Question : It is often said that poverty leads to corruption. However, there is no dearth of instances where affluent and powerful people indulge in corruption in a big way. What are the basic causes of corruption among people? Support your answer with examples.
(2014)
Question : Indicate two more attributes which you consider important for public service. Justify your answer.
(2013)
Answer : Hints: Impartiality as a principle of justice prescribes to public servants that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons. It is necessary for promoting equality in the society that public servants work in an impartial manner.
Question : How understanding of ecological sensitivity is important before EIA (Environment Impact Assessment)?
Answer : Hints: Ecological Sensitivity (area)
Question : It is argued that spiritual awareness is innate and that it is an important component in human development. Justify this statement. How spirituality helps in inculcating ethical values in human beings?
Answer : Hints: Spirituality means something different to everyone. For some, it’s about participating in organized religion: going to church, synagogue, a mosque, and so on. For others, it’s more personal: Some people get in touch with their spiritual side through private prayer, yoga, meditation, quiet reflection, or even long walks.
Question : If you have to choose between Attitude and Aptitude, which one you should choose and why?
Answer : Hints:
Approach
Choice between the Two
Question : It is well said that adopting any value is for the benefit of the concerned individual. Critically comment.
Answer : Hints: Values arecomponent of behaviour that guides, determines or form them. Individuals lives under different circumstances and follows different professions. So in a course of time they embrace different values. But as we know there are certain values which are found everywhere across the cultural diversity and still there are values specific to a work. Universal values are peace, freedom, humanity etc. and specific value are unique to the requirement and acceptance of different professions. Such as Doctors treat each and every patient with the same zeal and without any differentiation on the basis of economic or social status. But military personnel embraces the values of nationalism i.e. for them their nationals are supreme, and even if in the course of discharging their duties they treat other nation’s citizen differently and unevenly then their action is justified on ethical grounds, but consider a doctor following the applying the same value of nationalism while treating her patient then it will be ethically wrong. So this way we can say that not any value is for the benefit of the individ.
Question : Examine the following statements and state how much you agree? Explain with taking examples from your life. In the following questions, carefully study the cases presented and then answer the questions that follow:
Answer : (a) Ethical value is a by-product of self-knowledge
(b) Tolerance
Question : “The value judgements of a society change from Generation to Generation depending upon the most significant aspects of social objectives.” How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Value judgements of a society can change as the features of human criteria depend on Purposiveness, Deliberateness and Rationality. Based on the purposiveness and rationality behind it, values are classified into Principal and Peripheral. Principle values are the values like truth, integrity, fairness etc which are present in every society; however its intensity may vary. The distinguishing feature of the human mind is rationality. After weighing the merit and demerit of the subject of enquiry from several view points, things are accepted by the new society. Tradition is important source of value judgement of any society both quality and quantity wise. Every bit of traditional values are subjected to critical examination and overthrown if not sustained.
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
Answer : Hints: (a) Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.
(b) Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning, sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. For example, when a child abuses others, he receives punishment, but when he helps others, he receives gifts as rewards. As a result, he learns to help others and avoid using abuses.
(c) Ethics as virtue: Ethics has two components – moral ethics and virtue ethics. According to the concept of ethics as virtue, there are certain ideals, such as excellence or dedication to the common good, toward which we should strive and which allow the full development of our humanity. These ideals are discovered through thoughtful reflection on what we as human beings have the potential to become. ‘Virtues’ are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. Virtues are developed through learning and through practice. Virtues are habits. That is, once they are acquired, they become characteristic of a person. For example, a person who has developed the virtue of generosity is often referred to as a generous person because he or she tends to be generous in all circumstances. Moreover, a person who has developed virtues will be naturally disposed to act in ways that are consistent with moral principles. The virtuous person is the ethical person.
(d) Self awareness: Goleman identified five domains of Emotional Intelligence - Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy and Relationship Management. Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to recognize oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals. People with high emotional intelligence are usually very self-aware. They understand their emotions, and hence, they do not let their feelings rule them. They are confident because they trust rationality and do not let their emotions get out of control. They are also willing to take an honest look at themselves. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and work on these areas so they can perform better. Many people believe that this self-awareness is the most important part of emotional intelligence.
Question : How “Ego Defensive Mechanism” may be helpful in formation of Attitude?
Answer : Hints: In psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy persons normally use different defenses throughout life. An ego defense mechanism becomes pathological only when its persistent use leads to maladaptive behavior such that the physical and/or mental health of the individual is adversely affected. The purpose of ego defense mechanisms is to protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope.
They are more accurately referred to as ego defense mechanisms, and can thus be categorized as occurring when the id impulses are in conflict with each other, when the id impulses conflict with super-ego values and beliefs, and when an external threat is posed to the ego.
The term “defense mechanism” is often thought to refer to a definitive singular term for personality traits which arise due to loss or traumatic experiences, but more accurately refers to several types of reactions which were identified.
The following is an explanation of each of the ego defense mechanisms:
The other Ego defence mechanism include like Undoing to fix your mistake, Fantasy, Imagining yourself beating up your boss, Reaction Formation, taking actions that are the opposite of your real desires, Humor, looking at the funny side of a situation, Compensation, hiding your weaknesses by acting as a beacon of strength, Affiliation, to seek the help of another person in getting over your problem.
Are Ego Defense Mechanisms Effective? Sometimes they are healthy and sometimes not. Some of them can help you, while others can make the problem even worse; whenever possible, try to consciously detect the presence of the defense mechanism and see if it is really beneficial or not.
Question : It is well said that “success in persuading people depends on the interplay of various aspects”. Explain all the aspects.
Answer : Hints: Persuasion is a form of social influence in which an audience is intentionally encouraged to adopt an idea, attitude, or course of action by symbolic means. The three elements necessary to persuade an audience are: emotional appeal (pathos), intellectual appeal (logos) and charisma (ethos).
Question : How the strengthening of ethical and moral values in the governance may be ensured?
Answer : Hints: Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance:
Question : Work culture refers to the attitudes, values and behaviour of individuals.
Answer : Hints: When people join an organization, they bring with them their unique attitudes, values and behaviours that they have been taught. Any organisation with firmly established organisational culture would be taught the values, beliefs and expected behaviours of that organisation. Just as society moulds human behaviour, an organisation also moulds human behaviour that is in tune with the prevalent set of norms and behaviour. In this process, certain basic attitudes and beliefs about the people and their work situations are slowly but firmly accepted in the organisation, which becomes its ‘Organisational Culture’. A positive organizational culture reinforces the core beliefs and behaviours that a leader desires while weakening the values and actions the leader rejects.
Question : Define Political attitude
Answer : Hints: It can be defined as relatively stable views, either favorable or unfavorable, which individuals or groups have about events, movements, policies and issues in the public sphere. The hierarchical structure of political attitude consists of four tiers. From the base, these are specific opinions and beliefs, habitual opinions, general attitudes and ideology. Ideology consists of a system of general ideas on man and society, centered around one or a few general values, which has manifested itself historically as a doctrine adhered to by some major groups and categories, and which expresses the interests of some important category e.g., a social class.
Question : Define Observation learning
Answer : Hints: People form attitudes by observing people around them. People are particularly influenced by the attitudes of those whom they admire. Children observe the attitude of their parents and imitate their ways of doing things.
Question : Examine the following statements and bring out what it means to you in the present context.
Ethical value is a by-product of self-knowledge.
Answer : Hints: Ethical value is the total awareness of the conditioned patterns gathered over million years in the form of knowledge.
Question : Is it correct to say that ‘Freedom of will’ is an important human value? How is it in harmony with Indian value system of ‘Karmavad’?
Answer : Hints: ‘Freedom of will’ is an important human value because it implies both the ability and the freedom of human beings to make right choices according to moral principles. Hence the freedom of will and the moral freedom mean the same thing. It expresses positive faith in human capacity to rise to the highest levels of human growth.
The strong assertion of free will is needed today because a number of theories of human nature deny it. Some of these theories are:
The Indian theory of ‘Karmavad’ rests on a slightly different foundation. It emphasises that there is a law of causation in the moral world. Every act of ours invariably produces a result to ourselves.
The nature of the result depends upon the moral quality of the work. Good acts produce good and pleasurable results and evil acts produce pain and misery. What we sow, we must reap. Thus ‘Karmavad’ grants full moral freedom to the individuals. Hence, ‘Karmavad’ prescribes full human freedom or ‘free will’ to individuals.
Question : Define ‘Freedom’ and ‘Discipline’ with respect to human values and ethics. With the help of a suitable case study explain how true ‘freedom’ can be achieved and what role could ‘discipline’ play into it.
Answer : Hints: ‘Freedom’ is regulated or restrained or disciplined by liberty. In other words ‘freedom’ and discipline are two sides of the same coin. In sanskrit there is a word, ‘Swadheenta’. The word freedom is its Common English equivalent. It is a compound of two portions: Swa + adheenta. This means, to be under one’s (swa) own control (adheenta).
Question : Many administrators have contributed in strengthening the ‘basic human values’. Comment and bring out a case study to illustrate your point.
Answer : Hints: Following are the four basic human values.
Many of the administrators like Sri. T.N. Seshan, E. Sreedharan, and very recently Durgashakti Nagpal have demonstrated these human values through their action. While discharging their duties each one of the above was free from personal bias, ego or greed for money or name and fame.
Question : How attitude predicts behaviour. Illustrate through example.
Answer : Hints: There is a complex relationship between attitude and behaviour. Fishbein and Ajzen suggested that behaviour is primarily a function of intention to carryout particular act. These intentions are determined by following three factors.
Example: There is a civil servant who is very honest and wants to maintain his honesty at any cost (very high attitude towards a specific behaviour). He knows that his friends and colleagues know him as a very honest officer and appreciate him and he will always like to keep them satisfied (subjective norm for honesty is high). The civil servant knows that the habit of honesty is deeply ingrained in him and he would love to keep it intact (very high behavioural control). Hence his intention to behave will be always honest and it will be his actual behaviour.
Question : What are moral attitudes and what is the significance of ‘Reverence’ in deter-mination of moral attitude of an individual.
Answer : Hints: Following are the five components of fundamental moral attitude.
Question : What is the political attitude of ‘Conservatives’ in a political system. A political party having a conservative attitude has to draft an election manifesto on the eve of a general election. It wants to focus on developmental issues and issues relating to poverty and hunger. Draw out a manifesto for the political party in 200 words and discuss its merits.
Answer : Hints: ‘Conservatives’ are the most supportive of the status quo and therefore reluctant to see it changed. Conservatives support the status quo not because they like it, but because they believe that it is the best that can be achieved in the present situation. However, they appreciate ‘incremental’ development in the whole system because of sustainability factor.
Question : What is the difference between ‘empathy’ and ‘compassion’. Illustrate with the help of a suitable example
Answer : Hints: Empathy refers to the ability to imagine oneself in another’s place and understand the other’s feelings, desires, ideas and actions.
Compassion is the understanding or empathy for the suffering of others. Compassion involves a sense of empathy. Someone who is compassionate will have an active desire to alleviate another’s suffering. He will show kindness without expecting anything in return.
Example: A poor old lady approaches a civil servant who has authority to sanction old age pension to the needy. The lady was not able to express her problem properly, even then because of the element of ‘empathy’ in the civil servant, he could understand her problems, helplessness, etc. since the civil servant was compassionate enough, he undertook all the formalities like filling of application form, documentations, etc. and got her oldage pension sanctioned.
Question : What is the significance of ‘creativity’ in the basic human value? What constructive role the parents and educational institutions can play in inculcating this human value in a seven year old child?
Answer : Hints: One of the unique endowments of human beings is the internal urge to change things for the better. The field of activity is very wide. It covers every aspect of life. It can be in operation in the following three different fields
A school going Seven year old Child can be persuaded both by parents and teachers to pen down very short stories or songs, which he/she remembers. The child could be provided with drawing-sheets and painting material to sketch and paint plants, birds, etc.
The child could be given some raw materials to make articles of his/her use. Initially the parents and teachers could help the child in performing these activities so as to generate interest in these creative functions.
Question : Explain the MODE model of attitude toward objects to specific behaviour.
Question : “The parent is not the only source of values for the child, although obviously the inculcation of values begins in the home from early age”. Examine this statement in the current techno economic society.
Answer : Hints: Although parents are center point in inculcating values in the child, but schools, social institutions, civic organizations, etc too gives shapes to the values of a child. In addition to these, the techno-economic nature of present society is also influencing values by adding dimensions. It has been a century of great achievements in scientific and technological sectors as well as in social, economic and cultural sectors.
Question : What do you mean by “public service values”? Explain with examples.
Answer : Hints: Public Service is a way by which aspiration of the people can be fulfilled. In any Country, Governance and its outcome is an essential component for its peaceful existence.
So for the properly implementation of the governance policy and delivery of services, certain values are important which can be helpful in the public services. These values are:
For example (in the context of India)
Question : Explain the term ‘Total quality management’
Answer : Hints: TQM is a management philosophy that seeks to integrate all organizational functions (marketing, finance, design, engineering, and production, customer service, etc.) to focus on meeting customer needs and organizational objectives. TQM views an organization as a collection of processes. It maintains that organizations must strive to continuously improve these processes by incorporating the knowledge and experiences of workers. The simple objective of TQM is “Do the right things, right the first time, every time.” TQM is infinitely variable and adaptable. Although originally applied to manufacturing operations, and for a number of years only used in that area, TQM is now becoming recognized as a generic management tool, just as applicable in service and public sector organizations. There are a number of evolutionary strands, with different sectors creating their own versions from the common ancestor. TQM is the foundation for activities, which include:
Question : Write about Tolerance in the current global society
Answer : Hints: Tolerance is the appreciation of diversity and the ability to live and let others live. It is the ability to exercise a fair and objective attitude towards those whose opinions, practices, religion, nationality and so on differ from one’s own. As experts notes, “tolerance is not just agreeing with one another or remaining indifferent in the face of injustice, but rather showing respect for the essential humanity in every person.
Question : “The qualities of good work are not the qualities of good character”. Do you agree?
Answer : Hints: Qualities of a good work ethic are:
Question : Write about Moral attitude vs Political attitude
Answer : Hints: Moral attitude: Reverence, faithfulness, awareness of responsibility, veracity, goodness are some of the moral attitudes.
Question : What do you mean by ‘Empathy’?
Answer : Hints: Empathy is the experience of understanding another person’s condition from their perspective. You place yourself in their shoes and feel what they are feeling. Empathy is known to increase prosocial (helping) behaviors.
Question : Write a brief note on different dimensions of ethics
Answer : Hints:
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
Answer : Hints: (a) Emotional intelligence: is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is generally said to include three skills:
Example: Mr. X and Y works in an organization. They had a heated argument with their reporting authority over an issue. Only Mr. Y is an emotionally intelligent person. Both returned their home at the closing hour of the office. On returning to their homes Mr. X, who wasn’t emotionally intelligent, started shouting at his children. This man acted based on his emotions without thinking what impact his emotions that are running out of control now would have on his children. So he didn’t act in an emotionally intelligent way.
But Mr. Y when returned home and found his children making noise he just convinced himself. Look why should I shout at the children’s, they shouldn’t be blamed for my anger; they always make that loud noise while playing. The main reason behind my anger is heated argument with my reporting authority today and this is why I am feeling bad. So Mr. Y recognized his emotions, thought about them, then acted in an emotionally intelligent way. This way he maintain could maintain cordial relations with this children’s and at the same time managed to kept his personal life different from professional life.
(b) Collusive corruptions: It is a case in which there is a willing bribe-giver. This is supply side phenomena in corruption cases where in a person is willing to give bribe to get his work done. In this case officials from public sector undertakings join hands with the private sector; this is practice widely present in the Indian Business environment.
For example: Some Private companies in India willing to pay bribe to PSUs for availing the contracts of natural resources extractions and development.
(c) Moral quotient: We human beings are in some way guided by rules and morals. It is these morals and values that motivates or gives directions to follow a certain path or take a certain decision. MQ is different from IQ. IQ is a standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence, whereas MQ tests how ethical you are. For example you are a CEO of a company. You are required to launch a beverage product but in clinical trials you find it to be impacting human health adversely. So now comes the role your conscience (MQ) is going to play. If you go ahead with the product launch you will mint crores of rupees but at the cost of your fellow beings health. So in this case your MQ will guide your actions.Question : Explain the impact of emotional intelligence on bureaucratic structure.
Answer : Hints: Leadership and teamwork improvement: As a bureaucrat, you need to act like a leader in the bureaucratic structure, where decisions depend on your personal efficiency and the analytical skills. But at the centre of successful leadership lies the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals. Since emotions are intrinsic to the human condition, they doubtlessly arise whenever a group of people works together. Hence it is essential that leaders know how to deal with circumstances that include emotions. At the same time, you should be able to understand the emotions of common men, coming to you with complaints and feedbacks. You should be ready to allay their negative emotions and fume their positive emotions.
There are three key concepts to direct emotional intelligence:
Improvement of public service: A great deal of public-service jobs are characterized by interpersonal contact, which can be face to face and/or voice to voice. In the ideal case the interaction between public servant and customer (common man) should produce a desired outcome for both sides: first, from the customer’s point of view, his/her goal of the exchange has been fulfilled; Second, from the agency’s point of view, the customer was satisfactorily served, establishing the productivity and efficiency of the respective public-service agency.
Thus to do their job well, bureaucrats must be able to manage interactions with their customers positively. In this neo–bureaucratic age, a civil servant should behave like a ‘salesman’, competent enough to sell the policies and programmes of the government to the masses.
Improvement in decision making: Decision making is neurologically impossible without being affected by emotions.
Question : “Some people will always be bigger than others. Some will be smarter, more creative and so on. Moreover, a human capacity to perceive hierarchical differentiation is probably universal, even though responses to such differentiation may vary”. Examine the relevance of the above statement for the development of Moral Emotions.
Answer : Hints: Human social groups contain both ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. The social life of humans can be portrayed as reflecting a dynamic tension between a tendency to dominate and a tendency to submit. As a consequence, a semi stable social equilibrium is reached. Human social life is hierarchical and has always been so. The ‘self-conscious’ emotions, such as guilt, shame and embarrassment and ‘other – focused’ emotions, such as indignation, contempt and disgust, both maintain dynamic equilibrium to give rise to moral emotions. Self-conscious emotions will help us to motivate in many ways that guide our behaviour and provides for self-restraint. When others experience our other-focused behaviour in response to our moral transgressions, they are apt to give us social-conduct feedback in an attempt to impose constraints on our behaviour. These self focused and other focused emotions are nothing but moral emotions, which help to inculcate the good emotions, such as generosity, healthy competition, admiration etc. and remove bad emotions, such as jealousy, contempt etc. from our characters.
Question : Critically examine the role of ethical efficacy in motivating ethical behaviour?
Answer : Hints: Ethical efficacy influences moral motivation and conduct as it instills the confidence needed to engage in ethical behaviour and accordingly, helps individuals control their actions to meet moral standards. When individuals control their actions to meet social standards, self – regulatory abilities are maintained; when they don’t, and instead engage in socially inappropriate behaviour, self-regulatory abilities fail. Thus, ethical efficacy acts as a reinforcement of self-regulatory abilities, controlling behaviour even in the face of situations that challenge moral standards.
Question : What lessons you have learned so far on “preventing and dealing with ethical failures”. Explain your comments with examples.
Answer : Hints: Ethical failures are all around. Despite their pervasiveness we know little how to manage and even survive the aftermath of such failures. To succeed in this scientific enterprise, one should use of a behavioral ethics approach that relies on insights from psychology.
Ethical leadership: Leadership itself may fail sometimes in directing ethics within organizations and business because they suffer from biases that can prevent them from making the right and accurate decisions.
Moral awareness: Remedies for ethical failures often focus on increasing moral awareness.When making decisions it is important that people are aware of the moral implications of their actions. People are able to interpret moral dilemmas in a conscious manner in which cognitive corrections can be applied.
Managing distrust: Ethical failures often go hand in hand with a decline of trust. The occurrence of distrust is a severe problem and requires that we understand how unethical behaviors can be dealt with in ways that trust is restored. Indeed, when ethical failures emerge integrity suffers (Paine, 1994). For this reason, a lack of ethics may erode trust. Therefore, a specific focus on dealing with the aftermath of ethical failures is much needed.
In order to eliminate or prevent unethical deeds but also manage and deal with the aftermath of ethical failures. To do so effectively, requires an approach that heightens our understanding of how leaders can tackle such circumstances in more effective ways, how awareness of what is appropriate and right works, and how the resulting distrust can be managed in repairing ways.
Question : Whether you will support unethical behaviour with the intent to benefit others?
Answer : Hints: Not a day goes by without the revelation of unethical behavior by a politician, movie star, professional athlete, or high-ranking executive. Is a person’s willingness to cross ethical lines influenced by the presence of others who may benefit? Findings show that cheating is motivated by potential benefits to others.
Key concepts include:
Question : How the sentiments known as moral emotions relate to a sense of ethical obligation?
Answer : Hints: Ethical obligation is related to virtues and vices. These are habits. It is therefore not surprising that it is moral dispositions, sentiments and the will rather than emotional episodes which go to make up vices and virtues. Perhaps the single most important feature of these dispositions and sentiments is that they are the motives out of (or from) which the vicious or virtuous person acts.
Question : Examine the following statements and bring out what it means to you in the present context.
(a) “Conscience has three aspects- knowledge, authority and associated emotions.”
(b) “Freedom and Responsibility are the twin aspects of citizenship in a free society.”
Answer : (a) Hints: Aspects of Conscience-
(b) Hints: Our Constitution has endowed us with very comprehensive fundamental rights, which ensures freedoms in a very broad context. But, those freedoms are not absolute. They are closely linked to responsibility, some of which are mentioned in the fundamental duties. For instance, one cannot enjoy right to life if one disturbs other in living their lives. It’s one’s responsibility to profess one’s right in such a way so as not to impose constraints for others.
Question : Define ‘emotional intelligence’. Why it is significant that civil servants should recognise the emotions of others, especially their subordinates?
Answer : Hints: Emotional Intelligence is the ability to interpret, understand and manage one’s own and others emotions. The ability to be self aware and then regulate one’s own emotions is one of the features of emotional intelligence.
Question : What are the 5 point parameters of Emotional Intelligence (Goleman Model) and what is their significance in governance?
Answer : Hints: 5 point parameters of Emotional Intelligence (Goleman Model) is as follows.
Goleman’s model is very significant for governance. It is being realised that civil servants lack sensitivity and compassion, especially towards weaker section of the society. This is because bureaucrats perform their work in a highly mechanised way. They do not care about the emotions and feelings of other stakeholders.
Question : Explain how an emotional intelligent Civil servant can be more empathetic than a non-emotional intelligent one.
Answer : Hints: Empathy is the most important factor of emotional intelligence. It is a virtue which enables a Civil Servant to know and address the problem of the poor, deprived and the vulnerable section of the population.
Question : Explain the following terms
Answer : Hints: (i) Crisis Management: During the period of crisis it is very important to understand the emotions of the people who are affected by the crisis. For a civil servant, crisis management is the litmus test of his/her ability. Only that person can effectively manage the crisis that can be empathetic. For managing crisis properly, one requires a professional team and the team leader can succeed only if he/she is emotionally intelligent.
(ii) Self Awareness: This is the ability to accurately assess our feelings at any given time and to take decisions according to our preferences. Another dimension of self awareness consists in making a realistic assessment of our capabilities and acquiring an adequate degree of self confidence.
Self awareness is very important for a civil servant because through self awareness only, one understands his strength and weakness. An emotionally intelligent person not only correctly and accurately is self aware, but he exercise his options based upon his self-awareness.
(iii) Motivation: It is also a very important aspect of emotional intelligence. Motivation involves relying on our strongest preferences to guide and move us towards our cherished goals. It strengthens and encourages our drives towards self improvement and makes us strong even when faced with heavy odds and grim prospects.
Motivation energizes us and when we motivate others, they also get energised and are ready to face the tough problems of organisation.
(iv) Morale: It is also a very good component of emotional intelligence. It is very significant because civil servants always lead a team. The pulls and pressures of the organization sometimes demoralize the team.
At this stage it becomes the duty of the team leader and head of the organization to take appropriate steps to raise the morale of teammates. It is also very important for every member of the team to take steps for raising his/her morale
Question : What do you mean by moral intellectualism of Socrates? To what extent are Socratic virtues applicable in modern administrative context?
Answer : Hints: Socrates held that no one knowingly does what is bad. This view is known as moral intellectualism. It means that only knowledge is needed to make all men virtuous.
Question : Briefly discuss Gandhi’s concept of nonviolence. How far Naxalites can succeed if they renounce the path of violence and adopt non-violent means?
Answer : Hints: Gandhi advocated that evil should be tackled by means of non-violence. One should hate the evil deed but not its perpetrator. The argument behind this belief is that men are the children of the same God and that attacking even a single individual is an attack on the whole of the humanity.
Question : Is it correct to say that “Right mindfulness of Buddhism is quite similar to modern concept of ‘emotional intelligence’.?
Answer : Hints: Right mindfulness refers to cognitive processes through which we understand things. Our cognitive processes act on the bare impressions and interpret those using concepts and our earlier experiences. Lord Buddha has recommended four foundations of mindfulness.
Buddhists try to achieve right concentration through practicing meditation. This leads to a mental state without passions, to self control and tranquility.
Modern concept of ‘emotional intelligence’ also recommends controlling passions and emotions i.e. to exercise emotional self restraint.
Question : Explain the term ‘Outcome justice’.
Answer : Hints: The idea of the outcomes ustice is that the fairness of process depends on the procedure producing correct outcomes. For example, if the procedure is a criminal trial, then the correct outcome would be conviction of the guilty and exonerating the innocent. If the procedure were a legislative process, then the procedure would be fair to the extent that it produced good legislation and unfair to the extent that it produced bad legislation.
Question : “Use of power need not necessarily be violent”. Explain with examples.
Answer : Hints: By its very nature, nonviolence cannot ‘seize’ power, nor can that be its goal. But nonviolence can do more; it can effectively control and guide power without capturing the machinery of government. That is its beauty.
Question : “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Critically examine the statement.
Answer : Hints: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Over the centuries, this famous saying voiced by Lord Action has been analyzed and dissected numerous times by historians and philosophers. Some individuals say that power does not corrupt, it only attracts the corruptible. However, to judge fairly, past and current events accurately depict the ideology that power corrupts absolutely, and that its meaning holds true.
Leadership is at its core, all about power and influence; however, there is a distinction between two types of power. Socialized power is used to benefit others, and personalized power is used for personal gain. In many cases, individuals start out with the aim to benefit others, but once power is acquired, they use it for their own gain. Thus, socialized power and personalized power is not mutually exclusive.
So why does power corrupt? It corrupts because it gives license to unconsciousness and neglect. It corrupts because it licenses individuals to unilaterally, unreflectively and thus arbitrarily impose their will on others. It licenses individuals to impose their will without having properly engaged and processed through the Reality at hand.
Question : Examine the following statement and bring out what it means to you in the present context. “The use of power need not necessarily be violent.”
Answer : Hints: The most effective exercise of power is that which troubles least. A non – violent administrator or law – giver professes his duties without getting affected by fear or favour, anger or attachment.
Question : Civility and humility are expressions of the spirit of non-violence.
Answer : Hints: Civility calls for taking care of oneself and his/her surroundings by being within the ambit of constitution/law of the land.
Question : ‘Medieval Ethics was deeply influenced by the Church’. Comment and bring out the views of Thomas Aquinas.
Answer : Hints: Prior to spread of Christianity, Medieval Ethics was being regulated by Greek ethics which laid emphasis on ‘good man’ and ‘good citizen’. This means that more attention on inner aspect of morality, which was the aspiration of every good human being.
Question : According to John Stuart Mill “The greatest happiness principle should be foundation of morals”. Comment (100 words). With a suitable case study (not more than 100 words), illustrate that this principle is still relevant.
Answer : Hints: Bentham saw the ethical issues from a more individualistic point of view. His argument was that since society is made up of individuals, it will be sufficient to view the whole subject from the perspective of individual utility-seeking as the basis of ethics. John Stuart Mill went on to add further refinement to Bentham’s approach. He stressed.
Case study: A road is being constructed in a locality; where earlier there were good number of trees and plantations, mostly useful for birds and animals. While constructing the roads, trees had to be cut, causing problems to the many living beings, including damaging the ecology and environment.
Question : What were the views of Kautilya regarding ‘Integrity of Public Servants’? Do you think that the views are still relevant?
Answer : Hints: Kautilya recommended that Public servants who have power and authority should be under constant watch and scrutiny. He even recommended the use of spies against them. Kautilya had suggested the King that as a fish living in water cannot be believed that it has not touched and tasted the water, similarly civil servants having power and authority should not be taken for granted that they may not misuse it.
Question : ‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’. Examine ethicality of this statement in the current global context.
Answer : Hints:This is Gandhiji quote. It basically means that when something awful is done by someone, they deserve to have the same thing done to them. Like…if someone has caused a dent on your car then you also do the same thing and it will be fair. But Gandhiji did not believe in it and quoted that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” meaning if we keep punishing those we deem cruel, then we’re no better than the bad guys ourselves. It’s the whole “you can’t solve violence with violence” spiel.
Question : “Absolute power corrupts absolutely and lack of absolute power corrupts absolutely as well.” With suitable examples, critically comment on the statement.
Answer : Hints:The phrase “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” was first coined by the British historian Lord Acton.
Question : Explain the term ‘Benchmarking’ with example.
Answer : It is a measurement of the quality of an organizations policies, products, programs, strategies, etc. and their comparison with standards requirements, or similar measurement of its peers. The objective of benchmarking are
(i)To determine what and where improvements are called for
(ii)To analyze how other organizations achieve their high performance levels, and
(iii)To use this information to improve performance.
Question : The aspiration of civil servants while performing public service is constrained by the code of conduct. Do you agree?
Answer : Hints: Code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the social norms and rules and responsibilities or proper practices for an individual or organization. A common code of conduct is written for a public servant to protect the interest of the citizens. The standards commonly mentioned in professional codes include: honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability, confidentiality, objectivity, respectfulness and obedience to the law.
Question : What are ethical issues involved in the process of benchmarking? Explain with suitable examples.
Answer : Hints: Benchmarking is the process of identifying and learning from best practices anywhere in the world. It is a powerful tool in the quest for continuous improvement and breakthroughs. Following are the ethical issues involved in the process of Benchmarking.
Question : “Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight”
Answer : Hints: The contemporary doctrine of open government finds its strongest advocates in those non-governmental organisations keen to counter what they see as the inherent tendency of government to lapse, whenever possible, into secrecy. Prominent among these NGOs are bodies like Transparency International or the Open Society Institute. They advocate the implementation of norms of openness and transparency across the globe and argue that such standards are vital to the ongoing prosperity and development of democratic societies.
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples.
(b) Public Procurement
(c) Work Culture
Answer : (a) It is willful diversion of resources (either money or any other resources) by a person from the intended purpose to other purposes or for his/her own benefit. ARC report called for inclusion of ‘willful violation of oath of office’ ,‘abuse of authority unduly favouring or harming someone’, ‘squandering of public money’ and ‘obstruction of justice’ under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Example of corruption may include from using official stationary for own purpose to billon dollar scams like, Coalgate, Common wealth game scams.
(b) Public procurement, also called government procurement, is the procurement of goods and services on behalf of a public authority, such as a government agency. Government procurement accounts for a substantial part of our economy because of the phenomenon of a welfare state in India.
(c) Work culture is defined as a totality of Beliefs, thought processes, attitudes of the employees towards and during work processes. It is also stable and recurring worker beliefs, norms, and attitudes in relation to work process, systems, functions, and relationships. Work culture is seen as that organisational component that decides and determines the way employees interact with each other and how an organization functions.
Positive work culture
Negative work culture
(d) Quality of service delivery defines the minimum standards of processes of governance. In India, the ‘Sevottam’ model has been developed with the overarching objective of improving the quality of public service delivery in the country. The model has three components:
Question : How can the Whistle-Blowing domain be expanded in India? Explain with suitable examples.
Answer : Hints: Whistle blowers’ Act seeks to promote combating corruption by keeping the names of initiators or whistle blowers of corruption as secret. This will motivate others to come out and provide information about incidents of corruption happening around them.
Expansion of Whistle – blowing in India:
Question : “Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight”. How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Open government ensures a transparent, accountable, information sharing and feedback seeking governance process, which shares everything with the citizens, considering them as its family members. In its broadest construction it opposes reason of state and other considerations, which have tended to legitimize extensive state secrecy.
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
(b) Collusive corruption
(c) Social Audit
Answer : Hints: It deals with the rules to be followed in financial transactions:
(b) Hints: In collusive corruption, bribe-giver and bribe-taker act as partners and harm public welfare. The proceeds of corruption are shared by the public official and the private beneficiaries. Public works such as roads, bridges, bridges, buildings, etc. have to be built to the specifications mentioned in the tender documents. The contractor can earn more profit by scaling down standards during execution with the connivance of project engineers.
(c) Hints: It is a process in which the details of the resources, financial and non-financial, used by the public agencies for the development initiatives, are shared with the people, often through a public platform. It allows people to enforce transparency and accountability, thereby providing the ultimate users an opportunity to scrutinize the development initiatives.
Question : “The solution to the problem of corruption has to be more systemic than any other issue of governance.” How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: The standard for probity in public life should be not only conviction in a criminal court but propriety as determined by suitable independent institutions specifically constituted for the purpose. We have broadly copied the British model of governance. Ministers in British government have had to resign on such minor improprieties. Such principles were upheld and pronounced by Jawaharlal Nehru in the Mudgal case in which the said Lok Sabha Member was expelled by Parliament on 24th September, 1951 even when the Member volunteered to resign. The Mudgal case is often cited as the noblest example of the early leadership’s efforts at setting high standards of conduct in parliamentary life.
Question : Critically examine the role of administrative machinery, presently existing in India for the prevention of corruption at the central and state levels.
Answer : Hint: Anti-corruption measures fall into two categories:
i. Prosecutorial and
ii. Administrative Sanctions.
Agencies entrusted with the Investigation of Corruption cases:
Agencies entrusted with Adminis-trative Sanction (Vigilance/Oversight):
Question : What are the provisions in Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, which prohibit civil servants from taking part in politics and elections? Give your opinion.
Answer : Hints: Rule 5 of the CCS (conduct) Rules 1964 prohibits Government Servant not to associate himself/herself with any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics. The conduct rule also prescribes that every government servant should endeavour to prevent any member of his family from taking part in politics. Canvassing or otherwise interference and influencing election system has also been prohibited.
Question : Services of a civil servant were terminated because of a report made by the police authorities that he was not a fit person to be retained in the government service, as he had taken part in ‘RSS and Jansangh activities’. Give your views in view of the provisions under CCS (Conduct) Rules. What are the important judicial verdicts in this case?
Answer : Hints: The government servants are free to take part in social, cultural and philanthropic activities but they have expressly been forbidden not to participate in activities of an organisation which could be regarded as political in character.
Question : What are the different provisions and restrictions regarding acceptance ‘Gifts’ by civil servants under CCS (Conduct) Rules. Should a civil servant accept gifts at the time of his retirement if it exceeds the permissible limits?
Answer : Hints: No government servant can accept or permit any member of his family to accept any gift. Gift is permissible on occasions like weddings, anniversaries, funerals or religious functions when the making of gift is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practice, a government servant accept gifts from his near relatives or from his personal friends having no official dealings with him, but shall take a report to the government if the value of such gifts exceeds Rs. 7000.00 n case of group ‘A’ officer.
Question : What are the various penalties prescribed under CCS (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, for bringing accountability in Civil Services? Do you think there is sufficient ground for amendment?
Answer : Hints: The Penalties have been described in section 11 of the CCS (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Rules 1965, and have been put into two categories, Minor and Major.
1.Minor Penalties: Censure, withholding promotion, recovery, reduction to a lower stage in a time scale, with holding of increment etc.
2.Major Penalties: Reduction in rank, Compulsory retirement, removal from service, and dismissal.
Question : What are the different provisions by which public authorities could share information’s to people under RTI Act, 2005. Is it correct to say that the Act is weak on this issue?
Answer : Hints: In order to minimize the number of requests for information, the Act indicates the general type of information’s which are proactively to be published by the public authority. The proactive disclosure requirement under Section 4(1)(b) of the Act came into force with the enactment of the Act on June 15, 2005. In any case a public authority has to comply with all the provisions of the Act within 120 days from its enactment.
Question : Whether copy of opinions, advices, circulars, orders, could be given to the applicant? If the applicant wants a ‘sample’ of any material, whether it can be provided?
Answer : Hints: ‘Information’ has been defined in Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. It includes opinions, advices, circulars, orders, etc. Hence PIO is duty bound to provide these to the applicants and failure to provide these within the stipulated period will invite penalty. Under RTI Act 2005, Section 2(j) Right to Information has been well defined which means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes ‘inspection of work’. Obviously during inspection of work the applicant can insist for taking Certified Samples of Materials which PIO is duty bound to provide (Section 2(j) (iii)).
Question : Is the public authority legally or morally bound to develop and organize educational programmes to advance the understanding of the disadvantaged community? Had you been a PIO, what steps would you take in this direction? Answer quoting various provisions of the RTI Act 2005.
Answer : Hints: Under Section 26(1) of the RTI Act 2005, it is expected that appropriate government (Both Central and State) may develop and organise educational programmes to advance the understanding of public, in particular disadvantaged community about the various rights contemplated under the Act. It will also encourage public authority to participate in the development and organisation of such programmes and undertake such programmes themselves. Thus it is both legal and moral responsibility of Public authorities to generate public awareness, especially for disadvantaged people, for the maximum use of the Act. It is a fact that even after the period of 8 years of existence of the Act, its full benefits have not reached to poor and marginalised people. Hence, if such opportunity is provided, one will take all possible steps for educating the poor and marginalised for the maximum application of the Act. This initiative includes, letting them success stories, organising work-shops, showing documentaries etc.
Question : What do you understand by ‘Coercive’ and ‘Collusive’ corruption in Public Services. Do you think that section 19 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 provides undue protection to corrupt public servants?
Answer : Hints: In coercive corruption the bribe giver is a victim of extortion. He is compelled to pay for a simple service, because if he does not pay the bribe money, he ends up losing much more than the bribe money. This apart he faces delays, harassment, uncertainity, loss of work, wages etc.
Question : What do you mean by ‘professional ethics’? Make out a code of conduct of Nurses working in a hospital where children below the age of 2 years are receiving treatment.
Answer : Hints: Main pillar of professional ethics is the striving for excellence. True professionals feel exhilarated when they find the optimal solution to a tricky problem. They are fired more by the impulse to excel, to perform maximally, than to seek maximum personal gain out of a professional transaction. Nursing is not only a profession, it is also a vocation. Those who join nursing, also remember-
1.The Obligation to give primacy to the public interest which is the very essence of professionalism.
2.As a professional Nurse, they dedicate their professional knowledge and skill for the betterment of human welfare.
Question : In the enthusiasm for cutting red tape, it is useful to remember the reasons some of that red tape got there in the first place. Explain with examples.
Answer : Hints: For the past few decades, India’s economy has not grown as fast as it could, or as fast as China’s. Much of this is because of the economic policies of the government and the fact that India shied away from a manufacturing-based economy for a long time, instead focusing on a white-collar services sector. That type of problem is caused by the Red Tapism.Because it raised the unnecessary rules and regulation that affected the economic growth.
Recently the Central government has shown his commitment this issue of red tapism. But here main concern is why the red tape activities had developed in India, because without solving that issues or concern we cannot overcome the issues of red tapism in the country.
The main reasons of growth of red tapism in India are:
(i)Regressive Economic policy of government
(ii)Closed Economy
(iii)Socialist pattern of Development
(iv)Lack of Transparency
Government had continued to follow the Socialist approach for development and its main focus was development of poor and rural people and its ignorance towards the Industrial sector and regressive economic policies had led to so called “License, Permit and Inspector Raj”. So without solving that all issues the dream of abolition of Red Tapism may not achieved.
Question : “Quality begins with me” examine this statement in the context of probity in governance.
Answer : Hints: Probity in governance is an essential and vital requirement for an efficient and effective system of governance and for socio-economic development. Following are the requisites of probity in governance.
Absence of corruption
Question : “Emotions are always reactive in nature.” How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Living life to its fullest requires experiencing and enjoying the full range of human emotions. Emotions are strong feelings or a mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious efforts. There are many events and situations in life that provoke emotional reactivity, some of which feels great and others not so much. For example your friend says that you are smart and you have a strong feeling as a result. Your boss gives you a promotion and you feel recognized. Your sister ignores your birthday and you feel hurt and disregarded.
Question : Critically examine the relevance of Emotional Intelligence in good governance.
Answer : Hints: Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to assess and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. In simple words, emotional intelligence refers to attributes such as understanding one’s feelings, empathy for others, and the regulation of emotions to enhance one’s life.
Question : “A state cannot provide everything to citizens, there must be certain other mechanism also which help state in public service delivery.” How much you agree with the statement?
Answer : Hints: It is the prime responsibility of the state to ensure service delivery to the public. Other mechanisms which help state in public service delivery are: NGO’s, vibrant civil society, corporate engagements wherever possible etc. yes innovation in public delivery system is required.
Question : For the sucessful and ethical completion of any project, there must be fine tuning between fund adequacy, policy framework and institutional capacity to deliver. Do you agree? Explain with examples.
Answer : Hints: For completion of any project ethics plays important role for gaining the support of the project team. Ethics are defined as moral values, beliefs, and rule that one upholds in their life on the job and personally to ensure right or wrong. There are a number of differentcomponents of managing a project. While conducting project management, profit and staff motivation are often paramount. However, a project manager must also remember his obligation to be an ethical, responsible employer and citizen. Some of the ethical situations that one may face in the duration of project management could be the admission of wrongdoing, focus of blame and hard choices regarding contracts
Question : What is the role of state or institutions of state in strengthening the corporate governance in India.
Answer : Hints: High profile corporate scandals such as Satyam, Sarradha Chit Fund, Speak Asia Scam, have brought into public consciousness the mundane subject of corporate governance reforms in the hope that implementing the good governance in the organizations would not only prevent the recurrence of such problems but also lead to good organizational performance.
Question : What are ethical issues involved in international relation? Explain by giving suitable examples.
Answer : Hints: It is said that international relations are ruled by force, fraud and secret intrigue and whatever moral considerations come into conflict with national ambitions and nationalistic ideas they are ignored. Ethics in international relations deals with the relationship between ethics, politics, and power? International ethics is a rapidly expanding field within the discipline of International relations; this growth has been driven partly by developments in related fields of moral and political philosophy, as well as by the evident moral urgency of many contemporary global problems-including questions of poverty and inequality, and ethics of war and conflict.
Issues involved in international ethics:
(i) Ethics of War: Human beings have been fighting each other since prehistoric times, and people have been discussing the rights and wrongs of it for almost as long.
The three key questions are:
(ii) Global Labour Standards: Sweatshop Debate: The definition of a sweatshop remains broad, describing any factory which may have unreasonably authoritative overseers; dangerous and unhealthy (both physically and psychologically) working conditions, and enforces long hours with low pay. The term also frequently describes a factory employing child labor. Many developed nations, including the United States, have at some point engaged sweatshop production facilities on a large scale, and a major segment of the world’s remaining sweatshops are located in Asia. As the West continues its long-standing tradition of fostering what many would like to slave labor, an ethical examination of these business practices becomes increasingly important.
(iii) Humanitarianism and Humanitarian Intervention: Humanitarian intervention has been defined as a state’s use of “military force against another state when the chief publicly declared aim of that military action is ending human-rights violations being perpetrated by the state against which it is directed.
(iv) Global Justice: John Rawls’s Law of Peoples was an important work and greatly stimulated thinking about different models of global justice (Rawls 1999). Several questions became prominent in discussions including: What principles should guide international action? What responsibilities do we have to the global poor? Should global inequality be morally troubling? Are there types of non-liberal people who should be tolerated? What kind of foreign policy is consistent with liberal values? Is a “realistic utopia” possible in the global domain? How might we transition effectively towards a less unjust world?
Question : “At the time of entry into the government services, the motivation and enthusiasm of new entrants are generally high, however after few years of their service, these attributes recede in intensity”. Explain all the factors on which this statement is based?
Answer : Hints: This question can be solved by addressing the following points that a servant comes across during his tenure.
Answer : Hints: Following are some of the ethical issues involved in the public services delivery in India
Question : Do you think that accountability and ethics are closely related? Explain it with suitable examples.
Answer : Hints: Accountability implies answer ability of action of those in power. It further implies that important decisions should be explained to the people to allow them an opportunity to appraise how well those in power have handled their responsibilities.
Question : Examine the statement and bring out what it means to you in the present context. “Political neutrality is a cardinal virtue in the Indian Civil Service tradition.”
Answer : Hint: Civil servants are expected to loyally serve the government of the day, irrespective of their personal beliefs and policy preferences. Civil servants cannot avoid politics as they have to perform the three important roles – marketing of policies framed by ministers, handling public and private interest groups and help in resolving conflicts over policy. The bureaucrat must know the mind of the minister and function in a manner that he/she continues to enjoy the confidence of the minister, and yet at the same time must function without detriment to his/her professional integrity and reputation, on the larger public interest.
Question : What according to you are the obstacles in ensuring “Ethical Accountability” in India?
Answer : Hints: Some of the obstacles in ensuring ethical accountability are:
Question : “As a business, the media is under constant pressure to sell and to offer what sells, rather than what as the fourth estate ought to offer.” How much do you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Media has a dual character, in two senses. It is a medium as well as a creator of news, attitudes and agenda. It conveys as well as directs. The news it reports alerts policymakers, interest groups, and political parties to emerging issues, and to threats and opportunities. Media is a very useful vehicle for policy and political entrepreneurship, for advancing ones interests and causes. An event or development that is reported is an opportunity to gain popularity by taking up an issue and by pressing government to respond to it in a way that it prefers. It alerts government to the need to address an issue either symbolically or substantively. Without the media, everyone would be groping in the dark.
There is some merit in the criticism, particularly regarding television. However, it is important to bear in mind three factors:
There is an intrinsic tension between the two roles of media, as a quasi-public institution and media as business. This intrinsic tension erupts occasionally within a newspaper or news channel, with the editor and the proprietor taking different views of their roles, and of what and how something should be reported. As in similar confrontations in partnerships, say between ministers and civil servants, it is not proper to consider that one side is always right and the other always wrong.
Question : Explain the term ‘Public Service’ with suitable examples:
Answer : Public Service: Any kind of services provided by the government during the process of governance is public service. It is provided by government to people living within its jurisdiction, either directly (such as, police services, army, Right to work, PDS shops etc.)or by financing provision of services (such as, providing subsidies for diesel, LPG, conditional cash transfers etc.). This is associated with the presumption that certain services should be available to all citizens, regardless of the income. It is an essential tool of the government to establish a welfare state by the means of ensuring transparency and accountability while delivering services.
Question : The true value of corporate governance is much more than just ensuring compliance with regulations. Critically comment.
Answer : Hints: Although Indian corporates have been focused on revisiting and updating board-level policies and procedures by implementing them, but the focus of most of the organisations have been on achieving legal compliance, for instance, introducing the appropriate mix of executive and non-executive directors on their boards. But beyond this, not much has been done substantively. Most listed companies continue to view corporate governance as a compliance-driven exercise — an effort to ensure that they implement the bare minimum that can keep them out of legal trouble. This, however, is not appropriate.
Question : Critically analyse the problems of policy making in India. Also propose solutions.
Answer : Hints: Problems of policy making in India:
Excessive Fragmentation: One of the main problems with policy-making in India is extreme fragmentation in the structure. For example, the transport sector is dealt with by five departments/Ministries in the government of India whereas in the US and UK it is a part of one department (Department of Transport and Public Works in the US and Department of Environment, Transport and Regions in the UK). Similar examples exist in the energy, industry and social welfare sectors as well. Such fragmentation fails to recognize that actions taken in one sector have serious implications on another and may work at cross purposes with the policies of the other sector. Besides, it becomes very difficult, even for closely related sectors, to align their policies in accordance with a common overall agenda.
Excessive Overlap: Another problem is the excessive overlap between implementation, program formulation and policy making which creates a tendency to focus on operational convenience rather than on public needs. Policy-making in Indian ministries occurs at the levels of Director and above, but the most important level (crucial for consideration of cross-cutting impacts) is that of the Secretaries to the Government of India, who are their Ministers’ “policy advisers-in-chief”. However, as mentioned earlier, the very same Secretaries spend a large part of their time bogged down on routine day-to-day administration of existing policy. Time is spent anticipating and answering parliamentary questions, attending meetings and functions on implementation issues etc. Partly the problem is symptomatic of over-centralisation—excessive concentration of implementation powers at the higher levels of the Ministries.
Lack of non-governmental inputs and informed debate: Often public policy is made without adequate input from outside government and without adequate debate on the issues involved. The best expertise in many sectors may lie outside the Government. Yet the policy processes and structures of Government have no systematic means for obtaining outside inputs, for involving those affected by policies or for debating alternatives and their impacts on different groups. Most developed countries have a system of widespread public debate before a policy is approved. For example, in the US, the legislature subjects a new policy initiative to extensive debate not only in Committees but also in the Senate and House. Such debates not only enable an assessment of different viewpoints but also help build up a constituency in support of the policy through sound arguments. Probably the only example of fairly systematic consultation of outside expertise in India is in the process of formulating the Central Budget, where there is a long tradition of pre-budget confabulations with chosen members of industry, labour and academia.
Policies are framed without taking feed backs: In India, governance is just one way process. Proper provisions to take feedbacks from the people, who bear the direct impacts of policies, are missing from their framing. There is no effective way to capture past feedbacks and experiences, which may be utilized to improve future policies and programmes.
Suggestions to improve public policy making:
Question : What are ethical issues in “Intellectual Property Rights”? What measures you will suggest to redress these ethical issues?
Answer : Hints: A large body of contemporary academic literature suggests that IPRs as implemented in the TRIPS agreement and various US FTAs give rise to a number of ethical problems.
Question : Ethics in finance helps in promoting fund raising capability of companies. How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Ethics in finance is mainly related with insider trading, financial services (undue benefits/frauds by intermediaries) and Financial market (Undue gains by Promoters of the company). Even within the law, various manipulations can be carried out by accountants which are regarded as ethical grey areas, like “looking the books”, “creative accounting”, “make up of accounts”, “window dressing of accounts”, etc.
Question : How the application of ethics is helpful in understanding the concept of biodiversity?
Answer : Ethics and biodiversity are interconnected. The relations between ethics and biodiversity can be simplified to mean a relation between actions of human beings and their impact on all other life forms. Values are the center point of all human actions; these can take the understanding of human beings far away from simply economic value attached with the exploitations biodiversity resources to a broader, deeper and richer understanding of biodiversity.
Anthropocentrism: It holds that human beings are the central or most significant entities in the world. It regards human as separate from and superior to nature and holds that human life has intrinsic value while the other entities (including animals, plants, mineral resources, and so on) are resources that may justifiably be exploited for the benefit of humankind.
Biocentrism: It is an ethical perspective holding that all life deserves equal moral consideration or has equal moral standing. Although elements of biocentrism can be found in several religious traditions, it was not until the late decades of the 20th century thsat philosophical ethics in the Western tradition addressed the topic in a systematic manner.
Question : “The state as a trustee is under moral duty to protect natural resources. These resources meant for public use cannot be converted into private ownership”. How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: Approach: The question is in reference to SC judgment in the 2G scam case. And also this question can be solved by referring to the concept of sustainable development.
Monopolies As Beneficiaries
Constitutional Flaw
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
(b) Ethics in Information Technology
Answer : Hints: The planning process exists to serve the public interest. While the public interest is a question of continuous debate, it requires a conscientiously held view of the policies and actions that best serve the entire community.
Hints: There are trends that have increased the risk of using information technology unethically. Trends that contributing to the risk of using information technology unethically incude:
Business needed to be promoted to gain goodwill of the community, to create an organization, which operates conscientiously, to produce good business, to protect the organizations and its employees from legal action and to avoid unfavorable publicity. Public concerns about the ethical use of information technology includes: e-mails and internet access monitoring, peer to peer networks violation of copyrights, plagiarism, cookies and spyware.
Question : “The law recognizes mitigating factors, but ethical duties require a higher standard.”
Answer : Hint: Law consists of a series of rules that prescribe the duties that individuals owe to third parties and provide sanctions for a failure to fulfill those duties. Ethics involves the duties that an individual owes to himself/herself and to third parties. Ethics have important role in those cases where law is not clear or there is no law such as in the case of international relation. Ethics apply to the culture, education and religion of a whole society while law generally covers an individual’s action or conduct.
Question : The concept of public and private governance is entering a phase of convergence. How much you agree with this statement?
Answer : Hints: In the contemporary world, private sector is not mere market mechanism propelled by unfettered competition. Truly competitive companies, who care for reputations should have to be unequivocally committed to the interests of stakeholders and society. The absence of governance or deficit in trust results in diminished consumer, investor and public confidence along with less efficient organizations. Private sector needs support of public governance to win trust of people and stakeholders, for harnessing public resources, for providing a platform to expand by ensuring reliability to the people, for earning reputation and hence easily getting loans and grants from public banks and markets through IPOs, FPOs, shares etc.
Question : How important is teaching ethics in educational institutions?
Answer : Hints: Ethics is a science of moral conduct, which guides the human behaviour with respect to the promotion of existence of human beings, non-living things, animals and Ecology & Environment. It is helpful in resolving conflicts, dilemmas, ambiguity and provides reasonable guidance for right conduct. Teaching ethics in educational institutions does not include only schools & colleges but professional courses, training institutes for public servants also.
Teaching ethics is important for the following reasons:
Question : Ethics in science and technology is central to a knowledge driven globalised economy.
Answer : Hints: In present times, Science & Technology pervades all aspects of national life. Today, science and technology has become centre to globalised economy as it fulfills the purpose of being subservient to economic interests.
Question : Do you agree that ‘individuals are the cause and society is the effect’? Support your view point with a suitable case study.
Answer : Hints: ‘Society’ has been a much later formation after humans first appeared on earth, and thus egg and chicken analogy should not be brought out in case of individual and society because-Society = A Collection of Individuals. Hence the values of society strictly depend upon the elements which constitute the society i.e., individuals. For making reforms in society, only the values of individuals could be upgraded.
Question : What are the various provisions through which government brings values and ethics in private institutions?
Answer : Hints: Methodology for bringing ethics in private institutions.
Case Study: 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?
Case study: Following organisational values the factory should promote.
Following course of action is recommended:
Question : What is the significance of ‘freedom from’ to ‘freedom to’? Bring out a case study to illustrate your views.
Answer : Hints: Significance of ‘freedom from’ to ‘freedom to’
Question : What do you mean by ‘Doctrine of Double Effect’? Illustrate it through example.
Answer : Hints: Doctrine of Double Effect: Human actions leave both good and bad effects. It is difficult to decide as to which action is good and which one is bad, however, there are certain principles which decide, whether the action is good or bad, like
Example: A Police officer came to know that terrorists have planted a bomb with a timer at a busy market place. He does not have much time and using a temporary mike shout at the people to leave the place immediately and goes for detonating it by using indigenous techniques and in the process, the bomb explodes, killing himself and two other people and injuring 10 others.
Explanation: The action of the Police officer is ethical because he could save many lives. There was some collateral damage, but it is much less than the benefits of the action of police officer.
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 : Hints: 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.
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
(b) Ethics in human resource management
Answer :
(A) Hints: With the adoption of new technology the need of ethics arises to sustain the proper growth and to minimize the risk of wrong uses. Following are the issues involved in information technology ethics:
(b) Hints: Ethics in HRM indicates the treatment of employees with ordinary decency and distributive justice. The ethical organization contributes to the organizational goals as the employees will feel motivated and they will work with efficiency and effectiveness. Ethics in HRM basically deals with the affirmative moral obligations of the employer towards employees to maintain equality and equity justice. Areas of HRM ethics are:
Question : Privatization, contracting out, and a commitment to competition are viewed as the tools of entrepreneurial behavior and decision making in the public sector. Are there significant ethical risks associated with employing these tools? Explain with examples.
Answer : Hints: Privatizations, contracting out and competition contributes to a loss of public trust and confidence in public leaders and political representatives. Another issues arises that how can trust and integrity be integrated into privatized functions. The real issue is that the public sector sole purpose is to serve the public and now when they are assuming role guided purely by profit making, it raises serious doubts in the mind of the citizens. Other risks associated with these tools are:
Benefits associated with these tools:
Question : Explain the following terms with suitable examples:
(a) Ethics in IPR
(b) Utilitarianism
(c) Rights ethics and duty ethics
(d) Virtue ethics
Answer : (A)Hints: With the arrival of the digital age, it has become much harder to remain in control of one’s intellectual property. Intellectual property has grown from the need to protect one’s new invention, such as soap, to the need to protect a slogan or a color. In other words, intellectual property rights no longer protect solely the interest of preserving a trade secret; it is now the interest to preserve one’s monetary gain.
(b) IPR restricts this approach by restricting the information to few only.
(c) Rights and duties are reciprocal concepts. Where there is a right to be left alone, others have a duty to leave you alone. In cases where there is a right that others not do something, that is called a negative right. While many believe in strictly rights concerning liberty, such as Libertarians, others believe that people have at least a right to have basic needs met, such as Socialists. One can simultaneously have liberty rights and welfare rights, such as having the freedom of speech and to Medicaid. On one hand, liberty is preserved by allowing people the freedom to create without the fear of someone stealing your invention. On the other hand, once something is copyrighted or patented, people are no longer free to create it.
(d) Virtue ethics is a moral framework within which if you act according to the virtues of character (i.e. wisdom, prudence, righteousness, etc.) and for the right reasons, you are a good person. Consequences are less important in this framework because despite doing one’s best, fate often intervenes and disturbs one’s plans Intellectual property, in terms of rights of copyright holders, is not necessarily a meaningful concept as it relates to virtue. If one creates a product in order to make a living that is a necessary means to the end of being a virtuous person.