Be Mains Ready

In a given scenario, a military team locates a terrorist cell preparing an attack expected to kill hundreds. They command a drone that can drop a bomb on the terrorists, preventing their attack. As the team readies the bomb, their cameras spy a little girl selling bread within the blast radius. Should they go through with their mission – killing the girl in order to prevent the deaths of many others?

(a) Examine the options available to the military team, along with their pros and cons.

(b) In this scenario, as the head of the military team, what course of action would you adopt? (250 words)

You are a senior forest official who has recently been posted in a forest range which is also a tourist spot, famous amongst trekking enthusiasts and a pilgrimage center of local hill tribes. However, the trekking site is open only for males as the local tribal culture doesn’t permit the entry of women to the hill site housing their deity.

Recently, the State High Court has ruled that the site should be open for all without any gender discrimination. Following this, there has been relentless pressure from womens’ groups to allow women at the trekking site, while local tribal groups oppose the same. You fear that opening the site for women might lead to protests from tribals, compromising law and order situation and may also endanger the safety of trekkers to the site.

(a) What are the options open to you in this scenario? Discuss along with their merits and demerits.

(b) Which would be the most appropriate action that you would take in this situation and why? (250 words)

International laws and treaties act as the sources of ethical guidance in contemporary international relations. Critically examine. (250 words)

In a democracy free media acts as the anti-corruption watchdog. Comment. (250 words)

What does the following quotation mean to you in the present context? (150 words)

“Duty for duty's sake.” — Kant

Socrates’ model of the just state was that of a healthy organism, where all the parts function for the benefit of the whole, and the whole benefits the parts. Examine. (250 words)

Teaching morality to machines is challenging because humans can’t objectively convey morality in measurable metrics that make it easy for a computer to process. In this context discuss machine ethics and its moral implications. (250 words)

“The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings”. Discuss the role played by Emotional intelligence in achieving it. (250 words)

A young female IAS officer joins a government department and realizes rampant gender bias. The male staff neither want to take orders from senior women officers nor the women are alloted serious departmental projects. Suggest steps that can be taken by the young IAS officer to end such discrimation to make the work culture conducive for women.

Values like empathy, efficiency, impartiality and incorruptibility are the bedrock of ethical standards in civil services. Comment. (250 words)

What is Administrative Ethics? Explain its importance for public administrators. (150 words)

Whether situational or universal, there are human values that are fundamental in standards of conduct and guide of ethical behavior. Comment. (250 words)

You are the district collector of a district. Migrant workers have been a major contributor to the economic development of your district and the state. A migrant tried to molest a 14-month-old girl in your district, due to which an atmosphere of hatred towards the workers is prevalent not only in the district but in the whole state. Some selfish elements are trying to take advantage of the situation. Attempts were made to worsen the atmosphere by intimidating the workers. In such a situation, a large number of migrant workers have started returning to their home state considering their own and families’’ safety. Because of it, not only the state's image is taking a hit, but the economic condition of the district is also likely to be impaired.

Being a public servant, what are your responsibilities and what will you do if you face this situation? (250 words)

You are appointed as the Superintendent of Police in a district where cases of molestation and sexual harassment of women are reportedly on the rise. Due to this, working women in the district always have the fear of some untoward incident. Being the Superintendent of Police, such acts in your district do not reflect an effective operationalisation of the legal system. That aside, rise in cases of sexual harassment and molestation of women depict a degradation of ethics in a society.

You are highly sensitive to women’s issues and in the districts where you are posted, you take strict actions to prevent such incidents. Various operations and arrests were done by the police against these crimes in the district, but the accused escaped the law due to lack of adequate evidence. In these circumstances, your subordinate officers argue in support of on-the spot instant justice delivery by the society.

(a) Discuss the various ethical issues related to dispensing instant justice in such situations.

(b) Which long-term steps will you take as a Superintendent of Police to ensure the safety of women? (250 words)

What is Corporate Governance? What are the ethical issues with Corporate Governance in India? Suggest measures to improve Corporate Governance in India. (250 words)

Probity in governance is an essential requirement for an efficient system of governance and socio-economic development of the nation. Do you agree to this assertion? (150 words)

Discuss Kautilya’s philosophy of “Yatha Raja Tatha Praja” (As the king is, so will be the people) in the context of today’s political leadership in India. (250 words)

What does the following quotation mean to you in the present context? (150 words)

“Hate the sin, Love the sinner”- Mahatma Gandhi

Ethical behaviour may be defined in terms of duties. Many philosophers have argued that certain core duties are imperatives, and as such will always apply, regardless of circumstances. Critically analyse (150 words)

What do you understand by emotional intelligence? Discuss, with suitable examples, how it can be useful in better governance. (150 words)