UPPSC 2019 (Mains General Studies Paper-4)

Ans. Ethics is a system of principles that helps us tell right from wrong, good from bad. Ethics can give real and practical guidance to our lives. Ethical values (i.e. honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility) help guide us along a pathway to deal more effectively with ethical dilemmas by eliminating those behaviors that do not conform to our sense of right and wrong – our best rational interests – without sacrificing others.

Ethics is all about the choices we make. We constantly face choices that affect the quality of our lives. We are aware that the choices that we make have consequences, both for ourselves and others. We are aware of the responsibility we have for our actions.

We need to be ethical because it defines who we are individually and as a society. These are norms of behavior that everyone should follow. Our society might fall into chaos if we accept that each of us could pick and choose what the right thing to do is.

Ans. Role of ethics and moral values is significant in bringing good governance. There are numerous ways to strengthen the moral values in governance. Officers of public offices should take decision solely in terms of public interest. Holders of public life should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations.

Holders of public office should make choices only on merit. Owners of public offices should be as open as possible on all the decisions and actions that they take. Holders of public offices have a duty to declare any private interest relating to their public duties.

Holders of public offices should promote and support these principles by way of leadership and examples. Public functionaries and officials should develop a sense of belongingness with voters of their constituencies; and listen and redress their grievances by visiting them periodically.

The high level officers should give proper feed-back on the problems faced by the public to the concerned Minister and suggest the feasible measure which can be taken to solve the problem within the ambit of law. Friendly relation with people: If there are cordial relations between the government and the people at different levels, then governance will transform into good governance.

Ans. (a) A public servant has a set of core duties which are of ethical nature. These are as follows:

> Promote the interests of the public and put service to the public above service to oneself.

> Respect and support government constitutions and laws while seeking to improve laws and policies to promote the public good.

> Inform the public and encourage active engagement in governance. Be open, transparent, and responsive, and respect and assist all persons in their dealings with public organizations.

> Treat all persons with fairness, justice, and equality, and respect individual differences, rights, and freedoms. Promote affirmative action and other initiatives to reduce unfairness, injustice, and inequality in society.

> Provide accurate, honest, comprehensive, and timely information and advice to elected and appointed officials and governing board members, and to staff members in your organization.

> Adhere to the highest standards of conduct to inspire public confidence and trust in public service.

> Strive to attain the highest standards of ethics, stewardship, and public service in organizations that serve the public.

> Strengthen personal capabilities to act competently and ethically and encourage the professional development of others.

(b) Under the RTI Act, a citizen of India can request information from the public servant including the chief justice of India. The relevant authority has to respond in 30 days. RTI becomes challenging in context of the right to privacy which is a fundamental right under article 21 which protects the life and liberty of the citizens under Part III of the constitution. On 24 August 2017, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) and Anr. vs Union Of India And Ors. unanimously held that the right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Personal information can be denied if it infringes an individual’s privacy. A good example is our medical records. Such information, the disclosure of which would invade someone’s privacy, is exempt from the RTI requirements.

Ans. Universal religion

Universal religion will be the religion of all religious people, and not of one particular group or society. It will thus be the universally accepted religion.

It is felt that once there is a universal religion, all conflicts in the name of religion will be completely over and religion will then play the role of binding all people together in the thread of universal brotherhood. In one sense, such a situation may be highly beneficial. But the question is, whether such a situation is really possible? There is no contradiction involved in the concept of universal religion, so the logical possibility of such a religion is undoubted. If we think of a religion which is universally accepted and followed by all religious men of the world alike, there seems to be no contradiction involved in such a thought. J

Ans. Non-cooperation movement of Gandhiji

Gandhiji has explained non-violent non-cooperation movement in the following words:

The basic principle on which the practice of non-violence rests is that what holds good in respect of oneself equally applies to the whole Universe. All mankind in essence are alike. What is therefore possible for me, is possible for everybody. This is essence is the principle of non-violent non-co-operation. It follows therefore that it must have its root in love. Its object should not be to punish the opponent or to inflict injury upon him. Even while non-cooperating with him, we must make him feel that in us he has a friend and we should try to reach his heart by rendering him humanitarian service whenever possible.

In fact, it is the acid test of non-violence that in a non-violent conflict there is no rancour left behind and, in the end, the enemies are converted into friends. That was my experience in South Africa with General Smuts. He started with being my bitterest opponent and critic. Today he is my warmest friend.

Ans. Democratic attitude and bureaucratic attitude of the public servants Bureauctratic attitude means the behaviour or attitude of an officer, who believes in the infallibility of the rule book, on the basis of that belief and attitude.

Democratic attitude means the attitude that underscores the point that people are the source of power in a Democracy, and accordingly stresses more on finding possible solutions, to help the citizen.

During the British rule in India, the bureaucrats exhibited bureaucratic attitude. However, with independence the need was felt to democratize and sensitize the public administration to the needs and demands of the citizens. Nevertheless, the bureaucratic attitude still exists because bureaucratic attitude take time to give way to the democratic attitude. It is due to the bureaucratic attitude that

the projects get delayed and stalled. Being too much rule bound gives rise to the danger of red-tapism. The democratic attitude on the other hand expects the bureaucrats to take initiative and responsibility for their action. Most of the civil servants do not want to take the risk.

Therefore, there has been much focus on simplification of the rules and procedures.

Ans. Merits and demerits of persuasion in relation to public protest While persuasion can be an effective strategy in mobilization, it has both merits and demerits. The merit of persuasion lies in putting an end to an autocratic regime, bring about democratization, and overall improve the political process in a society. The demerit lies in mobocracy, confusion, and chaos. The biggest threat to persuasion in context of public protest is that it can stall the legitimate government and its functioning. Here are some examples.

The farmers protest in Delhi is an example of stalling the functioning of a legitimate government.

The thousands who protested in Tahrir Square, Cairo, succeeded in getting a measure of change the repressive government of Hosni Mubarak. The protest started 50,000 strong and grew to 100,000. It lasted eighteen days. This can be classified as a productive protest in that it was peaceful and effective. But think back just a couple of decades to Tiananmen Square in Beijing where the same kind of protesters were massacred by tanks. Again, it was a protest against a repressive, anti-democratic regime. The repressive regime responded, well, repressively. This kind of response has been repeated many times and in many places in the world. It was not pointless, but neither was it effective in bringing political change in China.

(a) Transparency

(b) Accountability

(c) Courage of conviction

Ans. (a) Transparency in context of civil services: An information-driven society leads to transparency and accountability. This provides drive to programmes aimed to enhance the processes and systems of public bodies thereby improving service delivery. Since transparency involves sharing of information -meaning most decisions of officials, and important rules and regulations are in the public domain- it thoroughly reduces chances of corruption, nepotism, favouritism.

(b) Accountability: The primary concern of the citizens in a good civil society is that their government must be fair and good. For a Government to be good it is essential that their systems and sub-systems of Governance are efficient, economic, ethical and equitable. In addition the governing process must also be just, reasonable, fair and citizenfriendly. The administrative system must also be accountable and responsive besides promoting transparency and people’s participation.

(c) Courage of Conviction in Relation to Civil Service: The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger or fear with self-possession, confidence and resolution. The term defines one form of courage or bravery, which makes one to take strong decisions without any fear of repercussions. Courage of conviction makes one to admit his mistakes and denounce other’s false actions. Courage of conviction is the quality to have the confidence to act or behave in accordance with one’s beliefs or ideologies, especially in the face of resistance, criticism, or prosecution.

Ans. Innovative measures to tackle increasing instances of sexual violence against women.

To achieve change at the population level it is important to target societallevel factors in the primary prevention of sexual violence. Approaches include the enactment of legislation and the development of supporting policies that protect women; addressing discrimination against women; and helping to move the culture away from violence – thereby acting as a foundation for further prevention work.

Only one strategy has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing intimate partner violence, namely school-based programmes for adolescents to prevent violence and this still needs to be assessed for use in resource-poor settings. Nonetheless, some of the strategies that empower women can be quite useful such as making the women economically independent, raising the status of women, training them in martial arts, etc.

Ans. There can only be two options here. One, behave and act unethically like others and be safe. Two, adopt the honest and ethical means and face confrontation at every stage. It is difficult to be honest and ethical when the entire system from the top most minister to the lowest level official is corrupt.

An ethical person is mentally not a weak person. With courage of conviction in my actions, it will be impossible for me to take an unethical decision or action. Life may not be easy but it may be worth living when you know you are ethically correct.

There is a purpose in doing a work. The purpose is the first of all to give me a sense of fulfilment. A dishonest work can never give me the sense of fulfilment. The second purpose of doing my work ethically and honestly is to help others or assist those for whom the work is being done. A dishonest

work defeats the second purpose.

Ans. When we see political leaders appealing to one religious group to the detriment of another, or when we see religious authorities claim to speak for “all” people, we often wonder if a thriving democracy might not require the elimination of religion from public life entirely.

Even in the most secular of democracies, however, a more careful reckoning of religion’s public role can bring to light not only potential anti-democratic factors but potential pro-democratic forces.

Religion is neither inherently pro-democracy nor inherently anti-democracy. Finding ways to live together more freely and responsibly requires a careful look at the specific religions and specific societies in question. More importantly, it also requires attention to ground-level religious action and religious organisations and not just to theologies and authorities. However, religious bigotry can create impediments in a democratic society with free speech. Religious bigotry has destroyed nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and some other middle east countries.

In India, both Hindu and Muslim fanaticism have led to communal clashes in the past. The large scale destruction of life and property sets the growth of a democratic country back.

Not all democratic countries, of course, insist on an entirely secular public sphere, so other political theorists have speculated about whether particular religious traditions may be more or less friendly to democratic participation. In different times and places the very same religious tradition has been hailed as inherently a seedbed for democracy and as a danger to it.

Ans. In his The Eighteenth Brumaire, Marx calls France as the abode to bureaucracy as opposed to Germany which in his opinion, up until then was the supreme example of oppressive bureaucratic conditions in the states. He suggests that bureaucracy create conditions which subjects people to gross manipulations. Another important deviation from the Hegel influence can be viewed in the manner Marx and Hegel understood bureaucracy. According to Hegel public administration was a bridge between the State and civil societies. The state through bureaucracy joined various particular interest to arrive at one general interest.

On the other hand Marx viewed that the State did not represent the general interest but the interests of the ruling or the dominant class. And obvious enough, this class was a part of the civil society. He went on to say that in a capitalist economy, the bureaucracy is aligned with the dominant class and it masquerades the interests of this dominant class as the general interest which is subsequently forced on the society.

Lenin was a follower of Marxian approach on bureaucracy and had ruled out any scope of it when the capitalism would be thrown out of Russian. But, after 1917, when he came into power, he could not help but rely on bureaucracy to help him run the State.

Ans. There are several prevention strategies against depression and suicide but unfortunately none of them have taken help of the philosophy of Niskam Karmayoga. It is a philosophy that is easy to read and even undestand but difficult to apply in one’s life.

The root of all our miseries is expectation out of our work and even without work. The expection builds up an inner tension which can lead to dangerous consequences like depression and suicide, if not fulfilled.

In essence, however, niskam karmyog states what is only natural and logical. According to this philosophy, we have control over only our action not over the result of our action. Nevertheless, the Gita also states that we enjoy or suffer directly in proportion to our good or bad actions. If we have worked hard, its natural consequence is we will be successful in our effort but in many instances, there is no success. This leads to depression and also suicide in some cases. If we understand that the result of hardwork is not always success or something unknown, then we will not feel disappointed because we understand the result is unnown or not in our control.

If we teach this philosophy from school to college level, there will emerge a new consciousness among students. Till now they had been nurtured on wrong teaching that hardwork is rewarded with success. They should be told that no matter what you do, the result is not in your hand, then with this awarensss and understanding we can create a mentally healthy society where no one would be depressed or sad enough to commit suicide.

Ans. The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This includes all those who are elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally, and all people appointed to work in the Civil Service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), and in the health, education, social and care services.

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

Holders of public office should be truthful.

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Ans. I will take the following immediate steps. I along with the grand-daughter of the elderly man will rush the elderly man to the hospital without delay as the first and the top-most priority. Once the elderly man is admitted, I will speak to the grand-daughter to enquire if there is an adult such as her parents at home or office. I will call her parents and inform them politely of the incident without alarming them. I will also inform them that the gentleman is admitted and undergoing treatment at the hospital. I will give them the address of the hospital. Next, I will see, if I can reach the interview location. Most probably, I might not reach but just in case I can reach in time, I will rush to the interview location to be there in time. In case I cannot reach the venue in time, I will contact them and inform them of the incident causing my delay and would want to know when I can appear for the interview. They will probably give me the next date. They might also ask me to give an application in writing. Then I will go to the interview venue and put up my application.

Ans. The assumption that only poor people are corrupt is mistaken. The white collar theory of crime is well establsihed according to which the white collar workers indulge in corrupt practices when opportunity presents to them. The major mega scams in India as may be well known implicate the ministers and bureaucrats. Therefore, it is not the poverty that leads to corruption but other factors like social imitation, greed, and the attraction for wealth among several more factors that lead to corruption.

Politicians like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sukhram, and Chidambaram have their names tainted in corruption even when they are powerful and rich. The question is why do these people indulge in corruption? There are several reasons but the most important reason is that money is the source of power and these powerful people want to perpetuate their power. They use the money power to buy muscle power to win the elections. The bureaucrats making money through corrupt means would like to perpetuate their power and influence even when they retire. As a result they do not think twice before indulging in corrupt practices. The scams made by politicians, the rich and affluent, like Nirav Modi and PNB scam, Vijay Mallya etc are some examples that show rich and powerful people often indulge in corruption.

Ans. Role of empathy in public services with examples.

Empathy is the experience of understanding another person’s thought, feelings and condition from his point of view rather than from our own. Empathy ensures that a person is compassionate towards the condition of another person.

Here are the reasons for the importance of Empathy in Civil Service Develop listening skills

The civil service requires an individual to be more patient and keep his temper and actions under check. For that to happen he/she is required to listen to the arguments of the other side before taking any action. Ensure public welfare

Public welfare is an important part of duty of a civil servant. He/she is liable to take decisions that help in improving lives of the citizens. For him/her to be sympathetic towards public cause, there is a need for cultivating empathy in them.

A public official is susceptible to misuse of powers if there is lack of empathy in him/her. By developing this character there are possibilities that he/she realises his mistakes and tries to rectify them

Acceptability of diverse thoughts

Civil service is a platform where there are more chances to experience diverse opinion and thoughts. It is necessary to accommodate other views and try to implement them if they are found to be appropriate.

Ans. Utility of emotional intelligence in administration Emotional intelligence is generally said to include three skills: emotional awareness; the ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes regulating your own emotions and of others.

Many administrative officers are extremely talented, conceptually brilliant and have a very high IQ. They excel in computers, science and mathematics. But they have problem in making social relationships. Many of them are antagonistic and ruthless in their response to the outside world. They have little or no feeling for people around them. They feel physiologically uncooperative in their relationships and have no social graces or even a social personal life. There are actions in the realm of governance which remains spontaneous, intuitive or experience based. A person with emotional intelligence will respond better in such situations. Responsiveness to citizens must carry with it sensitivity and sympathy to public needs and demands and this means being aware of feelings and emotions. It also helps in managing emotional responses of the citizens.

During a conflict situation, the ability to manage emotions may be the only way out. Civil servants are required to deal with communal riot and other violent situations where emotional intelligence can play an important role.

Identifying emotions in faces, voices, postures, and other content during public management activities can help in giving a better response. Emotions could be evoked to motivate others to get the task done. Identifying emotions can also allow us to better evaluate the repercussions of our actions.

Ans. One’s upbringing, beliefs and practises of their family and close ones, widely prevalent practices in society etc. all affect the formation of a person’s attitude towards social problems. At times, if we witness first hand someone’s societal problems or know someone who has gone through such problems, it helps us relate, sympathise, and develop a deeper understanding of the nature of the social problem.

Our society does exhibit contrasting attitudes towards the complex caste system in India. We do not completely conform to the old ways of strictly adhering to caste identities, but neither are we completely free of caste identities. Though in a majority of activities, caste is of no consequence, it does rear its ugly head at times. For instance, in earlier days, people of different castes would never eat together. However, no such practice is followed in today’s restaurants and even in the homes of people. The sheer inconvenience that the continuance of such a practice would cause led to its being phased out. However, when issues such as marriage come up, caste still plays a very important role. Even though many people don’t discriminate on the basis of caste, they still consider caste important enough for the purposes of marriage.

Attitude is also affected when working with our fellow workers. In a school, college, or office setting, we may give up our caste or religious values and adopt secular values. There is a change in our attitude.

Ans. There can be several reasons for her conduct. Some of these are as follows. Meenu boasts of her interest in social service probably because she thinks it would add prestige to her but she may not be actually interested in it. So when the time for action comes, she backs out or finds some excuse.

The other possible reason could be that she may be genuinely interested in social service but feels nervous when she has to do some task in a group. She may have thought that it would expose her to friends who may think she doesn’t know social service acts too well or she could be simply nervous in a group setting among those she is not familiar with.

Alternatively when Meenu admits she is fond of social service, she may be telling the truth but she could be liking social service as someone who just hears or learns about it from books and articles. May be she has plans to start her own NGO in future but she may not be comfortable with doing social service activities at the present.

Overall, her frequent speech in favour of NGO shows her positive attitude towards the NGO or social service but there could be any among several reasons because of which she doesn’t participate in social service activities about which we can only speculate.

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