UPSC Mains Public/Civil Service Values & Ethics in Public Administration
Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

To achieve holistic development, a civil servant acts as an enabler and active facilitator of growth rather than a regulator. What specific measures will you suggest to achieve this goal?

What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples.

What do you understand by the term 'public servant'? Reflect on the expected role of public servant.

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

"Max Weber said that it is not wise to apply to public administration the sort of moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realize that the state bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality." Critically analyse this statement.

There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide ranging impact on society and environment. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence to handle such responsibility?

A business house is working on a project that could displace a forest community from their habitat. As the administrative officer of that district, what ethical challenges are you likely to face?

An endangered tribe has developed a severe skeletal deformity. A university research has identified a mineral supplement as a possible remedy, though clinical trials are yet to be conducted. Should the District Magistrate (DM) use this research on the tribe? Discuss from the perspective of medical and administrative ethics.

Discuss how national security can be balanced with concerns of human rights.

Keeping the national security in mind, examine the ethical dilemmas related to controversies over environmental clearance of development projects in ecologically sensitive border areas in the country.

"For any kind of social re-engineering by successfully implementing welfare schemes, a civil servant must use reason and critical thinking in an ethical framework." Justify this statement with suitable examples.

"The application of Artificial Intelligence as a dependable source of input for administrative rational decision-making is a debatable issue." Critically examine the statement from the ethical point of view.

Global warming and climate change are the outcomes of human greed in the name of development, indicating the direction in which extinction of organisms including human beings is heading towards loss of life on Earth. How do you put an end to this to protect life and bring equilibrium between the society and the environment?

"The concept of Just and Unjust is contextual. What was just a year back, may turn out to be unjust in today's context. Changing context should be constantly under scrutiny to prevent miscarriage of justice." Examine the above statement with suitable examples.

Online methodology is being used for day-today meetings, institutional approvals in the administration and for teaching and learning in education sector to the extent telemedicine in the health sector is getting popular with the approvals of the competent authority. No doubt, it has advantages and disadvantages for both the beneficiaries and the system at large. Describe and discuss the ethical issues involved in the use of online method particularly to the vulnerable section of the society.

Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example.

Impact of digital technology as reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with suitable example.

Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley bound by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational policy should it resort to in dealing with unforeseen contingencies

Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public Administration.

We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace.

Write a short note on - Conflict of interest

What is meant by conflict of interest? Illustrate with examples, the difference between the actual and potential conflicts of interest.

Conflict of interest in the public sector arises when (a) official duties, (b) public interest, and(c) personal interest are taking priority one above the other. How can this conflict in administration be resolved? Describe with an example.

Public servants are likely to confront with the issues of "Conflict of Interest". What do you understand by the term "Conflict of Interest" and how does it manifest in the decision making by public servants? If faced with the conflict of interest situation how would you resolve it? Explain with the help of examples.

Usually schools, working in remote areas, do not fully comply with government regulations. However, if the rules are enforced strictly, it would lead to most schools closing down. How should an administrator strike a balance between enforcement of rules and educational rights of children?

"Mindless addiction to Form, ignoring the Substance of the matter, results in rendering of injustice. A perceptive civil servant is one who ignores such literalness and carries out true intent." Examine the above statement with suitable illustrations.

The soul of the new law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is Justice, Equality and Impartiality based on Indian culture and ethos. Discuss this in the light of major shift from a doctrine of punishment to justice in the present judicial system.

Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision making? Discuss.

The Rules and Regulations provided to all the civil servants are same, yet there is difference in the performance. Positive minded officers are able to interpret the Rules and Regulations in favour of the case and achieve success, whereas negative minded officers are unable to achieve goals by interpreting the same rules and regulations against the case. Discuss with illustrations.

Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them

What is meant by 'crisis of conscience'? How does it manifest itself in the public domain?

"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.

"A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also have to have a well developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties" Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically.

What do you understand by the term 'voice of conscience'? How do you prepare yourself to heed to the voice of conscience?

What is meant by 'crisis of conscience'? Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and how you resolved the same.

"Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and adherence to the rule of law." Examine the significance of constitutional morality for public servants, highlighting its role in promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration.

Write a short note on - Constitutional morality

What is meant by the term 'constitutional morality'? How does one uphold constitutional morality?

What is meant by public interest? What are the principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest?

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.

Explain the term social capital. How does it enhance good governance?

Wisdom lies in knowing what to reckon with and what to overlook. An officer being engrossed with the periphery, ignoring the core issues before him, is not rare in the bureaucracy. Do you agree that such preoccupation of an administrator leads to travesty of justice to the cause of effective service delivery and good governance? Critically evaluate.

What do you understand by the terms - 'governance', 'good governance' and 'ethical governance'?

What does 'accountability' mean in the context of public service? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability of public servants?

"In Indian culture and value system, an equal opportunity has been provided irrespective of gender identity. The number of women in public service has been steadily increasing over the years." Examine the gender-specific challenges faced by female public servants and suggest suitable measures to increase their efficiency in discharging their duties and maintaining high standards of probity.

Discuss the role of ethics and values in enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National Power (CNP) viz. human capital, soft power (culture and policies) and social harmony.

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

It is often said that 'politics' and 'ethics' do not go together. What is your opinion in this regard? Justify your answer with illustrations.

In international relations, ethical considerations are often subjugated to the strategic interests of nation-states. Discuss this from an ethical perspective.

Carl von Clausewitz once said, "War is a diplomacy by other means." Critically analyse the above statement in the present context of contemporary geo-political conflict.

"It is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it; and it is not enough to believe in it, one must act upon it." In the present context, the major weapon industries of the developed nations are adversely influencing continuation of number of wars for their own self-interest, all around the world. What are the ethical considerations of the powerful nations in today's international arena to stop continuation of ongoing conflicts?

'International aid' is an accepted form of helping 'resource-challenged' nations. Comment on 'ethics in contemporary international aid'. Support your answer with suitable examples.

Russia and Ukraine war has been going on for the last seven months. Different countries have taken independent stands and actions keeping in view their own national interests. We are all aware that war has its own impact on the different aspects of society, including human tragedy. What are those ethical issues that are crucial to be considered while launching the war and its continuation so far? Illustrate with justification the ethical issues involved in the given state of affair.

"Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation." Examine the statement with reference to ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society.

'The will to power exists, but it can be tamed and be guided by rationality and principles of moral duty.' Examine this statement in the context of international relations.

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

At the international level, bilateral relations between most nations are governed on the policy of promoting one's own national interest without any regard for the interest of other nations. This leads to conflicts and tension between the nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples.

What do you understand by 'moral integrity' and 'professional efficiency' in the context of corporate governance in India? Illustrate with suitable examples.

In contemporary world, corporate sector's contribution in generating wealth and employment is increasing. In doing so, they are bringing in unprecedented onslaught on the climate, environmental sustainability and living conditions of human beings. In this background, do you find that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is efficient and sufficient enough to fulfill the social roles and responsibilities needed in the corporate world for which the CSR is mandated? Critically examine.

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