Question : As an officer of the Ministry of Mines, you are given special responsibility to excavate and inspect some fertile farmlands where recently a research anticipated huge deposits of rare Uranium, a very costly element and which has the capacity to reduce dependency on imports for fuelling nuclear power plants. The farmers of the area have the feeling that if they allow excavation in their land, whole area would become a mining site and they would lose their livelihoods forever. This is indeed true and you are well aware that if Uranium would be found, then the whole area would be converted to a mining site. The villagers, majority of whom are poor and marginal landholders, protest against the government and request you to not to step on their farmland. They dare you of dire consequences in case if you proceed. Further, there are bright chances that in case if you succeed in the project, you would be promoted to a higher post.
Answer : a. Ethical and moral dilemmas or issues
Right to livelihood V/s Growth and development
Though we are in the era of globalisation, energy security of nations is an important issue, especially for India which is largely dependent on oil import and nuclear fuel for its energy. But it doesn't mean that poor, marginalized voice can be ignored. Moreover, government has to take steps toward socio-economic development of citizens.
Also, government cannot ignore the necessity of energy security and economic growth. So, government has to take steps to resolve above mentioned dilemma through the following ways:
b. Here greatest happiness can be viewed in two different aspects:
Question : As a Chief Medical Officer (CMO), you have the responsibility of successful implementation of an immunization programme for the females of a district, where maternal mortality rate is very high and literacy rate is very low. A section of local community claiming that immunization of females is against their religious beliefs as in their community, females are not allowed to step out of homes, have boycotted the programme and the people of the community even threatened to destroy immunization camps of their area. You request them to allow the female members of reproductive age group to undergo immunization, highlighting the risks of non-immunization. You even show them the benefits through videos. Despite your efforts, they are not convinced. Some of your staff members suggest you not to press further as they may harm you. Even your husband and family members ask you not to take risk as you might face violent protest from the community.
Answer : a.
Available Options
b. Suggestions and even pressure from family for not to pursue the immunization programme creates cobweb in our minds. Also as chief Medical officer it becomes your responsibility that you have to take care of health of people of your district, especially women. Avoiding risk and taking back step is not a symbol of good officer. Even it will destabilize your mind and demoralise you. Here, you need to lead from front and set an example.
Your leadership quality and people convincing ability are put on test. Also your integrity to serve public interest and compassion ability are tested against your personal responsibility.
Though you have to be careful about your security and life without compromising your social morality, you have to inculcate community participation, NGOs helps, local leader contribution and SHGs potential to implement immunization programme.
Question : You are working as Deputy Collector in a district, which is well known for communal tensions and riots. Recently, a news was out regarding plans for fuming of communal riots in the area. One of your close friends who run the business of selling of licenced guns, was found along with the persons, who were alleged of involvement in communal tensions and were arrested by SHO. Your friend requested you to talk to SHO.SHO had warned your friend to close his store and shops. Your friend had told SHO that store was meant only for selling of licensed guns. But SHO was adamant and had strictly warned your friend to close his business. Now your friend wants SHO to be warned by you to do favour to him. In the past, he helped you financially, and given moral support, when you were about to abandon your studies due to poverty.
Your friend assures you that his business is safe and he has no connection with the persons involved in communal riots. He further tells you that he would be ruined if he has to shut his business.
Answer : a.
b. Though, friend helped me when I was in need for financial moral support. But it does not mean that I obliged to my personal responsibilities, compromising my professional duties. As a deputy collector, I should have to cater need of society and security of people.
The public interests i.e. social harmony and safety must be my prime objective. Though situation in front of me created dilemma in my mind, it can be resolve by-
Course of Action
Question : Your college friend has formed a radical student group to fight eve-teasing by punishing the culprits by using violent means, such as pelting stones at them or by beating them blue in front of the students. On asking, he tells you that female harassment has become an integral part of Indian society and measures taken by politicians can neither reduce nor eliminate it. He informs you the propaganda that he first wants to remove crime against women in campus and then he will shift his focus to the entire city by recruiting more of youths in his group. He used to say that system, police and courts are inefficient in fighting social evils and youths of the country has the responsibility to root those out. He even offers you to join his group.
Though, in society, incident of harassment to female is higher and we should have to combat these incidents but it does not mean that we should go on the path of violence taking law in our own hands. It doesn't serve any purpose rather it may create disturbance in society and lead to anarchy.
Answer : a. Opinion: My friend's arguments are more radical and his actions violate the law of land and we come under scrutiny of police and courts. Violence can never be a weapon for change, even Mahatma Gandhi said this and change can be brought only through the awareness and participation. Violent action itself reduces participation of people.
Advice: Rather than going on the path of violence to fight the female harassment issues, we should have to go for awareness drive of change.
More students should be encouraged to participate in awareness campaign against female harassment.
Take help of local leaders, PRI's for not only in colleges rather spread to schools, villages, wards, towns.
b. Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviours. Here whether we join the group or not create conflict in our mind leads to discomfort. By joining the group we are violating law and taking law in our own hand. Also it doesn't serve the purpose of societal mind exchange effectively. But avoiding the group and being a mute spectator destabilise peace of our mind. Remaining peaceful and debating silently the harassment against women affects our morality and sensitivity. So cognitive dissonance arises as in form of ethical dilemma. But it is resolve utilising our sensitivity, values, morality and also observing right ethical path. Moreover we have to observe law and order along with scientific temperament.
Question : You are posted as Deputy Commissioner of a backward district in one of drought prone state. Recently, a continuous farm crisis due to severe drought for two adjacent years has hit poor farmers in this district and many of the farmers are left with no options, but to resort to suicide pushed by debt burden, unavailability of food to eat and other factors. There were many protests outside your office demanding waiver of their loans. Banks of the area have in fact adopted the policy of 'naming and shaming', where peasants who paid back interests and loans are appreciated and those who defaulted are criticized publicly by publishing their photos in the local newspaper.
You want to meet the agitating farmers personally and to do whatever possible for the farmers. But, you were asked by your seniors not to go for field visits on occasions of such protests and not to meet farmers personally as that might risk your life. In a recent protest, a farmer tries to commit suicide by burning himself in front of your office despite the presence of police force. Even though he was rushed to hospital, he could not be saved. Next day, media, NGOs and farmers' organisations accuse you of causing the death of this farmer. They accuse you that you did not appear and hear his grievances personally. They are calling for your suspension by the government.
Answer : a. Issues
The district is drought prone and scarcity of resources created deprivation in life of farmer. But issue of farmer should not be seen as mere spectator when you are endowed with duty of Deputy Commissioner. It is your duty to secure healthy and secure life to district people. The above situation created due to drought and banks’ action.
Options before the Deputy Commissioner
The Right Course of Action
b. The suicide of farmers in front of our office leads to guilt feeling in our mind but it is more of farmers’ distressful and depressing life which is caused by drought and failure of crop causing huge financial burden. As the deputy commissioner of district, it becomes my duty that life of people is secure and healthy. Also I have to consider the fact that my empathy should not lead to threat to my own life. Moreover, I have to be self-aware and to develop social skills for becoming emotionally intelligent. Persuasion and teamwork is required in this situation to resolve the emotional dilemma.
By hearing farmers’ grievance and communicating them directly to support psychologically prevent us from trap of emotional dilemma. Seeking help from SHGs, NGOs, and technological department can also prevent these situations from hype.
Question : You are working as a clerk in a government department. Your salary can help you lead a reasonable life but you are not able to save any money for the future and education of your child and to provide lavish life style to your family. Recently, influenced by government's persuasion to give up LPG subsidy, you decide to do the same. Your wife has become furious on this. She tells you that it is for rich people to give up LPG and not for her family which is struggling hard. She further starts comparing you with other employees of your rank, who are making money over their salaries and living a lavish life. She even provokes you to do the same citing reason that system cannot be improved by a single person and you are unnecessarily bothering about the nation. She further adds that it is better for you to keep your family happy.
Answer : a. Giving up LPG subsidy is a bold and daring step for you when you are not even able to save money for the future and education of your child. But if reflects your attitude towards serving general public interest rather than your own personal interest.
b. As a government employee, your ethics direct you to favour and oblige the government policies and programmes. But here dilemma arose in between your personal responsibilities towards your family and work ethical values towards government policies/programmes. One leading to serve the interest of few people and other cause help to upliftment of many deprived and marginalised people.
Emotional confusion can be resolved by analysing self-awareness and empathy character of your behaviour. This ethical dilemma of giving up subsidy or not can be resolved via logical analysis of your current economic scenario and incoming expenditure. Above situation cannot allow you to fully give up subsidy. Moreover you can fulfill your work ethics and responsibility via taking few subsidised LPG cylinder and saving more from your salary to finance the future and education of your child.
Question : You are working as Superintendent of jail. A politician convicted of rape and murder who has already served 2 years in jail is under severe depression. His wife is on death bed due to cancer. He requests you to allow him to see his wife at his home one last time before she dies. Your wife, who is a social worker, after coming to know about convict's request, requests you to allow him to see his wife once subverting court procedures.
Answer : a. Whenever there arises a conflict between rule/law and ethics/morality then it is the rule/law that prevails In this case, being a superintendent one can only request a court or the concerned authority to accept the convict’s requests. Wife's suggestion can be followed if it does not intervene with the accepted procedures.
b. By following Wife's suggestions, one may be suspended for showing laxity in discharging duty or a disciplinary action can be taken.
Question : You are working as District Collector in a remote district in one of India's North-eastern states prone to frequent natural disasters. Recently a massive earthquake struck your district causing huge loss of property and lives. The situation is demanding urgent but careful relief measures to protect lives and offer humanitarian assistance to affected population. You are made in-charge of relief work. Some local politicians are asking you to help them in making money out of relief packages and in return, they offer you 20%. In case if you reject the offer, they threatened you for life.
Answer : a. Immediately asks for police protection and also direct the police to take action against the local politicians who threatened you. Furthermore the center and the state government will be appraised of the situation.
National and Local media can be involved to expose the local politicians.
A DM’s priorities should be ensured the relief work is done effectively and the life is restored to its normalcy.
b. As a DM as well as the in-chage of relief work, option available is to provide relief to the people as soon as possible.
Question : You have been posted in such a department, where frequent transfers of honest officers are very common. Those officers who are not ready to accept terms and conditions of politicians and big businessmen are often harassed and frequently transferred to 'not so good' posts. This causes a sort of mental harassment to the officers and to his family too.
Answer : a. Candidate's pointed reply should be "YES".
b. Values needed to endure these harassments
Question : In India, many pilgrimage sites are located at ecologically sensitive regions and it is said that allowing tourism or pilgrimage in these regions poses threat to ecology there.You are DM of a district, where a pilgrimage site is located at an ecologically sensitive region. The local people of the district come to meet you and request you to allow open pilgrimage site, which is closed due to pressure from ecologists.
Answer : a. Option 1: Open the site with immediate effect as preventing people from visiting the pilgrimage site is curtailing their right to religious freedom guaranteed under the constitution.
Option 2: Lifting the ban but putting restrictions on the number of people visiting the pilgrimage site.
Option 3: Completely banning religious tourisms
Suggested course of action: Options 2 sounds more suitable.
b. Protecting ecology and respecting the feelings of the people is the key ethical issue involved in this case.
Question : You are recently posted as DM of a district which is notorious for frequent rapes and abuses against women. In your research about the districts profile, you find that the district has one of the lowest sex ratios in the country, highest female illiteracy and is following a tradition of male dominance by curbing women's rights since long time. You also find that politics in the region has thrived on tradition of religious prejudices based on violating women's rights. Your investigations reveal that most of the atrocities committed against women in the region are mostly by political activists belonging to prominent political parties and religious groups.You are informed that police have refused to even register complaints filed by women victims.
Answer : a. Following are the ethical and moral issues involved in this case:
b. Following steps can be taken:
All government Schemes related to promoting literacy, securing women's rights and leveling sex ration will be implemented rigorously. In this case, women's groups such as Self Help Groups, women's rights organizations can be taken to run a social campaign. Police department shall be directed to listen to the grievances and register complaints immediately. Failing to do so would entail disciplinary actions.
Regarding political party workers two things can be done:
Note: such a system should be created which involves masses in this cause of women emancipation so that if tomorrow you are transferred system remains in place.
Possible Hurdles faced can be:
Traditional mindsets and orthodox practices, illiteracy, politicians-criminal nexus, political interference may act as obstacles.
Question : Being Superintendent of Police of a District, where juveniles 'crime rate is too high, you are appointed to a committee to submit report regarding a boy of 17 years and 9 months involved in heinous and barbaric crime of brutal sexual abuse and murder.
The relatives of victim girl plead the government and committee to treat some of these juveniles as adults and punish them accordingly.
Answer : a. Emotional dilemmas involved and the way to tackle it is:
b. Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors.
This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance etc. For example, when people smoke (behavior) and they know that smoking causes cancer (cognition).
In this case the cognitive dissonance involved is that the boy is underage and thus cannot be tried as an adult but the crime he is accused of is of heinous nature which warrants strictest punishment to set an example to discourage others in future by acting as deterrent.
Question : A civil servant (DM) during his tour of rural areas finds that an irrigation project is being implemented by displacing 1000 poor families. Though the poor people have been provided with compensation according to government rules, yet they have occupied both flanks of the national highways, affecting traffic movements. They have stopped the car of DM and are demanding justice and insisting that they should be settled on both flanks of national highway. What will be best course of action for the District Magistrate?
Answer the following questions in around 150 words each:
Answer : a. Ethical concerns and dilemmas for civil servants:
Course of Action
The people who have occupied both flanks of national highways are having illegal occupation. D.M. must make these points clear to them; however, D.M. is morally bound to ensure proper rehabilitation of needy people. The poorest and most deserving could be helped by proper settlement of homestead land if it is available. Options of Indira Awas Yojana could also be explored.
Since the people are having Compensation money, hence using that money as seed money, loans from commercial banks may also be looked into. In the end D.M. can give a time limit within which time illegal occupation should be removed otherwise legal action, including use of force could be considered.
b. Methodology for bringing ethics in private institutions.
Question : A private factory employing 500 people has come up in a remote part of the country. What important organisational values it should promote? In order to become popular in the area, what is the best ethical course of action that factory management should adopt?
Answer : Following organisational values the factory should promote:
Following course of action is recommended:
Question : An enterprising doctor has set up a hospital in a small town by taking loan from a financial institution. The Doctor wants to help the needy and poor. According to your view, what are the various practices that should be adopted by hospital management?
Answer : a. Salient features of medical ethics
Case Study (Hospital)
Question : What do you mean by 'Ethical Dilemma'? Illustrate it through a suitable example. You are a police officer and your bodyguard has once saved your life by putting his life on risk. He has taken Rs. 500 from a person to help the man to get a favourable recommendation from you for grant of an arms license. Another police personnel has told you about the matter that your bodyguard has taken the money from someone. The case of arms license is genuine and your bodyguard makes a request to do the same. What will be your response?
Answer : Ethical dilemmas are situations which entail conflict between two or more equally cherished moral standards. To resolve these ethical Dilemmas Stakeholders will have to produce/ project alternative moral viewpoints which administrators will have to consider before making a decision.
For example, during floods a civil servant has been left with only a piece of tarpaulin and there are two claimants whose houses have been washed away in flood. Both are physically challenged, one is blind and the other has lost both of his legs. The civil servant will obviously be in ethical dilemma as to whom he should assist. In order to resolve his dilemma both will have to bring some additional points in their favour in order to clear the dilemma of the civil servant. Since it is genuine case of grant of arms license, the police officer is morally bound to recommend the case for grant of license. However the police officer is aware that his bodyguard has taken a bribe of Rs. 500 from the applicant, it is but natural that the officer will be in dilemma. He should call the bodyguard, and petitioner, and ask the bodyguard to return the money to the applicant and thereafter will recommend the case of arms license.
