Mains Practice Questions

Case Study

In a horrific incident which sparked outrage in your district, a 17-year-old girl, on her way to school with her younger sister, was attacked with an acid-like substance by two men on a motorcycle near her home. She sustained severe injuries on her face, neck and eyes, currently she is being treated at the Hospital. She comes from a very humble family and her family looked up to her for alleviating them from poverty.

Further, the incident has once again brought back to focus the heinous crime of acid attacks and the easy availability of corrosive substances, therefore, people are anguished and have started protesting and demanding the death penalty for the culprits.

As a district magistrate, what would you do to resolve the situation? What steps would you take to stop easy availability of hazardous substances?

Case Study

Your friend Ritwik hails from a village whose surrounding areas were submerged due to floods during the monsoon last year. Government assisted the affected people by giving them cash doles to purchase household goods, seeds to replant crop and cash to compensate for loss of standing crop. Ritwik had his house site on high ground and suffered no loss of personal effects. Luckily, his agricultural land being relatively far away from the flooded river escaped the ravages of the flood. Normally, government machinery is unable to thoroughly assess the damage suffered by each individual family. As a result, people take advantage by making extravagant and often fictitious claims. Ritwik has made false claims like others in the village.

As a close friend of Ritwik, what do you think about his action? Is it a right thing to do? what would be your appropriate response to Ritwik’s conduct?

Case Study

Recently, a 19-year-old Dalit man who was part of catering service was attacked after he accidentally touched the food on the plate of an upper caste person at a wedding function. The matter was resolved after other people present there intervened and the victim returned home. However, the accused and his aides later went to the victim’s residence and beat him up. When other members of the family tried to intervene, they were also beaten up. Further, the accused also damaged a motorcycle parked on the premises of the house. Despite this, police did not make any arrest and took the matter lightly. Due to inaction of police in making any arrest, the situation is further deteriorating and clashes broke out between two opposite groups of upper and lower caste.

(a) As an IPS officer, how would you resolve this issue and what would be your course of action?

(b) How could you prevent re-occurrence of such incidents in your district?

Case Study

With the latest trend of layoffs by big-tech companies across the globe due to various reasons like continuation of Russia-Ukraine war, fall in consumer demand and slowing economic growth. Considering this global situation, there is an Indian Ed-tech company which is also suffering from slowing of demand, capital crunch etc. Therefore, the company needs to take a slew of measures to navigate through this rough phase of recession.

Manish is working as Human Resource (HR) head in this company and there is pressure from investors to fire a major chunk of the workforce.

Further, he was informed by management that dismissing employees is essential for the company's existence and instructed him to inform the employees of this decision as soon as possible.

Q. With the ethical dilemmas in mind, what should Manish do in this scenario?

Case Study

A woman and her male partner were living together in a live-in relationship. She faced physical and mental harassment by her partner for some years under the pretense of marriage by her spouse. This relationship continued for some time until one day police recovered a bag with a dead body nearby a river. After conducting a preliminary inquiry, the police discovered that her live-in partner had murdered her. Earlier, the woman's family had protested against her live-in relationship status and after this incident, there have been huge protests in the state against live-in relationships and people who are living with their live in partners are being threatened by various peer groups, religious groups etc. have come together and demanded from the state government to bring a law to ban live-in relationships in the whole state, claiming that the live-in relationships are against Indian culture.

As senior police officer in your area how would you handle the situation and what steps would you take to resolve the issue?

Case Study

Dr. Ankur Sharma is a surgeon. He comes from a well-educated family. Rahul, his little son, is 7 years old and is showing some troubling behaviour patterns. Rahul has been taking pleasure in hurting and torturing creatures for the last two years. It all started when he would pick up some insects such as cockroaches and worms and take delight in cutting them to pieces with a blade. The family keeps some pets including rabbits and some days ago Mr. Sharma detected the boy vivisecting a rabbit in a lonely corner of their garden. By the time Mr. Sharma intervened it was all over, and young Rahul was almost relishing the sight of his bloody hand. Mr. Sharma, of course, scolded the kid but they are worried about the gruesome incidents likely to happen from this kind of perverse behaviour.

What actions should the parents take? Select from the following options:

1. They should ignore the incidents as childish pranks.

2. They should explain to Rahul the need to behave kindly towards animals and to avoid violence in all forms.

3. They should take Rahul to a psychiatrist for counselling and treatment.

4. They should not let Rahul out of sight when he is alone.

Case Study

Ashwani Sood is a farmer who resides in a village of moderate size in the Sitamarhi district of Bihar. He was once chosen to lead the local Panchayat. He has a 25-year-old young son Divyansh. Being the only son of the family, Divyansh was pampered and became spoilt. He was arrogant, always wanted to have his way and would pick up a fight at the slightest opportunity.

A primary school teacher of the area was shot in the head by Divyansh in full view of a large number of persons. He was arrested and remained in jail, despite several attempts to come out.

The MLA of the district is happened to be a part of state cabinet and is also a longtime friend of Ashwani and is currently very influential in the government. The present District Magistrate (Sanjit) has good relations with the minister as he had worked under this Minister in the secretariat before he came to this district and was also recommended by him.

Later, the cabinet minister from the district called Sanjit for recommending parole to Divyansh.

The Minister did not claim that Divyansh is innocent; his pleading was restricted to the circumstances the family was passing through as his mother had died recently. The Minister’s request has created a somewhat difficult situation for Sanjit. This Minister rarely intervenes in any administrative day-to-day functions.

What would be the course of action should Sanjit follow and why?

Case Study

Q. Industrial chemicals are produced on a big scale by a conglomerate. It suggested establishing a second unit. Due to its negative impact on the environment, many states rejected this proposal. But one state government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to a city, brushing aside all opposition. Further, the unit was set up 10 years ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial effluents was affecting the land, water, and crops in the area. It was also causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to a series of agitations demanding the closure of the plant. In a recent agitation, thousands of people took part, creating a law-and-order problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the State government ordered the closure of the factory. The closure of the factory resulted in the unemployment of not only those workers who were engaged in the factory but also those who were working in the ancillary units. It also very badly affected those industries which depended on the chemicals manufactured by it.

As a senior officer entrusted with the responsibility of handling these issues, how are you going to address it?

Case Study

Suppose you are an officer in-charge of implementing a social service scheme to provide support to old and destitute women. An old and illiterate woman comes to you to avail the benefits of the scheme. However, she has no documents to show that she fulfils the eligibility criteria. But after meeting her and listening to her you feel that she certainly needs support. Your enquiries also show that she is really destitute and living in a pitiable condition. You are in a dilemma as to what to do. Putting her under the scheme without necessary documents would clearly be violation of rules. But denying her the support would be cruel and inhuman

1. Can you think of a rational way to resolve this dilemma?

2. Give your reasons for it.

Case Study

There is a disaster-prone state having frequent landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts, flash floods and earthquakes, etc. Some of these are seasonal and often unpredictable. The magnitude of the disaster is always unanticipated. During one of the seasons a cloudburst caused devastating floods and landslides leading to high causalities. There was major damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges and power generating units. This led to more than a lakh pilgrims, tourists and other locals trapped across different routes and locations. The people trapped in your area of responsibility includes senior citizens, patients in hospitals, women and children, hikers, tourists, ruling party’s regional president along with his family, additional chief secretary of the neighboring state and prisoners in jail.

As a civil services officer of the state, what would be the order in which you would rescue these people and why? Give justifications.

Q. Sanjit started a business from scratch and ended up as substantial owner of a midsized engineering company. The position of technical director in the company fell vacant when its incumbent resigned to take up another assignment. To the surprise of the board, Sanjit proposed that his young son Subhash should be made the technical director. One member openly expressed his opposition to the proposal and doubted Subhash’s credentials. Sanjit replied that his son has studied engineering in Remote Westbrook Technical University. In reply to the member’s question, he added that Remote Westbrook Technical University is an accredited University in USA. Subash, he added, also took training in some workshops near Detroit. When there was further opposition from other members as well, he pleaded that his health was poor and that he would like someone from his family to take reins if he became too ill, and would like to see his son to be elected as a technical director on the basis of company’s share held by him.

Assume that you have been the Secretary of the company for many years and have the ears of Sanjit. What would be your advice to him?

Case Study

Ranbir is the Chief executive officer of a company. The Company has been growing and has recruited quite a few specialists recently. The functional heads in the company have to meet their staff in an open meeting every two months. Ranbir detested these meetings. It was open to everyone in the office. The staff came up with a long list of trivial and tiresome complaints and grievances. They repeated the same things and spoke at length. Even when the staff knew of the constraints, they went on with their complaints. They wanted more space for lounge, for bathrooms and crèche. Ranbir pointed to lack of space, and yet the staff continued to complain. Ranbir cultivated a habit of sitting through the meeting with a cheerful face, but with his mind switched off from the proceedings. The meeting became a tiresome ritual he had to get through.

Due these issues many employees had left the company and its further hampering the Business of the company.

Q. In Ranbir’s situation what action would you have taken and why?

Case Study

Ms. Sunanda Vashisht, IAS, comes from a family with strong moral and religious inclinations. She is the DM of a Hindu majority district with substantial Muslim population. There is only one good town hall in the district headquarters controlled by the estate department under the DM. Every year, both Hindus and Muslims used to celebrate their prominent festivals like Eid, Diwali or Ganesh Puja, in this hall. This year Eid and a well-known Hindu festival coincides. And the groups of both communities protesting for allotting the hall to celebrate their religious festival.

(a) Mention the ethical and situational challenges that are faced by the DM.

(b) Also mention your course of action to resolve the issue so that both communities can celebrate their festivals peacefully.

Case Study

You serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a startup business that is gaining recognition in the industry. Mr. Anuj, a well-known performer, is in charge of the marketing department. He has contributed to the company's revenues by more than doubling in just one year, and you are considering giving him a promotion because of this. However, you have heard rumours regarding his behaviour with his female coworkers, specifically his propensity for making crude remarks about women, from a variety of sources. Additionally, he frequently sends lewd SMS messages to the entire team, including his female coworkers.

One day, Mrs. Akshita, a member of Mr. Anuj's team, comes to you in the late evening, clearly upset. She complains about Mr. Anuj's ongoing inappropriate behaviour because he has been making unwanted overtures toward her and even attempting to touch her inappropriately in his cabin. She steps down from her position and departs your workplace. (20 marks | 250 words)

(a) What are the options available to you?

(b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option you would adopt, giving reasons.

Case Study

Suppose you are newly appointed as a District Collector, and a businessman approaches you to seek permission regarding building a mall in your city with a modernised ambience that once built will be a glorious addition to the City. However, the projected land for the mall is surrounded by slums, and therefore must be cleared before construction can begin.

The subordinate informed you that the slums were built illegally and have been breeding grounds for drug dealers and phone snatchers.

In addition, the businessman proposes that if you approve the tender, he will facilitate the purchase of a large plot of land in a renowned area of the city in the name of your wife/husband.

Critically examine various conflicts of interest and explain your course of action as a public servant.

Case Study

Rohit has aided a businessman by speedily paying the bills for the goods he had provided to the government. The payment was sizable and it enabled the merchant to avoid a cash shortage. The businessman was so moved that he gave Rohit gifts as a token of his gratitude. Rohit turns them down. Soon after, Rohit visits a hill station with his family where the businessman owns a hotel. He conveys in advance to the businessman that he would like to stay in his hotel and checks into that hotel. The hotel management, on instructions from the businessman, treats Rohit and his family as guests and refuses to accept payment from Rohit. Even Rohit does not insist on making payment.

Q.1 Discuss the ethical issues and ethical dilemmas involved in the case.

Q.2 How would you have behaved if you were at Rohit’s place? Suggest the way-out.

Case Study

Suppose you are the Superintendent of Police in a district. The state has experienced an increase in communal riots in the past few months. A recent incident occurred in a small village. Mud houses were set on fire. Geeta and her daughter Roopa, who was three and a half years old, fled the village after violence broke out.

Once they reached a nearby village, they were attacked by a group of people. Geeta and her daughter were brutally raped and murdered, and the local police have refused to register the case as two police stations are bordered by the area where the bodies were found.

Locals from the village and relatives of the deceased are protesting and accusing the police of negligence and demanding the arrest of the offender with strong political backing. However, your senior calls you and asks you to conceal and distort the truth.

(a) Identify the stakeholders and various dimensions of the crisis involved in the issue.

(b) What would be the course of action taken by you to manage the situation as a Superintendent of Police? Identify measures that can be taken to prevent rapes (250 words)

Case Study

India hosts a number of migratory bird species every year who fly here either in search of feeding ground or to escape freezing winters of their natural habitat. At a major bird nesting lake in India, thousands of birds have died in a mysterious way. The deadly lake is surrounded by mining areas and possibly due to the discharge of effluents from the mining process, the lake got polluted. The junior manager working in the same mining area happens to discover the cause of the death of the birds. He is perturbed and discusses this with his colleagues who ask him to keep silent as this may cost him his job. He cannot risk losing his job as he is the sole breadwinner of his family and has to take care of his ailing parents and siblings. At first, he thinks that if his colleagues are quiet, why should he stick out his neck. But his conscience pricks him to do something to save the lake and the birds who depend upon it. He decides to take the matter to his senior.

(a) What arguments can he advance to show that whatever is being done by the mining industry is not morally right?

(b) What course of action should he adopt in case his senior refuses to entertain his complaint and why? (250 Words)

Q. In the religious land of India, there exists the exploitative custom of sexual slavery known as the Jogini system (a local variation of the Devadasi system) which involves marrying young girls to a deity. This social evil has resisted the legal measures aimed at curbing it till date, despite having been prohibited as per the Devadasi (Prohibition of Dedication) Act. You are posted as a District Magistrate and you get to know about such practice taking place in the area of your jurisdiction. Two Dalit girls have been confined and being prepared for dedication to God as devadasis. The children are forced into becoming Devadasis by their own parents because girls are their only source of income in most cases. In a society where a girl child is often considered a liability, turning them into Devadasis is how patriarchy works to transform them into assets. You also get to know of child prostitution being practiced in the name of Devadasi.

(a) What course of action will you take in such a scenario?

(b) What are the issues involved in banning the practice of Devadasi system, in spite of the laws already present against it? (250 Words)

Case Study

Mr. Siddhant is the chairman of a cultural organization under the central government. The organization has a historical and cultural legacy. Recently he has been charged with the responsibility of organizing an international event by involving artists from different countries. For this event, he has roped in a famous personality from Bollywood as the brand ambassador and face of the event. This has helped in popularising the program at a wide scale and also in the generation of revenue. However, in the mid of the preparation, a female singer artist came in front of the media and accused the Bollywood personality of sexual harassment 10 years ago when she was a minor and searching for work. This accusation has sparked controversy and protest by the public. People are raising their voices against his involvement in the event. Meanwhile, the National Commission of Women has also approached Mr. Siddhant and demands the removal of the Brand Ambassador. Mr. Siddhant is in mid of the finalization of the event and all the preparations regarding inviting people from different parts of the world, their accommodation, etc have already been done. Initially, his consciousness pushed him to do something in this regard but because of external pressure, he is not sure about the right course of action. With reference to the above case study–

(a) What arguments can you give him to show that keeping quiet is not morally right?
(b) What course of action would you advise him to adopt and why? (250 Words)

Case Study

Q. You are posted as Superintendent of Police (SP) in a city where a horrific incident of gang rape and murder of an IT professional has shaken the conscience of the entire nation. Since the culprits are still at large, the public anger is mounting and the aggrieved family is refusing to cooperate in investigations because they have no faith in the local police. Earlier, when they tried to lodge a missing complaint of the victim in a nearby police station, they were turned away as the police said that the area falls outside their jurisdiction. In such circumstances when the police force is under heavy media scrutiny.

(a) What will you do to dissuade the rising mistrust between the public and the police?
(b) Also, bring out the long term measures to check this ever growing menace of violence against women. (250 Words)

Case Study

You are the head of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that offers palliative care to cancer patients from the poor sections of the society. Since the last few months funding for your noble cause is dwindling due to which you are not able to fulfill the needs of the dependent people. One day, you are contacted by the owner of a big tobacco company who is willing to fund your NGO because he has to meet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) targets. However, over the years working with cancer patients you have developed a deep hatred for tobacco companies. Now, the owner’s offer has put you in a moral dilemma. On the one side, you detest the thought of accepting support from a company that is doling out cancer through its products, and on the other hand, you feel that the company's aid is a godsend opportunity for your NGO to provide better care to patients.

(a) What are the various ethical issues involved here?
(b) Will it be morally right for you to accept money from the tobacco company? (250 Words)

Case Study

An elevated corridor is being constructed to reduce traffic congestion in the capital of a particular State. You have been selected as project manager of this prestigious project on your professional competence and experience. The deadline is to complete the project in next two years by 30 June, 2021, since this project is to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister before the elections are announced in the second week of July 2021. While carrying out the surprise inspection by inspecting team, a minor crack was noticed in one of the piers of the elevated corridor possibly due to poor material used. You immediately informed the chief engineer and stopped further work. It was assessed by you that minimum three piers of the elevated corridor have to be demolished and reconstructed. But this process will delay the project minimum by four to six months. But the chief engineer overruled the observation of inspecting team on the ground that it was a minor crack which will not in any way impact the strength and durability of the bridge. He ordered you to overlook the observation of inspecting team and continue working with same speed and tempo. He informed you that the minister does not want any delay as he wants the Chief Minister to inaugurate the elevated corridor before the elections are declared. Also informed you that the contractor is far relative of the minister and he wants him to finish the project. He also gave you hint that your further promotion as additional chief engineer is under consideration with the ministry. However, you strongly felt that the minor crack in the pier of the elevated corridor will adversely affect the health and life of the bridge and therefore it will be very dangerous not to repair the elevated corridor.

(a) Under the given conditions, what are the options available to you as a project manager?
(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by the project manager?
(c) What are the professional challenges likely to be faced by the project manager and his response to overcome such challenges?
(d) What can be the consequences of overlooking the observation raised by the inspecting team?

Case study

Pollution is severely affecting the health of people in a metropolitan city. One of the major causes of this environmental calamity is widespread stubble burning by farmers in the surrounding regions after harvesting paddy crop. Despite an outright ban imposed by the government and the introduction of subsidy packages for buying advance machines to dispose stubble, stubble burning remains unabated. The cause for farmers’ indifference towards machines is the belief that the use of machines like happy seeders leads to a fall in the output of successive crops. Recently, the state High Court has called for stringent implementation of the ban order in the neighbouring district of the state capital. You are the District magistrate of one of these districts and want to get rid of this polluting activity. However, your efforts are not yielding desirable results on the ground because of the politicization of this practice. Now, the local leaders are pressuring you to ignore the ban for this season and send deceptive data to the High Court otherwise they will lose support in the election. Although you are against stubble burning, you genuinely sympathize with the farmers for their predicaments.

The district also has a history of farmers’ movements which were at times violent. You are well aware of this and want to avoid any untoward incident of violence or agitation in this politically charged atmosphere.

(a) Identify the various issues involved in the case.
(b) As a District Magistrate of the concerned area, what will be your course of action in resolving the issue? (250 Words)

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)

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.

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?

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)

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?