GS4 · Practice questions
Ethics, integrity and aptitude
281 questions match. Years are the CSE year of the toppers who answered.
All 36 themesFewer themes
It does not take long for conflict to turn violent when deep seeded prejudices and discriminatory attitudes are not addressed. Discuss in the context of communal and caste-based violence in India. What role should the state play in this context?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
As the District Magistrate you are posted in a district that had been infamous for girl-child marriages. The government introduced a contributory scheme two decades ago, where the government contributed the same amount as the parents, into an account, for their girl child of age 0 to 7 years. The total sum could be withdrawn only when the girl turns eighteen and is unmarried. Due to this scheme, a new pattern has emerged. All girls are married as soon as they turn eighteen and incidents of dowry have increased substantially - because the community customs require paying the sum commensurate to the age of the girl. Further, parents now tend to save money for the scheme instead of investing in girl's education. As the local administration tries to tackle the current situation it looks up to you for ideas and leadership: (a) Identify the factors which have led to such outcomes. (b) Devise a strategy, keeping in mind the multiple aspects of the situation.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCivil Service Values
The excluded and marginalized section of society are worst hit by globalization. Take the case of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) like Sentinelese of Andaman & Nicobar islands; their population has reduced drastically and they are facing various other problems as well. In this context answer the following questions: (a) What are the challenges faced by PVTGs due to globalisation? (b) If you are posted as a Development Officer in such an area, what will be your priorities to reduce their vulnerabilities and ensure welfare?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Empathy and CompassionCivil Service Values
You are working in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and posted in a rural area. There are many government programs being run by your Ministry under which people are given financial help after verification of the required documents. Every day you encounter some cases, in which people from weaker section are not able to avail the benefits due to faulty or insufficient documents. However, there are also some instances of people trying to forge documents, which makes verification important. What will be your approach towards cases wherein those from the weaker section are not able to avail the benefits due to insufficient documents - will you go by the rule book or exercise discretion in selected cases based on your experience. Discuss both options available to you and evaluate them.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Rules versus CompassionEmpathy and Compassion
RTI is termed as a master key to good governance. Highlight the role of RTI in making the administration and governance of our country more ethical and responsive.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Transparency and InformationAccountability and Ethical Governance
You are working as a Manager who handles critical projects in a private firm. You have recently been issued a notice by the Human Resource department that categorically highlights gender imbalance in your team and instructs you to recruit more females. Realizing the importance of this matter you decide to roll out vacancy requirements on an urgent basis and close it within a week. You receive several applications and start interviewing female candidates. However, you realize that the top four candidates are married and two of them are expecting their child. During the interviews the candidates commit on their priority for the project, till it finishes and show willingness to work from home, afterwards. What is the course of action that you will take? Explain the factors that you will take into account and justify the merits of the course of action.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Corporate GovernanceEthical Dilemmas in Government
In the parlance of governance, probity is often used in conjunction with integrity. How do you differentiate between the two? What is their importance in public life? What measures can help promote these values in governance?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Probity in GovernanceIntegrity
It has been argued that traditional approaches to corporate social responsibility (CSR) are inadequate. Discuss. Also, examine the role of Social License to Operate (SLO) in this regard. 10 (Social License to Operate: SLO)
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Corporate Governance
You are a manager in a sales firm. Mr. A and Mr. B are two juniors working under you. Mr. A is a hardworking person who completes his work before time and hardly takes a leave. His work is meticulous and you have never received any complaint about his work. However, in your personal meetings with Mr. A, you realized that he kept to himself and spoke only when required. You received similar feedbacks from his colleagues as well. Mr. B is not as hard working and completes his work at the very last moment. You also come to know that using his rapport with his colleagues he gets his work done by them. In your meetings with him, he comes across as a confident person but lacking in sincerity. Both are expecting promotion this year, but you can promote only one of them as you have only one vacant position. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) Discuss the merits and demerits of choosing one amongst the two for promotion. (b) Based on your evaluation, whom will you choose for the job? (c) What steps will you take to keep all the employees motivated who did not get promotion on expected lines?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Civil Service ValuesWork Culture
How does the use of social media influence political participation and civic engagement? Discuss with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. In light of this statement, examine the relevance of civil disobedience in a modern democratic society. Discuss the duties and responsibilities of a law enforcing officer in such situations.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2016–2018
Law and MoralityEthical Dilemmas in Government
Given below are two quotations of moral thinkers/philosophers. For each of these, bring out what it means to you in the present context. 10 (a) "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Environmental EthicsHuman Values
Mr. A is an honest senior bureaucrat who retired some time back. He has worked across many positions and wields immense influence in the corridors of power. His wife was working in a consulting firm. She has now quit her job and started her own consulting firm that will bid for government contracts also. Mr. A himself intends to contribute his experience and insider knowledge about the government operations to prepare for the bid. When prodded about any conflict of interest, Mrs. A argued that she always wanted to own her own consulting firm and bid for government projects so that she could improve the quality of government operations through her services. But earlier she could not since her husband was a bureaucrat in the same city and various government rules prevented her from doing so. As he has now retired she can take up this job. (a) What are the ethical issues involved in this case? (b) What are steps that can be taken by Mr. A to resolve these ethical issues? (c) What is the best option for Mr. A? Support your answer with appropriate reasons.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Conflict of InterestIntegrity
The bureaucracy technically has been an efficient form of organisation but is seen to have exceeded its administrative powers due to its tendency towards self aggrandisement, permanence in employment, and nearness to the political executive. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Civil Service ValuesWork Culture
Competition, it is argued, spurs the best of performance, however, can it also instigate cheating and unethical behaviour? Discuss with adequate examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2016–2019
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government
We live in a time when almost everything can be bought and sold. Over the past few years, markets and market values have come to govern our lives as never before. Today the logic of buying and selling no longer applies to material good alone but increasingly governs the whole of life. However, there is a wide spread realization that markets have become detached from morals and we need to somehow reconnect them. The use of markets to allocate social goods has also been a cause of concern. In this context, answer the following: 20 (a) Is greed wholly a vice or a trait of character that has both positive and negative sides? Could you relate it to the utilitarian philosophy that emphasizes pursuit of self interest by individuals as the basis of economic well being? (b) Are there some things that money shouldn't buy? Illustrate with examples.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Dimensions of EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government
Ethical qualities of a civil servant come handy in times of a crisis. Elucidate using the example of a natural disaster.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Crisis Decision MakingAptitude for Civil Service
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
The bailout package offered to large financial corporations in response to global financial crisis raised important ethical questions. Discuss the ethical issues involved in giving bailout packages to financial corporations using taxpayers' money.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Corporate GovernanceUtilisation of Public Funds
Given below is a quotation. Bring out what it means to you in present context. "The intellect has sharp eye for methods and tools, but is blind to ends and values." -Einstein.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Dimensions of EthicsHuman Values
In a district, in which you are posted as a District Magistrate, a teacher molests a child in a government run school. As the news of this crime spreads, the parents, relatives and locals gather at the school. The culprit teacher has meanwhile fled. The police arrests the Principal of the school and assure the crowd that the culprit would be arrested soon. The crowd, however, has gone berserk and begins to damage the school building. It wants immediate arrest of the culprit and is not ready to budge until he is arrested. (a) Is it correct to take the Principal into custody when he has personally not committed the crime? Support your answer with appropriate reasons. (b) What options do you have in dealing with the crowd? Enumerate the merits and demerits of each and also suggest the best possible option. (c) In the capacity of District Magistrate what would be your long term plan to prevent molestations and rapes in the schools?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2016–2018
Crisis Decision MakingEthical Dilemmas in Government
Where as some argue that leaks constitute an affront to democracy, others are of the opinion that leaks are a part of democracy. Examine the merits of both the arguments in the context of information attributed to leaks from government offices and whistleblowers.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Transparency and InformationProbity in Governance
What are the various sources through which humans can judge the correctness of their actions? In the context of public life discuss how these sources are important in offering a clear and practical guidance.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2016–2018
Sources of Ethical GuidanceEthics in Private and Public Life
You are the head of a policy think-tank. There is a proposal to cut down more than 10,000 trees to build a residential colony in the capital of the country. The city has one of the highest homeless population in the country and the settlement will be used for them. This news has generated a lot of public debate. While on the one hand is the need to expand urban infrastructure in order to meet the demands of the growing population, on the other, is the environmental concern. In last ten years, the city has lost more than half of its green cover and has seen increased frequency of extreme climatic events. You are asked to deliver a lecture for the policymakers and concerned citizens, in which you have to specifically deal with the following questions: 20 (a) Why do you think such situations arise in the first place where developmental activities and environmental concerns often come out as antithetical to each other? (b) What should be the short-term and long-term solutions for tackling such situations? (c) What are the potential benefits of inculcating environmental concerns in the policy making and planning process?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
Environmental EthicsEthical Dilemmas in Government