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  • PYQs (GS & Optional)
  • PUBLIC/CIVIL SERVICE VALUES AND ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
    • Status and problems
      • Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organization. Discuss.
      • Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley bound by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational policy should it resort to in dealing with unforeseen contingencies?
      • What is meant by public interest? What are the principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest?
      • Impact of digital technology as a reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with suitable example.
    • Conflict of interest
      • Public servants are likely to confront with the issues of ‘Conflict of Interest’. What do you understand by the term ‘Conflict of Interest’ and how does it manifest in the decision making by public servants? If faced with the conflict of interest situation, how would you resolve it? Explain with the help of examples.
      • Conflict of interest in the public sector arises when (a) official duties, (b) public interest, and (c) personal interest are taking priority one above the other. How can this conflict in administration be resolved? Describe with an example.
      • What is meant by conflict of interest? Illustrate with examples, the difference between the actual and potential conflicts of interest.
      • It is believed that adherence to ethics in human actions would ensure smooth functioning of an organization/system. If so, what does ethics seek to promote in human life? How do ethical values assist in the resolution of conflicts faced by him in his day-to-day functioning?
      • Write short notes in 30 words: Conflict of interest.
    • Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
    • Ethical Dilemma
      • What do each of the following quotations mean to you in the present context? “The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it has any evil in it; but whether it has more evil than good. There are few things wholly evil or wholly good. Almost everything, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgement of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.” - Abraham Lincoln.
      • Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public Administration.
      • Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example.
      • In the present digital age, social media has revolutionised our way of communication and interaction. However, it has raised several ethical issues and challenges. Describe the key ethical dilemmas in this regard.
      • Keeping the national security in mind, examine the ethical dilemmas related to controversies over environmental clearance of development projects in ecologically sensitive border areas in the country.
    • Laws as sources of ethical guidance
      • Differentiate between the following: Law and Ethics.
      • “A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also has to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties.” Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples, where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically.
      • Law and ethics are considered to be the two tools for controlling human conduct so as to make it conducive to civilized social existence. (a) Discuss how they achieve this objective. (b) Giving examples, show how the two differ in their approaches.
      • Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly. What do you understand by this statement? Explain with illustration in the contemporary times.
      • Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them.
    • Rules, Regulations as sources of ethical guidance
      • “In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not prohibited expressly or by clear implication.” Examine the statement with suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her duties.
      • The Rules and Regulations provided to all the civil servants are same, yet there is difference in the performance. Positive minded officers are able to interpret the Rules and Regulations in favour of the case and achieve success, whereas negative minded officers are unable to achieve goals by interpreting the same Rules and Regulations against the case. Discuss with illustrations.
      • To achieve holistic development goal, a civil servant acts as an enabler and active facilitator of growth rather than a regulator. What specific measures will you suggest to achieve this goal?
    • Conscience as sources of ethical guidance
      • What do you understand by the term ‘voice of conscience’? How do you prepare yourself to heed to the voice of conscience?
      • What is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’? Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and how you resolved the same.
      • “Max Weber said that it is not wise to apply to public administration the sort of moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realize that the State bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality.” Critically analyze this statement.
      • What is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’? How does it manifest in the public domain?
      • In 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.
      • Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision-making? Discuss.
      • Differentiate 'moral intuition' from 'moral reasoning' with suitable examples.
    • Accountability and ethical governance
      • What does ‘accountability’ mean in the context of public services? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability of public servants?
      • What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’?
      • 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.
    • Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance
      • How do the virtues of trustworthiness and fortitude get manifested in public service? Explain with examples.
      • There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide-ranging impact on society and environment. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence to handle such responsibility?
    • Ethical issues in international relations
      • At the international level, the bilateral relations between most nations are governed on the policy of promoting one’s own national interest without any regard for the interest of other nations. This leads to conflicts and tensions between the nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples.
      • Strength, peace and security are considered to be the pillars of international relations. Elucidate.
      • Increased national wealth did not result in equitable distribution of its benefits. It has created only some “enclaves of modernity and prosperity for a small minority at the cost of the majority”. Justify.
      • ‘The will to power exists, but it can be tamed and be guided by rationality and principles of moral duty.’ Examine this statement in the context of international relations.
      • “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human rights violation.” Examine the statement with reference to ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society.
      • Russia and Ukraine war has been going on for the last seven months. Different countries have taken independent stands and actions keeping in view their different aspects of society, including human tragedy. What are those ethical issues that are crucial to be considered while launching the war and its continuation so far? Illustrate with justification the ethical issues involved in the given state of affair.
      • "It is not enough to all about peace, one must believe in it; and it is not enough to believe in it, one must act upon it." In the present context, the major weapon industries of the developed nations are adversely influencing continuation of number of wars for their own self-interest. What are the ethical considerations of the powerful nations in today's international arena to stop continuation of ongoing conflicts?
      • Carl von Clausewitz once said, "War is a diplomacy by other means." Critically analyse the above statement in the present context of contemporary geo-political conflict.
    • 'International aid' is an accepted form of helping 'resource-challenged’ nations. Comment on 'ethics in contemporary international aid'. Support your answer with suitable examples.
    • Corporate governance
      • Corporate social responsibility makes companies more profitable and sustainable. Analyze.
      • In contemporary world, corporate sector’s contribution in generating wealth and employment is increasing. In doing so, they are bringing in unprecedented onslaught on the climate, environmental sustainability and living conditions of human beings. In this background, do you find that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is efficient and sufficient enough to fulfill the social roles and responsibilities needed in the corporate world for which the CSR is mandated? Critically examine.
      • What do you understand by 'moral integrity' and 'professional efficiency' in the context of corporate governance in India? Illustrate with suitable examples.
  2. PYQs and Practice Questions
  3. UPSC IAS (CSE)
  4. UPSC Mains
  5. ETHICS, INTEGRITY, AND APTITUDE
  6. PUBLIC/CIVIL SERVICE VALUES AND ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
  7. Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
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