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UPSC CSE Mains 2019 — Ethics Questions with Answers

All 10 Ethics previous-year questions from UPSC CSE Mains 2019, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Practise them as a free, timed mock test with instant scoring.

1. Q1.Civil Service Values

   (a) What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three with suitable examples. (b) What do you understand by the term 'public servant'? Reflect on the expected role of a public servant.

2. Q2.Probity in Governance

   (a) Effective utilization of public funds is crucial to meet development goals. Critically examine the reasons for under-utilization and mis-utilization of public funds and their implications. (b) "Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption." Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.

3. Q3.Ethics & Human Interface

   (a) What is meant by the term 'constitutional morality'? How does one uphold constitutional morality? (b) What is meant by 'crisis of conscience'? How does it manifest in the public domain?

4. Q4.Ethics & Human Interface

   (a) Explain the basic principles of the citizens' charter movement and bring out its importance. (b) There is a view that the Official Secrets Act is an obstacle to the implementation of the Right to Information Act. Do you agree with the view? Discuss.

5. Q5.Emotional Intelligence

   (a) What do you understand by probity in governance? Based on your understanding of the term, suggest measures for ensuring probity in government. (b) "Emotional intelligence is the ability to make your emotions work for you instead of against you." Do you agree with this view? Discuss.

6. Q6.Moral Thinkers

   What do each of the following quotations mean to you? (a) "An unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates. (b) "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." - M.K. Gandhi. (c) "Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world." - A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

7. Q7.Civil Service Values

   Honesty and uprightness are the hallmarks of a civil servant; those possessing these qualities are considered the backbone of any strong organisation. In the line of duty they take various decisions, at times some becoming bona fide mistakes. As long as such decisions are not taken intentionally and do not benefit personally, the officer cannot be said to be guilty, though such decisions may lead to unforeseen adverse long-term consequences. In the recent past, a few instances have surfaced where civil servants were implicated for bona fide mistakes—often prosecuted and even imprisoned—greatly rattling the moral fibre of civil servants. How does this trend affect the functioning of civil services? What measures can be taken to ensure that honest civil servants are not implicated for bona fide mistakes? Justify your answer.

8. Q8.Ethics & Human Interface

   An apparel manufacturing company with a large number of women employees was losing sales due to various factors. The company hired a reputed marketing executive who increased sales within a short span. However, some unconfirmed reports came up regarding his indulgence in sexual harassment at the workplace. After some time a woman employee lodged a formal complaint against him for sexually harassing her. Faced with the company's indifference in not taking cognizance of her grievance, she lodged an FIR with the police. Realizing the sensitivity and gravity of the situation, the company called the woman employee to negotiate, offered her a hefty sum to withdraw the complaint and FIR, and to give in writing that the marketing executive is not involved. Identify the ethical issues involved in this case. What options are available to the woman employee?

9. Q9.Civil Service Values

   In a modern democratic polity there is a concept of political executive and permanent executive. Elected people's representatives form the political executive and the bureaucracy forms the permanent executive. Ministers frame policy decisions and bureaucrats execute them. In the initial decades after independence, the relationship between the two was characterized by mutual understanding, respect and cooperation without encroaching on each other's domain. In subsequent decades the situation has changed, with instances of the political executive insisting that the permanent executive follow its agenda. Respect for upright bureaucrats has declined, and there is an increasing tendency of the political executive to get involved in routine administrative matters such as transfers and postings. There is a definite trend towards 'politicization of bureaucracy', and rising materialism and acquisitiveness have adversely impacted the ethical values of both. What are the consequences of this 'politicization of bureaucracy'? Discuss.

10. Q10.Probity in Governance

    In recent times there has been increasing concern in India to develop effective civil service ethics, codes of conduct, transparency measures, ethics and integrity systems, and anti-corruption agencies. There is a need to focus on three specific areas directly relevant to internalizing integrity and ethics in the civil services: (i) anticipating specific threats to ethical standards and integrity in the civil services; (ii) strengthening the ethical competence of civil servants; and (iii) developing administrative processes and practices which promote ethical values and integrity in civil services. Suggest institutional measures to address the above three issues.