A topper · CSE 2024 · GS4 · 58 pages

Surbhi Pathak: GS4 answer copy

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

The questions

Q1(a)Explain the meaning of self-efficacy, along with its key determinants. Also, discuss the significance of high self-efficacy for a civil servant.10 marks
Q1(b)Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have the right to do and what is right to do. Discuss.10 marks
Q2(a)Dealing with an ethical dilemma not only requires following rules and regulations, but also requires adherence to moral prudence and altruism. Explain in the context of civil services in India, with examples.10 marks
Q2(b)The Code of Conduct for the civil services in India has merely remained a code; it has not helped promote ethical and moral values in governance. In this context, discuss the need for a National Commission on Integrity and Transparency in Governance.10 marks
Q3(a)Digital ethics principles are necessary to prevent erosion of public values and deal with the ethical implications of digitizing governance systems. Discuss.10 marks
Q3(b)Despite differences in terms of organizational values guiding the public and private sectors, there remain certain values that are equally important to both. Discuss.10 marks
Q4(a)Bring out the difference between accountability and responsibility. Also, discuss the significance of accountability in ensuring ethical governance in the context of India.10 marks
Q4(b)Though laws and rules can be considered as the principal guide on morality for public administrators, they are not sufficient in themselves. Substantiate with examples.10 marks
Q5(a)Transparency is vital to cultivate public trust in government and to prevent, detect and deter corruption effectively. Comment.10 marks
Q5(b)'Just-in-time' release of funds heralds a significant reform for the Indian government's payment architecture. Discuss.10 marks
Q6(a)What do each of the following quotations mean to you? (a) "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."- Marcus Aurelius10 marks
Q6(b)“The forces in a capitalist society, if left unchecked, tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.” — Jawaharlal Nehru10 marks
Q6(c)"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom". - Thomas Jefferson10 marks
Q7You are posted as a District Magistrate in a district, which is witnessing a high caseload of COVID-19 pandemic patients. The physical infrastructure and human resources in the district are stretched much beyond their capacity. At the peak of the pandemic, certain reports emerge that the District Medical Officer has been misusing his position to abuse female employees in his department and coercing them to have sexual relations with him. However, the concerned officer not only has an impeccable academic record but also a profound professional track record. You also need his presence and guidance to deal with the pandemic situation in the district. But, there is pressure from the media and civil society organisations to immediately report the matter to the State authorities for action against the concerned officer. Given the situation, answer the following: (a) Identify the stakeholders and issues involved in the above case. (b) What are the options available to you? Discuss their pros and cons. (c) What will be your final course of action? Justify with reasons.20 marks
Q8You are posted as the Superintendent of Police (SP) of a district, which has witnessed several lynching related crimes in the recent past. One day, a police station in the district got an SOS that in a particular village under their jurisdiction, two women have been accused of witchcraft and are now being paraded naked by the villagers. Given the past record of crimes in the village, it was likely that they would be killed by the villagers. When a police team from the station reached the spot and tried to save the two women from the mob, a scuffle broke out. In the ensuing scuffle, the police were brutally attacked and they had to retaliate by lathicharging in order to save themselves. The incident left three villagers dead. There is anger amongst the villagers, who are also a critical vote bank of the ruling party in the state. As the SP, you have been instructed to institute a quick enquiry and take the strictest action against the police team who lathicharged. You are aware that with elections around the corner, you need to diffuse the situation quickly. Given the situation, answer the following : (a) Identify the stakeholders and the issues involved in the above case. (b) What are the options available to you? Which of these will you choose and why? (c) As an objective and scientfic-tempered administrator, what steps will you suggest in the long-run to deal with mob lynching?20 marks
Q9You 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
Q10With 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
Q11You are the Dean of Academics of a University. It has been brought to your notice that some students have raised a complaint against Mr X, a specially-abled Professor at the University, for not performing his academic duties diligently. The Head of the Department (HoD) tried to have a conversation with him regarding these complaints; however, Mr X feels that he is a victim of internal politics and is being discriminated against on account of him being specially-abled. He also conveyed to the HoD that he will file a complaint of discrimination against the University under The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. As the Dean of Academics, it is your responsibility to uphold the academic standards of the University and take any administrative decision in this regard. In this case, answer the following questions: (a) State the stakeholders and the ethical issues in the given case. (b) What are the options available to you? (c) Evaluate each of these options and state the option which you would choose, citing reasons.20 marks
Q12You have recently been posted as the District Magistrate of a poor district in India where there is a high prevalence of manual scavenging. It has been brought to your notice that manual scavenging has claimed many lives in your district. Upon further enquiry, you found that most of the manual scavengers belong to a particular caste, and majority of them can find employment only by way of scavenging. Even some government departments in your district are employing these people for physical cleaning of sewers/septic tanks without basic safety gear and measures. Despite the rehabilitation programmes for manual scavengers, the administration has been found inefficient in identifying such people in the first place and the efforts to reskill them for employment elsewhere have not yielded desired results. Based on the given information, answer the following: (a) Identify the issues associated with manual scavenging. (b) List the options available to you in the given case. Evaluate the merits and demerits of each. (c) Discuss some feasible steps that you can take to address this serious problem.20 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 172 words written

Explain the meaning of self-efficacy, along with its key determinants. Also, discuss the significance of high self-efficacy for a civil servant.

Opening · a definition

Self efficacy refers to a person's belief in his/her ability to deal effectively with a challenging situation.

Eg: A person with high self-efficacy can perform well during an exam keeping her anxiety/stress in check.

key determinants of self-efficacy

Body · points

(1) Motivation with an internal drive to succeed eg Michael Phelps winning 8 olympic golds (2) positive attitude is essential to persevere in tough situations (3) Persistence - to keep on trying despite failures

eg Thomas Edison creating bulb after 999 failure

(4) Socialization - Impact of a positive peer group / democratic parenting

Significance of high self efficacy for a civil servant

(1) Handling Pressure f eg during riots or mob violence

(2) Ability to steer through crisis

eg - COVID-19 pandemic

(3) Innovative solutions eg Armstrong Pame building a road in Manipur by raising money online

(4) Grievance Redreusal by evaluating need of people for better disbursal of services

(5) Building trust for social capital

Close · a source

A higher self-efficacy should be taught as per soft skill training (ARC 2) to improve public welfare.