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Ethics

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Home/Ethics/Page 2

Mains Answer Writing Latest Questions

Rubi Gautam
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Rubi GautamBegginer
Asked: June 29, 2024In:
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How do you interpret each of the following quotes? “A free, creative individual who can overcome both natural and historical challenges should be the ultimate product of education.” Dr. Radhakrishnan Sarvepalli. (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: moral thinkers & philosophers
  1. Araheen (Rue)
    Araheen (Rue) Begginer

    Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's quote highlights the ultimate goal of education: Education should create free-thinking and innovative individuals. It should empower people to overcome challenges from nature and history. Education needs to foster critical thinking, adaptability, and resilience. It preRead more

    Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s quote highlights the ultimate goal of education:

    • Education should create free-thinking and innovative individuals.
    • It should empower people to overcome challenges from nature and history.
    • Education needs to foster critical thinking, adaptability, and resilience.
    • It prepares people to face environmental and social challenges.
    • True education goes beyond academic knowledge.
    • It shapes individuals who can make positive changes in society.
    • Radhakrishnan sees education as a way to equip people to solve real-world problems creatively and bravely.

    In simpler terms, Radhakrishnan believes that education should produce individuals who can think independently and creatively. These individuals should be equipped to face and overcome both natural and historical challenges. Education should develop critical thinking, adaptability, and resilience, enabling people to address environmental and social issues. Ultimately, true education goes beyond mere academic achievement and prepares individuals to make meaningful contributions to society by solving real-world problems with creativity and courage.

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Vishal Singh
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Vishal SinghBegginer
Asked: June 25, 2024In:
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Corruption is a threat to democracy, and public perceptions of it are a major factor in determining how widespread and detrimental it is. Talk about it. (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: accountability & ethical governance
  1. Anshika Singh
    Anshika Singh Learner

    Corruption is a multifaceted phenomenon, linking multiple issues together such as abuse of entrusted power for private gains, lack of integrity, taking bribes, maladministration, fraud, and nepotism. It is a challenge to democracy in following ways: It tends to threaten the basic social and economicRead more

    Corruption is a multifaceted phenomenon, linking multiple issues together such as abuse of entrusted power for private gains, lack of integrity, taking bribes, maladministration, fraud, and nepotism.

    It is a challenge to democracy in following ways:

    • It tends to threaten the basic social and economic fabric of the country. It will lead to increased poverty and inequality and make the public and private sector dysfunctional.
    • It also leads to rigged economic and political systems and diminishes states capacity and damages institutional efficiency to tackle corruption and other bad governance in the public administration.
    • It leads to political instability and can lead towards civil unrest and political chaos.

    The citizens estimate corruption in several ways, for example, citizens estimate the trustworthiness of the public organizations, social institutions as well the government of the country and in turn their acceptability and hostile attitude as well participation towards corruption shapes up. Further, the citizens watch how frequently the different forms of integrity-violating actions take place in public administrations and how deep rooted they are.

    This estimation and perception of corruption by citizens can have following impact, which is harmful and help in widespread prevalence of corruption due to following reasons:

    • People’s trust and confidence in the control of corruption is decreased if trust in the government in general is weak.
    • People lose trust in leaders, in social systems and public institutions and sometimes even in society and ethics itself when they sense that corruption is widespread and corrupt actors are not being held accountable.
    • When political non-accountability increases, such perceptions persist for protracted periods and political participation diminishes. Moreover, public frustration and the sense that corruption is widespread can in turn pave the way for citizens themselves to take part in corrupt transactions.

    Thus the proper diagnosis of the causes and logic behind corruption play an important role in combating it. Maintenance of diverse forms of citizen participation, independent and self-regulated media, a high level of education, ensuring transparency and accountability will contribute towards a lower level of corruption.

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Umesh Singh
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Umesh SinghBegginer
Asked: June 13, 2024In:
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“One could almost call character the most powerful tool for persuasion.” – Aristotle (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: moral thinkers & philosophers
  1. Tina Singh
    Tina Singh Begginer

    Answer: Persuasion is a technique of social influence. It believes in the voluntary adoption of the visions and ideas by the receivers. Aristotle highlighted three means of persuasion i.e., Ethos (character), Pathos (emotions), and Logos (logic). The first kind depends on the personal character of tRead more

    Answer: Persuasion is a technique of social influence. It believes in the voluntary adoption of the visions and ideas by the receivers. Aristotle highlighted three means of persuasion i.e., Ethos (character), Pathos (emotions), and Logos (logic). The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker; the second on putting the audience into a certain frame of mind; and the third on the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself. Character is believed to be the most effective means of persuasion as can be observed through the following examples:

    • In Mahabharata, the character of Dharamraja Yudhisthira lied to his Guru Dronacharya about the death of his son, Ashwathama. It was the persuasive power of his character, that made everyone including his Guru believe his statement. Thus, it was due to the persuasive power of character that even a lie became the truth.
    • Another prominent example from day-to-day life can be the advertisement industry, which utilizes the character of influential and credible celebrities like film stars, sports persons, etc. to persuade people to sell their products.
    • Further, the character of an individual plays a vital role in bringing social changes in society through persuasion. For instance, the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar led to the abolition of the Sati system and the passing of the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act respectively.
    • On a larger scale, even a nation can be considered to have a character. A nation’s image/character is very important in global politics. It reflects the persuasive power of a nation over other nations on numerous social, economic, and political matters. For instance, India has an image of a nation that believes in peace and cooperation among all countries. It helped India get a waiver from the USA while signing the civil nuclear deal even without rectifying the Non- Non-Proliferation Treaty.

    The other ways of persuasion generally influence people for a temporary period of time and have no ripple effects. Conversely, persuasion based on character is considered to be long-lasting and permanent in nature and thus the most effective way of persuasion as it leads to the internalization of the qualities by the people.

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Veer Singh
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Veer SinghBegginer
Asked: June 28, 2024In:
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Having conscience is a prerequisite for making moral decisions, in addition to consciousness. Give relevant instances to illustrate. (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: determinants & consequences of ethics in human actions
  1. Seerat khurana
    Seerat khurana Begginer

    We as humans, are based on a very complex and multifaceted narrative of emotions where many of these attributes might or might not converge with one another. Consciousness and Conscience are two of the attributes that are inculcated in beings for the functioning of their everyday life but they are oRead more

    We as humans, are based on a very complex and multifaceted narrative of emotions where many of these attributes might or might not converge with one another. Consciousness and Conscience are two of the attributes that are inculcated in beings for the functioning of their everyday life but they are often used interchangeably when they hold distinctive meanings.

    Consciousness refers to awareness about oneself and also of one’s surroundings in all aspects where as Conscience refers to the moral judgement, the knowledge and application of right and wrong. Though consciousness is central to making ethical decisions, conscience also plays an equally vital role in the same. The first step to making an ethical decision is being aware and mindful of the situation but actually moving forward to make a rational ethical decision, one needs to posses the attribute of conscience because it provides us a moral framework and guidance that shapes our interpretation and actions.

    For instance, many people are conscious that burning firecrackers on Diwali causes air, noise and land pollution and it has so many ill effects for the living and the non-living, but choosing to not burn them for the sake of temporary enjoyment and protecting the environment, is a sign of active conscience that helps one make an ethical decision. Another instance for the same could be, many young people are conscious that smoking or drinking are injurious, not just to oneself but could also cause unfortunate events in general for others too, but choosing not to engage in these activities despite peer pressure or social media outraging is the aspect of conscience that drives one to make an ethical decision.

    Therefore, Consciousness and Conscience are related to each other in various aspects, especially in ethical reasoning and decision making but they hold different references. Where Consciousness is the base for ethical reasoning, conscience is what drives us to actually take an action and therefore, it is extremely important to possess conscience along with consciousness for ethical reasoning and decision making.

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Khushi saini
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Khushi sainiLearner
Asked: June 14, 2024In:
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“I see democracy as a system that affords the weak and the powerful equal opportunities.” Gandhi Mahatma (150 words)

upsc: moral thinkers & philosophers
  1. Devendra Singhal
    Devendra Singhal Begginer

    Answer: Mahatma Gandhi was in favor of a stateless society in which life becomes perfect, people never become hindrances to one one-other's routines, and; self-regulation, self-dependency, and mutual cooperation become essential in day-to-day human practices. Given the issues in trying to create sucRead more

    Answer: Mahatma Gandhi was in favor of a stateless society in which life becomes perfect, people never become hindrances to one one-other’s routines, and; self-regulation, self-dependency, and mutual cooperation become essential in day-to-day human practices. Given the issues in trying to create such an order, he supported and advocated democracy. Accepting democracy to be a great institution, Gandhiji laid stress on decreasing the possibility of its misuse. He called for its constant development on the basis of high human values.

    • He laid great stress on individual freedom in democracy. However, he realized that it is justice that along with freedom, provides adaptability, significance, and success to a democracy. Therefore, he advocated the importance and inevitability of social justice.
    • Mahatma Gandhi laid great stress on the decentralization of power to ensure the participation of each and everyone in political and economic spheres.
    • Moreover, on the strength of this participation, common men could also enjoy a standard of living, and along with intellectual growth, they could find a way to achieve equality in society.
    • Through his theory of trusteeship, he wished for healthy social relations among men and on the basis of them desired ending differences between owners and servants.
    • He wished to bring wealth and properties into the domain of Trusteeship with the sole purpose of self-sufficiency of each and every one by ascertaining the supply of essential commodities.

    Therefore, morality occupies a central place in Gandhi’s conception of democracy. It develops a sense of responsibility in human beings on the strength of which they go forward to protect, respect, and honour the rights of each other. Significance of the given quote in contemporary period In a democracy, we often observe that the rights of the weak are sometimes not honoured. For instance:

    • Tribal rights: The state may have, through statutes, ensured recognition of rights for tribals but its is argued by some that its implementation on ground is lacking. Tribals are prone to development induced displacement and additionally, their customary rights are often violated.
    • Fault lines in electoral democracy: Political parties, instead of taking the message of equality and brotherhood to the masses, often use sectarian/caste/regional differences for petty electoral benefits.
    • Social injustice: Despite provisions for economic and social upliftment of the weaker and vulnerable sections of the population, their educational status, standards of living and participation in decision-making are far from optimal.
    • Women representation: Despite the promises, the participation of women in institutions of power and the workforce leaves a lot to be desired.

    The remedy, therefore, is not avoidance of democracy but its constant development.

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Kavita Singh
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Kavita SinghLearner
Asked: June 17, 2024In:
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Ethical corporate governance requires a proper balance between spirit and structure. Discuss. (150 words)

upsc: corporate governance
  1. Abhishek Singh
    Abhishek Singh Learner

    Answer: Corporate Governance represents the value framework, the ethical framework and the moral framework under which business decisions are taken. In other words, the investors want to be sure that not only their capital is handled effectively and adds to the creation of wealth, but the business dRead more

    Answer: Corporate Governance represents the value framework, the ethical framework and the moral framework under which business decisions are taken. In other words, the investors want to be sure that not only their capital is handled effectively and adds to the creation of wealth, but the business decisions are also taken in a manner which is not illegal or does not involve moral hazards. In recent years, corporate governance has received increased attention because of high profile scandals involving abuse of corporate power in some cases, like the IL&FS, Satyam Fraud, Kingfisher Airlines Fraud etc. As a part of ethical corporate governance, it must uphold the rule of law, transparency, accountability and protection of public interest in the management of a company’s affairs in the prevailing global and competitive market milieu. Ethical governance necessitates not only structure but also the right spirit:

    • Ethical governance does not only relate to how the board is constituted and how it performs its role. It encompasses issues of board composition and structure, the board’s remit and the spirit in how it was carried out and the framework of the board’s accountability to its stakeholders. The spirit also includes how credible the appointed board is in drawing inspiration from the company and stakeholders. The ethics of the board members, or the managing director, directly channels into the governance of the company.
    • An effective corporate governance regime not only includes structural provisions for civil or criminal prosecution of individuals who conduct unethical or illegal acts in the name of organizations, but also the spirit, which lies in how quickly action is initiated and processes are invoked for unbiased enquiries and necessary curative measures taken.
    • A right combination of spirit and structure would include ensuring that a code of ethics is not only developed but also endorsed by the board of directors. Most Corporate Governance codes must provide guidance on the process of adopting ethical governance, what parameters decide ethical performances, outline processes and protocols to be followed, guidelines related to kickbacks etc. For instance, the most comprehensive recommendations on the ethics of governance are to be found in the Narayana Murthy Committee report on Corporate Governance.
    • In making ethics work in an organization, it is important that there is synergy between vision statements, mission statements, core values, general business principles and code of conduct. An effective ethics programme requires continual reinforcement of strong values through corresponding structures in an organization.

    Thus, the questions of ethics, or the right way to run a business, are inherent in all aspects of corporate governance. Ethical choices are relevant within the core business strategies that the boards pursue and the way that directs the business as a whole to achieve them.

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Shyamlal Sharma
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Shyamlal SharmaLearner
Asked: June 13, 2024In:
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An ethical workplace culture fosters employee growth in addition to achieving favorable organizational outcomes. (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: work culture
  1. priyanshi
    priyanshi Begginer
Rubi Gautam
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Rubi GautamBegginer
Asked: June 29, 2024In:
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“A person’s mindset can change profoundly when they take action.” To what extent do you concur with the statement? Provide relevant examples to support your response. (Answer in 150 words)

upsc: attitude
  1. Komala shanthi Thota
    Komala shanthi Thota Begginer

    I strongly agree with the statement that action can serve as a catalyst for profound shifts in an individual's attitude. When people actively engage in behaviors or initiatives aligned with their goals or values, it often triggers transformative changes in how they perceive themselves and the worldRead more

    I strongly agree with the statement that action can serve as a catalyst for profound shifts in an individual’s attitude. When people actively engage in behaviors or initiatives aligned with their goals or values, it often triggers transformative changes in how they perceive themselves and the world around them.

    For instance, someone who starts a regular exercise regimen not only improves their physical health but also experiences a shift in attitude towards fitness, from seeing it as a chore to embracing it as a vital part of their lifestyle. Similarly, taking proactive steps in professional development, such as pursuing further education or challenging projects, can lead to increased confidence and a more ambitious outlook on career goals.

    In relationships, actively practicing empathy and communication skills can foster deeper connections with others, transforming one’s attitude towards interpersonal interactions from passive to engaged and understanding. Even actions as simple as adopting environmentally-friendly practices can lead to a heightened sense of environmental responsibility and stewardship.

    Ultimately, through action, individuals not only demonstrate commitment but also open themselves to new perspectives and possibilities. These shifts in attitude often result in more positive, purposeful, and fulfilling lives, driven by proactive engagement with their aspirations and values.

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Shyamlal Sharma
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Shyamlal SharmaLearner
Asked: June 13, 2024In:
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Outline the moral precepts that serve as the foundation for a citizen’s charter. Talk about its efficacy and goal in India as well.(Answer in 150 words)

UPSC: Transparency in Government: Right to Information, Citizen’s Charters
  1. Vishal Singh
    Vishal Singh Begginer

    Answer: The concept of a Citizen's Charter enshrines the trust between the service provider and its users. A Citizen's Charter outlines the service commitment of organizations or service providers towards providing quality, high-standard services, including mechanisms for grievance redressal. EthicaRead more

    Answer: The concept of a Citizen’s Charter enshrines the trust between the service provider and its users. A Citizen’s Charter outlines the service commitment of organizations or service providers towards providing quality, high-standard services, including mechanisms for grievance redressal. Ethical principles on which the Citizen’s Charter is formulated are:

    • Quality: It focuses on improving the quality of services by setting adequate standards. It also specifies what to expect and how to act if the standards are not met.
    • Choice: Wherever possible, it encourages access and promotion of choice.
    • Value: It aims at gaining value for the taxpayers’ money.
    • Accountability: It envisages accountability of the concerned individuals and organizations.
    • Transparency: There is transparency with regard to rules, procedures, schemes, and grievances.

    The purpose of a Citizen’s Charter as outlined by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) are as follows:

    • Citizen-friendly system: To construct a systematic effort to focus on the commitment of an organization towards its citizens.
    • Ensuring accountability: To provide a system of enforcement to monitor the developments and ensure that they are in compliance with the rules.
    • Empowering the citizens: This is done by encouraging the members of the public to express their views freely on the difficulties faced by them in getting their work done in public offices and in availing public services.

    The Citizen’s Charter has increased the participation of the common man in the efficient working of an organization by making the citizens aware of the aims and goals of the organization. Further, it has helped in reducing corruption by ensuring transparency and accountability and has also led to a citizen-friendly system in order to promote good governance. However, there have been certain shortcomings with respect to its effective implementation, such as:

    • Lack of a consultative process: It has become a “one size fits all” document without regular consultation with all the stakeholders.
    • Non-sensitized and untrained staff: Commitments of the Charter cannot be expected to be delivered by a workforce that is unaware of the spirit and content of the Charter.
    • Inadequate publicity of the Charters: In most departments, the Charter has not been given the required publicity.
    • Bureaucratic hurdles: Frequent transfers and reshuffling of the concerned officers at the crucial stages of formulation/implementation of the Citizen’s Charter hamper the progress of the initiative.
    • Unrealistic standards: This has created an unfavorable impression on the users as the high standards that are set in the Charter have not been met.

    A Citizen’s Charter essentially focuses on the rights of the public and the obligations of the public servants. Redesigning, re-engineering, and restructuring the Charter by providing wider consultation and awareness generation through customer surveys and customer Councils, including an external review process, involving and empowering frontline employees and their capacity building through training and building on new skills will be required to make it more dynamic and citizen-friendly.

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Kusum Mehara
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Kusum MeharaBegginer
Asked: June 14, 2024In:
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As the District Magistrate of a district, known for its concentration of coaching centers for both engineering and medical entrance exams, you’ve recently been confronted with a distressing situation. A number of students, around 5, have taken their own lives ...

upsc: ethics case studies
  1. Anshika Singh
    Anshika Singh Learner

    Answer: The given case represents a situation where teenage students are put under immense social and family pressure to perform academically well. The coaching institutes are showing apathy and are motivated only by commercial gains. It also highlights the lackluster approach on the part of the govRead more

    Answer: The given case represents a situation where teenage students are put under immense social and family pressure to perform academically well. The coaching institutes are showing apathy and are motivated only by commercial gains. It also highlights the lackluster approach on the part of the government and district administration to regulate the industry. (a) Stakeholders involved in the case and the ethical issues involved:

    • Students: They face undue pressure to perform irrespective of their interests or aptitude for the exam.
    • Parents/ family: They are more concerned about the marks than the well-being and holistic education of their wards.
    • Society: Upon failing, these students will be tagged as a failure for a lifetime. They do not care for the mental health of children.
    • Coaching institutes: They indulge in undue competition by luring students and making false claims of successful candidates. They also create unnecessary pressure and categorize the students based on their performance, thus, further stigmatizing them.
    • District administration: They could not curb the unethical practices of coaching institutes and the usage of performance-enhancing drugs.
    • Government: Political leaders from the ruling party are running those coaching institutes while the leadership is focused on revenue generation.

    (b) Given the situation, I as the DM can undertake the following course of action:

    • An enquiry committee can be set up to look into the functioning of coaching institutes and their unethical practices and can be reprimanded for the same.
    • Police inquiry needs to be initiated instantly to curb the market of performance-enhancing drugs.
    • A hotline can be started with immediate effect for counseling students who feel depressed or are under undue pressure.
    • A meeting can be conducted with all coaching institutes and they can be sensitized to the seriousness of the matter and instructions can be given to take psychological care of students. Also, it can be made mandatory for each coaching institute to set up a counseling center and hire a psychologist so that students can be counseled if required.
    • Local workshops/meetings with students can be organized with the help of officers of district administrations or local NGOs and they can be assured of all the help and support in the future.
    • The locals providing Paying Guest facilities or rental accommodation to students can also be sensitized in the matter and given instructions on how not to let students be in isolation or report any unusual activity.

    (c) Reasons for increased suicides among students:

    • Family as well as peer pressure to perform is one of the prime reasons. Students usually find it hard to cope with such pressure at such a tender age and get the feeling that failure in such exams is the end of life for them.
    • Isolation is also one of the reasons, as students generally stay away from their parents and their families and they can not find solace in isolation, which further aggravates their feeling of failure and depression.
    • Lack of sensitization among students regarding various career opportunities that exist. Also, the exam-oriented education system can also be a factor driving students towards suicide in case of failure in a particular exam.

    Steps that can be taken in the long term to prevent suicides:

    • Change in the education system as presently it is based on rote learning. Analytical thinking and mindset through a change in the education system will help students realize their potential and will reduce such a burden on their minds. Integration of co-
    • curricular in academia and the establishment of a proper vocational education system will also help in the long run. Another step could be to change the model of the competitive exam-based entrance system in such universities and institutions, as one exam is not enough to judge the caliber of a student. It should be more inclusive and should take other parameters like several years of assessment of students in multidisciplinary learning.
    • Students should be made more aware of different career opportunities in the long run in their schools and colleges and encouraged to participate in community work, which will help them realize that life is much bigger than an exam.

    The Indian education system needs an overhaul where the shift from rote learning to comprehensive learning through the development of critical and analytical thinking should be made.

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