According to the Falkenmark Water Index, almost 76% of people in India live in water scarce conditions. Balancing the immediate needs of the public, ensuring economic stability, and addressing environmental sustainability requires a thoughtful, multi-stakeholder approach that prioritizes both equity and long-term resource management. Guiding Principle – “सर्वे जनाः सुखिनो भवन्तु” (Sarve Janāḥ Sukhino Bhavantu)… Continue reading With the summer heat being exceptionally severe this year, the district has been facing severe water shortage. The District Collector has been mobilizing his subordinate officials to conserve the remaining water reserves for preventing the district from plunging into an acute drinking water crisis. Along with an awareness campaign for conserving water, strict measures have been taken for stopping the over-exploitation of ground-water. Vigilance teams have been deployed to tour the villages and find the farmers who are drawing water from deep borewells or from the river reservoir for irrigation. The farmers are agitated by such action. A delegation of farmers meets the District Collector with their issues and complains that while they are not being allowed to irrigate their crops, big industries located near the river are drawing huge amounts of water through deep borewells for their industrial processes. The farmers allege that their administration is anti-farmer and corrupt, being bribed by the industry. The district needs to placate the farmers as they are threatening to go on a prolonged protest At the same time, the District Collector has to deal with the water crisis. The industry cannot be closed as this would result in a large number of workers being unemployed

As Warren Buffett once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.“ In Sneha’s case, being entrusted with the responsibility of managing the procurement for a super-specialty center requires her to prioritize transparency, fairness, and ethical standards over personal considerations. Guiding Principle – “स्वार्थसंपन्नं कर्म न धर्माय कल्पते”… Continue reading Sneha is a Senior Manager working for a big reputed hospital chain in a mid-sized city. She has been made in-charge of the new super speciality center that the hospital is building with state-of-the art equipment and world class medical facilities. The building has been reconstructed and she is starting the process of procurement for various equipment and machines. As the head of the committee responsible for procurement, she has invited bids from all the interested reputed vendors dealing in medical equipment. She notices that her brother, who is a well known supplier in this domain, has also sent his expression of interest. Since the hospital is privately owned, it is not mandatory for her to select only the lower bidder. Also, she is aware that her brother’s company has been facing some financial difficulties and a big supply order will help him recover. At the same time, allocating the contract to her brother might bring charges of favouritism against her and tarnish her image. The hospital management trusts her  fully and would support any decision of hers

Rohit, who himself was leading one of the contingents, got a message through his intelligence source that about ten hard core naxalites were hiding in a particular village with sophisticated weapons. Without wasting any time, Rohit reached the target village with his team and laid out a foolproof cordon and started carrying out a systematic… Continue reading With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments especially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been resolved to a large extent in the affected states of the country. However, there are a few pockets in certain states where naxalite problem still persists, mainly due to involvement of foreign countries. Rohit is posted as SP (Special Operations) for the last one year, in one of the districts which is still affected by the naxalite problem. The district administration has taken a lot of developmental works in the recent past in the naxalite affected areas to win the hearts and minds of the people over a period of time, Rohit has established an excellent intelligence network to get the real time information regarding the movement of naxalite cadre. To instill confidence in the public and have moral ascendancy over the naxalite, a number of cordons and search operations are being conducted by the police. 

 It was noted that unemployment was relatively high in the state. The problem of unemployment amongst graduates and those with higher education was much more grave. Thus they were vulnerable and soft targets.   In the review meeting taken by him with senior officers of DIG Range and above, it came to light that a new… Continue reading Raman is a senior IPS officer and has recently been posted as D.G. of a state. Among the various issues and problems/challenges which needed his immediate attention, the issue relating to recruitment of unemployed youth by an unknown terrorist group, was a matter of grave concern. 

this scenario. You confront substantial issues about the business’s environmental footprint. In 2023, your organization had a significant increase of 48% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the levels recorded in 2019. The significant rise in energy consumption is mainly due to the surging energy requirements of your data centers, fuelled by the exponential expansion… Continue reading There is a technological company named ABC Incorporated which is the second largest worldwide, situated in the Third World. You are the Chief Executive Officer and the majority shareholder of this company. The fast technological improvements have raised worries among environmental activists, regulatory authorities, and the general public over the sustainability of 

The National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)- Mission Karmayogi, launched in 2020,  aims to create a competent civil service rooted in Indian ethos, with a shared understanding of India’s priorities, working in harmonization for effective and efficient public service delivery.  Key Aims of Mission Karmayogi Empowering Civil Servants to Enhance Productive Efficiency John… Continue reading Mission Karmayogi is aiming for maintaining a very high standard of conduct and behaviour to ensure efficiency for serving citizens and in turn developing oneself. How will this scheme empower the civil servants in enhancing productive efficiency and delivering the services at the grassroots level?

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad (6.4.17), which states, “Yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devatāḥ,” meaning “Where women are honored, there the gods dwell.”   From 1951, when the first woman joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), until 2020, women have made up only 13% of all IAS officers. According to DoPT, representation of women in public service has risen… Continue reading “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

As pointed out by VP Dhankhar, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) reflect the revolutionary change from colonial ‘Dhanda vidhan’ to Modern ‘Nyaya vidhan’ and from a punitive to a more restorative approach by keeping the focus on justice rather than punishment.  BNS’s Soul as Justice, Equality, and Impartiality Based on Indian Culture and Ethos Issues… Continue reading 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

“Codes of ethics keep an organization’s soul intact, while the code of conduct keeps its hands clean.” While a Code of Conduct governs actions through established rules, a Code of Ethics ensures that civil servants are morally guided to act beyond mere compliance, instilling ethical principles in decision-making. Code of Conduct stems from: Provisions of… Continue reading The ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Ethics’ are the sources of guidance in public administration. There is code of conduct already in operation, whereas code of ethics is not yet put in place. Suggest a suitable model for code of ethics to maintain integrity, probity and transparency in governance

“Laws are made for people, not people for laws.”– Albert Einestine In public administration, focusing solely on formality and ignoring the substance of the matter often leads to injustice. A perceptive civil servant prioritizes the spirit and intent behind laws and policies over rigid procedural compliance, ensuring fairness and justice.  Dangers of Mindless Adherence to… Continue reading “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

As Heraclitus said, “The only constant in life is change.” Justice, at its core, is a fluid concept, shaped by evolving social norms, legal systems, and cultural values. Therefore, justice must be continuously re-examined to ensure it remains fair and relevant to current circumstances. Contextual Nature of Justice and Need for scrutiny Universality of Justice… Continue reading “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

Immanuel Kant contrasts the nature of legal guilt and moral responsibility. While law is a system of rules and guidelines enforced externally through institutions like courts and law enforcement, Ethics go beyond what is required by law and address positive moral duties. Difference Between Law and Ethics Aspect Law Ethics Focus Governs external actions and… Continue reading “In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so.” Immanuel Kant

“Faith without action is dead.” While faith provides the vision and moral compass, strength ensures resilience and the capacity to act. Only through the combination of both can significant achievements be realized. Limitations of Faith Limitations of Strength The Need for Both Faith and Strength Faith and strength, when isolated, are limited in their ability… Continue reading “Faith is of no avail in the absence of strength. Faith and strength, both are essential to accomplish any great work.” Sardar Patel

Swami Vivekananda emphasizes the importance of learning from others while maintaining individuality. He encourages absorbing knowledge and wisdom from diverse sources and adapting it uniquely to one’s own life. This approach fosters personal growth while upholding ethical integrity and authenticity. “Learn everything that is good from others” “Bring it in, and in your own way… Continue reading “Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it, do not become others.” – Swami Vivekananda

“The earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” – Gandhi Human Greed in the Name of Development Threatening Life: Biodiversity Loss (IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)The average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20% since 1900. At least… Continue reading 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?

Western nations often advocate for peace, democracy, and human rights while being major global arms suppliers, creating cognitive dissonance and conflicting beliefs. This contradiction reflects commerce without morality, one of Gandhi’s seven sins.  Ethical Concerns of Double Standards in Global Arms Trade Ethical considerations of the powerful nations to stop continuation of ongoing conflicts The… Continue reading “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?

Mackenzie defines ethics as a set of moral principles that guide human action in a way acceptable by society. According to William Lillie, “Ethics is a normative science of the conduct of human beings living in societies which judges this conduct to be right or wrong, good and bad.” key dimensions of ethics that influence… Continue reading “Ethics encompasses several key dimensions that are crucial in guiding individuals and organizations towards morally responsible behaviour.” Explain the key dimensions of ethics that influence human actions. Discuss how these dimensions shape ethical decision-making in the professional context

Talk To UPSC Mentor Now “AI is the future of government efficiency, transparency, and citizen service, but it must be used responsibly, with accountability and safeguards.” – Sundar Pichai According to report by McKinsey, artificial intelligence can increase global GDP growth by 16 percent by 2030, questions remain about its fairness, potential biases, and the… Continue reading 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

While social media platforms and encrypted messaging services have become integral to communication, enabling users to connect across the globe, the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) highlighted that more than 30% of data breaches involved social media and online services in 2020. Security challenges posed by Social media and encrypting messaging services: Measures adopted… Continue reading Social media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem

The India-China border extends over 3,400 km and includes contentious zones like the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and McMahon Line. The India-Pakistan border, spanning over 3,300 km, includes the Radcliffe Line and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Conflicting Issues and Security Challenges Along the Border: India-China Border India-Pakistan Border Developments… Continue reading India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in these areas under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme