parents. Anand further tells Suresh that since last one year a substantial portion of his income goes towards repaying the loan that he took for his elder daughter's college education. Anand laments that even after working for 35 long years, he is unable to provide for his family beyond the bare basic necessities. He tells Suresh that he is aware of many incidents of large-scale corruption in the road transport department that go virtually unnoticed. Further, Anand justifies his act of taking money by highlighting that almost every colleague of his indulges in such practices, and in comparison, to them, what he took, just fifty rupees, is ignorable and paltry. Further, he brought to light the fact that at times they, the conductors, were expected to give their immediate superiors a bribe in the name of convenience fees for various official tasks. While listening to Anand, Suresh feels compassion for him. He decides to verify the veracity of Anand's claim with regard to the dire straits of his financial conditions. On enquiry, all the workers in the office attested to the fact that Anand is going through a very bad phase and that he frequently resorts to short term loans in order to meet his financial requirements. Moreover, the office employees requested Suresh to take a lenient view of Anand's case. They were of the view that if a strong action is taken over such a trivial incident, then it would be highly unjust and unfair towards Anand. On reaching his home, Suresh shared the whole occurrence and Anand's story with his wife. To his surprise, his wife too agreed with the employees of the office. They told him that such small incidents are a routine matter. Also, with rising inflation and increasing obligations, this is the only way for people like Anand to make their ends meet. She asks Suresh to not waste his time and energy over such a small matter. Suresh knows Anand as a hard-working individual who has many mouths to feed at home. Suresh shares genuine sympathy with him, however, he also understands that embezzlement of government money, irrespective of amount and circumstances, is wrong. Now he is in a state of dilemma over his course of action. a) Why are the incidents of petty corruption trivialized? According to you, is it justifiable to ignore small incidents of corruption? b) What are various ethical dilemmas in the above case study?

Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

CorruptionEmpathy and Compassion

The call for a total ban on alcohol consumption has gained traction in various states, leading to legislative efforts aimed at restricting or prohibiting its sale and consumption. This contentious issue elicits a range of arguments both in favor of and against such stringent measures. (15 M) a) Present ethical and moral arguments both in favor of and against the prohibition of alcohol consumption. b) Assess the effectiveness of legislative measures in bringing about changes in people's behavior on a large scale. c) Provide recommendations as an advisor to a state government considering the implications of implementing or rejecting a prohibition on alcohol consumption.

15 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentLaw and Morality

You are one of the producers of a television reality show. The show is very popular in the country and has a wide viewership among all sections of the society and across various regions. However, a controversy has emerged wherein in the latest season of the show, a contestant from the film industry who has been accused of sexual harassment by many of his co-workers has been accepted as a participant. Several media houses have reported it and have criticized the show for giving a national platform to one of the country's most high-profile alleged perpetrators of female harassment. They term it as a denigration of those women who had bravely spoken up about their harassment. In a personal capacity, you also feel the same and are of the view that such a controversial person should not have been invited to the show. However, when you talk to other producers of the show, it is very close to the host of the show, who is an extremely popular public figure in the country. The show commands a huge fandom and success of the show is also contingent on him. None of the producers want to antagonize the host. In the given situation, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the case? (b) What are the options available to you and what will be your course of action? (c) Discuss the positive and negative impacts of trial by media in such cases.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCorporate Governance

Mention the merits and demerits of the following potential courses of action: (1) Ignore the opposition from the residents of the area and allow the place of religious worship to be built in accordance with the existing regulations. (2) Prohibit the construction, agreeing with the residents while causing distress among the thousands of worshippers counting on the new place of worship. (3) As a compromise, you place additional building regulations on the worship place or insist on modifications to the design.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentRules versus Compassion

Rina and her friends from the college were working as interns with a company for the last few months. On completion of their internship, some of them, including Rina, have been offered full-time jobs in the company. Being a reputed company, she and her friends accepted the offer. Rina is enthusiastic about her new job and has even established good relationship with some of her company co-workers during her internship. However, during her tenure as an intern, Rina had begun to notice that one of the Vice-Presidents (VPs) of the company was giving her too much attention. He used to make an extra effort to stop by Rina's cubicle and chat, something he was not doing with any of the other interns. He had even tried to connect with Rina over social networking sites. Some of her co-interns also noticed this and began to make offhand comments to Rina about the extra attention being given by the VP. Now that she has been hired for a full time position, she is fearful that she might have to work with this VP directly. While he has not done or said anything explicitly inappropriate, the extra attention and the fact that her co-interns also noticed it, it made her very uncomfortable and undermined her concentration at work. The company encourages an open and friendly atmosphere and when she was hired, it was communicated to her that she should always speak to her Manager whenever faced with any uncomfortable work related issues. However, she is concerned to speak about it officially, as the VP has not explicitly done anything wrong. In the given situation: (a) What dilemmas does Rina face? (b) What options does she have? Provide the merits and demerits of each. (c) Highlight the course of action she should adopt, along with justification for the same.

20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2023

Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentWork Culture