Ethics 2020
Section A
1.(a) Discuss the role of ethics and values in
enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National
Power(CNP)viz. human capital, soft power(culture and policies), and social
harmony. (150 words)
1. (b) “Education is not an injunction; it is an
effective and pervasive tool for all-round development of an individual and
social transformation”. Examine the New Education Policy, 2020 (NEP,2020) in
light of the above statement. (150 words)
2. (a) ‘Hatred is destructive of a person‘s wisdom
and conscience that can poison a nation’s spirit. Do you agree with this view?
Justify your answer. (150 words)
2. (b) What are the main components of emotional
intelligence (EI) ? Can they be learned? Discuss. (150 words)
3. (a) What teachings of Buddha are most relevant
today and why? Discuss. (150 words)
3. (b) ‘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. (150 words)
4. (a) Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss
the role of ethics in formulating them. (150 words)
4. (b) A positive attitude is considered to be an
essential characteristic of a civil servant who is often required to function
under extreme stress. What contributes a positive attitude in person? (150
words)
5. (a) What are the main factors responsible for
gender inequality in India ? Discuss the contribution of Savitribai Phule in
this regard. (150 words)
5. (b) The current internet expansion has instilled
a different set of cultural values which are in conflict with traditional
values. Discuss. (150 words)
6. What does each of the following quotations mean
to you?
a) “Condemn
none: if you can stretch out a helping hand do so. If not fold your hands, bless
your brothers and let them go their own way.” – Swami Vivekanand (150 words).
b) “The
best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service of others .” Mahatma
Gandhi (150 words).
c) “A
system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere
illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and
nothing true.” – Socrates. (150 words).
Section B
7. Rajesh Kumar is a senior public servant, with a
reputation of honesty and forthrightness, currently posted in the Finance
Ministry as the Head of the Budget Division. His department is presently busy
in organizing the budgetary support to the states, four of which are due to the
polls within the financial year.
This year’s annual budget had allotted Rs 8300 crores
for the National Housing Scheme (NHS), a centrally sponsored social housing
scheme for the weaker sections of society. Rs 775 crores have been drawn for
NHS till June.
The Ministry of Commerce had long been pursuing a
case for setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in a southern state to boost
exports. After two years of detailed discussion between the center and state,
the Union Cabinet approved the project in August. The process was initiated to
acquire the necessary land.
Eighteen months ago a leading Public Sector Unit
(PSU) had projected the need for setting up a large natural gas processing
plant in a northern state for the regional gas grid. The land is already in
possession of the PSU. The gas grid is an essential component of the national energy
security strategy. After three rounds of global bidding, the project was
allotted to an MNC, M/s XYZ Hydrocarbons. The first tranche of payment to the
MNC is scheduled to be made in December.
Finance Ministry was asked for a timely allocation
of an additional Rs 6000 crores for these two developmental projects. It was
decided to recommend re-appropriation of this entire amount from NHS
allocation. The file was forwarded to the Budget Department for their comments
and further processing. On studying the case file, Rajesh Kumar realized that
this re-appropriation may cause an inordinate delay in the execution of NHS, a
project much publicized in the rallies of senior politicians. Correspondingly,
the non-availability of finances would cause a financial loss in the SEZ and
national embarrassment due to delayed payment in the international project.
Rajesh Kumar discussed the matter with seniors. He
was conveyed that this politically sensitive situation needs to be processed
immediately. Rajesh Kumar realized that diversion of funds from the NHS could
raise difficult questions for the government in the Parliament.
Discuss the following with reference to this case:
a) Ethical
issues involved in re-appropriation of funds from a welfare project to the
development projects.
b) Given
the need for proper utilization of public funds, discuss the options available
to Rajesh Kumar. Is resigning a worthy option? (250 words)
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8. The Chairman of Bharat Missiles Ltd (BML) was
watching a program on TV wherein the Prime Minister was addressing the nation
on the necessity of developing a self-reliant India. He subconsciously nodded
in agreement and smiled to himself as he mentally reviewed BML’s journey in the
past two decades. BML had admirably progressed from producing first-generation
anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to designing and producing state of the art
ATGM weapon systems that would be the envy of any army. He sighed in
reconciliation with his assumptions that the government would probably not
alter the status quo of a ban on the export of military weaponry.
To his surprise, the very next day he got a
telephone call from the Director-General, Ministry of Defence, asking him to
discuss the modalities of increasing BML production of ATGMs as there is a
probability of exporting the same to a friendly country. The Director-General
wanted the Chairman to discuss the details with his staff in Delhi next week.
Two days later, at a press conference, the Defence
Minister stated that he aims to double the current weapons export levels within
five years. This would give an impetus to financing the development and
manufacturing of indigenous weapons in the country. He also stated that all
indigenous arms manufacturing nations have a very good record of the
international arms trade.
As the Chairman of BML, what are your views on the
following points?
a) As
an arms exporter of a responsible nation like India, what are the ethical
issues involved in arms trade?
b) List
five ethical factors that would influence the decision to sell arms to foreign
governments. (250 words)
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9. Rampura, a remote district inhabited by a tribal
population, is marked by extreme backwardness and abject poverty. Agriculture
is the mainstay of the local population, though it is subsistence due to the
very small landholdings. There is insignificant industrial or mining activity.
Even the targeted welfare programs have inadequately benefited the tribal
population. In this restrictive scenario, the youth has begun to migrate to
other states to supplement the family income. Plight of minor girls is that
their parents are persuaded by labour contractors to send them to work in the
Bt Cotton farms of a nearby state. The soft fingers of the minor girls are well
suited for plucking the cotton. The inadequate living and working conditions in
these farms have caused serious health issues for the minor girls. NGOs in the
districts of domicile and the cotton farms appear to be compromised and have
not effectively espoused the twin issues of child labour and development of the
area.
You are appointed as the District Collector of
Rampura. Identify the ethical issues involved. Which specific steps will you
initiate to ameliorate the conditions of minor girls of your district and to
improve the overall economic scenario in the district (250 words)
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10. You are a municipal commissioner of a large
city, having the reputation of a very honest and upright officer. A huge
multipurpose mall is under construction in your city in which a large number of
daily wage earners are employed. One night, during monsoons, a big chunk of the
roof collapsed causing instant death of four labourers including two minors.
Many more were seriously injured requiring immediate medical attention. The
mishap resulted in a big hue and cry, forcing the government to institute an
enquiry.
Your preliminary enquiry has revealed a series of
anomalies. The material used for the construction was of poor quality. Despite
the approved building plans permitting only one basement, an additional
basement has been constructed. This was overlooked during the periodic
inspections by the building inspector of the municipal corporation. In your
enquiry, you noticed that the construction of the mall was given the green
signal despite encroaching on areas earmarked for a green belt and a slip road
in the Zonal Master Plan of the city. The permission to construct the mall was
accorded by the previous Municipal Commissioner who is not only your senior and
well known to you professionally, but also a good friend.
Prima facie, the case appears to be of a widespread
nexus between officials of the Municipal Corporation and the builders. Your
colleagues are putting pressure on you to go slow in the enquiry. The builder,
who is rich and influential, happens to be a close relative of a powerful
minister in the state cabinet. The builder is persuading you to hush up the
matter, promising you a fortune to do so. He also hinted that if this matter is
not resolved at the earliest in his favour there is somebody in his office who
is waiting to file a case against you under the POSH act.
a) Discuss
the ethical issues involved in the case.
b) What
are the options available to you in this situation?
c) Explain
your selected course of action. (250 words)
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11. Parmal is a small but underdeveloped district.
It has a rocky terrain that is not suitable for agriculture, though some
subsistence agriculture is being done on small plots of land. The area receives
adequate rainfall and has an irrigation canal flowing through it. Amria, its
administrative centre, is a medium-sized town. It houses a large district
hospital, an Industrial Training Institute and some privately owned skill
training centres. It has all the facilities of a district headquarters. A trunk
railway line passes approximately 50 kilometers from Amria. Its poor
connectivity is a major reason for the absence of any major industry therein.
The state government offers a 10 year tax holiday as an incentive to new
industry.
In 2010 Anil, an industrialist decided to take
benefits to set up Amria Plastic Works (APW) in Noora village, about 20km from
Amria. While the factory was being built, Anil hired the required key labour
and got them trained at the skill training centres at Amria. This act of his
made the key personnel very loyal to APW.
APW started production in 2011 with the labour drawn
fully from Noora village. The villagers were very happy to get employment near
their homes and were motivated by the key personnel to meet the production
targets with high quality. APW started making large profits, a sizeable portion
of which was used to improve the quality of life in Noora.
By 2016, Noora could boast of a greener village and
a renovated village temple. Anil liaised with the local MLA to increase the
frequency of the bus services to Amria. The government also opened a primary
health care centre and primary school at Noora in buildings constructed by APW.
APW used its CSR funds to set up women’s self-help groups, subsidize primary
education to the village children and procure an ambulance for use by its
employeed and the needy.
In 2019, there was a minor fire in APW. It was
quickly extinguished as fire safety protocols were in place in the factory.
Investigations revealed that the factory had been using electricity in excess
of its authorized capacity. This was soon rectified. The next year, due to
nationwide lockdown, the requirement of production fell for four months. Anil
decided that all employees would be paid regularly. He employed them to plant
trees and improve the village habitat.
APW had developed a reputation of high-quality
production and a motivated workforce.
a) Critically
analyse the story of APW and state the ethical issues involved.
b) Do
you consider APW as a role model for the development of backward areas? Give
reasons. (250 words)
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12. Migrant workers have always remained at the
socio-economic margins of our society, silently serving as the instrumental
labour force of urban economics. The pandemic has brought them into national
focus.
On announcement of a countrywide lockdown, a very
large number of migrant workers decided to move back from their places of
employment to their native villages. The non-availability of transport created
its own problems. Added to this was the fear of starvation and inconvenience to
their families.
This caused the migrant workers to demand wages and
transport facilities for returning to their villages. Their mental agony was
accentuated by multiple factors such as a sudden loss of livelihood,
possibility of lack of food and inability to assist in harvesting their rabi
crop due to not being able to reach home in time. Reports of inadequate
response of some districts in providing the essential boarding and lodging
arrangements along the way multiplied their fears.
You have learnt many lessons from this situation
when you were tasked to oversee the functioning of the District Disaster Relief
Force in your district.
a) In
your opinion what ethical issues arose in the current migrant crisis?
b) What
do you understand by an ethical care giving state?
c) What
assistance can the civil society render to mitigate the sufferings of migrants
in similar situations? (250 words)
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