Mains Practice Questions

Case Study

The municipal corporation of a city approved felling of trees to develop public transport infrastructure. Amidst the concrete jungle of the district, area X is a treasured green patch. With increasing environmental awareness, people have come on the streets to spread the message of conservation and stand against the indiscriminate felling of trees. The Municipal Corporation is of the view that developing viable public transport infrastructure will dissuade people from using private vehicles and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint. Meanwhile, activists say it is the sole surviving natural floodplain of the area, whose reclamation through construction and felling of trees would lead to greater inundation during the monsoon. The state government alarmed by widespread public protest against the felling of trees has constituted a committee to look into the matter and suggest alternatives for this project. You are appointed as the chairperson of this committee, What course of action will you recommend to the government for assuaging public concern and limiting environmental impact? (250 Words)

Case Study

You are posted as a District Magistrate. You come to know about a situation in the village under your jurisdiction where the population is suffering from Anaemia. An initiative was taken to provide fortified rice to villagers in order to provide nutrition to them but villagers deny to eat them as they have the misconception of the rice being the plastic rice. On the other hand, the village is also influenced by the Leftist movement and you get to know that Naxalites are using this public perception for their own benefit, making it more difficult for the government to reach the people.

An alternate initiative was taken by providing iron tablets to people but it created another misconception among villagers that these tablets lead to more weight of babies in pregnant mothers leading to delivery complications. Thus, it also ended in failure.

(a) What are the various issues involved in the above case study?

(b) How will you change the perception of the people in the backdrop of the spread of misinformation by the Naxalites? (250 Words)

Q. What are values? Highlight the importance of values in governance. (150 Words)

Q. What is lifeboat ethics? Explain with examples. (150 Words)

Q. What do you understand by attitude and attitude change? Highlight the factors that influence attitude change. (150 Words)

Q. Define the terms cooperation and competition. What are the determinants of cooperation and competition? (150 Words)

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you?

“Life doesn’t make any sense without interdependence. We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, it is better for us all.”- Erik Erikson

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you? (150 Words)

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves.” – Dalai Lama

Q. “Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with suitable illustration. (150 Words)

Case Study

A reputed food product company based in India developed a food product for the international market and started exporting the same after getting necessary approvals. The company announced this achievement and also indicated that soon the product will be made available for the domestic consumers with almost the same quality and health benefits. Accordingly, the company got its product approved by the domestic competent authority and launched the product in Indian market. The company could increase its market share over a period of time and earn substantial profit both domestically and internationally. However, the random sample test conducted by inspecting team found the product being sold domestically in variance with the approval obtained from the competent authority. On further investigation, it was also discovered that the food company was not only selling products which were not meeting the health standard of the country but also selling the rejected export products in the domestic market. This episode adversely affected the reputation and profitability of the food company.

(a) What action do you visualise should be taken by the competent authority against the food company for violating the laid down domestic food standard and selling rejected export products in the domestic market?

(b) What course of action is available with the food company to resolve the crisis and bring back its lost reputation?

(c) Examine the ethical dilemma involved in the case.

Q. Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations. (150 Words)

Q. An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate. (150 Words)

Q. In the case of crisis of conscience, does emotional intelligence help to overcome the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to follow? Critically examine. (150 Words)

Q. “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation”. Examine the statement with reference to the ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society. (150 Words)

Case Study

Pawan is working as an officer in the State Government for the last ten years. As a part of routine transfer, he was posted to another department. He joined in a new office along with five other colleagues. The head of the office was a senior officer conversant with the functioning of the office. As a part of general inquiry, Pawan gathered that his senior officer carries the reputation of being difficult and insensitive person having his own disturbed family life. Initially, all seemed to go well. However, after some time Pawan felt that the senior officer was belittling him and at times unreasonable. Whatever suggestions given or views expressed by Pawan in the meetings were summarily rejected and the senior officer would express displeasure in the presence of others. It became a pattern of boss’ style of functioning to show him in bad light highlighting his shortcomings and humiliating publicly. It became apparent that though there were no serious work-related problems/shortcomings, the senior officer was always on one pretext or the other and would scold and shout at him. The continuous harassment and public criticism of Pawan resulted in loss of confidence, self-esteem and equanimity. Pawan realised that his relation with his senior officer was becoming more toxic and due to this, he felt perpetually tensed, anxious and stressed. His mind was occupied with negativity and caused him mental torture, anguish and agony. Eventually, it badly affected his personal and family life. He was no longer joyous, happy and contented even at home. Rather without any reason he would lose his temper with his wife and other family members. The family environment was no longer pleasant and congenial. His wife who was always supportive to him also became a victim of his negativity and hostile behaviour. Due to harassment and humiliation suffered by him in the office, comfort and happiness virtually vanished from his life. Thus, it damaged his physical and mental health.

(a) What are the options available with Pawan to cope with the situation?

(b) What approach Pawan should adopt for bringing peace, tranquility and congenial environment in the office and home?

(c) As an outsider, what are your suggestions for both boss and subordinate to overcome this situation and for improving the work performance, mental and emotional hygiene?

(d) In the above scenario, what type of training would you suggest for officers at various levels in the government offices?

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you?

“Every work has got to pass through hundreds of difficulties before succeeding. Those that persevere will see the light, sooner or later.”- Swami Vivekanand (150 Words)

Q. Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant? (150 Words)

Case study

You are a partner in a law firm. One of the clients of your firm is a man of high social repute and has a flourishing business. This client has empanelled the firm for the last five years. However, this client has been involved in what is being dubbed as India’s biggest bank fraud. The client is on the run and it is believed that he has escaped to a country which can extradite him only if provided with substantial proof. In connection with this case, investigating agencies raid your firm and find incriminating evidence against the client.

But you know that, there is still a lot of information available with the firm, which is vital for ascertaining guilt of the client. You realize that it is very important for the country to get hold of the client and bring him to justice.

Faced with this situation, what will you do? Critically examine various conflicts of interest and explain what are your responsibilities as a responsible citizen of the country. (250 Words)

Q. Impact of digital technology as a reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with suitable example. (150 Words)

Q. Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example. (150 Words)

Q. Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix. (150 Words)

Q. Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in the public servants. (150 Words)

Q. Emotions give meaning to situations. Without emotions, one would react spontaneously and robotically to events, with no control over the response. In light of this statement, discuss the various aspects of Emotional Intelligence and highlight its importance for civil servants. (150 Words)

Case Study

A woman was in a live-in relationship with her male partner. She complained to the police of sexual harassment and rape continously for the last five years on the pretext of marriage by her partner. The police on prima facie investigation found out that the allegation is false and the couple was living happily until some internal feud developed that led to these baseless allegations. The woman complained to the State Commission for Women and alleged that she did not get justice from the police and they were biased against her due to a patriarchal mindset. She demands justice from the Women Commission. You are the chairperson of the State Commission for Women.

(a) What steps will you take in such a situation?

(b) Do you think that live-in relationships are against Indian culture and traditional values?

Q. Explain the term moral intuition and differentiate between intuition and reasoning with suitable examples. (150 Words)

Q. Is conscience a more reliable guide to ethical decision making as compared to laws, rules, and regulations? Justify your arguments with suitable examples. (150 Words)

Case Study

Siddhant and his family were very excited about his marriage ceremony, as after a very long time a marriage was taking place in their family. But as soon as Siddhant reached marriage venue, he saw that the band arranged by the bride’s side had many child laborers who were involved with the band. Excited Siddhant suddenly turned into a conflicted Siddhartha, as being a labor commissioner it was his duty to stop such violation of law. He pondered over it, and thought of many options like arranging a new band immediately, giving notice to the band owner for engaging in such conduct and filing a case against them. But, Siddhant ultimately proceeded with the wedding thinking that it will ruin the most important day in his life.

(a) Was Siddhant right in his conduct?

(b) If you would have been in place of Siddhant, amongst the options pondered by him what would have been your course of action? (250 Words)

Q. Family is not just a social institution for serving our daily wants but it is also the first school of citizenship. Explain. (150 Words)

Q. “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Discuss the factors which contribute to the formation of Attitude in an individual’s life. (150 Words)

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you in the present context?

“Nearly all men can withstand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” - Abraham Lincoln