GS4 · Practice questions
Ethics, integrity and aptitude
288 questions match. Years are the CSE year of the toppers who answered.
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Given below are two statements. Bring out what you understand by them and discuss their relevance in the present context. (a) "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear"- Nelson Mandela
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Human ValuesDimensions of Ethics
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 had revenue targets and 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 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Environmental EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government
For a public servant to fulfill his ethical obligations, it is important that there be no dichotomy between his personal ethics and public ethics. Analyze.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2021–2022
Ethics in Private and Public LifeCivil Service 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
Attitude and behaviour are so closely interwoven that a change in one inevitably influences the other. Explain the statement with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Attitude
You are an Airworthiness Officer posted with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, tasked to conduct the safety audit of a major airline of the country. During the recent audit, you find that some of the airplanes belonging to the airline do not fully meet a few of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. The issues are minor, mainly pertaining to some incomplete aircraft maintenance logs and safety rules related to training of the crew. The airline belongs to a very influential business conglomerate with close ties to all major national political parties and has a long history of ethical business practises. The point person appointed by the airline to communicate with you has assured that everything will be in order in a couple of months. Your senior in the department has also indicated that it is best not to mention such minor issues in the report, particularly given the image of the business group involved and the trust it enjoys. He also reiterates the assurance given by the airline to address these issues at the earliest in a time-bound manner. However, you are aware that airline safety norms are paramount and every other consideration is secondary to the safety of the crew and passengers. As a public servant appointed to uphold public trust, answer the following: (a) Bring out the dilemmas that you face, elaborating on the competing values in the given situation. (b) What are the options available to you? Discuss the merits and demerits of each. Which of these will you choose and why?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCrisis Decision Making
/ What do you understand by ethics management? Can public officials manage ethics in the work place in a manner similar to managing budgets, policies and people? Do you think adopting codes of ethics and conduct is sufficient enough for managing ethics in the workplace or something more is needed? Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2025
Codes of Ethics and ConductWork Culture
While one group considers abortion as unmitigated evil, the other sees it as morally acceptable. Analyse various ethical concerns related to abortion and give your opinion on the issue.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Theories
Corruption has multifaceted implications. Some consider it an undeniable vice, while others contend it to be an unavoidable necessity for navigating the bureaucratic complexities. In your opinion, does corruption oil or corrode the gears of development? Substantiate your arguments.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
CorruptionProbity in Governance
“It is wrong to assume that ethical decisions are, can or should be purely rational and principled. Human feelings are an inseparable part of our ethical life.” In what way do feelings impact our ethical decisions? Illustrate with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Dimensions of EthicsEmotional Intelligence
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
"Global challenges often test the ethical fiber of nations, urging them to channel narrow pursuit of national-interest into an enlightened self-interest." Enumerating the various ethical principles underlying the concept of enlightened national-interest examine its efficacy in helping nations navigate the fine line between pursuing their strategic interests and upholding ethical principles, particularly in times of conflict?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Ethics in International RelationsEthical Theories
"I slept and dreamt that life was a joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was a joy." Rabindra Nath Tagore
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Human ValuesIndian Thinkers
The transgender community has been a part of India's social set up since the very beginning but never recognized as a reputable part of the society. 'Hijra' is a term traditionally used in India for transgender women who were born male. The role and value of this community in accordance with the sacred Hindu texts condenses to the performance of blessings at marriage and birth ceremonies for good fortune. With the advent of the British Raj in the 19th century, the acts of "cross-dressing" were registered as a criminal offence and if such offences were committed repeatedly, imprisonment followed. Thus, began the criminalization of hijras. Today, although legally supported and socially empowered as compared to earlier times, hijras are still subject to transphobic discrimination-associated violence, poverty, and segregation. In light of the above, answer the following: (a) Identify the challenges faced by transgenders during the different stages of their life. (b) Discuss the reasons for the continuing discrimination against transgenders in India despite several initiatives for their upliftment in recent times.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2025
Empathy and CompassionCivil Service Values
Anti-corruption measures need focus on both demand as well as supply side of corruption. Discuss in the light of prevalence of 'collusive corruption' in India.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
CorruptionProbity in Governance
Celebrity endorsements raise pertinent ethical concerns about responsibility that delve into the realm of ethical considerations of social influence that run deeper than mere surface appeal. In this context, suggest measures to tackle the ethical challenges of celebrity brand endorsements.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
With the advent of 24x7 news and prevalence of an array of news sources across the board, the media is omnipresent in nature. In this competitive environment, many media professionals who are overcome by deadlines, bottom-line imperatives, and corporate interests are losing sight of the ethical implications of their work. Further, there have been several cases of irresponsible reporting where the reportage has interfered with court proceedings, compromised delicate security situations or led to the spread of fake or unverified news. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) Identify the ethical issues prevalent in the profession of media. (b) How does unethical reporting and sensationalization of news impact the society? (c) What can be done to strengthen the role of ethics in media?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Civil Service ValuesCodes of Ethics and Conduct
You are a CEO-founder of an edTech company. You are under tremendous pressure from the investors in your company to increase the profitability of the company and undertake downsizing. After making a few bad acquisitions, the company's finances have taken a huge hit in the last couple of years. The downsizing is suggested with the hope that the company's profitability would rise, as it often does when mass layoff or downsizing decisions are carried out. Moreover, the investors have hinted that such measures would attract further investment from them, which has come as a ray of hope considering the ongoing volatile market conditions and slowdown in big-ticket fundings. Given the situation, rumors of unscrupulous firing have started doing the rounds among employees. It has increased apprehensiveness and reduced cohesiveness among them. You have informed the investors that the cost cutting exercise can affect the output as well as reputation of the company in the long-run. However, they are adamant to pursue the same. (a) Identify the stakeholders and ethical issues involved in the case. (b) You and the HR team have identified some options and are deliberating to put them across to the investors for consideration. Discuss the merits and demerits of each of these: (i) Identifying key high performers and offering them suitable positions before implementing the layoff decision. (ii) Putting the terminated employees on retainer to work part-time. (iii) Executing the lay off order in the same spirit as it was asked by the investors and letting them deal with the long-term consequences. (iv) Improving the perception of fairness among the existing and terminated employees and moving ahead with the layoffs. (c) Without restricting yourself to the above options, discuss the course of action you will take, and provide adequate reasons for the same.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2023
Corporate GovernanceEthical Dilemmas in Government
A certain State government was running a welfare scheme for promoting safe motherhood among rural landless laborers' families. The scheme involves the transfer of funds to the beneficiaries to enable them to mitigate income loss due to maternal care responsibilities. Since its implementation, the scheme has done reasonably well on maternal health and economic indicators. You are the Director of the Department responsible for implementing and operating the scheme. Recently you have been receiving reports of welfare fraud being committed by families by producing fake bona fide. The families committed the fraud with the help of local officials responsible for scrutinizing the bonafide. You were concerned because the fraud was seriously undermining the scheme's efficiency. You called for a departmental meeting to discuss and find a solution to the problem. In the meeting, it was decided to merge several available government data sets such as Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, marriage certificates, birth certificates, bank details, and other personal assets. By merging all the data sets, the department would be able to develop the beneficiary's economic profile. And this will help the department scrutinize the documents and detect fraud. This was a comprehensive strategy, but it risked violating an individual's data privacy. As a Department head, you wanted to detect and prevent fraud, but at the same time, you were apprehensive about violating the Data privacy of the stakeholders. (a) What are the issues involved in the above case? (b) Do you think violating data privacy is justified to prevent welfare fraud? Why/ Why not? (c) What, according to you, can be the reasons for such welfare frauds happening in the country? (d) Are there any ways and means to prevent such fraud? Give your suggestions.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2025
CorruptionEthics in Private and Public Life
Citizen's charters can be both a stimulus and a means for government to raise the standards of public service delivery. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Citizens ChartersQuality of Service Delivery
Justice without force is futile, force without justice is tyrannical.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government
You are a District Magistrate posted in a backward district of the country. You are responsible for getting an Atal Residential School built on the village land in your district. The contract for the construction of the school has been assigned to a popular local leader's son. This land is presently occupied by tribal communities but they cannot produce any ownership records. They claim that they have resided on the land for generations. They also allege that the administration is pressurising them to vacate their land to build the school and have assured that they will be relocated elsewhere. However, they are hesitant to do so as it will uproot them from their homes and will affect their livelihood. One of the prominent tribal leaders has highlighted this issue and it has caught the attention of the mainstream media. In the light of the situation, answer the following: (a) Identify the stakeholders involved in the case and their respective interests. (b) Discuss the various ethical concerns in the given case. (c) What are the options available to you and which of these options you will choose? Justify.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2021–2022
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentEmpathy and Compassion
Giving examples of some social ills plaguing the society, discuss how social persuasion can be an effective technique to overcome them.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude