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Subject: Ethics

  • Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them. (150 words).

    While laws and rules serve as the structured framework to regulate conduct and ensure justice, ethics provides the moral foundation.

    “Law is the minimum of morality.” – Georg Jellinek

    Objectives of Laws and Rules

    Maintaining social order and stability.

    Ensuring the safety and security of individuals.

    Promoting fairness and equality.

    Resolving conflicts.

    Protecting the rights of the vulnerable.

    Role of Ethics in Formulating Laws and Rules

    Ethics acts as the “internal monitor” that ensures laws and rules do not become instruments of tyranny.

    Balancing rights and duties of citizens. Eg- reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2)

    Providing a Moral Justification- Eg- the law against theft is rooted in the ethical value of respect for property.

    Upholding Human Dignity- Eg- Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 to eliminate untouchability

    Ensuring Justice as Fairness (Rawls)- Eg- 106th constitutional amendment Act for women reservation in parliament

    Promoting Transparency and accountability- Eg- RTI Act

    The ethical principle of “Non-maleficence” (do no harm) is the basis for environmental laws and safety regulations. Eg- EIA rules

    Professional Integrity- Ethics informs “Codes of Conduct” in professions. Eg- the Hippocratic Oath for doctors

    Social welfare. Eg- MGNREGA guaranteeing employment.

    Smooth functioning of any system depends on the synergy between ethics (to define the good) and laws/rules (to enforce the good).

  • Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with a suitable example. (150 words)

    “In times of complexity, imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

    Innovativeness and creativity enable officials to find morally acceptable and practically workable solutions.

    Ethical Dilemmas in Civil Services

    Development vs. Displacement- Narmada Bachao Andolan (Medha Patkar vs. State).

    Confidentiality vs. Transparency- Whistleblowing

    Political Pressure vs. Neutrality

    Freedom of Speech vs. Public Order

    Environment vs. Livelihood

    Efficiency vs. Equity

    Personal Ethics vs. Professional Duty

    Loyalty vs. Truth

    Importance of Domain Knowledge

    Policy Formulation- Dr. Manmohan Singh’s economic expertise during the 1991 reforms.

    Infrastructure Excellence- E. Sreedharan’s engineering mastery in the Delhi Metro.

    Economic Management- Raghuram Rajan’s knowledge of monetary policy at the RBI.

    Scientific Progress- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s aerospace knowledge in the Missile Program.

    Legal Accuracy- T.N. Seshan’s deep understanding of Constitutional Law as CEC.

    Health Administration- Dr. Gagandeep Kang’s virology expertise during vaccine development.

    Agricultural Transformation- Dr. M.S. Swaminathan in the Green Revolution.

    Digital Governance- Nandan Nilekani’s tech background in the creation of Aadhaar.

    Financial expertise- Vinod Rai’s auditing expertise as the CAG of India.

    Need for Innovation and Creativity to Resolve Ethical Dilemmas

    Resource optimization- Eg- Armstrong Pame (IAS) crowdfunded the “People’s Road”.

    Reformative justice- Kiran Bedi (IPS) introduced Vipassana in Tihar to reform rather than just punish.

    Prioritising social welfare by bypassing bureaucratic rigidity. Eg- Prashant Nair’s “Operation Sulaimani” – Use of crowdsourced coupons to feed hunger

    Innovative solutions for winning ‘hearts and minds’ and delegitimizing insurgency. Eg- Saurabh Kumar (IAS) built “Education City” in Dantewada.

    Finding ‘out of the box’ solutions. Eg- IPS chetan singh Rathore using National Anthem to manage protesting crowd.

    Helps in effective management of crisis situations. Eg- Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar used her office as a “human call center” during communication blackouts in J&K

    Helps in collaborative problem solving rather than a top-down approach. Eg- S.R. Sankaran involved local community elders in identifying bonded laborers.

    Creativity and innovations facilitate adoption of technology to solve problems. Eg- Dr. Hari Chandana building pavements from recycled plastic in Hyderabad.

    Can help address social stigma associated with manual work. Eg- Ritu Sain (IAS) turned waste-pickers into “Green Commandos”.

    Ethical governance today requires not just knowledge of rules but moral imagination, contextual intelligence and creative problem-solving.

  • An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including the judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate. (150 words)

    A social audit is a democratic process where citizens directly review, evaluate, and verify the official records, expenditures, and actual field performance of public service institutions.

    Importance to Improve Performance of Public Service

    Optimizes Resource Utilization: Eg: social audits under MGNREGA reduced leakages and improved rural asset quality in Andhra Pradesh

    Enhances Service Delivery Timelines: Pressure from community monitoring forces officials to complete projects without bureaucratic delays.

    Improves Project Target Accuracy: Eg: Verification drives under the National Food Security Act removed thousands of fake ration cards.

    Boosts Quality Standards: Eg: Public scrutiny of rural school buildings and mid-day meals improves safety.

    Bridges Local Governance Gaps: Community audits identify specific, missing civic amenities that top-down government planning often misses.

    Improves Judicial Case Management: Citizen reviews of court functioning encourage registries to clear administrative delays and bottlenecks.

    Importance to Improve Accountability of Public Service

    Dismantles Bureaucratic Financial Opacity: Eg: Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) pioneered public hearings to expose hidden corruption.

    Enforces Strict Consequence Mechanisms: Clear evidence gathered during community audits forces authorities to penalize errant, corrupt officers.

    Checks Judicial Pendency Patterns: Reviewing administrative timelines makes institutional court registries strictly accountable for systemic listing delays.

    Restricts Executive Fund Diversions: Eg: Strict auditing of specialized Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan funds prevent diversion to general projects.

    Empowers Marginalized Civic Groups: Social audits give institutional platforms to poor citizens to question powerful government decision-makers.

    Validates Right to Information: Social audits turn passive information requests into an active, collective tool for community justice.

    Reduces Public Service Grievance Backlogs: Institutionalizing community verification forces departments to quickly resolve long-pending public utility complaints.

    Importance to Improve Ethical Conduct

    Institutionalizes Public Service Integrity: Regular public scrutiny conditions state officials to perform duties with high honesty and fairness.

    Discourages Conflict of Interest: Public disclosure of project details prevents officials from giving lucrative contracts to relatives.

    Maintains High Judicial Ethics: Reviewing court administration standards encourages judges to strictly follow codes of ethical conduct.

    Protects Citizen Dignity Rights: Equal opportunity during public hearings prevents officials from displaying discriminatory caste or gender biases.

    Promotes Empathy in Administration: Direct interactions with poor citizens during audits sensitive bureaucrats toward urgent field realities.

    Fosters Values of Truthfulness: Eg: Stopping fraudulent documentation of ghost beneficiaries.

    Implementing independent social audits across all public spheres, including the judiciary, is vital to achieving absolute transparency, institutional integrity, and democratic governance.

    Conscience

  • “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face prosecution or human rights violation.” Examine the statement with reference to the ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with an open society. (150 words)

    Violation of principle of non-refoulement creates a “Liberal Paradox,” where the values used to define the state are discarded at its borders.

    Refugee Rights

    Right to Asylum (Article 14 of the UDHR).

    Right to Life and Liberty

    Right to Non-Discrimination

    Freedom from Torture

    Right to Due Process

    Family unity

    Access to basic services

    Ethical Dimensions Violated by Refoulement

    Violation of Kantian Categorical imperative- treats refugees as mere “means” to a political end border security.

    Violation of Justice as Fairness (John Rawls) by sending refugees to face persecution or human right violation

    Breach of Universal values like liberty, right to life. Eg- Alyan Kurdi death

    Erosion of Human Dignity and an active denial of their Intrinsic Worth. Eg- Detention camps for asylum seekers.

    Loss of moral leadership and global solidarity– Undermines credibility in human rights advocacy

    Erosion of rule of law – Ignoring international refugee conventions. Eg- Violations of 1951 Refugee Convention.

    Failure of the “Good Samaritan” Principle i.e. preventing great harm (death) with comparatively small cost.

    Failure of humanitarian duty – Moral obligation to protect the vulnerable is ignored.

    Discrimination – Selective hospitality based on race, religion, or politics. Eg- Preferential treatment of Ukrainian refugees over African refugees in Europe.

    Epistemic Injustice- Refusing to believe or listen to the testimony of a persecuted person before deportation.

    Many refugee crises (Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar) are linked to historical colonial or military interventions by democratic powers. Refoulement is a rejection of Restorative Justice.

    The “Slippery Slope” of Rights- Eg- devaluing the rights of its own marginalized citizens in future

    Failure of Communitarian Ethics as nations are seen as part of a global “International Society” with mutual duties.

    Causes long-term psychological and ethical decay in the host nation’s own moral fabric.

    Way Forward

    Individualized Screening- Eg-l “Credible Fear” interview.

    Judicial Oversight to ensure Procedural Justice.

    Principle of Proportionality. in Enforcement

    Burden Sharing. Eg- EU Migration Pact

    Enforcing “Responsibility to Protect” by UN

    The ultimate best practice for a democratic society is to apply the Rawlsian “Veil of Ignorance” to every policy.

  • Impact of digital technology as a reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with a suitable example. (150 words)

    “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” – Christian Lous Lange

    Digital technology provides vast data infrastructure for modern governance, yet its reliability as an input for objective, rational decision-making remains highly controversial.

    Digital Technology as a Reliable Source of Input for Rational Decision-Making

    Real-Time Policy Inputs: Eg: CoWIN platform enabled real-time vaccine inventory planning across all Indian districts.

    Citizen Participation in Policy- Eg- MyGov collected over 10 crore citizen suggestions that shaped the National Education Policy 2020.

    Digitizing demographic and macro-surveys significantly eliminates human enumeration mistakes and calculation errors.

    Satellite tracking and geospatial maps provide precise objective inputs for infrastructure projects. Eg: PM GatiShakti National Master Plan GIS data.

    Leakage Elimination-

    Interlinked digital architectures unify isolated departmental databases into a singular, holistic policy-making dashboard. Helps eliminate duplication.

    Predictive Weather Planning: Eg: The IMD’s advanced Doppler radar systems supplying precise cyclone trajectory inputs to save coastal communities.

    Counter-Argument: The Flaws and Risks of Digital Inputs

    Poor data collection practices hampers objective policy making and implementation. Eg- Ghost Beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat.

    The “Black Box” Problem- AI logic is often opaque.

    Institutionalizing Historical Bias- If data is biased , the AI will “learn” and automate that bias. Eg- US COMPAS tool biased against African-Americans.

    Difficulty in ensuring accountability for mistakes.

    Correlation vs Causation Fallacies: Analytical engines can link two completely unrelated data trends together, generating irrational choices.

    Exclusion of the Digitally Illiterate from policy making & online grievance portals

    Way Forward

    Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)- The final “sign-off,” especially in cases affecting human rights, must be by a human officer.

    Mandating regular 3rd-party audits of government algorithms to detect and “unlearn” biases.

    The EU AI Act Approach- “Risk-Based Framework” where high-risk AI (policing or judiciary) face the highest level of ethical regulation.

    Digital Ethics Commissions including ethicists, jurists, and technologists to oversee AI deployment in public service.

    Ethical Coding Standards- Teaching “Ethics by Design” to programmers working on public infrastructure.

    While digital technology streamlines administrative efficiency, it cannot replace human empathy, requiring a balanced model where data informs but conscience rules.

  • Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in public servants. (150 words)

    Effective public service is built on the foundation of the “Spirit of Service” and “Constitutional Morality.”

    Ten Essential Values for an Effective Public Servant

    Integrity- “Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.” Eg- Ashok Khemka

    Objectivity- Making decisions based on merit, data, and logic rather than personal bias, nepotism, or political pressure.

    Neutrality- Providing the same quality of service and advice regardless of which political party is in power. Eg- T.N. Seshan

    Empathy and Compassion- Sensing the pain of the citizens and using the law to alleviate their suffering. Eg- S. Shankaran in implementing Bonded Labour Abolition Act

    Accountability- Taking full ownership of decisions and outcomes.

    Transparency and openness in decision making. Eg- proactive disclosure under RTI

    Dedication to Public Service- Eg- Armstrong Pame (IAS) built a 100km “People’s Road” in Manipur through crowdfunding.

    Fortitude (Moral Courage)- Eg- Whistleblowers like Satyendra Dubey.

    Probity- Strict adherence to ethical standards in public life, especially in financial and decision matters

    Efficiency and Economy- following utilitarian maxim of ‘greatest happiness’ Eg- E. Sreedharan finishing mega-projects ahead of schedule and under budget.

    Ways and Means to Prevent Non-Ethical Behavior

    Internal Controls

    “Value-based Training” during induction and mid-career. (2nd ARC)

    Emotional Intelligence (EI)- Teaching officers to manage stress and “Amygdala Hijack”

    Transitioning from a rigid “Code of Conduct” (punitive) to a “Code of Ethics” (aspirational).

    External Controls

    Strengthening bodies like the Lokpal, Lokayukta, and CVC to investigate complaints without political interference.

    E-Governance- Reducing human interface in public service delivery to eliminate the “discretionary space.” Eg- DBT

    Independent Office of Ethics to oversee financial disclosures and provide ethics counseling to officers. (US model)

    Institutionalising Integrity Pacts (OECD/Transparency International recommendation)

    Empowering the Citizen (Social Controls)

    Social Audits- Eg- MGNREGA social audits in Andhra Pradesh

    Strengthening RTI. Eg- mandatory disclosures under section 4

    Institutionalising Citizen’s Charters based on Sevottam Model

    “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, unless restrained by ethics and accountability.”

  • Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix. (150 words)

    “The civil service is not a service of status, but a service of responsibility. It is a commitment to the conscience of the nation.” – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

    The performance of a civil servant cannot be measured merely by targets achieved, but must be evaluated through the lens of ethical conduct.

    Integrity (Consistency and Honesty) – It implies that the officer’s actions are consistently aligned with their stated moral values, regardless of external pressure.

    Justification

    Builds public trust on reliability and honesty of administration.

    Gives moral courage to say “No” to illegal orders from political superiors.

    Ensures consistency, predictably and adherence to the code of conduct.

    Eg- Ashok Khemka (IAS)

    Objectivity (Rationality and Merit) – ensures that decisions are based on evidence, logic, and the rule of law, rather than personal bias, nepotism, or political leanings.

    Justification

    Fairness- It ensures equal treatment of every citizen

    Promotes meritocracy and efficiency

    Decisions are less likely to be overturned by courts.

    Eg- E. Sreedharan – objectivity in the awarding of contracts for the Delhi Metro.

    Compassion and Empathy (Human-Centric Service) – involves understanding the pain of the citizens and acting to alleviate it.

    Justification-

    Ensures that the “spirit of the law” is used to achieve Social Justice

    Brings democratic ethos into civil services (instead of rigidity and indifference)

    Helps understand ground realities.

    Improves welfare delivery effectiveness.

    Eg- Armstrong Pame (IAS)– build a 100km road via crowdfunding

    Accountability (Responsibility and Transparency) – It is the obligation of an official to be answerable for their decisions and the consequences thereof.

    Justification-

    Prevents the arbitrary use of discretionary powers.

    Improves transparency and legitimacy.

    Encourages better performance standards.

    Builds democratic credibility.

    Eg- Vinod Rai exposed “presumptive losses” in the 2G Spectrum and Coal block allocations.

    Emotional Intelligence

    Justification

    Enables calm decision-making under pressure.

    Improves conflict resolution and negotiation.

    Builds trust and team cohesion.

    Enhances ethical judgement by integrating empathy and reason.

    Eg- Krishna Teja (IAS) coordinated evacuation during Kerala floods

    These values ensure that governance is not only efficient but ethical, humane and resilient.

  • Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations. (150 words)

    A civil servant derives legitimacy not from popular mandate but from the trust of neutrality, fairness and rule-based conduct.

    Impartiality is the quality of making decisions based on objective criteria, merit, and facts.

    Non-partisanship is a state of being politically neutral and serving the government with equal dedication, regardless of personal political leanings.

    Importance of Impartiality

    Impartiality ensures that all citizens are treated equally regardless of status, identity or political affiliation. Eg- Kiran Bedi towing vehicle of PM

    Maintaining Public Trust and belief in fairness of administration – strengthens legitimacy. Eg- UPSC selection process

    Promotes inclusivity and Social Justice- Eg- S. Shankaran in implementing the Bonded Labour Abolition Act

    Prevents misuse of power. Eg- Ashok Khemka (IAS) cancelled illegal land deals irrespective of political interests.

    Enables fair grievance redressal. Eg- U Sagayam (IAS) conducted impartial inquiries into granite mining.

    Ensures efficiency in resource utilization. Eg- E. Sreedharan ensuring objectivity in the awarding of contracts for the Delhi Metro.

    Promotes professional ethics by ensuring adherence to principles of neutrality, selflessness and accountability.

    Importance of Non-partisanship

    Continuity of Government- Eg- The smooth transition of power in India since independence

    Fearless Advice on the legality of a political directive.

    Efficient Crisis Management- In communal or ethnic tensions, an impartial officer is the only trusted mediator.

    It prevents the “cooking of books” (like GDP or employment figures) to suit a political party’s re-election campaign.

    Prevents politicisation of bureaucracy. Eg- Durga Shakti Nagpal resisting political interference.

    Maintains professional autonomy. Eg- RBI independence in monetary policy.

    Prevents authoritarian tendencies and ‘spoils system.’

    Safeguards rule of law by resisting politically motivated actions. Eg- EC’s fair application of MCC

    Thus, impartiality and non-partisanship are cardinal virtues for preserving democratic fairness as well as institutional and ethical integrity.

  • “Every work has got to pass through hundreds of difficulties before succeeding. Those that persevere will see the light, sooner or later” – Swami Vivekananda (150 words)

    Above statement highlights importance of perseverance, patience, and moral courage in achieving meaningful goals. Difficulties are not signs of failure but essential stages in the process of transformation.

    He also gave the slogan of “Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached” to inspire youth to to break free from inertia, ignorance and fear, and to pursue their goals with clarity, discipline and determination.

    At the individual level, perseverance enables people to overcome personal and structural constraints. For instance, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam faced repeated failures in early missile projects like SLV-3, before leading India’s space and missile programmes successfully.

    Similarly, Wilma Rudolph overcame polio as a child and went on to become a world-record-holding Olympic champion.

    J.K. Rowling was a single mother living on benefits, rejected by 12 publishers, before Harry Potter became a global phenomenon.

    At the social level, reform movements face resistance before acceptance. Reformers like Savitribai Phule and B.R. Ambedkar faced social hostility, yet their perseverance transformed Indian society.

    Public policies and reforms take time and face implementation challenges. The GST faced technological glitches, federal tensions and compliance issues initially, yet sustained administrative effort gradually stabilised the system.

    In entrepreneurship, startups face a “Valley of Death” where resources are low and difficulties are high. Only ones with conviction and resilience sustain. Colonel Sanders was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted his KFC recipe at age 65.

    Similarly, Swachh Bharat Mission faced scepticism and behavioural resistance before it achieved large-scale sanitation improvements.

    At the scientific and technological level, innovation requires sustained effort despite repeated failure. The Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) succeeded after years of trial, testing and constrained budgets.

    At the moral and ethical level, perseverance strengthens character and integrity. Whistleblowers, honest officers and social activists often face transfers, harassment and isolation before justice prevails.

    Mahatma Gandhi’s decades-long commitment to Satyagraha proved that a persistent, non-violent force could eventually “see the light” of independence.

    Swami Vivekananda’s message is an antidote to the modern culture of “instant gratification.”

  • “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves” – Dalai Lama (150 words)