VISION IAS

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Approach - Answer: General Studies Mains Mock Test 764 (2016)
Answer all the questions in NOT MORE THAN 200 WORDS each. Content of the answers
is more important than its length. All questions carry equal marks.
12.5 X 2
0 = 250
SECTION-A
Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each:
1.
(a)
Cultural diversity has made emotional intelligence crucial for I
ndian administration. Comment. 10
Approach:
Briefly explain emotional intelligence.
Explain how cultural diversity in India demands emotional intelligence on the pa
rt Indian administrators.
Answer:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions
and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is playing an increasingly im
portant role at work place. Its importance cannot be neglected in Indian adminis
tration scenario where the challenge of varied culture demands sensitivity, empa
thy and compassion towards each other.
India's cultural diversity (caste, tribes, religion, languages, food habits and
arts) poses various challenges during policy making and implementation. The laws
and regulations need to protect the fundamental rights (like right to religion)
and safeguard the unique culture of all sections of the society. Emotional inte
lligence plays an important role here. For example the granting of mining licens
e to Vedanta Alumina in Niyamgiri Hills while ignoring the tribal rights and cul
tural sensitivities of Dongarias is an appropriate example of weak application o
f emotional intelligence in decision making.
At personal level, each administrator being part of the society himself is prone
to have cultural conditioning, preconceived notions based on past experience an
d stereotypes. These are likely to affect his/her thought process, decision maki
ng abilities and leadership qualities adversely. Emotional intelligence helps an
administrator to avoid emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise hi
s/her values. Thus, a person high on emotional intelligence (El) is more likely
to uphold the interests of the marginalized section in our society who had been
exploited and suppressed for many centuries. Benevolence and activism of some Di
strict Collectors in tribal states and honest officials living a frugal lifestyl
e are well-documented.
A civil servant may have to work in diverse socio-cultural environments which ma
y be quite different from the environment where he/she may have been brought up.
Emotional intelligence helps him in getting adapted and adjusted to the new env
ironment more confidently.
Similarly a civil servant may have to mitigate and offer solution to an unwieldy
situation arising out of social conflicts (such as use of public space, carryin
g procession during festivals) or changing long held attitudes/norms etc. In suc
h cases yielding El qualities like social awareness, relationship management is
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of paramount importance. Example of Nadia district, is a case in point wherein p
ublic servants and politicians have successfully eliminated open defecation thro
ugh people engagement schemes like Sabar Souchagar.
Even within the administrative machinery cultural differences may exist and may
require emotional intelligence on the part of the administrator to ensure optima
l output from team members (government machinery) and maintaining harmony among
them. The workforce diversity does not only affect the emotional stability of th
e executive but also his leadership behavior and effectiveness.
Hence it is crucial that cultural sensitivity training which may help in develop
ing El should be made part of administrative training in public sector so that a
dministration gains public faith and better serves its mandated goals. This will

certainly improve the work efficiency and decorum of administrative setup as a

whole.
1.
(b)
Family and
school are
important
agents of
socialization in
a
child's life. Comment on
the
role
of
family and school as a source of values. Give an example of a situation where th
ese acquired values guided you in a situation of dilemma.
10
Socialization is a process by which individuals acquire knowledge, language, soc
ial skills, and values which help them in conforming with the norms and roles re
quired for integration into a group or community.
Both family and school play important roles in a child's formative years, when t
he child is developing his/her personality and is moulded by the amassed values.
A child's family teaches him/her how to love and respect and others thereby, sha
ping a child's
Members of familv inculcate moral values such as honesty, truthfulness, happines
s, loyalty and integrity in children, which are synonymous with societal values.
neither their kin nor friends.
In school, a child learns cooperation, accepts differences and becomes adaptive.
This will lead a child to develop a sense of commitment and integration to a wi
der social group.
Further, a school acts as a bridge between the family and society for a child an
d prepares the child for his/her adult role.
Schools also instill values among children, the important ones being equality of
opportunity, value of achievement, values about equality and brotherhood due to
which children are socialized into a commitment to the society as a whole.
Answer:
Approach:
Explain the meaning of the term socialization.
Elaborate on the role of family as a source of values.
Similarly, expound on the role of school as a source
State an example of a situation where you were ir
applying acquired values.
ma and came out of it by
Role of Family
attitude towards other people in society.
Family members are the immediate role models of a child who models his/her behav
iour around
them.
Role of School
A school provides a medium whereby an individual learns to communicate with thos
e who are
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Real life situation
When I was in the seventh standard I faced a situation of dilemma. A classmate o
f mine destroyed school property out of sheer anger and I witnessed his outburst
. He told me not to tell anyone or else I would face grave consequences. When th
e teacher found out and asked who did it, I initially hesitated to speak up. But
, later when I found out that the entire class would face detention, I spoke up
as supressing my voice then would have meant succumbing to the threats of a bull
y and being dishonest with myself along with my cohorts and teacher. I encounter
ed similar situation in my job when a unintentional mistake by one of my colleag
ues led to loss of enormous data of our project. Most of the team members decide
d not to disclose the mistake to our team leader. But I convinced them that we m
ust observe honesty. I took the lead and convinced my team leader that it was an
honest mistake and with the help of team members helped in recovering the lost
data.
2.
(a)
"We
are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about w
hat you think. Words are

secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far."

10
Approach:
Explain the impact of thoughts on lives of individuals Also discuss the importan
ce of good thoughts in life
Answer:
The above quotation by Swami Vivekananda bring out the importance of thought pro
cess in one's life. As Mahatma Gandhi has rightly said. "A man is but the produc
t of his thoughts. What he thinks, he become". While positive thoughts can creat
e increased energy, self-motivation and happiness around us, negative thoughts g
enerate hatred, fear and insecurity.

"We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think"
The statement implies that we are the creation of our own thoughts. As has been
rightly said, "Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be"
. It is therefore important to choose what we are thinking.
- V - ^
Time spent in generating positive thought can lead to increased self-awareness a
nd creativity. It will generate a sense of calmness and confidence.
When we look for good things ir. other people and make an effort to think well o
f them, we create a positive context for our own life.
When we think of our life as an opportunity to help others, we establish a posit
ive environment for interacting with those around us.
When we think about worthwhile goals for our life, we create a positive referenc
e for the choices that we make each day.
A
"Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far."
Words are secondary because they come from our thoughts. Thoughts may appear tem
porary and short lived; but in reality they have long lasting impact on our atti
tude, beliefs and personality in particular. They influence us in multifaceted w
ays:
Firstly, thoughts are mirror of a person's mind. Emotions and thoughts are
closely interlinked.
Negative emotions like sadness give birth to negative thoughts and vice versa.
Secondly, thoughts have deep impact on what we say and do. Even the physical
and mental capacity
of a person is exhausted if he is involved in depressive thoughts. It will lower
his self-esteem, can
impact personal and professional relationships and disrupt the basic activities
of daily life.
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The words are much more relevant in the present context when we have become focu
sed much more on outwardly and material aspects of life and have entirely neglec
ted our inner wellbeing viz. the thought process. A fast pace stressful life, we
akening social relations, eroding ethical and moral values and absence of critic
al thinking - all has contributed to erosion of humanity thread by thread. No wo
nder that we have rising incidences of social crimes and self-inflicting issues
like depression. The need of the hour is to retro inspect our thought process an
d make it more optimistic so that we can responsibly carry out our critical role
in our family, society and the organization we work in.
(b)
"A man's conscience and his judgement is the same thing and as the judge
ment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous."
10
Approach:
Briefly explain conscience.
Bring out the relation between the two.
Answer:
Conscience is a person's moral sense of right and wrong which acts as a guide to
one's behaviour. A man may make a judgement based on his conscience and it may
be right or wrong depending on the correctness of one's conscience.

Since the emergence of civilized and rule-based society the conscience of the pu
blic as a whole is better represented by the law of the land. As conscience is v
ulnerable to corruption, the law of the land stands a good chance to deliver bet
ter and more reasoned judgments when there is a conflict between conscience base
d and law based judgement. However, laws too cannot deliver perfect judgements a
t all times as the law itself may have certain shortcomings.
*
Conscience based judgement may be justifiable at times due to the perceived sens
e of injustice. However, the dangers in conscience based judgements are many as
different people may have their own set of values for their conscience. Judgemen
ts are too dangerous to be left to conscience alone. The erroneous nature of con
science may be elaborated as below:
?
Although a person must always obey certain judgments of his conscience, he might
be in ignorance and make erroneous judgments. There are several sources of thes
e errors in judgment: ignorance, bad example from others, and enslavement to pas
sions, arrogance and so on.
Conscience does not guarantee right moral answers at all times. Conscience
develops and matures;
sometimes it deteriorates and decays. One must never take his/her conscience for
granted and presume on its effectiveness. The popular adage "Let your conscienc
e be your guide," is good advice only to the person who has a good, well-formed
conscience.
However it is believed that by conscience, a person assumes responsibility. Even
in evil deeds, conscience remains an inner witness to truth that the choice was
evil.
The person has a duty to have a true conscience which is formed by reason.
Only the educating of
conscience can overcome negative influences and temptations and lead to well inf
ormed judgments.
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3.
(a)
"The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should l
ove stop at the border?" What do
you understand by nationalism ? What significance does it hold in your life?
10
Approach:
Explain your understanding of nationalism.
Bring out the relation between the understanding and the quote.
Discuss significance of nationalism in your life.
Answer:
Nationalism implies loyalty and devotion to the nation. It provides a feeling of
love, brotherhood and fraternity amongst the people living in a nation as they
show primary allegiance to the nation rather than any other identity. Nationalis
m is an outcome of formation of a nation as well as the process that leads to fo
rmation of a nation.
However, nationalism is limited to man-made boundaries. Even people with similar
ethnic and racial similarities divided by borders, are enemies of each other du
e to diverging national aspirations. It is often contradictory to the value of h
umanism, when a person thinks globally and for the welfare of every one while a
nationalist may think only of a group of people living within a boundary. For ex
ample, we rage against illegal immigrants stealing our jobs, but looking at this
from a humanistic standpoint, just because we were born a couple degrees of lat
itude north does that mean we should not be concerned about them.
Hence, significance and scope of nationalism should not be narrow and parochial.
It should no doubt strengthen the nation, but not at the cost of others. Our na
tionalism should not make us blind to the wrong done by our own government or pe
ople and consider every act of others as irrational. Further nationalism should
facilitate inclusiveness and not reflect majoritanonism to leave out several sec

tions from national progress.

Nationalism should not be equated with expression of love for country and hate f
or others but should be a way of life reflected in how we behave with poor and d
eprived, concern for women, marginalised and
<v
minorities, respect rights of others, fulfil our duties; c.;vic sense, moral sta
ndards, don't commit crimes, corruption and economic offences and think of bette
rment and development of whole mankind.

In this way, nationalism paves the way for patriotism which is peace-loving and
humanistic in its outlook and which is the meaning of nationalism to me. A true
patriot works not only for the upliftment of his own country by fighting various
injustices like caste discrimination, poverty, crimes against women, rising ine
quality etc. But he/she also works towards promoting international peace, friend
ly relations with other nations and building a cosmopolitan world.
3.
(b)
A
'Good Samaritan' legal protection is vital to encourag
e people to offer assistance without the fear
of any criminal or civil liability. Discuss the statement in the context of Indi
a's unacceptably high rate of road accident fatalities due to the inability of v
ictims to get timely medical treatment. 10
Approach:
In the context of high rate of road accidents in India write about the need to o
ffer legal protection to people offering assistance to accident victims.
Then, write about the developments and the Supreme Court judgement about the "Go
od Samaritan".
Bring out what more is required to be done and conclude the answer.
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Answer:
A Good Samaritan is a person who gratuitously gives help or sympathy to those in
distress. According to official statistics, 1,46,000 people die on the roads ev
ery year. A major impediment to victims obtaining timely help in road accidents
is the fear among bystanders that they could be embroiled in a police investigat
ion or be subjected to harassment due to the legal procedures involved if they c
hipped in to provide first-aid, ferry the injured to hospital or even call for m
edical or police assistance. This is why a 'Good Samaritan' legal protection is
vital.
Evolution of laws for protection of "Good Samaritans"The Law Commission in 2006 report estimated that 50
per
cent of road acc
ident victims would have
survived if they got medical attention within an hour.
One year back, the Union Health Ministry directed hospitals that they should not
detain those who
bring accident victims for admission. They should
not
be required to p
ay for admission or
registration, or asked intrusive questions beyond basic particulars such as name
s and addresses.
The Union Road Transport Ministry has added a significant clause under which a G
ood Samaritan's affidavit will have the legal force of a statement. If a stateme
nt is required, it should be recorded in a single examination. This is applicabl
e only to those who want to be witnesses, for the guidelines say the police shou
ld not compel them to disclose their particulars or to be witnesses.
Recently, the Supreme Court approved the guidelines issued by the
Centre
for
the protection of
Good Samaritans at the hands of the police or any other authority.
In January 2016, a Standard Operating Procedure to make these guidelines work wa
s introduced.
Though such guidelines and simplified procedures are welcome, much more needs to
be done to encourage people to get involved in the rescue of accident victims.

So far, only a few State governments have adopted the Good Samaritan guidelines.
All States must get actively involved in their implementation. For it, the regi
onal domain for who deal with such situations
the police, doctors, transport off
icials and magistrates are drawn.
A good deal of sensitisation is needed, and it may help if State governments dra
w up their own set of rules so that they become committed stakeholders in the ca
use. For instance_ XL
To begin the system of reward and ranking for police and doctors.
To initiate action against those who violate it or the private clinics who refu
se to treat.
To give legal backing to Standard operating procedure.
<
The Karnataka government's decision to frame a 'Good Samaritan law' as part of a
n effort to encourage people to offer assistance without the fear of any crimina
l or civil liability is a step in the right direction. The notification said the
SOPs as laid down by the court under Article 32 (right to constitutional remedi
es), read with Article 142, is binding on the Union Territories and the States.
The recent example of the mindset change that began in the aftermath of the Dece
mber rape case in Delhi demonstrates thai if enough social pressure is sustained
, systemic changes do begin to occur.
(a)
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but ther
e must never be a time when we fail to protest." Discuss the significance of thi
s statement in present day India.
10
Approach:
Explain the importance of justice in our society.
Discuss the importance of protest in holding justice in society and use examples
to elaborate your line of thought.
Conclude the answer by elaborating upon the need for civil servants to ensure ju
stice and protest against injustice.
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Answer:
Justice is one of the values enshrined in our constitution along with equality,
liberty and fraternity. Securing social, economic and political justice is one o
f the aims of our preamble.
It is not only the responsibility of Legislature, Executive and Judiciary to ens
ure justice but it also the duty of the citizens to uphold values enshrined in t
he constitution and stand up against injustice.
Though it is sad but sometimes we are powerless to prevent injustice from occurr
ing, because we are not always in position where we are able to do something. It
doesn't mean that we lose all hope and accept the injustice. Though we can't ov
erpower powerful person, but silence could be considered as a sign of weakness.
In future, it may encourage powerful person to frequently resort to unfair means
. Hence we must not fail to protest against injustices like atrocities on minori
ties, dalits, women etc and cimes like coruption
As corruption promotes inequality in society and it is widely prevalent in India
. It affects everyone in the society. But no one dare to prevent it as everyone
perceives that they do not have effective means to do anything substantial. Neve
rtheless, people organized under a movement and showed their resistance to socia
l menace. Though it was not easy, but finally it resulted into enactment of the
Jan Lokpal Law. It signifies the importance of protest.
Similarly, the gender discrimination is accepted as a norm in India. It is psych
ologically accepted by both males and females and assumed that they cannot chang
e it. Despite religious freedom available to women, for years they denied entry
into the Sabrimala temple and Haji Ali dargah. Their silence shows acceptance to
ban on temple entry. But now they protested and filed a petition to seek their
equal right. However, it may not immediately result into entry of women in templ
e and dargah. But it is a step in right direction to seek justice.

Time and again, the strength of protest is proved by the various leaders. The li
fe of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and A
nrih Hazare shows the strength of protest to fight against injustice.
. . #
This is particularly true for civil servants as they must ensure honest and effi
cient administration which works for the welfare of the masses. They must always
protest and prevent injustice from taking place even at great personal cost. Ci
vil servants dedicated to such ideal will usher in a just and equitable society,
VvJ/
4.
(b)
Around the
world, more
than
125
million people
need humanitarian aid. With special reference to
financial assistance, discuss the various ethical issues involved in addressing
the needs of those in dire circumstances. What measures can be undertaken to ens
ure that donations and aids for such purposes are thoroughly channelled to meet
their targets. 10
Approach:
Introduce your answer with humanitarian aid and the types of assistance or aids
available.
Write the ethical issue involved with the humanitarian aid and assistance to the
areas of disturbance and calamities.
Write measures to be taken for better channelization of donations and aids.
Answer:
Humanitarian aids are the actions designed to save lives, alleviate suffering an
d maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergency si
tuations. Humanitarian principles are rooted in international humanitarian law o
f humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
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In the areas of disasters or natural calamities the primary aim Is preventing hu
man casualties and ensuring access to the basics for survival: water, sanitation
, food, shelter, and health care. Whereas, In the areas of conflict/war torn reg
ions, the priority Is to assist people who have been displaced, prevent the spre
ad of conflict, support relief work, financial assistance and prepare for rehabi
litation.
Ethical issues related with humanitarian assistance
Assistance with certain conditionality- World organisations like World Bank, IMF
or some humanitarian organisations provide assistance to the war torn countries
on the basis of fulfilment of certain conditions like "peace conditionality". T
his can Indeed force adherence to the peace process or Impose reconciliation. Bu
t, we have witnessed that the cooperation from local authorities was often pure
lip service In order to get rewards from reconstruction funds.
III targeted and Misuse- It Is not necessary that the assistance shall be used I
n the relief work only. Ethical dilemma persists for whether one should assist t
he conflict region even after knowing that the finances may not be used In the p
re-declded work.
Funding to terrorism- Humanitarian organisations have to collaborate with the re
bel groups to Intervene for assistance which can be used for their terror activi
ties In the region.
Fuel to war- Flumamtarlan aid has been accused of fuelling war economies and pro
longing conflict by providing assistance, directly or Indirectly, to combatants
and their military operations. The conflicts In Somalia, Liberia and Angola are
usually mentioned as prime examples.
Implicit recognition to rebel groups- The negotiation with the groups In charge
of a certain area means giving recognition to their authority and legitimacy.
Benefits from assistance- The groups might derive considerable financial benefit
s from humanitarian operations by Imposing charges on transports, levying taxes
on Imports and employees' salaries, and collecting rent for warehouses, offices
and residences
Dilemma between neutrality and political activism

Measures to be taken
The greatest challenges for humanitarian aid and development In the form of fina
ncial assistance are efficiency, effectiveness and the extremely complex politic
a!, economic, and social side effects associated with them. We can channelize fu
nds by following waysMR*
By determining accurate assessment of need.
By doing away with disparities in assistance within particular contexts, owing t
o political or security constraints imposed on humanitarian organizations. Such
disparities in the level of assistance can be the reason for large population mo
vements.
There should be coherence between humanitarian law of humanity, neutrality, impa
rtiality and independence.
Coordination of activities among humanitarian organisations, the military and po
litical intervention forces.
Involvement of local administration and civil society in the humanitarian work.
Conditions should include requests for active participation in specific aspects
of the peace process.
Sustainable long-term development obviously depends essentially on the political
and economic framework and on the institutional and physical infrastructure a S
tate is able to provide.
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5.
(a)
While discretion
is
necessary
for
effectiv
e discharge of duties, it is also a major factor responsible
for corruption in administration at all levels. Comment. In this context, sugges
t some ways in which smooth execution of responsibilities can be ascertained whi
le minimising corruption.
10
Approach:
First explain the meaning of discretion in administration.
Then explain why discretion is required for effective discharge of duties.
Explain how discretion could led to corruption.
Finally explain measures to minimise corruption while ensuring smooth execution
of responsibility.
Answer:
Discretion means the power to decide or act according to one's judgment. Indian
law grants some discretionary powers to administrative authorities. Such exercis
e is not to be arbitrary, vague and fanciful, but legal and regular.
Discretionary powers bestowed on the administrative authorities are of a vast ra
nge. Their power serve the purpose of simple ministerial tasks like maintenance
of birth and death register as well as those which seriously affect the rights o
f an individual, e.g. acquisition of property, regulation of trade, industry or
business, inquiry, seizer, confiscation and destruction of property, detention o
f a person on subjective satisfaction of an executive authority and many more. T
he list of their functions is exhaustive in nature.
The problem of administrative discretion is complex. There has been a constant c
onflict between the claims of the administration to an absolute discretion and t
he claims of subjects to a reasonable exercise of it. Now a question is raised t
hat how it can be control.
It can be control with two types, first judicial and other one is non- judicial.
There are so many ways to control it.
Judicial Control
. m #
Judiciary must concentrate on two points. Firstly, it should direct the legislat
ive that they do not confer wide and unlimited discretion to executive. And othe
r is that every discretionary act must come under the power of judicial review.
Judiciary can thus play a good role to control abuse of discretionary powers.
Supreme Court of India in its various judgements has held that:
The administrative discretion should be used according to rules of reason and ju
stice and not according to private opinion, according to law and not humor.

It is not to be arbitrary, vague and fanciful but legal and regular.

It must be exercised within limit to which an honest man competent to the discha
rge of his office ought to confine himself.
Non-judicial contrei
We must incorporate such rules which will be mandatory for the authority who wil
l exercise discretion to adhere to. If legislative is fails to maintain such nor
ms in that statute to control discretion, those norms must be incorporated by ad
ministration with the help of delegated legislation. Mechanisms like code of con
duct and code of ethics ensure that self-discipline is observed while exercising
discretion. Various institutions like CVC, CBI, Lokpal etc. ensure that abuse o
f discretion is caught and punished which acts as deterrent in the future.
Flence, through the above mechanism, abuse of discretion can be curbed while at
the same time flexibility is maintained while taking administrative decisions.
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5.
(b) What do you understand by corporate ethics? Giving examples, highlig
ht the ethical issues faced by
CEOs in the current competitive environment, with special reference to governmen
t owned enterprises.
10
Approach:
Explain what you understand by corporate ethics.
Mention the ethical issues faced by CEOs in a highly competitive environment.
Expand on the ethical issues faced by CEOs of state
owned enterprises.
Give examples to substantiate your answer, if any.
Answer:
Corporate ethics includes proper business policies and practices in corporate go
vernance regarding issues such as insider trading, bribery, interests of stakeho
lders, corporate social responsibilities and fiduciary responsibilities.
Ethical issues faced by CEOs in a highly competitive environment include adaptat
ion to new technology and innovation while ensuring that manpower is retained, t
ransparency, compliance with government rules, ensuring gender equality and equa
lity of opportunity in the workplace, among others.
CEOs of state-owned enterprises have to fulfill the twin objectives of commercia
l efficiency, resulting in profits for stakeholders and fulfilling of social res
ponsibility, as one of the arms of the welfare state.
They also have to ensure that there is no undue interference of the state in the
functioning of the enterprise as excess interference can leave the enterprise v
ulnerable to being used to achieve short-term political goals to the detriment o
f its efficiency.
Additionally, they have to set a level playing field with the private sector as
they often receive preferential treatment through access to subsidies, bank cred
it and procurement contracts.
Further, they should function with transparency, adhere to compliance procedures
, update accounting and auditing practices and disclose the financial statements
of the enterprises on time.
They also have to meet the demands of the workers, who look out for their person
al interests in an environment characterized by increased contractual work and i
ncreased instances of downsizing by the enterprises.
CEOs of state owned enterprises have had to manage instances of protests by work
ers against their decisions when the industrial policies were mpidly changing po
st liberalization.
A nation wide scale occurred in 1991 against the government's announced plan to
close unprofitable state-owned industries to move the country from socialism tow
ard free-market capitalism.
Similarly, in September 2016, majority of the trade unions carried out an all In
dia strike to protest against labour reforms, disinvestment in profit-making pub
lic sector undertakings and contractualization of workforce.
In such situations, globally accepted codes like the OECD Code (2005) and guidel

ines issued by the Department of Public Enterprise (DPE) could betaken as benchm
arks for the CEOs to follow.
A
6. Government employees are often considered by many as being unresponsive, inse
nsitive and corrupt.
What, according to you, are the factors that cultivate such a negative attitude
towards civil servants?
As a young civil servant, what would be your approach to change this attitude?
10
Approach:
Introduce by describing the general attitude of citizens towards civil servants.
Discuss the factors that lead to formation of this attitude with due attention t
o factors related to citizens as well as civil servants.
Discuss the broad contours of a strategy to change this attitude.
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Conclude by discussing the importance of a healthy relationship based on trust b
etween citizens and civil servants.
Answer:
For the common man, bureaucracy denotes routine and repetitive procedures, paper
work, delays and is perceived as passive and unresponsive to citizen's needs. T
his is despite the fact that the Government and bureaucracy exist to facilitate
the citizens
Factors cultivating the negative attitude
A) Psychological factors
The government servants are themselves partly responsible for helping in buildin
g continuing the negative attitude.
Attitudes towards government servants can also be learned. The family, reference
groups, personal experiences and the media may play a role. The long history of
colonial rule has also ingrained negative attitudes.
Sometimes, citizens themselves want out of turn favours or don't meet the necess
ary conditions for accessing some services. For e.g. a person who is ineligible
may want to access the benefits under the PDS and thus is refused the benefits.
Part of this problem lies in complex procedures and conditions and ignorance of
the citizens. But a part of blame also lies with the citizen's belief that gover
nment has unlimited resources.
Sometimes people may continue to hold negative attitudes because they think that
there must be some truth in what everyone says. Even a few examples are suffici
ent to support the negative idea.
B) Systemic factors
Rigidities of the system over centralization of powers, highly hierarchical and
top down method of functioning.
Divorce of authority from accountability and the tendency towards micromanagemen
t.
Procedures are valued over outcomes
Ineffective implementation of laws and rules
Low levels of awareness of the rights and duties of the citizens
Strategy for attitude change
Ir
A young civil servant must utilize his reserves of energy, creativity, intellige
nce including emotional
intelligence to devise a strategy to change the negative attitudes about bureauc
racy. Such a strategy can
follow following broad contours:
A young officer must lead by example and should a role model for his subordinate
s and colleagues when it comes to dealing with citizens.
Changing the attitudes of government employees by providing a new service orient
ed value framework, soft skills training and a healthy, clutter free work enviro
nment.

Simplifying the process and procedures.

Generating awareness about rights and duties of the citizens.
Ensuring transparency and accountability.
Building effective grievance redressai mechanisms.
Minimizing the opportunities to learn the negative attitude by the citizens and
changing such attitudes by using various media for regular communication and ima
ge makeover etc.
There is an urgent need to restore trust in governance systems. A healthy relati
onship between the
citizens and their servants will propel the country on a path of faster and incl
usive development.
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7.
Many of the present social conflicts arise due to prejudices and discrim
ination. Illustrate. What can be done to curb discrimination and handle prejudic
es?
10
Approach:
Briefly explain the concept of prejudices and discrimination and taking examples
of some prevalent social conflicts, explain how these are the root causes.
Outline a strategy to handle discrimination and prejudices. This should focus ma
inly on prevention of formation of prejudices and attitude change.
Answer:
Prejudices are examples of negative attitudes towards a particular group and in
many cases, may be based on stereotypes (the cognitive component) about the spec
ific group. The cognitive component of prejudice is frequently accompanied by di
slike or hatred, the affective component.
Prejudice may also get translated into discrimination, the behavioural component
, whereby people behave in a less positive way towards a particular target group
compared to another group which they favour.
History contains numerous examples of discrimination based on race and social cl
ass or caste. The genocide committed by the Nazis in Germany against Jewish peop
le is an extreme example of prejudice and discrimination.
Our own society has witnessed many instances of discrimination and prejudice, ba
sed on gender, religion, community, caste, physical handicap, and illnesses such
as AIDS. The conflict between Dalits and other castes or communal tensions can
be explained by presence of strong prejudices against specific communities. Poor
are considered by some people as 'dependent' and unable to make progress on the
ir own. Thus they are considered responsible for their own plight and which may
result in their exploitation.
Curbing discrimination and handling prejudices
In many cases discriminatory behaviour can be curbed by law. For e.g. the Schedu
led Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of atrocities) Act and the HIV bill
aim to curb discrimination against these sections.
But, the cognitive and emotional components of prejudice are more difficult to c
hange. Therefore handling prejudices require specific strategies _

Knowing about the causes or sources would be the first step in handling prejudic
e. Thus, the strategies
for handling prejudice would be effective if they aim at :
a) minimising opportunities for learning prejudices,
b)
changing such attitudes,
c) de-emphasising a narrow social identity based on the ingroup,
d) discouraging the tendency towards negative behaviour among the victims of pre
judice which reinforces prejudices.
jA
These goals can be accomplished through:
Education and information dissemination, for correcting stereotypes related to s
pecific target groups, and tackling the problem of a strong ingroup bias.
Increasing intergroup contact allows for direct communication, removal of mistru
st between the groups, and even discovery of positive qualities in the outgroup.

Highlighting individual identity rather than group identity, thus weakening the
importance of group (both ingroup and outgroup) as a basis of evaluating the oth
er person.
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8.
Adhering to high standards of transparency is often in conflict with the
duty towards maintaining confidentiality. With examples, elaborate on the probl
ems faced by public servants in effective discharge of duties during such situat
ions. Also, discuss the ethical framework that should guide the decisions in the
se circumstances.
10
Approa
h:
Introduce by explaining that the duty of a public servant Is to uphold public In
terest and work for greater good of the society.
Discuss the Importance of transparency.
Discuss the need for confidentiality along with the Issue of privacy and the pro
visions for nondisclosure In RTI Act.
Illustrate your answer with some situations from day to day functioning of a pub
lic servant which require transparency and some which require confidentiality.
Conclude by explaining that a civil servant should always uphold the value of tr
ansparency unless very strong reasons mandate maintaining confidentiality.
Answer:
Public servants are accountable to the people and should discharge their duties
with utmost responsibility, Integrity and justice. In discharge of their duty, t
hey must always uphold public Interest and greater good of the society which req
uires maintaining a fine balance between contrasting values of transparency and
confidentiality.
Transparency enables citizens to have a say about Issues that matter to them and
a chance to Influence decision-making and hold those making decisions to accoun
t. A public servant has to maintain transparency In procedures of his orgnalsatl
on so that common public Is knows how to approach the organization. He also has
to maintain utmost transparency In financial dealings of his organization so tha
t accountability Is ensured to the public.
Confidentiality
V V i jr
But public servants should strive to ensure that the value of transparency In go
vernment Is upheld while respecting their duties of confidentiality under the la
w. Total openness and transparency Is not possible. Governments need confidentia
lity for consultations during negotiations on treaties and agreements, and also
for national security reasons.
Confidentiality as a value Is generally thought to Inhibit transparency but It m
ay be Interpreted In a positive manner also as It builds trust. Suppose a Minist
er discloses to his Secretary that the Government Is planning to demonetize larg
e denomination currency to fight corruption and black money. Here, the secretary
Is obliged by law and public Interest to maintain confidentiality. If he leaks
the Information he will lose the trust of his Minister which is not conducive fo
r a healthy working relationship.
Issue of privacy
Public servants have access to private information of the citizens and this has
to be dealt with utmost care. For example, a tax official cannot make public the
information about annual incomes of the citizens.
Even the RTI Act, which ushered in a new era of transparency, recognizes the imp
ortance of confidentiality and privacy in Section 8.
Ethical framework
The public servant should find out about the relevant laws, rules and regulation
s and follow them in letter and spirit.
He should also consider what his conscience says about the problem at hand.
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Vision IAS
In doing so, he should always test his decision on the touchstone of public Inte
rest and the greater good of the society.
Generally, he should take the side of transparency while respecting privacy unle
ss and until very strong reasons exist for maintaining confidentiality.
The public servant's duties today remain many, complex and often seemingly contr
adictory, but successful public servants recognise their multiple roles and prep
are for them. They know that transparency Is the norm unless public Interest and
law obliges confidentiality.
SECTION-
In the following questions, carefully study the cases presented and then answer
the questions that follow (in around 250 words):
9.
You get your first posting as a District Collector In a predominantly ru
ral area. Recently, the office of Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marria
ges registered an lnter<aste marriage of a young couple. On hearing the news, vi
llagers and family members of the married couple attacked the Registrar's office
and are holding their respective children in captivity. One group also enjoys i
mmense political power in the state and have warned you against taking any actio
n.
20
Based on the above information, answer the following questions.
(a) What is/are the ethical dilemma(s) that an administrator faces in such situa
tions?
cP
(b) Enumerate your priorities and steps that you will take to handle the situati
on.
(c) What are the social and attitudinal factors at play? What will be your role
in bringing about a change in these?
Approach:
Analyze the case and Identify the key ethical dilemma involved.
List the priorities and suggest steps that can be taken by District Collector to
handle the situation effectively.
List out the social and attitudinal factors of villagers and family members and
provide solutions to change these factors.
Answer:
The case study deals with the menace of castelsm prevalent In the Indian society
and the Injustice which It perpetuates.
Facts of the case:
1. An Inter-caste marriage has been lawfully registered.
2. Family members of the couple have attacked the registrar's office
3. Couple have been kept In captivity by their respective families
(a)
The Ethical dilemma
Public duty v/s Personal interest It Is duty of officer to maintain law and order, protect public property and sta
ff to ensure smooth functioning of the office of Registrar General, At the same
time, the District Collector Is warned by the politically powerful group. If he
takes any action then maybe they can cause harm or can create trouble for him. F
lere the District Collector may show courage by taking action against culprits o
r he may act cowardly by neglecting the case.
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(b)
Priorities and steps to handle the situation
Immediately disperse the villagers to restore public order and protect the staff
and property from further harm. If required then use force against them.
Locate and bring the young couple under the safe custody of police. Also provide
counseling and make them aware about their constitutional right.
Try to convince family members to not resort to violence and have respect for th
e law. If they are adamant then talk to relatives or Sarpanch.
listili they are sticking to their position then warn them about legal consequen
ces.
Also arrest those hooligans who had attacked the office which would set an examp
le that violence against public property would not be tolerated.

(c)

Social and attitudinal factors and steps to change these factors

Patriarchy - The children, especially females, are not allowed to marry as per
their choice. It is
considered as a matter of pride and social prestige by elders.
Caste Rigidity - The inter-caste marriage is against caste system,
as it le
ads to religious impurity. It is
also considered against social order.
To change these factors:
Engage the influential leaders, civil society, and media to promote awareness ab
out changing social realities.
Involve happily married couples to spread message that inter-caste marriages can
be successful.
Organize the collective inter-caste marriages to break caste hierarchy in the so
ciety.
Offer financial incentives for inter-caste marriages to promote such alliances a
nd break caste rigidities.
Caste discrimination is unconstitutional and divides the society along narrow pa
rochial lines.
It is also against the values of liberty and equality and threatens fraternity i
n the society. Hence, both short term and long term measures must be taken to cu
rb casteism in the society.
jeL
?X*
^
10.
A group of educated young men is cauqht trying to leave the country to f
ight for a terrorist organization overseas. It was found that they were radicali
zed online through social media by the handlers of that terrorist organization.
These boys have not committed any act of terror till now and have no criminal ba
ckground.
20
(a)
What could be the reasons for radicalization of educated youth?
\>
<V*
(b) As a senior intelligerice official, what approach would you follow to deal w
ith such cases? Give
arguments in support of your stand.

(c) Suggest a feasible strategy to prevent further radicalization of youth in th

e country.
Approach:
First explain the probable causes for the radicalization of the educated youth.
Then describe the approach that the senior intelligence officer should follow. A
s the case seems to be of misguided youth, the focus should be de-radicalization
.
Conclude by suggesting measures that should be taken to address the root causes
and counter radicalization.
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Vision IAS
Answer:
Online radicalization is a serious threat to the security of the country. Many o
f the misguided and disoriented youth take to increasingly extremist and violent
views thanks to the internet and social media propaganda. The arrested group of
boys seems like the victims of the same phenomenon.
Probable causes of radicalization
A diverse range of factors and motivations can influence a person to become radi
calised, and from there possibly commit extremist violence. Some of these are:
Radical ideology, limited understanding - the presence of a strict and literal u
nderstanding of a given ideological belief is a key factor in a person resorting
to violent extremism. Such views can be reinforced and exacerbated through the
internet.
Personal relationships and influence - the influence of personal and social rela

tionships is another key factor in driving radicalisation and extremism. These r

elationships can occur face-to-face, or through other media such as the internet
.
Identity and social exclusion - personal identity issues and wider problems of m
arginalisation, racism and social exclusion can act as a catalyst for radicalisa
tion and, potentially, violent extremism.
Emotional vulnerability - it may predispose involvement in terrorism. This inclu
des feelings of anger, alienation, disenfranchisement, shame, guilt and vulnerab
ility. These often arise during times of transition where challenges, such as an
identity crisis, enhance susceptibility to extremism
Perceived injustice for a person's community - One additional driver of radicali
sation is perceived frustrations and injustices committed against an individual'
s community or group.
Desirable approach of Senior Intelligence Officer
The senior intelligence officer should follow a 'soft approach' focusing on coun
seling and de-radicalisation rather than a 'hard approach' based on arrest, pros
ecution and punishment.
S
He should counsel them to make them realize futility of their actions. In this,
he must take help of professional psychologists, religious leaders and families
of the boys. There should also be religious reeducation.
Once they are deradicalised, they must be released to lead normal lives but surv
eillance must be maintained on them so that they do not lapse into radical activ
ities once again.
Rationale
The boys seem to be misguided and disoriented as they are well educated and don'
t have any previous terror cases, are not members of any terrorist organization
and were not planning any terrorist attack in India. Also, they have not committ
ed any terrorist act till now. If they are imprisoned, their radical views might
further crystallize ciue to associations with hardened criminals. They may also
form new networks and sleeper cell. The case of ISIS chief Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi
is a very relevant example.
A
Preventing further radicalization of youth
A)
Short to medium term measures
Presenting a counter narrative online - the Government should increase its onlin
e presence and take the help of various religious leaders to present an alternat
ive narrative to counter terrorist propaganda.
Regular monitoring - the Government must constitute special teams to monitor int
ernet and social media sites for any terrorist propaganda. Such websites and acc
ounts should be blocked immediately.
Presenting role models for youth - role models should be found out form within t
he community so that the youth have examples whom to follow.
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Vision IAS
Deradicalisation helpline - Such a counselling facility will enable parents, tea
chers and friends of vulnerable and indoctrinated youth to seek professional hel
p for their deradicalization.
Taking strict action against those who are found to be involved with any terrori
st orgnaisation or planning any attacks within or outside India.
B)
Long term measures
Long term measures must focus on addressing root causes of the feeling of margin
alization and alienation of youth.
It should also focus upon channeling energies of the youth towards creative purs
uits, skill development and job creation.
Radicalization is an emerging threat for the country. A nuanced approach is need
ed to tackle this threat effectively.
11.
You are the CEO of a pharmaceutical company that has monopolized the man
ufacture of an antiallergen device, which is used by millions who suffer from di

fferent kinds of allergic reactions: life threatening as well as non-threatening

. Your company that was initially facing significant losses has increased the pr
ice of the device and since then has been witnessing huge profit margins. While
the stakeholders of the company are pleased with your decision, there is a publi
c backlash against the price rise. Politicians too have begun criticizing the po
licies of the company. 20
(a) What are the ethical issues involved?
(b) Enumerate the values that are under question in the mentioned scenario?
0
(c) As the CEO of the company, would you retrospectively change your decision in
light of the public backlash?
?,?Approach:
Mention the ethical issues that arise in the mentionc-d scenario and the effects
of the issues on the stakeholders involved.
Briefly list the values that are under question.
Giving reasons, state what will you do as a CEO if you had to take the decision
retrospectively.
View the issues from an ethical lens as well as from the expected duty of a
CEO of a company, who is
responsible to its stakeholders.
Answer:
(a)
Ethical issues involved
Some of the ethical issues involved in the above scenario are:

Corporate greed versus general good: While the aim of the company is profit maxi
mization, it is clashing with the needs of the society. The situation is more ac
ute for people with severe allergies for whom the device is indispensable.
Monopoly v/s Competitive Pricing: Due to monopoly, the company increased the pri
ce of the device and reversed the trend of losses faced by it initially. However
, a single firm acted as a price maker.
Ineffective regulatory mechanism: The situation reflects ineffectiveness of regu
latory mechanisms, as there is lack of competition in a business and an instance
of surge pricing by a single company against the interests of millions of citiz
ens.
It is an example of an act which is legally right but not ethically right.
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Vision IAS
(b)
Values in question under the mentioned scenario are corporate greed, con
flict of interest, ineffective monitoring, lack of empathy and lack of public ac
countability, among others.
(c)
As the CEO of the company, I am answerable to the stakeholders and my pr
imary duty is to carry out
their interests and increase profits of the company.
However, I also have a role in the society, wherein I am expected to evaluate th
e effects of my decisions on the public as a whole.
A monopoly on a product and several advantages attached with it should not lead
me to ignore the needs of the majority of the population.
The situation tests my moral and humanitarian responsibilities as the device is
a life-saver for people with severe allergies and my decisions will have direct,
life altering consequences for them.
Assessing all the aspects and witnessing the public backlash against my decision
, if I had to take the decision retrospectively, I would discuss the matter with
the stakeholders of the company and would ensure that the price rise is only mi
nimal to maintain minimum profit.
Additionally, with the board's permission, I would negotiate a deal with the gov
ernment, wherein it could procure the device at our set price and then provide i
t at a subsidized rate to patients.
12.
You are a Public Information Officer (PIO) in Public Works Department. A

n RTI is filed to know about the allotment of tender to a company for constructi
on of a bridge. While collecting information about the allotment process you cam
e to know that the tender was under-priced. However, you also came to know that
it was unintentional and was due to a calculation error which could not be detec
ted during the scrutiny.
A#
The undersecretary of the department who is an honest official with an impeccabl
e record and is the final authority for passing the tender has requested you to
iron oat the deficiencies in your response. His argument is that elections are t
o be held soon and the company which has got the tender belongs to a relative of
senior minister. He fears that his reputation and job as well as of others invo
lved in the process of allotment is at risk. You sympathise with your colleagues
and understand that such consequences are possible.
20
(a)
What are the options available to you?
J*
(b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option you would adopt, giving
reasons.
?
; and Ci

Approach:
m ^
?<f
Mention the facts of the case, stakeholders, values at stake and ethical issues
involved.
Mention the options.
Evaluate each option based on its capacity to resolve ethical issue and serve th
e interest of various stakeholders.
Based on above analysis suggest best course of action.
Answer:
Key Facts of the case:
RTI is filed about allotment of tender.
Under-pricing of tender due to calculation error was unintentional.
Honest under-secretary asks for information to be fudged.
Stakeholders:
Myself i.e. PIO
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Vision IAS
Under-secretary and other staff
Political party in power
Public
Values at stake:
Transparency
Accountability
Integrity
Courage
Commitment to public interest Empathy for co-workers
Ethical dilemmas:
nd jobs of
Interest of co-workers vs public interest
Accountability/transparency vs sympathy
Other ethical issues: Loss of public money, Prevention of mistakes i honest pers
ons
Options available:
a) Options available are as follows:
I.
Follow the advice of under-secretary and go
ahead.
II.
Report the matter as it is, in my response.
III.
Will seek transfer to another position.
IV.
Ask under-secretary to give complete account of the processand sources o
f error and mention it in the response.

b) Evaluation of each option:

I.
Merits:
Will protect the jobs of my collegues as well as the repution of Under-secretary
and no one
ure, Reputati
>
will be punished for an honest mistake.
II.
Ill
It will not lead to embarrassment of government and may improve my relations in
government and boost career pr ospects.
Demerits:
Compromise of integrity, transparency and commitment to public interest.
Even if it was an honest mistake, it must be disclosed to the public.
Merits:
JO
Will uphold the values of integrity, transparency and accountability. It will al
low public scrutiny which is essential in a democracy Demerits:
Risk the job and reputation of colleagues politicisation of issue, strain relati
ons in my department Merits:
It will protect me from facing the dilemma,
It will be good for my psychological and physical health,
I will not be guilty of punishing my colleagues,
I will not be involved in wrongdoing Demerits:
Indecisiveness, avoidance of duty,
Lack of courage to take difficult decisions
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IV.
Merits:
Complete truth to public, transparency and accountability ensured,
It may lead to procedural reforms so that mistakes are not repeated,
Demerits:
Chances that they may still be punished
It may still lead to politicisation of issue
I will choose the option IV as my final course of action. It tries to balance bo
th truth and accountability with my concern for colleagues. Although there are s
till chances that they may be enquired upon, but during such an enquiry the fact
s presented by me will be scrutinised. Committee/government may decide to let th
em off. This also allows for the due legal process to follow. Further it will br
ing the error to fore and long term remedy can be sought to avoid future errors.
13.
You are a government official supervising the maintenance and upkeep of
juvenile rehabilitation centres all over country. You are a strong advocate for
preventive services such as counselling and parenting skill education as an alte
rnative to the placement of neglected children in rehabilitation homes. You have
convinced your minister about the stand and he has taken a public position on t
he same and declared that he will scrap the scheme of rehabilitation homes altog
ether. Believing that a reputable study of the cost-effectiveness of preventive
services would bolster your position, your department enters into a contract wit
h a top university to conduct a series of evaluation studies. The first study in
volves a controlled experimental evaluation of government sponsored preventive s
ervices. To your dismay, the findings show no evidence that preventive service i
s a cost effective alternative to placing children in rehabilitation homes. You
are worried that the results, if published, would not only compromise the positi
on of the minister but also yours. What will you do in such a situation? Some of
the options are given below. Evaluate the merits and demerits of each of these
options and suggest what course of action you would like to take, giving reasons
.
20
(a) Keep silent on the report and continue advocating your stand with the minist
er.
(b) Cancel the contract with the university and conduct afresh study with a new

agency.
()
m
(d)
re them
\ ik.

Report the results to the minister and follow his orders.

^
-
Conduct further research and be prepared to accept the results and decla
publicly. Approach:
X
Mention the facts of the case, stakeholders, values at stake and
ethical
issues involved.
Evaluate each option based on its capacity to resolve ethical issue
and
serve the
interest of various
stakeholders.
Based on above analysis suggest best course of action.
Answer:
Facts of the case:
Minister has publicly declared to scrap rehabilitation homes.
Study points to contrary what I have advocated to the minister.
Dilemma about the future course
Stake holders:
Myself
Minister
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Vision IAS
Children
Parents/Public
Values involved:
Truthfulness
Honesty
Transparency
Objectivity
Anonymity
Commitment to public welfare
Ethical dilemmas:
Political embarrassment vs truth Personal reputation vs welfare of children Othe
r ethical issues: Cost to government if scheme is closed, loss to public, tru:
people in
government, trust of minister in civil servant
Evaluation of options:
A) Keep silent on the report and continue advocating your stand with minister.
Merits:
Will preserve his trust in me and save him form embarrassment as he has ta?n pub
lic position,
Demerits:
I will compromise with honesty, truthfulness and transparency,
Objectivity calls for decisions based on rational facts which will be sacrificed
,
Misuse of anonymity as I may get off but minister may lose reputation,
If policy is accepted then it will lead to loss of public money and affect wellbeing of many children
B)
Cancel the contract with the university and conduct a fresh study with a
new agency.
.
c?>
Merits:

A single study is not sufficient to take policy decisions, there may be errors w
hich can come to light in
new study,
V
?
Demerits:

It is possible that new study may also point to same fact which means that the c
ost incurred was a waste,
If the results point that my stand is clear then it will create further dilemma
in me as to which report to follow
C)
Report the results to minister and follow his orders.
Merits:
In line with principle of anonymity, responsibility doesn't lie with me anymore,
There is a possibility that minister declare the result and backs off from his s
tand
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Vision IAS
Demerits:
If minister decides to implement the policy then it will compromise of transpare
ncy and objectivity and I will be complicit in wrong action,
If minister decides to back off, I may have to face his wrath for public embarra
ssment.
D)
Conduct further research and be prepared to accept the results and decla
re them publicly.
Merits:
Uphold transparency and truthfulness while giving minister a reason for policy s
election,
It will prevent wrong policy and save children from negative impact,
Objectivity will be ensured, public participation is also possible
Demerits:
May cost me my reputation and trust of minister if further studies also point to
effectiveness of juvenile homes,
It may incur increased cost and embarrassment to minister
Option D would be the best option to follow. In the short run it may have cost f
or minister and myself but ultimately beneficial for public. Further studies wil
l provide facts for objective decision making. By declaring results even if they
are contrary to my position, I will be displaying my courage and commitment to
public welfare. Flence, it is possible that I earn respect and admiration from m
inster and
14.
re
is an old dam in your
,
.
^
-, ,
,
it is expected to hold
up as repair works are being carried upon by the villagers. One day you receive
a call that the villagers in the area had abandoned repairs and were running awa
y from the work site because the dam was about to collapse as the force of water
was building up. You quickly reach the site and see the fear and panic induced
villagers. Systematised evacuation will take 2 days and if the dam collapses now
, there will be great loss of life and property. You noticed several geo-bags (s
ynthetic bags which are used to protect hydraulic structures and river banks fro
m severe erosion) lying at a construction site near the dam which could hold the
dam for some time. You realized that all you needed now was manpower to place t
hese bags on the dam in such a way as to prevent water from entering the village
. But the people are fear stricken and are preparing to flee. 20
o4
Based on above information, answer the following questions:
(a) Elaborate on the qualities of a civil servant that are essential in such cir
cumstances.
(b) What options do you have to handle this situation? Evaluate each of them wit
h their merits and
colleagues. At the same time ensuring public well-being in the long run.
demerits.
Approach:
Discuss various qualities of a good civil servant that comes into play in such s
ituations.
Evaluate the various options that are available to the SDM.
Conclude by suggesting the course of action that the SDM should take.
22

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Answer:
The situation is a tough test for the SDM. The dam must hold up for some time so
that systematized evacuations can be done. For this, geo-bags can help. But the
villagers are so panicked that they are unwilling to take up the repair works.
Essential Qualities
Emotional Intelligence - high degree of emotional intelligence is very necessary
to successfully handle such situation. The SDM must empathize will the villager
s and correctly gauge the depth of their fear and panic. This will help them to
motivate them.
Courage and commitment - there is a real danger to one's life in the situation b
ut the dam must hold up so that precious lives and property is saved. This requi
res an exemplary display of both courage and commitment to the cause.
Ability to motivate others under tough conditions - the SDM must be able to moti
vate people under difficult conditions so that geo-bags can be quickly placed.
Objectivity and Quick decision making ability - the SDM must be able to take rat
ional decisions quickly in a situation where one can be overwhelmed by fear and
panic.
Above all, the situation is a test to leadership qualities of the SDM.
Options available
Try to motivate villagers to place the geo-bags on the dam.
Take help of contractors enlisted with the Government.
Calling his senior (DM) for help.
Evaluation 1) Calling the DM
Merits - as the SDM is a young officer, he might be inexperienced to handle such
situation. Therefore, calling the DM might help.
Demerit - but this will consume some very precious time which could cause widesp
read destruction.
2) Taking help of the contractors
Merits - this may solve the problem of manpower as the contractors may provide s
ufficient labourers to place the geo-bags.
Demerits - this option is also time consuming and the contractors might be unabl
e to provide sufficient labourers at such a short notice. Also, the labourers to
o might get scared and refuse to work.
sip
3) Motivating the villagers
>
Merits - this will provide sufficient manpower to place the geo-bags. As the vil
lagers are present on the site, precious time wili be saved.
Demerits-the SDM might be unable to motivate the villagers.
P
The villagers are the largest stakeholders in the situation and they can provide
sufficient manpower quickly to place the geo-bags. Therefore, the SDM should mo
tivate the villagers and place the geo-bags on the dam with their help. Fie can
appeal to their sense of sacrifice and responsibility towards their families and
community. Fie can also lead by example and start to place the geo-bags himself
. Flis courage will have a tremendous effect on the villagers and motivate them
to take up the work. In the meantime, he should also arrange for evacuation.
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