General Studies Paper – 4
Section
A
1.
(b)
Distinguish between “Code of ethics” and “Code of conduct” with suitable
examples.(150 words)
2.
3.
(b)
“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 Buffett
What do you understand by this
statement in the present-day scenario? Explain. (150 words)
4.
(a)
“In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not
prohibited expressly or by clear implication”. Examine the statement with
suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her
duties. (150 words)
(b)
With regard to the morality of actions, one view is that means is
of paramount importance and the other view is that the ends justify the means.
Which view do you think is more appropriate? Justify your answer. (150
words)
5.
(c)
Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public
Administration. (150 words)
6.
(a) “The true rule, in
determining to embrace, or reject anything, is not whether it has any evil in
it; but whether it has more evil than good. There are few things wholly evil or
wholly good. Almost everything, especially of governmental policy, is an
inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgement of the
preponderance between them is continually demanded. ”Abraham Lincoln ( 150
words)
(b) “Anger and intolerance are
the enemies of correct understanding. “ _ Mahatma Gandhi (150 words)
Section B
7. 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.
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)
8. As a senior officer in the Ministry, you have access to
important policy decisions and upcoming big announcements such as road
constructions projects before they are notified in the public domain. The
Ministry is about to announce a mega road project for which the drawings are
already in place. Sufficient care was taken by the planners to make use of the
government land with the minimum land acquisition from private parties.
Compensation rate for private parties was also finalized as per government
rules. Care was also taken to minimize deforestation. Once the project is
announced, it is expected that there will be a huge spurt in real estate prices
in and around that area.
Faced with this situation, what
will you do? Critically examine various conflicts of interest and explain what
your responsibilities are as a public servant. (250 words)
9. It is a State where prohibition is in force. You are
recently appointed as the Superintendent of Police of a district notorious for
illicit distillation of liquor. The illicit liquor leads to many death,
reported and unreported, and causes a major problem for the district
authorities.
Which new approach will you
adopt to bring the problem under control? (250 words)
10. A big corporate house is engaged in manufacturing industrial
chemicals on a large scale. It proposes to set upon the additional unit. Many
states rejected its proposal due to the detrimental effect on the environment.
But one state government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to
a city, brushing aside all opposition.
The unit was set up 10 years
ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial
effluents was affecting the land, water and crops in the area. It was also
causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to
a series of agitation thousands of people took part, creating a law and order
problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the
State government ordered the closure of the factory.
As a senior officer entrusted
with the responsibility of handling this issues, how are you going to address
it? (250 words)
11. Dr X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has
set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a
super-speciality hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all
sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been
neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region.
There are two options before
you:
1) Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and
ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature.
2) Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether
substantial or merely technical.
As the head of the tax agency,
which course of action will you opt and why? (250 words)
12. Edward Snowden, a computer expert and former CIA administrator,
released confidential Government documents to the press about the existence of
Government surveillance programmes. According to many legal experts and the US
Government, his action violated the Espionage act of 1971, which identified the
leak of State secret as an act of treason. Yet, despite the fact that he broke
the law, Snowden argued that he had a moral obligation to act. He gave a
justification for his “whistle blowing” by stating that he had a duty “to
inform the public as to that which is done in there name and that which is done
against them.”
According to Snowden, the
Government’s violation of privacy had to be exposed regardless of legality
since more substantive issues of social action and public morality were
involved here. Many agreed with Snowden. Few argued that he broke the law and
compromised national security, for which he should be held accountable.
Do you agree that Snowden’s
actions were ethically justified even if legally prohibited? Why or why not?
Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case (250 words
)
கேள்விக்கான பதில்கள்
Section B
7. 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)
8. As a senior officer in the Ministry, you have access to
important policy decisions and upcoming big announcements such as road
constructions projects before they are notified in the public domain. The
Ministry is about to announce a mega road project for which the drawings are
already in place. Sufficient care was taken by the planners to make use of the
government land with the minimum land acquisition from private parties.
Compensation rate for private parties was also finalized as per government
rules. Care was also taken to minimize deforestation. Once the project is
announced, it is expected that there will be a huge spurt in real estate prices
in and around that area.
Meanwhile, the Minister
concerned insists that you realign the road in such a way that it comes closer
to his 20 acres farmhouse. He also suggests that he would facilitate the
purchase of a big plot of land in your wife name at the prevailing rate which
is very nominal, in and around the proposed mega road project. He also tries to
convince you by saying that there is no harm in it as he is buying the land
legally. He even promises to supplement your savings in case you do not have
sufficient funds to buy the land. However, by the act of realignment, a lot of
agricultural lands has to be acquired, thereby causing a considerable financial
burden on the government, and also the displacement of the farmers. As if this
is not enough, it will involve cutting down of a large number of trees denuding
the area of its green cover.
Faced with this situation, what
will you do? Critically examine various conflicts of interest and explain what
your responsibilities are as a public servant. (250 words)
9. It is a State where prohibition is in force. You are
recently appointed as the Superintendent of Police of a district notorious for
illicit distillation of liquor. The illicit liquor leads to many death,
reported and unreported, and causes a major problem for the district
authorities.
The approach till now had been
to view it as a law and order problem and tackle it accordingly. Raids, arrest,
police cases, and criminal trials – all these had only limited impact. The
problem remains as serious as ever.
Your inspections show that the
parts of the district where the distillation flourishes are economically,
industrially and educationally backward. Agriculture is badly affected by poor
irrigation facilities. Frequent clashes among communities gave boost to illicit
distillation. No major initiatives had taken place in the past either from the
government’s side or from social organizations to improve the lot of the
people.
Which new approach will you
adopt to bring the problem under control? (250 words)
10. A big corporate house is engaged in manufacturing industrial
chemicals on a large scale. It proposes to set upon the additional unit. Many
states rejected its proposal due to the detrimental effect on the environment.
But one state government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to
a city, brushing aside all opposition.
The unit was set up 10 years
ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial
effluents was affecting the land, water and crops in the area. It was also
causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to
a series of agitation thousands of people took part, creating a law and order
problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the
State government ordered the closure of the factory.
The closure of the factory
resulted in the unemployment of not only those workers who were engaged in the
factory but also those who were working in the ancillary units. It also very
badly affected those industry which depended on the chemicals manufactured by
it.
As a senior officer entrusted
with the responsibility of handling this issues, how are you going to address
it? (250 words)
11. Dr X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has
set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a
super-speciality hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all
sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been
neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region.
You are heading the tax
investigation agency of that region. During an inspection of the doctor’s
clinic, your officers have found out some major irregularities. A few of them
are substantial which had resulted in considerable withholding of tax that
should be paid by him now. The doctor is cooperative. He undertakes to pay the
tax immediately.
However, there are certain
other deficiencies in his tax compliance which are purely technical in nature.
If these technical defaults are pursued by the agency, considerable time and
energy of the doctor will be diverted to issues which are not so serious,
urgent or even helpful to the tax collection process. Further, in all
probability, it will hamper the prospects of the hospital coming up.
There are two options before
you:
1) Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and
ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature.
2) Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether
substantial or merely technical.
As the head of the tax agency,
which course of action will you opt and why? (250 words)
12. Edward Snowden, a computer expert and former CIA administrator,
released confidential Government documents to the press about the existence of
Government surveillance programmes. According to many legal experts and the US
Government, his action violated the Espionage act of 1971, which identified the
leak of State secret as an act of treason. Yet, despite the fact that he broke
the law, Snowden argued that he had a moral obligation to act. He gave a
justification for his “whistle blowing” by stating that he had a duty “to
inform the public as to that which is done in there name and that which is done
against them.”
According to Snowden, the
Government’s violation of privacy had to be exposed regardless of legality
since more substantive issues of social action and public morality were
involved here. Many agreed with Snowden. Few argued that he broke the law and
compromised national security, for which he should be held accountable.
Do you agree that Snowden’s
actions were ethically justified even if legally prohibited? Why or why not?
Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case (250 words
)
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