Mains PYQ

The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss.

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.

How will you apply emotional intelligence in administrative practices?

"Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them." – Napoleon Bonaparte. Stating examples mention the rulers (i) who have harmed society and country, (ii) who worked for the

Young people with ethical conduct is not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward.

Examine the relevance of the following in the context of civil service: (a) Transparency (b) Accountability (c) Fairness and justice (d) Courage of conviction (e) Spirit of service.

One of the tests of integrity is complete refusal to be compromised. Explain with reference to a real-life example.

Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organisation. Discuss.

"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. they are father, the mother and the teacher." – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Analyse.

Strength, peace and security are considered to be the pillars of international relations. Elucidate.

Corporate social responsibility makes companies more profitable and sustainable. Analyse.

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.

You are aspiring to become an IAS officer and you have cleared various stages and now you have been selected for the personal interview. On the day of the interview, on the way to the venue you saw an accident where a mother and child who happen to be your relatives were badly injured. They needed immediate help. What would you have done in such a situation? Justify your action. (250 Words)

A building permitted for three floors, while being extended illegally to 6 floors by a builder, collapses. As a consequence, a number of innocent labourers including women and children died. These labourers are migrants of different places. The government immediately announced cash relief to the aggrieved families and arrested the builder. Give reasons for such incidents taking place across the country. Suggest measures to prevent their occurrence. (250 Words)

You are an honest and responsible civil servant. You often observe the following: 1. 1. There is a general perception that adhering to ethical conduct one may face difficulties to oneself and cause problems for the family, whereas unfair practices may help to reach the career goals. 2. 2. When the number of people adopting unfair means is large, a small minority having a penchant towards ethical means makes no difference. 3. 3. Sticking to ethical means is detrimental to the larger developmental goals 4. 4. While one may not involve oneself in large unethical practices, but giving and accepting small gifts makes the system more efficient. 5. 5. Examine the above statements with their merits and demerits. (250 Words)

You are a Public Information Officer (PIO) in a government department. You are aware that the RTI Act 2005 envisages transparency and accountability in administration. The act has functioned as a check on the supposedly arbitrarily administrative behaviour and actions. However, as a PIO you have observed that there are citizens who filed RTI applications not for themselves but on behalf of such stakeholders who purportedly want to have access to information to further their own interests. At the same time there are these RTI activists who routinely file RTI applications and attempt to extort money from the decision makers. This type of RTI activism has affected the functioning of the administration adversely and also possibly jeopardises the genuineness of the applications which are essentially aimed at getting justice. What measures would you suggest to separate genuine and non-genuine applications? Give merits and demerits of your suggestions. (250 Words, 20)