Various dimensions
1. Political- politics without principle as seen from nexus with criminals
2. Economic- commerce without morality->gaining income via drugs impacting life of youth
->parallel economy and loss of tax revenue
->higher chance of crisis being preceded by unemployment and decline in agriculture revenue
3. Social- failure of public service dispensing officials in ensuring strong education infrastructure
4. Cultural- declining societal ethics and role of parents in guiding youth
In such a situation, following measures must be undertaken
1. Short term- take steps to cooperate with district collector and find out holistic causes (economic and others) pushing locals to drug and arms business
- Use state intelligence apparatus to track key locations fuelling the drug menace and links of arms trade
- make small arrests of low hierarchy players for information and confessions
2. Medium term- building trust with community to act as local intelligence and get back faith in State
- Tying up with civil society community to raise demand side pressure for accountability to political representative. Success of this step help in making bigger arrests via intelligence gathered.
3. Long term - promote local police and empowering them with responsibility of their own locality (community policing)
2. Ethics, not capitalism, will yield profits in the long run. Analyse this statement in light of COVID pandemic.
The pandemic of Covid as exposed the perils of following capitalistic model of development. Prime example being USA, which is facing high number of deaths and cases. In this light, essential to view the capitalistic model popularised post 1991.
Why capitalism led model being questioned
1. Capitalism fuelled by globalisation ushered mobility of people across the globe. This became the cause of spread of Covid
2. Capitalism has led to an unequal model of prosperity having negative impact during Covid. Eg The spread of Covid in slums, and difficulties faced by migrants
Benefits of ethics centric model
1. One health model- inclusive and sustainable. Remedy the ills of capitalistic model by focussing simultaneously on ->Animal health, environmental cleanliness, human immunity
2. Humanity- human centric model where priority given not to material pleasure but ease of living and happiness. Will result in
a. Focus on primary health centre
b. Boosting education for disadvantaged sections
c. Planned urbanisation for remedying slums and migrant issues
For yielding long term benefit, the need is to marry the above models and implement Humanistic capitalism. It will rightfully yield benefits of capitalism->generate wealth and bring about decline in poverty, create investment avenues. And also yield benefits of ethical model->sustainability via clean energy, inclusivity via upgrading capability of disadvantaged in form of education and health.
2. Ethics, not capitalism, will yield profits in the long run. Analyse this statement in light of COVID pandemic.The pandemic of Covid as exposed the perils of following capitalistic model of development. Prime example being USA, which is facing high number of deaths and cases. In this light, essential to view the capitalistic model popularised post 1991.
Why capitalism led model being questioned
1. Capitalism fuelled by globalisation ushered mobility of people across the globe. This became the cause of spread of Covid
2. Capitalism has led to an unequal model of prosperity having negative impact during Covid. Eg The spread of Covid in slums, and difficulties faced by migrants
Benefits of ethics centric model
1. One health model- inclusive and sustainable. Remedy the ills of capitalistic model by focussing simultaneously on ->Animal health, environmental cleanliness, human immunity
2. Humanity- human centric model where priority given not to material pleasure but ease of living and happiness. Will result in
a. Focus on primary health centre
b. Boosting education for disadvantaged sections
c. Planned urbanisation for remedying slums and migrant issues
For yielding long term benefit, the need is to marry the above models and implement Humanistic capitalism. It will rightfully yield benefits of capitalism->generate wealth and bring about decline in poverty, create investment avenues. And also yield benefits of ethical model->sustainability via clean energy, inclusivity via upgrading capability of disadvantaged in form of education and health.
Would you want to substantiate your answer with some actual examples here ?
1. Increasing prices of hand-sanitizers forced Amazon India to take a tough stand against predatory sellers.
2. Tata Group has promised all its temporary and daily-wage earners full pay.
3. Healthcare spends of private companies as CSR - creates a healthy balance.
I am sure we can quote many more from the current situation.
Pertinent examples, shall note it down
Various dimensions
1. Political- politics without principle as seen from nexus with criminals
2. Economic- commerce without morality->gaining income via drugs impacting life of youth
->parallel economy and loss of tax revenue
->higher chance of crisis being preceded by unemployment and decline in agriculture revenue
3. Social- failure of public service dispensing officials in ensuring strong education infrastructure
4. Cultural- declining societal ethics and role of parents in guiding youth
In such a situation, following measures must be undertaken
1. Short term- take steps to cooperate with district collector and find out holistic causes (economic and others) pushing locals to drug and arms business
- Use state intelligence apparatus to track key locations fuelling the drug menace and links of arms trade
- make small arrests of low hierarchy players for information and confessions
2. Medium term- building trust with community to act as local intelligence and get back faith in State
- Tying up with civil society community to raise demand side pressure for accountability to political representative. Success of this step help in making bigger arrests via intelligence gathered.
3. Long term - promote local police and empowering them with responsibility of their own locality (community policing)
It's a very well structured answer.
+ narcotics legally prohibited
+ Discuss social dimensions of problem and involve NGOs, Panchayat leaders
+ Reduce Demand - Drug awareness campaigns , drug de-addiction centres, counseling - to induce behavioural changes.
De-addiction centre + counselling are good points I missed
3) What do each of the following quotations mean to you in the present context?
- Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness.
The spread of Corona virus in 2020 has only compounded the impending crisis that humanity faced. From irreversible environmental damage highlighted by IPCC report, to rise in conflict in violence in Middle East ; the many crisis only made matters worse collectively.
In this light, the role of consciousness as cause of the ongoing crisis and also as a remedy is instrumental. Consciousness refers to an individuals awareness and resulting responsiveness to its surrounding.
Absence of consciousness and it’s role in crisis
1. Political- despotic government are unaware and unresponsive to needs of citizen. Which when unmet results in protests, instability and conflict. Eg- beginning of Syrian conflict
2. Economic- the privileged class are often criticised of not being conscious of their responsibility to do more for the society. Their preference for living in a isolated bubble perpetuates inequality evidenced by Oxfam report
3. Social- Not being aware of duties and boundaries of ones right often leads to societal clashes. Eg Gun violence in USA
4. Environmental- Developed countries not taking cognisance of their historical responsibility and contributing financially and technologically is delaying achieving Paris agreement goals.
Living in an interconnected world and being social animals, humans needs to be more conscious of their surrounding. That’s the first step in insisting remedying action. Doing our duties as global citizen and raising our voice when injustice is committed is the need of the hour.
@TheNotorious Had they been true, I would have loved to take those two adjectives as compliments.
If possible don’t write a structured answer, just write pointers. Aim is for your brain to get adept at thinking about diverse questions
3) What do each of the following quotations mean to you in the present context?
- Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness.
The spread of Corona virus in 2020 has only compounded the impending crisis that humanity faced. From irreversible environmental damage highlighted by IPCC report, to rise in conflict in violence in Middle East ; the many crisis only made matters worse collectively.
In this light, the role of consciousness as cause of the ongoing crisis and also as a remedy is instrumental. Consciousness refers to an individuals awareness and resulting responsiveness to its surrounding.
Absence of consciousness and it’s role in crisis
1. Political- despotic government are unaware and unresponsive to needs of citizen. Which when unmet results in protests, instability and conflict. Eg- beginning of Syrian conflict
2. Economic- the privileged class are often criticised of not being conscious of their responsibility to do more for the society. Their preference for living in a isolated bubble perpetuates inequality evidenced by Oxfam report
3. Social- Not being aware of duties and boundaries of ones right often leads to societal clashes. Eg Gun violence in USA
4. Environmental- Developed countries not taking cognisance of their historical responsibility and contributing financially and technologically is delaying achieving Paris agreement goals.
Living in an interconnected world and being social animals, humans needs to be more conscious of their surrounding. That’s the first step in insisting remedying action. Doing our duties as global citizen and raising our voice when injustice is committed is the need of the hour.
+ ethical principles of international conduct
+ Transparency in information sharing - world is one unit
+ Required: more accountability in the way global decisions are made
+Threat to rule based order by ignoring multilateral institutions - can quote Peter Singer's One World wherein how a global ethic rather than a nationalistic approach can provide illuminating answers to important problems.
+ need compassionate view to address problems that affect entire humanity
+ Social: quote George Floyd incident
+ Economic: Quote Migrant Crisis
Novel point of Peter Singer’s One world. Will note it down
@sic_mundus_creatus_est also which mains test series is best in terms of feedback and suggestions for improving answers?
The option boils down to MGP (Forumias) and VisionIas. Both have good test series in terms of feedback and suggestions. Which one is better depends on you and how you use a test series
Let’s solve the ethics previous year topic wise? I will post daily 3-4 question and in a week will complete all the question what say?
3-4 questions a day will be a little too much. Maximum of 1 question and 1 case study a day is what can be managed via this platform. Better to do little everyday and be consistent with it
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?
Excellence to me refers to achieving the most optimal level of performance in a given activity. Eg Sachin Tendulkar achieved excellence in his cover drives.
Achieving excellence requires years of focused hardwork and fortitude among other things. But the aspiration to achieve excellence precedes all other requirements. Not all humans aspire for excellence for following reasons :-
A. Self doubt - it deters an individual from believing in oneself and aiming for excellence. It is for this reason APJ Abdul Kalam focussed on role of parents to instil confidence in their children
B. Soc-eco constraints- Abhijit Banerjee in his book Poor Economics evidences how poverty trap deters individuals from having higher aspiration and realising potential due to immediate severe hardships
C. Consumption culture- Era of globalisation has thrown open immense distraction around our lives to consume Eg Social media and Over the top media service. It Deters individuals from having ability to concentrate for longer and work towards excellence.
I develop the virtue of excellence via
1. Increasing my self awareness via meditation. This is followed by self regulation to improve on flaws and attain desirable traits like adaptability .
2. Have correct role models to take inspiration from and motivate myself. Eg ISRO chief K.Sivan
3. Following my passion, which helps me sustain my efforts and have honest intentions towards it.
In light of Article 51A which enumerates fundamental duty to strive for excellence, all must get on the path of realising their fullest potential and do service to the nation.
6. Explain with examples how whistle-blowing is both an ethical and unethical act if seen in different perspectives?
Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?Excellence to me refers to achieving the most optimal level of performance in a given activity. Eg Sachin Tendulkar achieved excellence in his cover drives.
Achieving excellence requires years of focused hardwork and fortitude among other things. But the aspiration to achieve excellence precedes all other requirements. Not all humans aspire for excellence for following reasons :-
A. Self doubt - it deters an individual from believing in oneself and aiming for excellence. It is for this reason APJ Abdul Kalam focussed on role of parents to instil confidence in their children
B. Soc-eco constraints- Abhijit Banerjee in his book Poor Economics evidences how poverty trap deters individuals from having higher aspiration and realising potential due to immediate severe hardships
C. Consumption culture- Era of globalisation has thrown open immense distraction around our lives to consume Eg Social media and Over the top media service. It Deters individuals from having ability to concentrate for longer and work towards excellence.
I develop the virtue of excellence via
1. Increasing my self awareness via meditation. This is followed by self regulation to improve on flaws and attain desirable traits like adaptability .
2. Have correct role models to take inspiration from and motivate myself. Eg ISRO chief K.Sivan
3. Following my passion, which helps me sustain my efforts and have honest intentions towards it.
In light of Article 51A which enumerates fundamental duty to strive for excellence, all must get on the path of realising their fullest potential and do service to the nation.
Kudos.
+ Aim to achieve excellence in the work that is carried out with good intention for larger good of others ―EthicalExcellenceprovides success that is sustainable and fulfilling.
That’s actually a good term “ethical excellence” will add good dimension to the answer
Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
While the answer you've written is good, I suggest that try to include something related to civil services. For example,
+Truth versus Loyalty: whether a civil servant should remain loyal to the government or he should speak truth for the interest of the society. It is also a classic dilemma in case of whistle-blowing. So from the perspective of govt it would appear unethical, however from the WB's perspective it is ethical.
Conclusion: ought to be balanced - Whistle-blowing is a brave act of conscience, boundaries are blurred and the resort needs to be taken when alternative avenues are not correcting the situation.
Did my conclusion come across as unbalanced ? Asking so that I could correct it
6. Explain with examples how whistle-blowing is both an ethical and unethical act if seen in different perspectives?Whistle-blowing refers to the act of bringing unethical or illegal practices being performed in an organisation into public notice.
Like every coin has two sides, so is the case with whistle-blowing.
Whistle-blowing as an ethical practice -
- It works for the larger good of the society. For example Vyapam case led to bringing in forefront corruption in medical admissions in Madhya Pradesh
- It helps in keeping a check on unbridled power of the officials of an organization. For instance, insider trading practices have been declared as illegal by SEBI.
- On an individual level, it ensures that a person does not suffer from crisis of conscience.
Whistle-blowing as an unethical practice
- Leads of trust deficit in the society as well as organization as was seen after the press conference of SC judges in 2018.
- Breach of confidentiality
- Can lead to lowering of market sentiment and make shareholders/other stakeholders suffer like in case of Satyam.
- If false, it can tarnish the reputation for a long time to come.
While it is true that whistle-blowing acts have on several occasions brought into picture unethical practices like poor governance, corruption etc into public foray, they have also raised question about the exercise of such acts by individuals. Thus, there is a need to have guidelines which can clearly demarcate the occasions on which such acts would be permissible along with other mechanisms to deal with complaints.
My observations
1. I didn’t quite understand the link between insider trader and whistleblowing
2. Good concluding line
5. All people do not aspire for excellence. Do you agree? What does “excellence‟ mean to you? What are you doing to develop the virtue of excellence in yourself?All people do not aspire for excellence beacuse
1. Behavioral factors - lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention etc.
2. Infrastructural factors - financial constraints, absence of educational institutions and formal training, lack of government support, remote geography, etc.
3. Social factors - lack of family support and guidance of experienced people, identity barriers like caste, lack of competitive peers, etc.
From an individual's perspective excellence is relative concept. For a student excellence means coming first in the examination while for it may mean just scoring the passing marks. In the former's opinion the later may not have aspiration for excellence as they have different benchmarks.
To me excellence means achieving the best performance as per my ability. It is a virtue that propels one to achieve the highest standard of efficiency and effectiveness.
Amartya Sen in capability approach argues that developing capabilities is key to achieving one's desired goals. My focus therefore has been
1. Knowledge of the subject/area where I seek excellence
2. Acquiring required set of skills through formal training
3. Right attitude and keenness to learn from past mistakes
4. Taking inspiration from success stories
I believe in the words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise, Awake, and stop not till the goal is reached" as I aspire for excellence.
Good segregation in the first part of your answer. But prefer not to dump points as you had done in explaining your sub points. Eg “ lack of self motivation, low self esteem, inferiority complex, mental health issues like short attention “
The concluding line is apt
Whistleblowing refers to the act of disclosing secretive information of the institution one works at for it being unethical or illegal. Eg Exposing of Vyapam scam was due to whistleblowers. It’s ethicality differs from a matter of perception :-
1. Edward Snowden blew the whistle on surveillance of CIA on USA citizen.
A. It was deemed ethical due to upholding public morality and preventing a surveillance State impacting right to privacy
B. It was also deemed unethical for being an act of treason, for it made public highly classified information which Snowden was duty bound to protect
2. In 2018, 4 Supreme Court judges gave a press conference on highlighting their concerns over the role of CJI and it’s dispensation of functions specifically being the master of roster
A. The said act can be said to be ethical for ushering some transparency on actual functioning of Supreme Court and strengthening justice delivery mechanism for exposing some ills in the system
B. It was also said to be unethical for it went against the principle of “institutions are bigger than the individual”. By making it public, it reduces the credibility of the Judiciary as a clean institution dispensing justice
From above two examples we see how whistleblowing has differing value judgement based on perception. The need is to ensure following Gandhiji’s teaching. That of following one’s dharma, if an individual believes in his cause and that to be just, he should take up the action of whistleblowing.
While the answer you've written is good, I suggest that try to include something related to civil services. For example,
+Truth versus Loyalty: whether a civil servant should remain loyal to the government or he should speak truth for the interest of the society. It is also a classic dilemma in case of whistle-blowing. So from the perspective of govt it would appear unethical, however from the WB's perspective it is ethical.
Conclusion: ought to be balanced - Whistle-blowing is a brave act of conscience, boundaries are blurred and the resort needs to be taken when alternative avenues are not correcting the situation.
Did my conclusion come across as unbalanced ? Asking so that I could correct it
Yes a tad unbalanced, I felt.
Okay, thank you
10. In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they do not have the first, the other two will kill you.” – Warren BuffettWhat do you understand by this statement in the present-day scenario? Explain.
Marcus Aurelius believed that mind-body-soul were the three parameters which should form the basis of judgement of an individual. The mind signifies intelligence, the body energy and the soul signifies integrity. The above quote uses the same criteria for judging a prospective employee.
Importance of the three qualities
1. Integrity- in an age of stakeholder capitalism and brand activism, employees must be of high integrity to ensure decision making is ethical and moral. Eg PNB scam of issuance of fake Letter of understanding shows perils of decisions done by employees with low integrity
2. Intelligence- as a public servant, presence of emotional intelligence is key to dispensing duty effectively. Eg Ability to motivate team towards uphill disaster relief operation, showing empathy for the vulnerable in district
3. Energy- The fuel that energy provides our body allows us to devote high focus time to dispense our responsibilities. It also indicates the responsibility the individual gives to ones body and health.
Integrity is the aim of a gun, intelligence the bullet, and energy the trigger. A wrong aim can bring about a rogue ammunition capable of disservice to society. Eg Bernard Madoff who used his intelligence and energy to carry a $60 billion ponzi scheme, destroying thousands of family by siphoning their savings.
Hence the need is to cultivate integrity via relevant ethical education, and simultaneous reward to people of integrity to motivate desirable behaviours.
11. Rakesh is a responsible district level officer, who enjoys the trust of his higher officials. Knowing his honesty, the government entrusted him with the responsibility of identifying the beneficiaries under a health care scheme meant for senior citizens.The criteria to be a beneficiary are the following:(a) 60 years of age or above.(b) Belonging to a reserved community.(c) Family income of less than 1 Lakh rupees per annum.(d) Post-treatment prognosis is likely to be high to make a positive difference to the quality of life of the beneficiary.One day, an old couple visited Rakesh’s office with their application. They have been the residents of a village in his district since their birth. The old man is diagnosed with a rare condition that causes obstruction in the large intestine. As a consequence, he has severe abdominal pain frequently that prevents him from doing any physical labour. The couple has no children to support them. The expert surgeon whom they contacted is willing to do the surgery without charging any fee. However, the couple will have to bear the cost of incidental charges, such as medicines, hospitalization, etc., to the tune of rupees one lakh. The couple fulfils all the criteria except criterion ‘b’. However, any financial aid would certainly make a significant difference in their quality of life.How should Rakesh respond to the situation? (250 words)
The above case brings to light the issue faced by public servant in following Weberian bureaucracy of automated bureaucracy based on rules V/S following new public management approach of citizen centric humane approach.
The stakeholders in the case are
1. Old man- facing hardships due to health issue
2. Old women- concerned over her only companion
3. Doctor and the hospital concerned- decision will impact their monetary compensation
4. Rakesh- being true to the responsibility entrusted on him of diligent implementation of the scheme
Rakesh should approach the situation in the following way
A. Make the old couple feel heard and assure them of help which is possible at the earliest
B. Speak to the concerned hospital and request to minimise the cost as far as possible by reducing their profit margin over fixed cost
C. Speak to the concerned doctor and see if the medicine ideally used can be replaced with Jan Aushadhi generic medicine at affordable price
D. Direct a subordinate to cross check the old couple and their criteria fulfilment for enrolling under Ayushman Bharat. If they do, the cost would be taken care of under the scheme
E. If the criteria isn’t fulfilled, then get the said couple in touch with functioning NGO’s in my district who can either fund the medical care, or start a crowdfunding for garnering fund.
Merits of the above approach
1. Making them feel heard and assuring of help is key in new public management approach to dispensing public service
2. Speaking to hospital and doctor will bring down the cost of treatment via generic medicine and reduced profit margin. Forcing them to do it for free will set a wrong trend and against just monetary compensation principle.
3. Involving civil society allows Rakesh to do his duty empathetically while being honest to the rules of the scheme. Will also kickstart stronger civil society link to residents of the village/district
4. Exploring Ayushman Bharat eligibility will help the couple of not only being aware of the scheme, but will yield long term benefit to them for any healthcare needs of theirs
As a civil servant need is to display leadership skill of quick decision making and setting the right precedent for the office and district. Hence adopting the golden mean approach, of helping the old couple without flouting the norms of the scheme or providing personal contribution will set the most ethical precedent under given circumstances.
11. Rakesh is a responsible district level officer, who enjoys the trust of his higher officials. Knowing his honesty, the government entrusted him with the responsibility of identifying the beneficiaries under a health care scheme meant for senior citizens.The criteria to be a beneficiary are the following:(a) 60 years of age or above.(b) Belonging to a reserved community.(c) Family income of less than 1 Lakh rupees per annum.(d) Post-treatment prognosis is likely to be high to make a positive difference to the quality of life of the beneficiary.One day, an old couple visited Rakesh’s office with their application. They have been the residents of a village in his district since their birth. The old man is diagnosed with a rare condition that causes obstruction in the large intestine. As a consequence, he has severe abdominal pain frequently that prevents him from doing any physical labour. The couple has no children to support them. The expert surgeon whom they contacted is willing to do the surgery without charging any fee. However, the couple will have to bear the cost of incidental charges, such as medicines, hospitalization, etc., to the tune of rupees one lakh. The couple fulfils all the criteria except criterion ‘b’. However, any financial aid would certainly make a significant difference in their quality of life.How should Rakesh respond to the situation? (250 words)The above case brings to light the issue faced by public servant in following Weberian bureaucracy of automated bureaucracy based on rules V/S following new public management approach of citizen centric humane approach.
The stakeholders in the case are
1. Old man- facing hardships due to health issue
2. Old women- concerned over her only companion
3. Doctor and the hospital concerned- decision will impact their monetary compensation
4. Rakesh- being true to the responsibility entrusted on him of diligent implementation of the scheme
Rakesh should approach the situation in the following way
A. Make the old couple feel heard and assure them of help which is possible at the earliest
B. Speak to the concerned hospital and request to minimise the cost as far as possible by reducing their profit margin over fixed cost
C. Speak to the concerned doctor and see if the medicine ideally used can be replaced with Jan Aushadhi generic medicine at affordable price
D. Direct a subordinate to cross check the old couple and their criteria fulfilment for enrolling under Ayushman Bharat. If they do, the cost would be taken care of under the scheme
E. If the criteria isn’t fulfilled, then get the said couple in touch with functioning NGO’s in my district who can either fund the medical care, or start a crowdfunding for garnering fund.
Merits of the above approach
1. Making them feel heard and assuring of help is key in new public management approach to dispensing public service
2. Speaking to hospital and doctor will bring down the cost of treatment via generic medicine and reduced profit margin. Forcing them to do it for free will set a wrong trend and against just monetary compensation principle.
3. Involving civil society allows Rakesh to do his duty empathetically while being honest to the rules of the scheme. Will also kickstart stronger civil society link to residents of the village/district
4. Exploring Ayushman Bharat eligibility will help the couple of not only being aware of the scheme, but will yield long term benefit to them for any healthcare needs of theirs
As a civil servant need is to display leadership skill of quick decision making and setting the right precedent for the office and district. Hence adopting the golden mean approach, of helping the old couple without flouting the norms of the scheme or providing personal contribution will set the most ethical precedent under given circumstances.
Your structure for case study is really nice.
+ Integrated Programme for Older Persons under Ministry of Social Justice.
+ Can encourage to make it completely a pro bono surgery as it is a rare condition. District Administration can reward/give commendation letter.
+ Encourage civil society to crowd source funds.
+ This case cannot be taken in isolation as there would be many others in need. Taking this case as a base, he can propose to consider insertion of a sub category for economically weaker section of the society as well.
My observation:
- Answer looks Pub-Adish instead of Ethics. New public management approach - makes it technical. That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
Integrated programme for Older Person is a good addition. Will note it
If you felt it looked like Pub Ad answer, then it must have looked like Pub Ad answer. We don’t get to make representation to our mains paper checker. So just like their view is decisive, I’ll take your view as decisive too.
EI is an ability to understand emotions of self and others as well. eg- gandhiji’s balancing act in Ahmedabad mills strike b/w labours and businessman.How it works for you?
- makes one empathetic toward others.
- makes you self-aware= decision with accurate assessment, confidence...
- enshrine with self regulation= thinking before acting.
- provides motivation for working even in case of failure.
- helps in providing inspirational leadership eg-pm modi
However, it can be slippery slope as it helps in building relations, so sometimes you take decision based on emotions, which can be proved wrong sometimes.
conckusion= following Buddha’s middle path.
Take my feedback as value addition points
1. EI- the ability to identify and manage emotions of oneself and that of others. Good example of Gandhiji
2. How it works for you
A. Self awareness- Helps in identifying emotions which may exist in excess. Eg Aid in recognising fundamentalism and working towards tolerance
B. Self regulation- Buddhist 4 fold path of identifying desire and regulating your behaviour to remove the desires
C. Empathy- being able to understand emotions helps in adhering to spirit of service in public service. Eg Work of DM Raj Yadav in adopting villages for development purpose
3. How lack of EI can work against you
A. Lack of ability to regulate emotions can lead to excessive negative emotion. Eg Anger, greed
B. Low self awareness will perpetuate negative impact on emotions. Eg Prejudice against LGBTQI community
4. Hence we see that EI does help in making emotion work for our benefit. But additionally it also is the ability to motivate team and have an effective social skills to communicate.
5. It’s necessary to cultivate EI in public servant for better dispensing of their duty in an objective fair manner.
14. At the international level, 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 lead to conflicts and tension between the nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples.
National interest refers to those objectives and goals pursued by a nation for the security and overall welfare of its people. Eg Maintaining territorial integrity
Since advent of international politics, nations have pursued relations with other nations for achieving their national interest. This leads to unintended consequences unimagined or uncared for by said nation. Eg USA-Soviet policy on Afghanistan led to Taliban issue of today
The same can also be seen in an era of neo-colonialism in China’s action of pursuing it’s national interests by using debt trap diplomacy in its bilateral relation. Eg 75% of total debt owed by Maldives is to China. This is used to undermine sovereignty of Maldives and creates rift between the two nations.
To remedy this dangerous trend, ethical considerations can help in the following :-
1. Humanity- following the principle of humans as centre of interest, nations like Bangladesh and Myanmar must cooperate and resolve Rohingya issue
2. Principle of non violence- pursuing national interest by leveraging soft power rather than hard power. Eg India’s use of diaspora for pursuing national interest with USA
3. Responsibilities and Accountability- By recognising and undertaking responsibility, developed nation can contribute towards Paris Agreement goal of $100bn fund and technology development. This will alleviate tensions between developed and developing nations
While ethical consideration can alleviate global tension and make world more peaceful and cooperative, thinkers like Kenneth Waltz warn of intrinsic nature of international relation being amoral and power centric.
13. You are heading the rescue operations in an area affected by severe natural calamity. Thousands of people are rendered homeless and deprived of food, drinking water and other basic amenities. Rescue work has been disrupted by heavy rainfall and damage to supply routes. The local people are seething with anger against the delayed limited rescue operations. When your team reaches the affected area, the people there heckle and even assault some of the team members . One of your team members is even severely injured. Faced with this crisis, some team members plead with you to call off the operations fearing threats to their life.In such trying circumstances, what will be your response? Examine the qualities of a public servant which will be required to manage the situation.Confronted with people angry over bad service delivery my response will be
A. Solicit cooperation
1. Communicating with affected residents about reasons for delay such as damage to supply route and steps taken for their rescue time to time through community radio, loud speakers, etc..
2. Request cooperation from residents for quicker rescue operations
B. Boost morale of team members
1. Arrange necessary medical intervention for injured members.
2. Remind them of their call of duty and an opportunity to display their grit and skills
C. Speak to senior officers and relevant departments if air lifting of stranded people can be arranged in given situation.
All in all my entire focus will be successful completion of the mission.
Qualities of a public servant
1. Dedication to the task at hand. No amount of adversity should come on the way of evacuation of victims of the calamity.
2. Compassionately deal with angry people as well as rescue team members
3. Emotional intelligence in terms of channelising motivation, team spirit among members
4. Objective, clear, empathetic decision making keeping in mind the evolving situations
5. Lead by example : work with team members on field to motivate them instead of merely passing directions.Some inputs for qualities:
1. Spirit of Service which promotes the idea that individuals can make a difference and that at any moment you can influence an outcome.
2. Empathy to understand the plight of affected people
3. Persuasive decision making
4. Emotional intelligence to also develop a quick rapport with affected population -establish peace and set things in order.
I am divided about the thought of quoting real life examples of such situation in case studies. What's your opinion?
I think quoting real life examples will lead credibility to your point. It will act as a reinforcer for your points
Realpolitik view international relations solely from the lens of national interest, marked by convergence or divergence of national interest with other nations.
The pursuit of realism lead to competition over natural resources, violation of global norms, conflict over sea lines of communication, and often use of aggressive diplomacy. Eg- China's wolf warrior diplomacy to bend the global order in wake of covid crisis.
Ethical considerations can reslove such tensions in following ways:
1. Enlightened national interest: the objectives and means to achieve the goals are aligned with the larger interest of other nations. I k gujral doctrine to help neighboring nations of india shows the same.
2. Common good: goals are set to achieve global common good. Eg international solar alliance for promoting renewable energy.
3. Rule based global order: UN human right's charter promoted natural justice, hence , reducing atrocities and war crimes.
4. Enhancement of soft power: Japan taking moral responsibility for atrocities committed during world war 2 boost it's prestige and standing in world order.
5. Rights based approach: recently concluded free trade agreement between vietnam and EU compelled vietnam to abolish child labour, upholding rights of children.
Propagation of democratic principles, strengthening multilateral institutions, incorporation of rights in trade deals, etc are required for establishing ethics based international relationships.
Well written answer, 2 things to keep in mind
1. Focus more on bilateral relation example , since that’s the demand
2. On viewing, the answer tilted slightly towards a G.S 2 IR answer than GS 4 answer.
14. At the international level, 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 lead to conflicts and tension between the nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples.NI= goals and ambitions perused for ensuring national security and growth of its people.
During industrialisation of 18th century, national engaged among themselves to attain their national interest which lead to unintended consequences for countries. eg- scarmble for Africa—>poverty, civil wars... same can be seen in contemporary world as well eg- china’s BRI which led to debt of participant countries
Following ethical considerations can help to resolve such tensions
- humanity
- ensuring responsibility and accountability eg- in Paris agreement developed countries are held accountable for pollution and agreed that they’ll assist developing countries technically and financially in reducing pollution level.
in times when signs can be seen of Cold War 2.0, such ethical considerations may help reducing tensions between countries.
1. Good way of showing how national interest dominates from historical to contemporary times
2. Need more examples and points
3. Bring more GS 4 knowledge in the answer
please review above question. Thanks
Your examples are appropriate, and interpretation of the quote is fairly correct.
In questions like these, I personally focus more on the quote and ethical aspect around it. Along with it I sprinkle examples for substantiating. So few aspects of the quote you can probe
1. World is neither white or black, but grey. Similarly decisions aren’t merely evil or good. Eg construction of dam has good benefits of irrigation and evil consequence of displacement
2. It means decisions to be judged in subjectivity->reaffirming moral relativism over moral absolutism
3. Positive of moral relativism. Eg Judging decisions taken by public servant with honest intention (it becomes useful since public servants fear 3C)
4. Issue regarding moral relativism. Eg J&K media policy 2020, Government claims ‘good’ benefits while activist claim evil consequences
5. Way forward- (to each is own, almost all generic way forward are acceptable)
Above question 1. Please give your valuable insights. Thanks.
1. Since it is GS 4, start with a definition/explanation. Explain international relations (IR) in a sentence
2. Alternate structure could be as follows
A. Today’s pillars are- Strength ->interpreted as Force and coercion. Eg China
- Peace->for ones own community, nation etc. Eg Yemen conflict
- Security->territorial. Attained using aggressive methods. Eg Nuclear, military
B. But we should strive for - Societal strength->focussing on HDI and cooperation to improve
- World Peace->via multilateralism
- Human Security->focus on global commons like environment (Paris agreement), terrorism etc
C. Role of India in achieving this (in a line or two)
Let me put you through some thinking process.
First, do not begin an answer with yes I agree or no I don’t agree. Arrive at the conclusion rather than begin from it.
Secondly, think and tell me why all humans aspire for happiness ?
What is the harm in starting an answer with “Yes, I agree to it” or “no, I don’t agree with it”?
I mean by opening an answer with such statement/s, one is able to directly answer the question plus one can conclude the answer by stating the reason why s/he is for or against the statement.
1. “Arriving at a conclusion” is a process, whereby you analyse both sides of the issues and then come to a conclusion based on the analyses. It gives an impression of being rational in making judgments/decisions.
2. Marks is provided based on content and that is what’s important. The only way to showcase that is analysing the issue/question from all aspect. In the end, your actual opinion to the direct question matters very less in the marks given
3. The only exception is an essay. Where you can give a hint about your opinions and let the examiner know where your essay will be headed in the initial part only.
1. “Arriving at a conclusion” is a process, whereby you analyse both sides of the issues and then come to a conclusion based on the analyses. It gives an impression of being rational in making judgments/decisions.
2. Marks is provided based on content and that is what’s important. The only way to showcase that is analysing the issue/question from all aspect. In the end, your actual opinion to the direct question matters very less in the marks given
3. The only exception is an essay. Where you can give a hint about your opinions and let the examiner know where your essay will be headed in the initial part only.
You mentioned “both sides of the issue”.
I am considering that you meant “pros and cons/positives and negatives” there.
Now read this question:-
Hitting a woman is wrong. Do you agree?
Now in this question , will you critically evaluate too like will you give benefits and harms of hitting a woman?
I’m assuming a “No”.
Here one would definitely mention why we shouldn’t hit a woman(negatives of hitting woman) and can also suggest some way forwards that can be adopted to boost woman pride.
so here, the answer to this question can be directly started by saying yes one agree to this statement followed by why one think this way in the body part, is what i believe.
1. In UPSC mains, they are trying to gauge your ability to be able to critically analyse the issue(the theme of the question). Hence a question like “hitting a women is wrong” wont be asked.
2. Let’s assume a question like this is asked, this is the way I’d go about it
Introduction- give the context of why such a question may have been asked (example, a report or data released)
Body- why violence against women occurs and is rampant
- its impact briefly and why it is wrong
- challenges in reducing violence
Conclusion- any form of violence against women is antithetical to the ethos and development of the nation
- way forward
3. You see, if you read my answer you’d get a fair idea that I agree that hitting women is wrong. But I haven’t categorically mentioned it anywhere. I have given the examiner what I think he wants, an analysis on the issue. And in this case my critical analysis will include- reasons for violence + impact of it (why I agree it is bad) + challenges associated in curbing it,
4. You have to take the questions asked in the context of being in an examination and being tested for a purpose.
If 1s close peer in finance dpt of the same comp misappropriates funds of a dormant account 4 urgent medical needs of daughter after exhausting all options ,having no insurance and then discloses it 2 him saying started repaying it,wht shuld b 1 future course of action?? @upsc2020 @rashiv @TheNotorious
Future course of action
1. Talk to your close peer and convince him to voluntarily disclose his attempt at misappropriation
A. If he doesn’t do that, then you must notify relevant authority immediately about the incident and potential misappropriation
2. As@upsc2020 pointed out, since the peer is part of government employment he/she will be covered a health guarantee scheme. So daughter’s health expense will be taken care of
3. If for some vague reason, not covered under insurance then
A. Tell the peer to take a loan on existing collateral
B. Help the friend in a personal capacity via monetary aid/loan
C. Advice the friend to use services of government hospital ->inexpensive
4. Encourage the peer to make use of financial advisory services for better money management in future
It is often said that‘politics’ and ‘ethics’ do not go together.What isyour opinionin this regard?Justifyyour answer with illustrations. Mains 2013
Young people withethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics.Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward. Mains 2017
@upsc2020 and others, how you would have written ans on politics and ethics ? some examples also.
Machiavelli through his writing in Prince began the discourse of amoralisation of politics. He believed that politics and ethics are not intertwined. Politics has its own ethics and morality which must be used by the ruler to protect the State and promote citizen welfare. Eg Russia’s annexation of Crimea on grounds of national security.
The above trend has given rise to power centric politics where politics has become a means to gain power. It has drifted away from its main goal of serving the needs of people, the fundamental principle of Representative democracy.
Gandhiji recognised the perils of complete separation of ethics and politics, and hence was a proponent of
1. Gram sabha- decentralised form of government where community worked for welfare than politics.
2. Role of dharma in politics- Gandhiji believed that all those who engage in politics must stay on the path of dharma, I.e serving needs of antyodaya.
India has shown the path where politics and ethics are combined. In local politics , 6th schedule of the constitution ensures tribals are empowered via decision making powers. In national politics, constitutional morality dictates the political discourse. Eg DPSP serves as guiding light for policy formulation. Lastly in international politics, India has always supported world peace and inclusive development.
It is often said that‘politics’ and ‘ethics’ do not go together.What isyour opinionin this regard?Justifyyour answer with illustrations. Mains 2013
Young people withethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics.Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward. Mains 2017
@upsc2020 and others, how you would have written ans on politics and ethics ? some examples also.
Rousseau proclaimed that the person who would separate politics from ethics will fail to understand both.The main debate about this issue pertains to the choice of meansthat should betaken to pursue the ends. In this regard, it should be noted that politics, without ethics, is purposeless.
Politics, without an ethical base, will only become a means to perpetuate oppression and exploitation.Though it is also true that in the era of coalition politics, criminalisation of politics and diverse demands and aspirations of people, it has become difficult for a politician to be in power on ethical grounds. But, losing ethical grounds for the sake of power leads to the destruction of the basic objective of coming to power. It is only when politics is guided through an ethical framework that the good of the society is produced.
Gandhiji also acknowledged this deep connection between politics and ethics. (There is some quotation also he said). It is ethics which differentiates one political leader from another. For example, Hitler's politics devoid of ethics is an example of inhuman conduct.
Thus, ethics and politics are intertwined at the foundation as "Politics is nothing but ethics in public".
@rashiv
@Agog
Good answer with sound theoretical content. One suggestion, since it’s given justify via illustration, you could have added one distinct contemporary example. I know you’ve mentioned coalition politics + criminalisation, but they might just get missed by the examiner while speed reading it.
Q. Young people with ethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward. (150 words, 10 marks)
Pointers
1. Why youth not joining- Commercialisation of politics. Eg Huge capital required for ticket + campaigning
- Criminalisation of politics- Deters youth
- Dynastic politics- Makes it harder for youth to rely on meritocracy for recognition
- power politics- young people interested in politics for welfare than politics for power. Hence many join NGO, or engage in philanthropy via corporate jobs
- Age factor in politics- most politicians are far beyond being ‘youth’, it underscores the fact that to make a substantial name in politics and change in society requires years of experience
- Monetary compensation- the above factor is further aggravated by the fact that politics is not monetarily rewarding. Hence not a prime option for youth wishing to sustain a family and support his/her parents financially
- Unethical practises- predominant generalisation of politics is “Sam dam dand bhed” as said by Kautilya, becomes untenable for ethically sound youth.
How to motivate - cadre based political parties need to adopted. It automatically rewards meritocracy
- ECI can recommend prominent youth wing unit for national political parties
- Promote clean student politics in higher education to attract youth
- ensuring local panchayat elections are fought by locals/local youth->training ground for national politic
- institutional strengthening to eradicate ills in politics. Eg ECI reforms, judicial fast track court
- aware citizenry to reward merit based/development politics than identity based politics
- popularise role models at all levels.
