AIR 67 · CSE 2017 · GS4 · 58 pages

Rohan Joshi: GS4 answer copy

19 answers by Rohan Joshi, as written in the test. Each question opens a page with how other toppers answered it.

The questions

  1. Q1(a)The seeds of patriarchy and gender inequality are sown at home, which manifest as a weed at the societal level. Elucidate. Suggest an ethical framework to systematically address the issue of patriarchy in the Indian society.10 marks
  2. Q1(b)What are the factors which drive people to take law in their own hands rather than following the due process of law? Discuss ways to address the problem of mob justice.10 marks
  3. Q2(a)In a democracy, the purpose of the government should be to make it easy for people to do good and difficult to do wrong. Comment.10 marks
  4. Q2(b)Discuss John Stuart Mill's idea on freedom of thought and expression. Also, give reasons as to why, according to Mill, representative democracy is the best form of government despite its inherent weaknesses.10 marks
  5. Q3(a)It is argued by some that nuclear weapons have acted more as a deterrent than leading to war and mass destruction. In this context, discuss whether it is ethically right to possess nuclear weapons to create nuclear deterrence.10 marks
  6. Q3(b)Differentiate between administration and leadership. Highlighting the traits which characterize an effective leader, discuss the importance of leadership in ensuring effective public service delivery in a bureaucratic setup.10 marks
  7. Q4(a)Apart from functional knowledge and expertise, the efficacy of a civil servant also depends upon his emotional intelligence. How does emotional intelligence contribute to efficacy? How can civil servants enhance their emotional intelligence?10 marks
  8. Q4(b)Enumerate the mechanisms that promote accountability of public officials in discharging their functions and responsibilities in India. Also discuss why ensuring accountability for performance is not a simple task in government service.10 marks
  9. Q5(a)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
  10. Q5(b)“Prejudices are what fools use for reason.”10 marks
  11. Q6Ensuring that government decisions are not influenced by public officials' private interests is a growing concern. Discuss in the context of India. Also enumerate the core principles reflected by OECD guidelines for managing conflict of interest in the public sector.10 marks
  12. Q7Discuss, with examples, the significance of principles of public life as recommended by Nolan committee. Why are these principles considered as an essential set of expectations from public servants?10 marks
  13. Q8A peculiar inhuman situation exists for the people fleeing from war zones - they cannot go back to their homeland for fear of being persecuted and no country is ready to bear their burden due to various reasons. Citing contemporary examples, discuss the ethical issues involved in such situations.10 marks
  14. Q920 marks
  15. Q10The 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: 20 (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
  16. Q1120 marks
  17. Q12You are the chief executive of ABC Ltd., an automotive component manufacturing company. Until recently, all of your production plants were located in City X. However, the cost of production has risen, causing profits to decline. A number of factors have led to an increase in the production costs. First, the union representing the workers in your plant waged a successful strike resulting in increased salary and benefits. A second factor has been imposition of stringent environmental regulations. Shareholders are concerned about the declining fortunes of the company. Many of the competitors have moved their operations to less-developed cities, where the operating costs are less than in City X. ABC Ltd. is a major employer in the city where it is located, and you know that a plant closure will cause economic dislocation in the city. Given the situation, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in this case? (b) How can the interests of different stakeholders be reconciled in this case?20 marks
  18. Q13You are posted as a District Education Officer (DEO) in a Maoist affected district. You have been specifically given the responsibility to work on the literacy mission. After reading the education reports and doing field visits, you find that the number of out of school children has increased drastically and the motivation among students and teachers is also low. While certain basic infrastructure is already in place, the major hurdle in attracting students to these schools include the attitude of inhabitants towards education and the security risks involved in sending children to schools. Given the situation, answer the following questions: (a) Analyse the reasons behind such an attitude. 20 (b) As a DEO, what are the steps that you would take in order to increase the school attendance and change the prevalent attitude of inhabitants towards education?20 marks
  19. Q14Mr. Pradeep is a senior civil servant in the central government and is involved in the budgeting department. In the course of performing his duties, he comes to know about diversion of funds earmarked for SC/ST sub-plan for other purposes. While he is not directly responsible for this aspect of the budget, he raised his concerns to the department concerned. He also learns that the minister responsible as well as senior most civil servants are aware of the practice and have given tacit approval for it. Soon thereafter, Pradeep was summoned to talk on the issue and was told that since the matter is not within his jurisdiction, he should 'keep his nose out of it'. After much soul searching, Pradeep decided to obey his supervisors by leaving the matter alone. Based on the information given, answer the following questions: (a) Elaborate on the internal dissonance that Pradeep faces in the given situation. (b) On what basis can the decision of Pradeep be justified? (c) Had you been in Pradeep's place, what would have been the course of action chosen by you? Recognise the merits and demerits, if any20 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 166 words written

The seeds of patriarchy and gender inequality are sown at home, which manifest as a weed at the societal level. Elucidate. Suggest an ethical framework to systematically address the issue of patriarchy in the Indian society.

Opening · a definition

Patriarchy believes in the superiority of men over women in all spheres of life. Indian society is essentially a patriarchal one in practice as well as theory. Patriarchy leads to gender inequality, for example→ The instances of female foeticide or not sending girls to school are prevalent in our society.

Body · continuous prose

These evils originate from the family. A boy in a family observes the way his mother and sister are treated by elders since his childhood. These evils become a fact of life for him and he sees nothing wrong in these evils.

The ethical framework has to be based on the belief of equality of men and women. All the false notions of gendered roles, superiority or inferiority should be banished from public life.

Along with belief, there should be a feeling of solidarity in the society and a desire to work toward women empowerment to tackle the evil of patriarchy and gender inequality.

Close · a summary

Schemes like 'Beti Bachao Beti padhao' are steps in the right direction.