Q1.
COMPASSION AS A VIRTUE OFTEN COMES IN CONFLICT WITH THE SACRED
DUTY OF UPHOLDING LAW OF THE LAND. ELUCIDATE.
Compassion is an understanding and active desire to alleviate another's suffering. It is
characterised by, 'kindness and perseverance' ; 'patience and wisdom'; and 'warmth and
resolve'.
While law is an instrument to regulate behaviour such that bad actions are prevented and
penalised and good actions are promoted. But sometimes these two things come at
loggerheads. It leads to ethical dilemmas and crisis of conscience and supporting one could
possibly corrupt the other virtue.
Plausible examples as how a conflict might emerge between duty and compassion :
1. A Superintendent of Jail might have a compassionate attitude towards undertrials but
law mandates that they should be put behind bars And should be dealt in Same
capacity as other inmates until and trial is completed.
2. In the recent Covid 19 pandemic , we have seen Police personnel enforcing strict
lockdowns but at individual level they might think that migrants should reach their
loved ones in this crisis time.
3. A judge might be compassionate towards a women, who is a victim of Marital rape.
But the judge can't penalise the accused husband as an exception to Section 375 of
IPC doesn't allow prosecution of the husband.
4. Further a ration shop owner in Odisha is unable to offer entitled foodgrains to a
woman because her identity can't be verified as she lost her fingerprints to
Tuberculosis.
5. The DM of the district may be compassionate towards tribal people and migrants. But
she can't help them with the benefits of various Schemes as they lack required
documents.
However, this is not the whole picture. Indian law is itself based on virtues like Compassion.
ARTICLE 51 A(g) advocates compassion towards all living creatures.
However, both compassion and duty could be combined in an innovative way.
For ex : IAS Officer Krishna Teja won hearts by organising a rescue effort that saved not
only 2.5 lakh people but also 12000 cattle during catastrophic Kerala Floods, 2018.
Thus , creativity and innovation can help to balance the wheels of Compassion and Rule of
law. They are not antithetical but complementary to each other. It must be noted that Law is
itself a manifestation of ethical values like Compassion..
Q2. LEADERSHIP IS NOT JUST A VALUE OF POLITICAL SPHERE BUT THAT OF CIVIL
SERVICES TOO. LIST OUT FIVE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES A CIVIL SERVANT MUST
HAVE. DESCRIBE THEIR IMPORTANCE IN ENHANCING PUBLIC INTEREST.
Leadership is a relationship between people. It's a quality of an individual to ethically
influence others. Further, effective leadership hinges upon traits like proper understanding
of ethics, capacity to serve as a role model and ability to build trust as trust is regarded as
'glue of leadership'.
Expected Leadership Qualities of a Civil Servant and their importance in enhancing
public interest is as follows:
1.A Good Listener
Being a good listener helps understanding the public issues comprehensively from various
perspectives, thereby reaching better decision making.
2.Long term Vision
Dr Rajendra Bharud, DC of Nandurbar holds the distinction of cutting Nandurbar’s
single-day COVID-19 spike by 75 per cent by making the district self-sufficient in its oxygen
requirement during the second wave of Covid-19.
3.Lead by example
Rajendra Bhatt, IAS, widely known for the Bhilwara Model,which is a multi-level plan that
successfully curbed the community spread of COVID-19 in the hotspot district,later emulated
by many other districts in India.
4.Leading not just from front but also from back
A civil servant by delegating work to other employees in accordance with their capabilities
can usher fusion of organisational goals with that of individual goals.
5.Consistent ethical behaviour
Consistent highest standards of ethical behaviour builds trust in public servants and thereby
in public institutions.
E.g. People's Road in Manipur built by Armstrong Pame by catalysing public trust.
6.Sociability
Sociability helps in bridging the hiatus between common citizens and public servants
thereby making governance participative.
Thus a civil servant with good leadership qualities can help in achieving public interest by
employing team spirit and public trust. As per John C. Maxwell " A leader is the one who
knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”.
Q.3. WHAT DOES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MEAN TO YOU?
"SCHOOL IS A BUILDING THAT HAS FOUR WALLS WITH TOMORROW INSIDE"..
- LON WATTERS
School is the first formal agency of socialisation. It is undoubtedly one of the most
powerful institutions moulding the character of children. It determines the future of
individuals, nations and humanity at large.
Above-mentioned quote emphasises how education prepares individuals for the future
(figuratively called "tomorrow"). The school provides the child with the avenues for all around
development of personality in myriad ways such as:
1)Vocational competencies:
E.g. Earn While Learn Scheme equipping students with gardening skills
2)Social and civic competencies:
E.g. Tryst with cleanliness in School Picnic
3)Affective and emotional competencies:
E.g. Respect for girls through role plays in annual gatherings.
4)Personal competencies:
E.g. Disciplined attitude of Students from Sainik Schools.
Apart from it, schools also play an important role in building strong human capital and
help countries like India to leverage its demographic dividend. Hence, Schools also
determine the future of nations and their global standing.
Recently released New Education Policy 2020 also recognised this vital role played by
schools. It has introduced reforms like Activity based learning ,Vocational integration, Social
and Emotional learning, critical reasoning and out of the box thinking.
Thus, a society needs to recognise that today's children are tomorrow's promising
enterprise. Today if we do not equip them with necessary skills, then they are most likely to
be trapped in the vicious cycles of poverty, unemployment and crime and other such
anti-social activities. Hence, there must be concerned efforts towards strengthening the
primary and secondary education system. Then only we can fulfil the Constitutional mandate
under Article 21: 'Free and Compulsory education for all'.
Q.4. WHAT DOES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MEAN TO YOU?
"Right is prior to good."
-John Rawls
In the course of ethical and moral living an individual often faces dilemmas in decision
making. Sometimes even all the options available before an individual are equally important.
In such situations, the above quote of John Rawls helps us in identifying the way forward
and can be interpreted in the following ways.
One should choose what is ethically justifiable and morally desirable over what appeals
to the personal interest. It might also entail choosing a difficult path over a convenient
but an unethical one. Further it also prefers sanctity of means over ends and fair
procedures over outcomes.
For example,
1. Choosing what is desirable over what is in personal benefit: doctors performing
prenatal sex determination tests for short term monetary benefits goes against
desirability of upholding rule of law.
2. Choosing difficult path over unethical acts: IAS officer Ashok Khemka chose
frequent transfers and thereby personal hardships to uphold public interest over
submitting to political pressures. Even Mahatma Gandhi held that, "the path of truth
is as narrow as it is straight."
3. Choosing means over ends: Deontological ethics proposes the primacy of means
over ends. For instance Gandhi argued that,if we sow the seeds of "babool", there
is no way we can reap the fruits of "mangoes".
4. Choosing fair procedures: John Rawls has also emphasised on fair procedures as
the foundational principles of justice. E.g. In the Hyderabad Disha encounter case,
Police could have resorted to justice through judiciary, rather than speedy justice
through encounters.
In this way Rawls has shown us the light to come out from the darkness of ethical dilemmas
and thereby clearing our crisis of conscience. Rawl's suggestion helps us to reach better
decisions.
Q.5. What do you mean by Conscience and Crisis of Conscience? Describe the ways
and means to deal with the crisis of conscience.
Conscience is called "voice within" or "inner light", that shapes an individual's perception
of right and wrong. It is a source of ethical decision in morally misguided situations.
However, a crisis of conscience is a situation where it becomes very difficult to decide what
is the right thing to do. It is a situation of moral dissonance and discomfort. E.g. Arjuna in
Mahabharata was unable to decide whether to go for a just war against his own brothers or
not. Apart from it, a person also faces a crisis of conscience when he/she thinks that he/she
has done something unfair or morally wrong. E.g. King Ashoka's penance after his victory
over Kalinga at huge cost of human lives.
Ways and means to deal with the crisis of conscience: The teachings of Baha’i faith
gives us three clear guidelines for dealing with any crisis of conscience:
1. Equity and Justice: First and foremost principle to guide our actions. John Rawls also
calls 'justice as a first virtue.' Hence, whatever decisions we may take, they should be fair
and just.
2. Mercy and kindness: This will ensure that those at disadvantaged positions will not be
adversely affected by our actions. As advocated by Gandhi's Talisman, the last man
standing in the proverbial queue should benefit from my actions.
3. Compassionate towards all humankind:
An urge to reduce the sufferings of others can guide us in the right direction. Even Article
51A of the Constitution of India advocates for compassion towards living creatures. Thus,
having a bigger heart which is kind towards others will sail through any crisis, including crisis
of conscience.
Apart from it, moral reflection on one's conduct can also help in resolving crises of
conscience. For example we need to ask ourselves questions like, is my action consistent
with the rule of law? Can I justify doing it? What would be the outcome of my
decision? etc. By answering these questions, we can reach better decisions and clear our
crisis of conscience.
Thus, conscience is not just a feeling or an emotion but an intellectual decision and by
aligning conscience with the values of equality, dignity and the rule of law, one can deal with
a situation of crisis of conscience.
Q.6. Examine the importance of the following in the context of civil service:
(a) Spirit of service
(b) Honesty
(c) Impartiality
(d) Compassion
There are certain values which are essential components of organisational culture of civil
services. Some of them are mentioned below:
(a) Spirit of service
It is referred to as the cornerstone of public service. It is a quality of being committed and
devoted towards public service without any self-motives.
It helps in:
1.Achieving public good with the initiative of a single person.
E.g. Efforts of an IAS Officer Abhilasha Kumari Sharma in Bihar, breathed new life into a
dying river called Lakhandei.
2. Immune the system from evils of corruption, red tapism and unholy nexuses.
(b) Honesty
Honesty is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as
integrity, truthfulness, loyalty, fairness and sincerity, along with the absence of cheating and
being corrupt.
Its ensure:
1.Transparent and accountable governance by promoting openness.
2. It empowers civil servants by enabling them to develop consistency in their performance.
E.g. U. Sagayam, an IAS officer, known for his non-tolerant attitude towards corruption, led a
crusade against illegal mining of granite in Madurai and prevented loss to public exchequer.
(c) Impartiality
It is a principle of justice which means acting solely according to the merits of the case and
serving governments of different political parties and the general public equally well and in
the same spirit.
It helps in:
1.Generating public confidence in administration against political influence.
2. Generating trust among the ministers that their order would be carried faithfully.
(d) Compassion
It's an understanding and an active desire to alleviate the sufferings of others. It's showing
kindness without expecting anything in return.
Its importance lies in:
1.Understanding the needs of the marginalized sections and thereby making policies more
targeted.
2. It helps to deliver services efficiently and thereby reaches the goal of 'Antyodaya' (the
rise of the last person) and 'Sarvodaya' (Upliftment of all).
E.g. Free medicine campaign by 'Medicine Man',Dr Samit Sharma, an IAS officer to ensure
access to generic medicines to all.
To sum up, there remains a vast area of administrative discretion, which can't be controlled
by formal laws and rules. The aforementioned public service values ensure automatic control
on civil servants by enforcing internal accountability.
Q.7. How do the values of tolerance and objectivity get manifested in public service?
Explain with examples.
Tolerance is being patient, understanding and accepting anything different, without adverse
reaction. It is having "harmony in difference."
While, objectivity is a quality of being true independently, free from individual biases,
perceptions and emotions. It is regarded as a tenet of justice, where decisions and actions
are taken on merits of the case.
Manifestation in public service:
(A) Tolerance
1.It will ensure one's views are not imposed on others.Thus helps to involve the views of
subordinates to reach better decisions.
2. It allows public servants to hear the criticisms, in a constructive way.
E.g. Media channels highlighting the lapses in investigation of a case, can be taken as an
opportunity to introspec by an IPS officer.
3. It makes accomodation easier with different cultures and societies prevalent in a diverse
country like India.
E.g. An IAS officer from South India might face difficulty in serving in North India. But having
a tolerant attitude can make his job easier.
(B) Objectivity
1.Objectivity in public services can be seen in the form of adherence to rationality, legality
and to proven standards, procedures and norms, that serves the public interest.
2. It helps to sail through the situations of ethical dilemma, by taking decisions based on
observations.
3. It also manifests in the form of complimenting other values like integrity, impartiality, non
partisanship, tolerance and compassion in governance.
4.It enhances transparency in the public domain and also helps to overcome biases,
favouritism and helps in management of conflict of interest.
E.g. In a teacher recruitment interview, an IAS officer refused to write down marks by pencil,
so that later on it would not be changed by the Minister.
In this way, tolerance would help to uphold human rights, pluralism and democracy, while
objectivity will usher in justice and fairness and uphold the rule of law in the administration.
Q.8. Differentiate between the following
1. Public interest and the interest of public
2. Virtues and Values
3. Work Culture and work ethics
4. Sympathy and Empathy
Public interest and the interest of public
Public interest refers to the "common well being" or "general welfare". It is central to
government policies, administration, politics and democracy itself.
It is about serving the common good.
E.g. Vaccinating people in India to achieve herd immunity is a public interest.
On the other hand, the interest of the public is a perverted form of public interest. It often
serves the interest of only a few sections and harms the larger public interest.
E.g. Opposition to Inclusion of Eggs in Mid day Meal scheme in Karnataka, in the name of
religious practices.
Thus, public interest is the "best" interest of the public.
Virtues and Values
Virtue is a moral excellence or a behaviour that shows high moral standards.
E.g. Benevolence, Justice, Courage, etc.
On the other hand, values are the principles or qualities that guide judgement or behaviour
of a person or a group of persons.
E.g. Respecting elders in Indian society is a value.
Values can be good or bad, positive or negative but virtues are concerned only with the
positive side of the values.
For instance, patriarchal values which discriminate between boys and girls are bad values
while the virtuous side of it is gender equality.
Thus, all virtues can be values but all values are not virtuous.
Work Culture and work ethics
Work Culture is a set of practices, beliefs, thoughts and attitudes that the employees of an
organisation shares and represents an organisation as a whole.
E.g. Nike, a sports brand, has a culture of following environmental and health safety laws.
While work ethics is a manifestation of ethics in the form of commitment to the work related
responsibilities with the spirit of dedication, involvement and sincerity.
An employee would love his/her work rather than treating it as a burden.
Thus, work ethics is an important component of work culture that every organisation should
have.
Sympathy and Empathy
Sympathy is feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune.
E.g. Having sympathy for the flood victims.
While empathy is the capacity to place oneself in another's position.
E.g. Feeling the same amount of sadness as a friend, for his loss.
Thus, sympathy responds to suffering with sorrow and concern, while empathy responds
with warmth and care. For example, a mother is always empathetic towards her child's
suffering but a relative can only be sympathetic towards it.
Q.9. WHAT DOES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MEAN TO YOU?
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
The conflict between good and evil is one of the most pressing issues since ancient times
and is sometimes considered to be a universal part of the human condition.
Through the above quote, Edmund Burke was suggesting that good people should oppose
and resist evil actively. If they simply ignore evil, then evil will grow and spread.
The prominent example of this is Germany under the Nazis. Allied powers like UK and
France who were aware about the oppressive policies of Hitler but still followed policy of
appeasement. It gave free hand to Hitler leading to catastrophic Second World War.
J S Mill also held that "Let no one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no
harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion.He is not a good man who, without a protest,
allows wrong to be committed."
E.g. In Mahabharata, dignitaries like Pitamaha Bhishma and Vidur were criticised for their
inability to save the dignity of Draupadi.
In contemporary times, the evils of corruption and nepotism are growing, as no one is
explicitly raising their voice against it. People regard it as a normal practice in day to day
administration.
This is akin to cowardice, where citizens are afraid of speaking truth to power. Hence
Mahatma Gandhi suggests — 'Where choice is set between cowardice and violence, I
would advise violence.'
In India, caste and gender related atrocities are still happening. The reason being the Indian
society still handshakes with the caste-ridden and patriarchal mindset.
Hence, as an enlightened society, we should proactively resist the evils plaguing our society
and nation. The Constitution of India with its values of liberty, equality and fraternity will
serve a better guide in this direction.
Q.10. What do you understand by the term 'ethical governance'? Explain its
importance in the delivery of public service.
Ethical governance refers to the processes and values that ensure high standards of
behaviour while delivering public services.
It embodies having honesty, integrity, accountability, empathy and compassion among the
agents of public service delivery.
It is regarded as the foremost important aspect of good governance.
Importance of ethical governance in the delivery of public service.
1.Public is suspicious about the integrity of the public officials and regards 'right contacts',
'political pulls' and 'speed money' are the ways and means to get the things done. Having
officers with honesty, integrity and impartiality can alleviate these notions.
2. Citizens also consider bureaucrats as too much rule-minded, devoid of any human
consciousness. This led to the proliferation of middlemen who exploit the poor and needy
persons. But public servants with sociability and compassion can make governance
people-friendly.
3. There are situations when public servants are prone to embezzling, misappropriation of
funds, theft of property, bribes and extortion. To deal with these issues one needs to have
uprightness in character.
4.Since public service encompasses several ethical dilemmas, conflict of interest and crisis
of conscience, these are not dealt with adequately without having strong moral compulsions.
5.Laws, rules and regulations, as external mechanisms to ensure good conduct of public
servants have limitations of their own. Hence, an internal accountability mechanism in the
form of strong ethical values will check unethical behaviour.
Thus, ethics in public service is not just an idea, but also an imperative and mandatory
practice. Citizens ultimately depend upon public servants to make their lives sophisticated.
Q.11. In India, there is a Code of Conduct for its public servants to behave in a certain
way, but it lacks a code of ethics. Give arguments in support of enacting Code of
ethics for civil servants.
Code of conduct is a set of rules, regulations and standards outlining the expected behaviour
of public servants. It is outlined in Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and All India
Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.
Code of ethics is a document which outlines the mission and values of civil services, ethical
principles and standards that would guide civil servants in decision making. But despite
frequent recommendations by commissions like Second ARC, India has not enacted code of
ethics for its civil servants. Draft Public Services Bill, 2006 is still languishing in the political
cold storage.
Arguments in support of enacting Code of ethics for civil servants are as follows:
1]The present code of conduct only ensures external accountability by outlining do's and
don'ts. Having a code of ethics will ensure internal accountability- the best way to prevent
unethical acts by civil servants.
2] The phrases like "do nothing which is unbecoming of a Government servant" in code of
conduct are vague. Hence code of ethics with clear outlining of public service values will
bring clarity to the working of civil servants.
3. In recent years, there have been instances like cheating by an IPS probationer in the
exam, senior IAS and IPS officers arrested in different states, highlighting the ills of
bureaucratic-politico nexus, nepotism, and corruption in the elite service, despite having
code of conduct.
4. It can spell out the relationship between civil services and political leadership in a clear
and transparent way. Its absence often becomes a point of contention.
E.g. Antilia extortion case in Maharashtra, highlighted the unholy nexus between police
officers and Ministers in the state.
5.In situations of ethical dilemmas, the civil servants will have a practical guide to act in a
public interest.
6.Benefits of developing code of ethics are that these guidelines will identify core civil
services values, enhance reputation, build public trust and increase awareness about ethical
issues.
In this context, India needs to implement the recommendations of Second ARC. It observed,
'civil services values, which all public servants should aspire to, must be defined and made
applicable to the all tires of government'. It recommended inclusion of integrity, commitment,
open accountability, devotion to duty and exemplary behaviour in code of ethics. If enacted,
it will be an important step in the context of civil services reforms in India.
Q.12. Courage is the golden mean between cowardice and rashness.
How can a courageous attitude help civil servants in public life? Explain with
examples.
Courage is a capacity to resist pressure and boldness to assert. According to Aristotle,
courage is a virtue which strikes a balance between extremes of rashness and cowardice.
E.g. Mahatma Gandhi raised the issues of Indian migrants in Africa, against the oppressive
mighty British Empire.
How can a courageous attitude help civil servants in public life?
1.According to Buddha, courage is mercy and compassion. Hence a compassionate civil
servant can bring change to the life of marginalized and weaker sections.
E.g. Jitendra Kumar Soni, an IAS officer in Rajasthan is renowned for initiating a campaign
to better the architectural designs to make them accessible to the disabled persons.
2. Courage is that which makes civil servants stand on the side of truth and do the thing
which is right.
3. It helps to speak truth to the power.
E.g. Vinod Rai, a former IAS officer who served as the 11th CAG of India filed a report that
charged the then UPA government of incurring a loss of 1 lakh crore rupees with the
allocation of 2G spectrum.
4. It helps in upholding rule of law.
E.g. IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal's fight against the sand mining mafia, led to upholding
MMDR Act, 1957.
5.Courage builds capacity to handle criticisms and setbacks. It is said that "courage is not
just the ability to stand up and speak but also the ability to sit down and listen."
E.g. An officer taking a crisis as an opportunity to improve by introspecting on his/her
mistakes.
6.Lastly, courage gives voice to speak against injustice.
Though courage comprises elements of personal risk and feeling of fear, yet, if those
courageous acts are aiming at honourable outcomes, then they should be undertaken.
Q.13. Identify the ten essential attributes of a good administrator. Describe the means
to ensure good public administration.
Q.14. Media, the institution of journalism, plays a crucial role in keeping citizens
informed. Critically evaluate this role of media, highlighting the need for ethics in
journalism.
Q.15. Society inculcates both positive and negative values in individuals. Explain with
examples.
Q.16. Some people feel that ethics in private life differs from public life, while others
strongly believe that there are certain universal principles which are common in both
private and public life.
Give your perception in this regard with due justification.
Q.17.WHAT DOES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MEAN TO YOU?
"An act is moral if it is virtuous." - Plato
Q.18. Why should one behave ethically and morally in one's life? Which ethical values
do you admire and practice at the individual level and why?
Q.19. What do you understand about the following social sins of Mahatma Gandhi, in
the context of public service?
1.Wealth without work
2.Knowledge without character
3.Pleasure without conscience
4.Religion without sacrifice.
Q.20. At the international level, standards of ethical behaviour differ from country to
country. Comment.
Requirement for a man to accompany woman in Public in Saudi Arabia
Q.21. Attitude shows us who we are and what we stand for. Describe any five political
attitudes that are essential for the success of any leader.
Q.22. Intelligence and Emotional intelligence are the necessary attributes of a good
civil servant. Explain their importance in the administration.
Q.23. What principles and practices, according to you, should govern ethical
behaviour in public administration?
Q.24. WHAT DOES THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MEAN TO YOU?
"Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding."
- Mahatma Gandhi.
