Comprehensive Practice Set - Ethics Theory: Foundational Values for Civil Service

Efficiency is doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right thing. How do you strike a balance between the two to enhance productivity?

Some moral philosophers argue that spending some of your resources—without significantly affecting your financial stability—to help other people who badly suffer is our moral duty and not merely a matter of charity. Justify this claim by explaining the distinction between duty and charity.

"For any kind of social re-engineering by successfully implementing welfare schemes, a civil servant must use reason and critical thinking in an ethical framework." Justify with suitable examples.

"One who is devoted to one's duty attains highest perfection in life." Analyse with reference to sense of responsibility and personal fulfilment as a civil servant.

To achieve holistic development goal, a civil servant acts as an enabler and active facilitator of growth rather than a regulator. What specific measures will you suggest?

It is said that for an ethical work culture, there must be code of ethics in place in every organisation. To ensure value-based and compliance-based work culture, what suitable measures would you adopt?

India is an emerging economic power. However, in some sectors, allocated funds remain either under-utilised or misutilised. What specific measures would you recommend for ensuring accountability?

"Mindless addiction to Form, ignoring the Substance of the matter, results in rendering of injustice. A perceptive civil servant is one who ignores such literalness and carries out true intent." Examine with suitable illustrations.

"The 'Code of Conduct' and 'Code of Ethics' are the sources of guidance in public administration. There is code of conduct already in operation, whereas code of ethics is not yet put in place. Suggest a suitable model for code of ethics to maintain integrity, probity and transparency in governance."

"The soul of the new law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is Justice, Equality and Impartiality based on Indian culture and ethos." Discuss in light of major shift from doctrine of punishment to justice.

Mission Karmayogi is aiming for maintaining a very high standard of conduct and behaviour to ensure efficiency. How will this scheme empower civil servants in enhancing productive efficiency and delivering services at grassroots level?

'Probity is essential for an effective system of governance and socio-economic development.' Discuss.

'Corruption is the manifestation of the failure of core values in the society.' What measures can be adopted to uplift core values in society?

Explain the term social capital. How does it enhance good governance?

Wisdom lies in knowing what to reckon with and what to overlook. An officer engrossed with periphery ignoring core issues — does this lead to travesty of justice? Critically evaluate.

Apart from intellectual competency and moral qualities, empathy and compassion facilitate civil servants to be more competent. Explain with suitable illustrations.

The Rules and Regulations provided to all civil servants are same, yet there is difference in performance. Positive minded officers interpret rules in favour of case and achieve success. Discuss with illustrations.

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

Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example.

Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion.

Identify ten essential values needed to be an effective public servant. Describe ways to prevent non-ethical behaviour in public servants.

Integrity is a value that empowers the human being. Justify with suitable illustration.

An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate.

What is meant by 'crisis of conscience'? How does it manifest itself in the public domain?

"Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption." Do you agree? Justify.

What do you understand by the term 'public servant'? Reflect on the expected role of a public servant.

What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three with suitable examples.

State the three basic values, universal in nature, in the context of civil services and bring out their importance.

Distinguish between "Code of ethics" and "Code of conduct" with suitable examples.

What is meant by public interest? What are the principles and procedures to be followed by civil servants in public interest?

What is meant by conflict of interest? Illustrate with examples the difference between actual and potential conflicts of interest.

Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public Administration.

Examine the relevance of: (a) Transparency (b) Accountability (c) Fairness and justice (d) Courage of conviction (e) Spirit of service in civil service.

Conflict of interest in public sector arises when official duties, public interest, and personal interest take priority. How can this conflict be resolved? Describe with example.

One of the tests of integrity is complete refusal to be compromised. Explain with reference to a real life example.

Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organisation. Discuss.

Why should impartiality and non-partisanship be considered as foundational values in public services? Illustrate with examples.

What do you understand by 'governance', 'good governance' and 'ethical governance'?

Discuss the Public Services Code as recommended by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission.

"A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also has to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues." Do you agree? Explain with examples where act is ethically right but not legally and vice versa.

How do the virtues of trustworthiness and fortitude get manifested in public service? Explain with examples.

Public servants are likely to confront issues of 'Conflict of Interest'. What do you understand by this term and how does it manifest in decision making? How would you resolve it?

There is heavy ethical responsibility on public servants. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence?

What does 'accountability' mean in context of public service? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability?

In context of defense services, 'patriotism' demands readiness to lay down one's life. What does patriotism imply in everyday civil life?

What is meant by 'voice of conscience'? How do you prepare yourself to heed to the voice of conscience?

What is meant by 'crisis of conscience'? Narrate one incident in your life when you were faced with such a crisis and how you resolved it.

What do you understand by: (a) Integrity (b) Perseverance (c) Spirit of Service (d) Commitment (e) Courage of Conviction? Indicate two more attributes important for public service.

Public servants have a moral responsibility because they occupy positions of integrity and power and deal with many public funds. Their decisions have a wide-ranging impact on society and the environment. What steps will you initiate to improve your duty and moral responsibility to handle such empowerment?

Discuss ten major aptitudes indispensable for a good civil servant with suitable examples.

Explain how a proper and balanced blend of attitude and aptitude can make one a successful administrator.

Conduct rules governing public servants put certain restrictions on them covering social, financial and personal matters. Their right to participate in political activities and right to expression is also circumscribed. Do you think that the Government is justified in curtailing the civil rights of the Government servants? Discuss.

Discuss the role of empathy and compassion in public administration. How can these values be cultivated among civil servants?

What is the significance of objectivity and non-partisanship in civil services? Provide examples of how these values can be upheld in challenging situations.