AIR 5 · CSE 2017 · GS4 · 64 pages

Pratham Kaushik: GS4 answer copy

18 answers by Pratham Kaushik, as written in the test. Each question opens a page with how other toppers answered it.

The questions

Q1(a)Marketing has become a crucial link in the success of a business. With suitable examples, discuss the ethical issues involved in marketing of a product or service. How can these issues be resolved?10 marks
Q1(b)Value education empowers a person to confront the myriad challenges of contemporary Indian society. Discuss.10 marks
Q2(a)Ethics is the first line of defence against corruption while law enforcement is remedial and reactive. Examine the statement with suitable examples.10 marks
Q2(b)Discuss the influence that parents have on values of their children and the role they can play in transmitting good values and resisting negative influences. Why is it that, at times, the values of children differ from that of their parents?10 marks
Q3(a)What does 'public service' means to you? Describe the various ways in which one can serve the public. Does one necessarily serve the public better by entering the civil services? Justify your stand.10 marks
Q3(b)What do you understand by 'civic virtue' in public life? What are the challenges in practising it in today's time? How can these challenges be overcome?10 marks
Q4(a)The lives of great leaders inspire us in many ways. Which leader has had a lasting impact on you and in what way? Mention one outstanding value that you have imbibed from him/her and its importance to being a civil servant.10 marks
Q4(b)Governance is the vital link in our quest for prosperity and equity. What should be the key elements of ethical governance to eliminate corruption and bureaucratic delays? Examine.10 marks
Q5(a)Has excessive profit seeking by corporates undermined the trust of public in the private sector? Giving examples, examine the reasons for failure of corporate governance in India.10 marks
Q5(b)Income inequality, resource mismanagement and health hazards are some of the negative consequences of globalization. In this context, what are some of the ethical dilemmas that civil servants face today? How has the approach to handling these undergone a change?10 marks
Q6Discuss the role and importance of independent directors for corporate governance.10 marks
Q7Is there a conflict between morality and freedom? Discuss with reference to Kant's views on categorical imperative.10 marks
Q8"Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so dependent on other's kindness, how can it be that in the middle we neglect the kindness towards others?" - The Dalai Lama. Bring out what you understand by this quote and discuss its relevance in the Indian society.10 marks
Q9You, a reporter currently working as an intern, accompanied a small group of reporters to a political event organized by the ruling party's state unit. The party was followed by dinner where you were also asked to join. Here, you noticed that alcohol was being served to some members of the ruling party. Consumption of alcohol had been declared illegal in the state a few months ago and the ban is being enforced strictly across the state. The other reporters in your group ignored the issue and asked you to ignore it as well. However, it was clear to you that the law was not being followed. (a) Identify the issues involved in this scenario. (b) What are your duties in such a scenario? (c) What course of action would you follow and why?20 marks
Q10You are posted as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in a district. As the SDM it is your responsibility to conduct interviews and select a candidate for the post of an ASHA worker in the district. On the day you are conducting the interviews, you are approached by the MLA of the local constituency who asks you to choose a particular lady for this position by overlooking the other candidates. On checking her documents you find that she is eligible in all respects. The MLA implores that she should be given the post on compassionate grounds as her husband was a soldier who was martyred in a war. Some of the options to handle the situation could be as follows: (a) Ignore the MLA and proceed with the process of selection. (b) Speak to your superior and seek his guidance on the matter. (c) Appoint the lady to the post as it is a compassionate appointment. Also suggest other possible options. Evaluate each of these options and suggest the best course of action, giving reasons for it.20 marks
Q11You are officer-in-charge of a very important railway junction, which is an artery of trade and commerce. A peasant disturbance has been brewing in your district for the past few weeks. Their discussions with the political and district leadership has borne no fruit and it has come to the stage that now they are protesting by organizing a sit-in on the railway tracks near the station. They have thereby succeeded in blocking movement of all trains. This disruption is causing significant harassment for the passengers waiting at the platform as well. (a) What will be your course of immediate action? (b) How can emotional intelligence act as a tool in handling this issue? (c) What steps will you take so that such incidents are not repeated in the future?20 marks
Q12You are representing India in an international bidding for oil exploration in a country. Other, richer countries are also bidding for the project. You are sure that your bid of exploration is better as well as cheaper than that of others, and that you will definitely win the bid. A day before the auction, you come to know that other countries are employing every means, including bribing the authorities for being successful. Some of the officials of the home country have also contacted you and made some demands in exchange for assurance of India winning the bid. You are aware of the criticality of this bid in terms of domestic economic and strategic implications. Based on above information, answer the following questions. (a) Specify the ethical dilemma(s) that you face in this situation. (b) Do ethical concerns really matter in international transactions or are they secondary to domestic interests? (c) What will be the course of action in the above situation? Justify with merits and demerits.20 marks
Q14Big firms often undertake sub-contracting to complete large infrastructure projects in a timely manner. You recently joined one such firm as a manager responsible for awarding these contracts. Looking at the past records, you find that all contracts for the past few years have been awarded to a particular firm, X. Your superior has asked you to award an upcoming contract to the same firm. Although, not binding, company procedure maintains that sub-contracting work should be offered after competitive bids. This is to ensure that the firm most suitable for the project in terms of operations and finance gets the contract. When you discuss this with your superior, he insists that hiring of the firm X has been done as per legal norms of the company and no official rule has been violated. You decide to contact the owner of the firm X. After doing so, you realize that he is the nephew of your superior, who is also a shareholder in the company. (a) State the ethical issues involved in the case. (b) Does this form of transaction between two private parties constitute a conflict of interest? Justify. (c) Evaluate the possible ways of awarding contracts in such a situation with their merits and demerits. Also state which method would be more suitable in each situation.20 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 185 words written

Marketing has become a crucial link in the success of a business. With suitable examples, discuss the ethical issues involved in marketing of a product or service. How can these issues be resolved?

Opening

Marketing is the most effective strategy to improve the sale of products and thus crucial to a business.

Since marketing has emerged as directly competitive process where competing firms fight for common space, there have arisen certain ethical issues -

Body · points

(a) False advertising - depicting a product to fare better than it actually is

(b) Shaming competitors - rather than one's own product being promoted, companies indulge in shaming others' products

(c) Marketing presents an ethical dilemma between personal values and professional values for persons engaged in marketing.

e.g A marketing professional may not like the product which he has to sell , and even in such circumstances , he has to resort to focus on ↳ either the efficacy of product alone ↳ or lying that he has used the product and likes it

In present competitive scenario , such occurrences have become increasingly common and can be resolved by → Code for ethical marketing → Keeping one's personal preferences aligned to work ethics as far as possible → fair marketing practices to be enforced strictly by regulators such as Competition Commission of India.

Close · no separate close

None written.