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UPSC CSE Mains 2023 — Ethics Questions with Answers

All 7 Ethics previous-year questions from UPSC CSE Mains 2023, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Practise them as a free, timed mock test with instant scoring.

1. Q1.Probity in Governance

   (a) What do you understand by 'moral integrity' and 'professional efficiency' in the context of corporate governance in India? Illustrate with suitable examples. (b) 'International aid' is an accepted form of helping 'resource-challenged' nations. Comment on 'ethics in contemporary international aid'. Support your answer with suitable examples.

2. Q2.Probity in Governance

   (a) "Corruption is the manifestation of the failure of core values in the society." In your opinion, what measures can be adopted to uplift the core values in the society? (b) In the context of work environment, differentiate between 'coercion' and 'undue influence' with suitable examples.

3. Q3.Moral Thinkers

   Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? (a) "The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." - Mahatma Gandhi. (b) "To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves." - Jawaharlal Nehru. (c) "Do not hate anybody, because that hatred which comes out from you must, in the long run, come back to you. If you love, that love will come back to you, completing the circle." - Swami Vivekananda.

4. Q4.Emotional Intelligence

   (a) "What really matters for success, character, happiness and lifelong achievements is a definite set of emotional skills - your EQ - not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests." Do you agree with this view? Give reasons in support of your answer. (b) Differentiate 'moral intuition' from 'moral reasoning' with suitable examples.

5. Q5.Probity in Governance

   (a) Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision making? Discuss. (b) 'Probity is essential for an effective system of governance and socio-economic development.' Discuss.

6. Q6.Moral Thinkers

   (a) What were the major teachings of Guru Nanak? Explain their relevance in the contemporary world. (b) Explain the term social capital. How does it enhance good governance?

7. Q7.Ethics & Human Interface

   Vinod is an honest and sincere IAS officer who has recently taken over as Managing Director of the State Road Transport Corporation, his sixth transfer in the past three years. His peers acknowledge his vast knowledge, affability and uprightness. The Chairman of the Corporation is a powerful politician very close to the Chief Minister. Vinod learns of many alleged irregularities of the Corporation and the high-handedness of the Chairman in financial matters. A Board Member belonging to the Opposition Party hands over documents and a video recording in which the Chairman appears to be demanding a bribe for placing a huge order for the supply of QMR tyres; Vinod recollects the Chairman expediting the clearing of pending bills of QMR tyres. Vinod confronts the Board Member as to why he is shying away from exposing the Chairman with the solid proof; the member says the Chairman refuses to yield to his threats, that Vinod may earn recognition and public support by exposing him, and that once his party comes to power, Vinod's professional growth would be assured. Vinod is aware that he may be penalized and transferred to a distant place if he exposes the Chairman, that the Opposition Party stands a better chance of coming to power, and that the Board Member is trying to use him for his own political gains. (a) As a conscientious civil servant, evaluate the options available to Vinod. (b) In the light of the above case, comment upon the ethical issues that may arise due to the politicization of bureaucracy.