Ethics UPSC Mains Previous Year Questions (2013-2023)

GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 4 – ETHICS, INTEGRITY, AND APTITUDE

2023

(a) What do you understand by ‘moral integrity’ and ‘professional efficiency’ in the context of corporate governance in India? Illustrate with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) ‘International aid’ is an accepted form of helping ‘resource-challenged’ nations. Comment on ‘ethics in contemporary international aid’. Support your answer with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) “Corruption is the manifestation of the failure of core values in the society.” In your opinion, what measures can be adopted to uplift the core values in the society? (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) In the context of work environment, differentiate between ‘coercion’ and ‘undue influence’ with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context?
(a) “The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” – Mahatma Gandhi (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) “To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village move, the nation moves.” – Jawaharlal Nehru (Answer in 150 words) 10
(c) “Do not hate anybody, because that hatred that comes out from you must, in the long run, come back to you. If you love, that love will come back to you, completing the circle.” – Swami Vivekananda. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) “What really matters for success, character, happiness and lifelong achievements in a definite set of emotional skill – your EQ – not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.” Do you agree with this view? Give reasons in support of your answer. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Differentiate ‘more intuition’ from ‘more reasoning’ with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision-making? Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) ‘Probity is essential for an effective system of governance and socio-economic development.’ Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) What were the major teachings of Guru Nanak? Explain their relevance in the contemporary world. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Explain the term of social capital. How does it enhance good governance? (Answer in 150 words) 10

2022

(a) Wisdom lies in knowing what to reckon with and what to overlook. An officer being engrossed with the periphery, ignoring the core issues before him, is not rare in the bureaucracy. Do you agree that such preoccupation of an administrator leads to travesty of justice to the cause of effective service delivery and good governance? Critically evaluate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Apart from intellectual competency and moral qualities, empathy and compassion are some of the other vital attributes that facilitate the civil servants to be more competent in tackling the crucial issues or taking critical decisions. Explain with suitable illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) The Rules and Regulations provided to all the civil servants are same, yet there is difference in the performance. Positive minded officers are able to interpret the Rules and Regulations in favour of the case and achieve success, whereas negative minded officers are unable to achieve goals by interpreting the same Rules and Regulations against the case. Discuss with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) It is believed that adherence to ethics in human actions would ensure in smooth functioning of an organization/system. If so, what does ethics seek to promote in human life? How do ethical values assist in the resolution of conflicts faced by him in his day-today functioning? (Answer in 150 words) 10
What does each of the following quotations mean to you?
(a) “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have the right to do and what is right to do” – Potter Stewart (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel that there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are father, mother and teacher.” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Answer in 150 words) 10
(c) “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.” – Dalai Lama (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) What do you understand by the term ‘good governance’? How far recent initiatives in terms of e-Governance steps taken by the State have helped the beneficiaries? Discuss with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Online methodology is being used for day-to-day meetings, institutional approvals in the administration and for teaching and learning in education sector to the extent telemedicine in the health sector is getting popular with the approvals of the competent authority. No doubt, it has advantages and disadvantages for both the beneficiaries and the system at large. Describe and discuss the ethical issues involved in the use of online method particularly to the vulnerable section of the society. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(a) Russia and Ukraine war has been going on for the last seven months. Different countries have taken independent stands and actions keeping in view their own national interests. We are all aware that war has its own impact on the different aspects of society, including human tragedy. Wat are those ethical issues that are crucial to be considered while launching the war and its continuation so far? Illustrate with justification the ethical issues involved in the given state of affair. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Write short notes on the following in 30 words each :
(i) Constitutional morality
(ii) Conflict of interest
(iii) Probity in public life
(iv) Challenges of digitalization
(v) Devolution to duty 10
(a) Whistle-blower, who reports corruption and illegal activities, wrongdoing and misconduct to the concerned authorities, runs the risk of being exposed to grave danger, physical harm and victimization by the vested interests, accused persons and his team. What policy measures would you suggest to strengthen protection mechanism to safeguard the whistle-blower? (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) In contemporary world, corporate sector’s contribution in generating wealth and employment is increasing. In doing so, they are bringing in unprecedented onslaught on the climate, environmental sustainability and living conditions of human beings. In this background, do you find that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is efficient and sufficient enough to fulfill the social roles and responsibilities needed in the corporate world for which the CSR is mandated? Critically examine. (Answer in 150 words) 10

2021

(a) Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in the public servants. (Answer in 150 words) 10

(a) Impact of digital technology as reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable Critically evaluate with suitable example. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example. (Answer in 150 words) 10

What does each of the following quotations mean to you?
(a) “Every work has got to pass through hundreds of difficulties before Those that persevere will see the light, sooner or later.” – Swami Vivekananda (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b)“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ” – Dalai Lama (Answer in 150 words) 10
(c)“Life doesn’t make any sense without We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, it is better for us all.” – Erik Erikson (Answer in 150 words) 10

(a) Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant? (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) In case of crisis of conscience does emotional intelligence help to overcome the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to follow? Critically examine. (Answer in 150 words) 10

(a) “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation.” Examine the statement with reference to ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) 10

(a) An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical Elaborate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
(b) “Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with suitable illustration. (Answer in 150 words) 10

2020

(a) Discuss the role of ethics and values in enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National Power (CNP) viz. human capital, soft power (culture and policies) and social harmony. (150 words) 10
(b) “Education is not an injunction, it is an effective and pervasive tool for all round development of an individual and social transformation”. Examine the New Education Policy, 2020 (NEP, 2020) in light of the above statement. (150 words) 10
(a) ‘Hatred is destructive of a person’s wisdom and conscience that can poison a nation’s spirit.’ Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer. (150 words) 10
(b) What are the main components of emotional intelligence (EI)? Can they be learned? Discuss. (150 words) 10

3. (а) What teachings of Buddha are most relevant today and why? Discuss. (150 words) 10
(b) ‘The will to power exists, but it can be tamed and be guided by rationality and principles of moral duty.’ Examine this statement in the context of international relations. (150 words) 10

4. (a) Distinguish between laws and rules. Discuss the role of ethics in formulating them. (150 words) 10
(b) A positive attitude is considered to be an essential characteristic of a civil servant who is often required to function under extreme stress. What contributes to a positive attitude in a person? (150 words) 10

5. (a) What are the main factors responsible for gender inequality in India? Discuss the contribution of Savitribai Phule in this regard. (150 words) 10
(b) ‘The current internet expansion has instilled a different set of cultural values which are often in conflict with traditional values.’ Discuss. (150 words) 10

6. What does each of the following quotations mean to you?
(а) “Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If not, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.” – Swami Vivekanand (150 words) 10
(b) “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi (150 words) 10
(с) “A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.” – Socrates (150 words) 10

2019

(a) What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples. (150words) 10
(b) What do you understand by the term ‘public servant’? Reflect on the expected role of public servant. (150 words) 10
(a) Effective utilisation of public funds is crucial to meet development goals. Critically examine the reasons for under-utilization and mis-utilisation of public funds and their implications. (150 words) 10
(b) “Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption” Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer. (150 words) 10
(a) What is meant by the term ‘constitutional morality’? How does one uphold constitutional morality? (150 words) 10
(b) What is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’? How does it manifest itself in the public domain? (150 words) 10
(a) Explain the basic principles of citizens’ charter movement and bring out its importance. (150 words) 10
(b) There is a view that the Official Secrets Act is an obstacle to the implementation of the Rights to Information Act. Do you agree with the view? Discuss. (150 words) 10
(a) What do you understand by probity in governance? Based on your understanding of the term, suggest measures for ensuring probity in government. (150 words) 10
(b) “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to make your emotions work for you instead of against you.” Do you agree with this view? Discuss. (150 words) 10
What do each of the following quotations mean to you?
(a) “An unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates (150 words) 10
(b) “A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” – M.K.Gandhi (150 words) 10
(c) “Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (150 words) 10

2018

(a) State the three basic values, universal in nature, in the context of civil service and bring out their importance. (150 words) 10
(b) Distinguish between “Code of ethics” and “Code of conduct” with suitable examples. (150 words) 10
(a) What is meant by public interest? What are principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest? (150 words) 10
(b) “The Right to information Act is not all about citizens’ empowerment alone, it essentially redefines the concept of accountability.” Discuss. (150 words) 10
(a) What is meant by conflict of interest? Illustrate with examples, the difference between the actual and potential conflicts of interest. (150 words) 10
(b) “In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they do not have the first, the other two will kill you.” –Warren Buffett
What do you understand by this statement in the present-day scenario? Explain. (150 words) 10
(a) “In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not prohibited expressly or by clear implication” Examine the statement with suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her duties. (150 words) 10
(b) With regard to morality of actions, one view is that means are of paramount importance and the other view is that the ends justify the means. Which view do you think is more appropriate? Justify your answer. (150 words) 10
(a) Suppose the Government of India is thinking of constructing a dam in a mountain valley bound by forests and inhabited by ethnic communities. What rational policy should it resort to in dealing with unforeseen contingencies? (150 words) 10
(b) Explain the process of resolving ethical dilemmas in Public Administration.(150 words) 10
What do each of the following quotations mean to you in the present context?
(a) “The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it has any evil in it; but whether it has more evil than good. There are few things wholly evil or wholly good. Almost every thing, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.”- Abraham Lincoln. (150 words) 10
(b) “Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.” – Mahatma Gandhi (150 words) 10
(c) “Falsehood takes the place of truth when it results in unblemished common good.” – Tirukkural (150 words) 10

2017

Conflict of interest in the public sector arises when
(a) Official duties
(b) Public interest, and
(c) Personal interest
are taking priority one above the other.
How can this conflict in administration be resolved? Describe with an example. (150 words) 10
Examine the relevance of the following in the context of civil service : (150 words) 10
(a) Transparency
(b) Accountability
(c) Fairness and justice
(d) Courage of conviction
(e) Spirit of service
Young people with ethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward. (150 words) 10
(a) One of the test of integrity is complete refusal to be compromised. Explain with reference to a real life example. (150 words) 10
(b) Corporate social responsibility makes companies more profitable and sustainable. Analysis. (150 words) 10
(a) “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them”. – Napoleon Bonaparte. Stating examples mention the rulers (i) who have harmed society and country, (ii) who worked for the development of society and country. (150 words) 10
(b) “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Analyse. (150 words) 10
(a) How will you apply emotional intelligence in administrative practices? (150 words) 10
(b) Strength, peace and security are considered to be the pillars of international relations. Elucidate. (150 words) 10
(a) The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss. (150 words) 10
(b) Increased national wealth did not result in equitable distribution of its benefits. It has created only some “enclaves of modernity and prosperity for a small minority at the cost of the majority.” Justify. (150 words) 10
(a) Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organization. Discuss. (150 words) 10
(b) Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly.
What do you understand by this statement? Explain with illustration in the contemporary times. (150 words) 10

2016

(a) Explain how ethics contributes to social and human well-being. (150 words) 10
(b) Why should impartiality and non-partisanship be considered as foundational values in public services, especially in the present day socio-political context? Illustrate your answer with examples. (150 words) 10
(a) What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’? (150 words) 10
(b) Discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of seven sins. (150 words) 10
(a) Analyse John Rawl’s concept of social justice in the Indian context. (150 words) 10
(b) Discuss the Public Service Code as recommended by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission. (150 words) 10
(a) “Corruption causes misuse of government treasury, administrative inefficiency and obstruction in the path of national development.” Discuss Kautilya’s views. (150 words) 10
(b) How could social influence and persuasion contribute to the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. (150 words) 10
Law and ethics are considered to be the two tools for controlling human conduct so as to make it conductive to civilized social existence.
(a) Discuss how they achieve this objective.
(b) Giving examples, show how the two differ in their approaches. (150 words) 10
Our attitudes towards life, work, other people and society are generally shaped nconsciously by the family and the social surroundings in which we grow up. Some of these unconsciously acquired attitudes and values are often undesirable in the citizens of a modern democratic and egalitarian society.
(a) Discuss such undesirable values prevalent in today’s educated Indians.
(b) Discuss can such undesirable attitudes be changed and socio-ethical values considered necessary in public services be cultivated in the aspiring and serving civil servants? (150 words) 10
Anger is a harmful negative emotion. It is injurious to both personal life and work life.
(a) Discuss how it leads to negative emotions and undesirable behaviors.
(b) How can it be managed and controlled? (150 words) 10
“Max Weber said that it is not wise to apply to public administration the sort of moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realise that the State bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality.” Critically analyse this statement. (150 words) 10

2015

(a) What is meant by ‘environmental ethics’? Why is it important to study? Discuss any one environmental issue from the viewpoint of environmental ethics. (150 words) 10
(b) Differentiate between the following: 10
1. Law and Ethics
2. Ethical management and Management of ethics
3. Discrimination and Preferential treatment
4. Personal ethics and Professional ethics
Given are two quotations of moral thinkers/philosophers. For each of these, bring out what it means to you in the present context:
(a) “The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” (150 words) 10
(b) “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” (150 words) 10
(a) “A mere compliance with law is not enough, the public servant also have to have a well-developed sensibility to ethical issues for effective discharge of duties”. Do you agree? Explain with the help of two examples where (i) an act is ethically right, but not legally and (ii) an act is legally right, but not ethically. (150 words) 10
(b) How do the virtues of trustworthiness and fortitude get manifested in public service? Explain with examples. (150words) 10
(a) Social values are more important than economic values. Discuss the above statement with examples in the context of the inclusive growth of a nation. (150 words) 10
(b) Some recent developments such as the introduction of the RTI Act, media and judicial activism, etc. are proving helpful in bringing about greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government. However, it is also being observed that at times the mechanisms are misused. Another negative effect is that the officers are now afraid to make prompt decisions. Analyze the situation in detail and suggest how the dichotomy can be resolved. Suggest how these negative impacts can be minimized. (150 words) 10
Two different kinds of attitudes exhibited by public servants towards their work have been identified as the bureaucratic attitude and the democratic attitude
(a) Distinguish between these two terms and write their merits and demerits.
(b) Is it possible to balance the two to create a better administration for the faster development of our country? (150 words) 10
Today we find that in-spite of various measures of prescribing codes of conduct, setting up vigilance cells/commissions, RTI, active media, and strengthening of legal mechanisms, corrupt practices are not coming under control.
(a) Evaluate the effectiveness of these measures with justifications.
(b) Suggest more effective strategies to tackle this menace. (150 words) 10
At the international level, bilateral relations between most nations are governed by the policy of promoting one’s own national interest without any regard for the interest of other nations. This led to conflicts and tension between the nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples. (150 words) 10
Public servants are likely to confront the issues of “Conflict of Interest”. What do you understand by the term “Conflict of Interest” and how does it manifest in the decision-making by public servants? If faced with the conflict-of-interest situation how would you resolve it? Explain with the help of examples. (150 words) 10

2014

(a) All human beings aspire for happiness. Do you agree? What does happiness mean to you? Explain with examples. (150 words) 10
(b) What does ethics seek to promote in human life? Why is it all the more important in public administration? (150 words) 10
(a) In the context of defense services, ‘patriotism’ demands readiness to even lay down one’s life to protect the nation. According to you, what does patriotism imply in everyday civil life? Explain with illustrations and justify your answer. (150 words) 10
(b) What do you understand by ‘probity’ in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these difficulties be overcome? (150 words) 10
(a) “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful”. What do you understand by this statement? Explain your stand with illustrations from the modern context. (150 words) 10
(b) “Human beings should always be treated as ‘ends’ in themselves and never as merely ‘means’.” Explain the meaning and significance of this statement, giving its implications in modern techno-economic society. (150 words) 10
(a) Which eminent personality has inspired you the most in the context of ethical conduct in life? Give the gist of his/her teachings. Giving specific examples, describe how you have been able to apply these teachings for your own ethical development. (150 words) 10
(b) There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide-ranging impacts on society and the environment. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence to handle such responsibility? (150 words) 10
(a) The current society is plagued with a widespread trust deficit. What are the consequences of this situation for personal well-being and for societal well-being? What can you do at the personal level to make yourself trustworthy? (150 words) 10
(b) It is often said that poverty leads to corruption. However, there is no dearth of instances were affluent and powerful people indulge in corruption in a big way. What are the basic causes of corruption among people? Support your answer with examples. (150 words) 10
What factors affect the formation of a person’s attitude towards social problems? In our society, contrasting attitudes are prevalent about many social problems. What contrasting attitudes do you notice about the caste system in our society? How do you explain the existence of these contrasting attitudes? (150 words) 10
What does ‘accountability’ mean in the context of public service? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability of public servants? (150 words) 10
We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace. (150 words) 10

2013

What do you understand by ‘values’ and ‘ethics’? In what way is it important to be ethical along with being professionally competent? (150 words) 10
(a) Indicate two more attributes which you consider important for public service. Justify your answer. (100 words) 10
(a) What do you understand by the following terms in the context of public service? (250 words) 3×5=15
1. Perseverance
2. Spirit of Service
3. Commitment
4. Courage of conviction
5. Integrity
Some people feel that values keep changing with time and situation, while others strongly believe that there are certain universal and eternal human values. Give your perception in this regard with due justification. (150 words) 10
What is ‘emotional intelligence’ and how can it be developed in people? How does it help an individual in making ethical decisions? (150 words) 10
(a) What do you understand by the term ‘voice of conscience’? How do you prepare yourself to heed to the voice of conscience? (150 words) 10
(b) 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 the same. (150 words) 10
Given below are three quotations from great moral thinkers/philosophers. For each of these quotations, bring out what it means to you in the present context:
(a) “There is enough on this earth for everyone’s need but for no one’s greed”- Mahatma Gandhi (150 words) 10
(b) “Nearly all men can withstand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”- Abraham Lincoln (150 words) 10
(c) “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies.”- Aristotle (150 words) 10
“The good of an individual is contained in the good of all.” What do you understand by this statement? How can this principle be implemented in public life? (150 words) 10
It is often said that ‘politics’ and ‘ethics’ do not go together. What is your opinion in this regard? Justify your answer with illustrations. (150 words) 10