GS4 Final Nov

INSTA SECURE SYNOPSIS
INSIGHTSIAS
IA SIMPLIFYING IAS EXAM PREPARATION

MAINS MISSION - 2022
GS- IV
NOVEMBER 2021
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NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They
are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing
is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you
extra points in the form of background information.
Table of Contents
Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions;
dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. ........................................................ 6
Write a short note on deontological ethics. (150 words) ................................................................ 6
Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;
role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values. ........................................... 8
What does this quote means to you? (150 words) “Facts are many, but the truth is one” –
Rabindranath Tagore ..................................................................................................................... 8
Discuss the relevance of Buddha’s fourfold philosophy in the present times. (150 words) ............. 9
Whether values are sacred, have intrinsic worth, or are a means to an end, values vary among
individuals and across cultures and time. Discuss. (150 words) .................................................... 11
What does this quote means to you? (150 words) “Independence can be meaningful only if it
becomes instrument for expression of our Culture.” – Deen Dayal Upadhyaya ............................ 13
What does this quote means to you? (150 words) ....................................................................... 14
Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship,
objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker
sections. .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Integrity isn’t fidelity to your beliefs. It’s fidelity to seeking the truth. Comment. (150 words) ..... 15

Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral
and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion ................................................................... 16
Persuasion is an art of connecting to the audience through logic, by invoking emotions, and by
speaker’s credibility. Discuss. (150 words) ................................................................................... 16
What do you understand by public morality? Explain with examples. (150 words) ....................... 18
Persuasion is not as simple as just convincing someone to engage in a particular behaviour. It is
about changing how people think, feel and behave. Discuss. (150 words) .................................... 19
Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and
governance. .................................................................................................................................... 22
People with strong emotional intelligence skills rise above any situation. Emotional intelligence is
the difference that makes the difference. Elucidate. (150 words) ................................................ 22
“Every individual’s decision is determined more by emotions, rather than by rationale”. Comment
(250 Words) ................................................................................................................................ 24
Narrate an incident from your life where your emotions led to some spontaneous undesirable
action. Also elaborate on the steps taken by you to prevent such things in future. (250 Words) .. 26
“If you love your job, you need not have to work”. Analyse the role of Emotional Intelligence in
making one enjoy one’s work. (150 Words) ................................................................................. 28
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world. ......................................... 29
Despite the enduring popularity of utilitarianism as an ethical system, deontology is probably even
more pronounced within our daily lives. Comment. (150 Words) ................................................. 29
Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns
and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as
sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and
moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; ........................... 31
By placing a moral compass, we create a clear vision of the mental processes that point us in an
ethical direction. Elaborate. (150 words) ..................................................................................... 31
There can be no good governance without moral leadership. Comment. (150 words) ................. 33
Should there be a total ban on liquor in India? Debate. (150 words) ............................................ 34
When morality is not in consonance with a law, what should prevail – the moral principle or the
law? (150 words) ......................................................................................................................... 36
Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity;
Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of
Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds,
challenges of corruption. ................................................................................................................. 38
In your opinion, who is better suited to improve efficiency and moral culture in an organisation – a
leader who is feared or a leader who is loved? Debate. (150 words) ............................................ 38
Case Studies on above issues. .......................................................................................................... 40
A state government has imposed total prohibition programme and justified that the ban on
alcohol is in the interest of the society. However, in recent days, at least 24 people have died and
several others fell ill after consuming suspected spurious liquor in a district where total

prohibition is in place. Eight persons died a fortnight earlier after allegedly consuming hooch in a
village of another district. This has been the patten since prohibition has been imposed. ............ 40
Even though people are aware that dowry is a crime, the evil still exists in society. Recently, a
young girl died by suicide after complaining of dowry harassment. In her case, there were 102
witnesses and 53 pieces of evidence including her voice note sent to her husband where she
complains about the torture she faced from her in-laws. ............................................................. 42
There are many reasons why the death penalty should have no place in any society, not least
because it violates the fundamental right to life. The argument that it may deter violent crime is
countered by the observations that murder rates declined in ten out of eleven countries which
had abolished capital punishment in recent years. The most egregious aspect of the death penalty
is the widespread evidence of miscarriage of justice which occurs even in the most robust judicial
systems, leading to the real threat of an irreversible punishment being inflicted on an innocent
person. ........................................................................................................................................ 45


Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics

in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.
Write a short note on deontological ethics. (150 words)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Lexicon Publications.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical
Mondays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about deontological ethics in detail.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining deontology.
Body:
Explain that Deontology is duty ethics, so it compares a person’s actions against some duty or
imperative. Discuss the rationale behind it. Write about the significance of the deontological ethics
and with suitable illustrations explain it.
Conclusion:
Completed by summarising their importance.
Introduction
Deontology is also referred to as duty-based ethics. Deontological ethics focuses on how actions
follow certain moral rules. So, the action is judged rather than the consequences of the action. The
biggest proponent of deontological ethics was Immanuel Kant who said that moral rules should be
adhered to if universalising the opposite would make an impossible world
Body
Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of
their actions.
 Do the right thing.
 Do it because it’s the right thing to do.
 Don’t do wrong things.
 Avoid them because they are wrong.
It is based on each individual’s duty or obligation towards each other, all living things, and the
environment based on moral beliefs and values. It teaches about always acting in good
faith and adheres to the Golden Rule to treat others the way you want to be treated by them.
Examples
 The Ten Commandments are examples of deontology.
 In Mahabharata, during Kurukshetra battle Arjun finds himself in ethical dilemma while
attacking his kinships. At that time Krishna talks about Deontological Ethics suggesting to
focus on rightful duty and not on the Consequences and deaths while delivering the rightful
duty.

 Similarly, whole Geeta is based on “Detachment of oneself with consequence and focussing
on Duty”
Conclusion
Deontology is simple to apply. It just requires that people follow the rules and do their duty. This
approach tends to fit well with our natural intuition about what is or isn’t ethical. Unlike
consequentialism, which judges actions by their results, deontology doesn’t require weighing the
costs and benefits of a situation. This avoids subjectivity and uncertainty because one only has to
follow set rules
Value addition
The advantages of Deontological ethics are
 Emphasises the value of every human being
o Duty-based ethical systems tend to focus on giving equal respect to all human
beings. This provides a basis for human rights – it forces due regard to be given to
the interests of a single person even when those are at odds with the interests of a
larger group.
 It creates a level of personal responsibility.
o Deontology also asks that people act as if they were responsible for creating laws
and expectations within their society. Actions should only be taken in a way that
would harmonize society if all the laws and procedures enacted were to harmonize.
Creating disharmony would be considered ethically wrong, so it would be an action
to be avoided.
 It creates a guideline to follow.
o In deontology, right is always “right” and wrong is always “wrong.” There are no
exceptions to this black-and-white concept, even if the situations rise to the extreme.
It is a process where all members of a society can aspire to be virtuous because they
understand what is expected of them from an ethical standpoint.
 It offers motivation.
o People hesitate when making decisions because they fear what the consequence of a
decision will be. In deontology, the consequence is taken out of consideration. Only
the action is evaluated for “right” or “wrong,” so that creates a better level of
motivation to make decisions.
 It delivers justice.
o Deontology may offer an individualized perspective, but there are no shades of gray
within this ethical approach. It is a black-and-white evaluation process. Something is
either “right” or “wrong,” which dictates that the individual must always choose the
option that is “right.”
 It can still operate under objective guidelines.

o Deontology can create similarities between individuals with like-minded ethics. It is
also something that can be handed down from generation to generation. Individuals
can learn what is consistently “right” and consistently “wrong” and teach that
knowledge to others.
There are few shortcomings too
 Duty-based ethics sets absolute rules. The only way of dealing with cases that don’t seem to
fit is to build a list of exceptions to the rule.
 Allows acts that make the world a less good place
 Because duty-based ethics is not interested in the results it can lead to courses of action that
produce a reduction in the overall happiness of the world.
 No consequences are considered. Deontology looks at the action be taken on its own. There
is no consideration given to the consequence of an action. Even though the concepts of
“right” and “wrong” can be taught to others, it is up to each person to decide their
individualized ethics.
 It is selfish. At its core, deontology only considers the individual and what is best for that
person, at that time. There is no thought of others, of culture, or of society. It focuses on each
decision, in the moment, and determines the ethics of that choice at that time.
Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers
and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in
inculcating values.
What does this quote means to you? (150 words) “Facts are many, but the truth is one”
– Rabindranath Tagore
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of
‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote and highlighting its core meaning about
importance of truth.
Body:
Write about facts can be manipulated and manufactures to suits the narrative. Give examples of
justify your points. Mention that despite facts may point to different things generally the truth is only
one.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of the quote in the present day.
Introduction
Rabindranath Tagore, India’s first Nobel laureate, will always be remembered in India as his poetic
composition reverberates in our hearts and spirits in the form of our national anthem. A poet,
philosopher, patriot, and a social thinker put in one, Tagore is one of the greatest revolutionaries
India has produced. Tagore felt nature is a treasure of wisdom and hence education must happen in
a natural setting. He championed the ideals of naturalism, humanism, internationalism and idealism.
Body
A fact is something that’s indisputable, based on empirical research and quantifiable measures.
Facts go beyond theories. They’re proven through calculation and experience, or they’re something
that definitively occurred in the past.
Truth is entirely different; it may include fact, but it can also include belief. Oftentimes, people will
accept things as true because they fall closer to their comfort zones, are assimilated easily into their
comfort zones, or reflect their preconceived notions of reality.
The difference between fact and truth is that fact is something that exists in real form, while Truth is
the true state of a particular thing or a matter like a person, place, animal or thing. Well, facts are
things that can be seen visually and can be verified properly. Fact is indisputable while truth is
acceptable. To call something a fact is, presumably, to make a claim that it is true. This isn’t a
problem for many things, although defending such a claim can be harder than you think.
Truth used to be an absolute. In today’s world, it feels less so. While facts have always been cherry-
picked to make an argument stand, the ability to see and understand the context of those facts used
to be more of a constant.
In this post-truth era, perception is real, truth is not. Here, one chooses the narrative first and the
facts will follow. And the data will meekly fit into the groove because, like water, it takes the shape
of the container in which the narrative is served. Once you have picked your own narrative, you have
chosen your own truth, a truth untainted by objective reality.
Conclusion
From an endless stream of political misinformation to inescapable lies on social media, the signs that
we are living in a post-truth world are hard to ignore. Thus, there must be earnest efforts to ensure
that truth is upheld despite many facts.
Discuss the relevance of Buddha’s fourfold philosophy in the present times. (150 words)
Reference : Indian Express
Introduction
Buddhism begun in India over 2,500 years ago as a way life that had a potential of transforming an
individual and thereby the society.
Body
The main teachings of Buddhism are condensed in the basic concept of 4 noble truths or ariya-
sachchani and eightfold path or astangika marg.
Four noble truths:
 Suffering (Dukkha) is the essence of the world.
 Every suffering has a cause – Samudya.
 Suffering could be extinguished – Nirodha.
 It can be achieved by following the Atthanga Magga (Eight Fold Path).

The humanities across the sphere are facing serious concerns ranging from moral and cultural
degradation to religious conflicts, corruption, lack of economic
opportunity and employment, environmental degradations etc. It is in these periods that values like
compassion, solidarity and peace become more relevant.
With every progress that man has made, there has been an associated negative effect in society.
 Physical Displeasure and Mental Discontentment: Nowadays, in this scientifically and

technologically advanced world, though there are numerous amenities, for easy living and
pleasure, people are not satisfied both physically and mentally and do not have a feeling of
security.
 Estrangement: consumerism is causing collapse in community and is leading towards hyper-
individuality, and alienation from the families and communities. This has further led to a lack
of empathy towards the suffering of others, fundamentally invoking selfishness and greed in
society.
Relevance of Buddha’s Teachings
 Buddha’s teachings stress on learning focussed on one’s observations and perception and
trust that knowledge is not possible without experience.
 Desire, Greed, Ignorance and delusion, Hatred and destructive needshave been reflected to
be the chief causes of suffering, according to Buddha.
 Buddha recommended an eightfold path, the middle path for liberation. It revolves
around Wisdom(right understanding and intention), Ethical Conduct (right speech, action
and livelihood) and Meditation (right effort, mindfulness and concentration).
 Right effort, concentration and mindfulness can guarantee mental peace and augment
moral and cultural values.
 Right understanding and intentioncan open the track for knowledge and can help liberate
the people from ignorance.
 Right action and livelihoodwould liberate society from corruption, it can also ensure
security of food and water and will improve economic opportunity and employment paving
way to prosperity for all.
 Right speechcan release us from the hatred that is spreading across the world on the label
of race, ethnicity, religion etc.
 Buddha emphasized in his teachings that the approach to extinguish desire, which causes
suffering, is to liberate oneselffrom attachments like desire, greed, delusion, ignorance,
hatred and destructive urges.
 The principles of peace, compassion, calmness, accommodation, and inclusiveness, which

are a part of our societies can be accredited to the influence of the teachings of Buddha.
 Buddha’s teachings can transform societies to a better and more humane form as said by
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama “the 20th century was a century of war and violence,
now we all need to work to see that the 21st century is of peace and dialogue.”
Conclusion

The precept of right livelihood from the Buddha’s Eightfold Path shows that true contentment and
happiness lie in needs, not wants. By following it, we can create a more sustainable world.
Whether values are sacred, have intrinsic worth, or are a means to an end, values vary
among individuals and across cultures and time. Discuss. (150 words)
Reference: A Practical Approach to Ethics Integrity and Aptitude by D.K Balaji.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Conceptual
Tuesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the
details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for
and against arguments.
Introduction:
Start by defining values and its respect to moral relativism.
Body:
Write about various sources of values and how they develop in a persons life. Write about
irrespective of the origin of the value, they vary across time and space. Use examples to justify your
points.
Also, mention that some values maybe universal and use examples for that.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of values.
Introduction
Values are elements of life that we hold as important or desirable. They are standards of conduct
and guide of human behaviour. Values give meaning and strength to a person’s character by
occupying a central place in his life. Values reflect one’s personal attitude and judgments, decisions
and choices, behaviour and relationships.
Body:
Values can be relative as well as absolute.
Relative values:
These are based on individual and societal standards, their likes, dislikes, social norms, tradition, for
instance Indian traditional values of ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’, universal brotherhood, tolerance may
contradict with western values of liberalism, individualism and utilitarianism.
 Values evolve to bring order in the society and are culture specific. They evolve along with
the cultures.
 For E.g.: The present generation of Indian society is more ambition sensitive showing more
assertiveness, instead of Indian traditional values of sacrifice and selflessness
 The norms of nuclear family and even live-in relationships are more socially accepted today.
 People’s values tend to change over time as well. Values that suited you as a child change as
you become a young adult, which may further change as you become an old person.

 They change because we want them to; or sometimes they change even if when we didn’t
mean them to. We may have believed that something is wrong but now we might not be so
sure that it’s true. We may have believed that we’d never do something; but then we do it
and we decide that it’s okay to do it.
 Over a period of time, new ethical issues have arisen and values have changed.
 New knowledge about existing problems or techniques and completely new areas of work
has also led to change in values.
 There are a series of core values around which most people would agree. However even
those are changing at least in the intensity.
 For E.g.: say if we believe that that human life is sacred, but we do not feel the same
intensity of this value when judging a terrorist who has killed thousands of innocent people.
“The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.” –
English poet William Blake.
We can often see resistance from parents and society as we are growing up. Our changing values
sometimes conflict with our parents’ values, or our culture’s values and leads to this resistance. For
example, women working at par with men, etc.
Absolute values:
Universal values like truth, gratitude, peace, non-violence, sympathy, are considered beyond time
and space. They are core values and are fundamental. They do not change and remain stable.
 The standards of conduct differ from person to person, society to society but there can be
some values which can be considered universal.
 For E.g.: Murder is a crime in every society and hence a universal norm.
 Immanuel Kant considered human dignity as a universal value and one of his categorical
imperatives. Similarly, justice for Rawls is an architectonic principle.
 Over the time, repeated positive engagement of values is likely to strengthen them. Our
lives provide continual opportunities for the growth of certain values. Our lives also
sometimes put constraints on certain values.
 Values as such do not change. Only their expression changes depending on circumstances
and situations. In some cultures, as well as different circumstances, the priorities assigned to
values change.
 We can find values like peace, kindness, hard work, perseverance, etc. still relevant to the
same degree as from age old times. They will still remain relevant even after we die.
 Values are essential to build ourselves. We build ourselves to survive in the world and create
a society. Since values needed to build a good society are constant or similar, values can be
said to be constant, similar or universal as each of us tries to build a good society.
 “Open your arms to change but don’t let go of your values.” – The 14th Dalai Lama. This tells
us that good values are not supposed to change. They are eternal.
Conclusion

Thus, values can be either universal, relative or dynamic which keeps changing with time. As Einstein
once rightly remarked, “Try not to become a man of success but try to become a man of
values”. Values influence our thoughts, feelings and actions. They guide us to do the right things.
Values give direction and firmness to life.
What does this quote means to you? (150 words) “Independence can be meaningful
only if it becomes instrument for expression of our Culture.” – Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Difficulty level: Easy
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes
Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote and highlighting its core meaning about
importance of culture
Body:
Write about how independence by nature should allow people to express their culture. If there are
restrictions place of people’s culture, it will defeat the purpose of independence.
Conclusion:
Introduction
Before independence of India, all nationalist political parties and freedom fighters had a single aim,
to get independence and to drive the British away. But what independence means and how we are
going to develop our country and our people, are the most important issues. In this light, Deendayal
Upadhyaya made this famous quote.
Body
Culture is the set of practices in a social system. India- Bharat, has its unique culture- The Bharatiya
culture. Its main feature is that it views life as an integrated whole, as against the Western culture,
where life is treated as various parts which are mended together. He firmly advocated that “one
culture policy” is this policy that can preserve the unity and integrity of India and can solve all our
problems. The base of our culture is diversity and plurality.
Independence is closely related to one’s own culture. What one means by independence is being
dependent on one’s traditions, religion, life style, behaviour, history, principles etc. Independence is
being able to do what one desires. Folks should not be forced by the government or by any other
agencies to follow a culture. So independence must give freedom for each person to express his/her
culture. It shouldn’t be curtailed. Only then, independence of India will contribute to our progress
in future.
A nation creates for itself some social systems/ associated cultures. How we live socially is our social
culture. Some of these social systems later become an interruption to prosperity of the country. At
that point we must give up those systems. As time progresses, those systems may again be useful
for us in our future. Certain cultural practices may not be useful in later phases of a country. Forcing
to stick to the old culture/ traditions and not being adaptive is a loss of cultural
independence. Independence can be summarized as the amalgamation of all the elements that
create what we are at a given point of time. Not being able to adapt ourselves like this is a loss of
cultural independence

Conclusion
Along with political independence, Indians must have cultural independence too. Else it’s as bad as
not getting independence from British.
What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

“Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
Difficulty level: Easy

Why the question:
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote and highlighting the relation between happiness
and ones action.
Body:
Write about ones action determines the consequences of the action as well the emotions from it.
Good actions lead to happiness and bad actions to sadness/guilt. Mention how happiness is an
outcome of our own actions. Justify with examples.
Conclusion:
Introduction
Happiness is physical, mental or emotional state of well-being. It can be defined by some positive
emotions ranging from pleasant feeling to intense joy. It is the happiness of one & one’s loved ones
which matters & drives the actions of a person.
Body
Happiness comes from within and can’t be imbibe from external sources. A happy mind always has
attributes of empathy, love, compassion, benevolence, solidarity etc. for the fellow human
beings which serve as the purpose of life. More specifically, your right actions will lead to increased
levels of happiness. The act of expressing gratitude to those you love will immediately affect your
level of happiness.
For e.g.: An act of telling thankyou to your mother when she cooks lunch for you.
The act of giving immediately changes your physiology, especially when you give to someone who is
clearly in need. The selfless act of giving without any expectation of receiving brings out an
emotional energy that fills you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Some people find their
happiness in material possessions and money etc. But all these gives us temporary happiness. The
happiness which comes from our own actions will be never forgotten by us and it is permanent i.e.
still to the end of our life.
For instance, a simple act of giving or donating gives immense happiness while at times a multi-
billionaire with huge bank balance will not be happy. Likewise, parents found their real happiness in
their child’s success. This happiness will be ever and last long.
Happiness is when there is no strings attached to it. It should not be a result of materialistic comfort
and should be purely attached to an individua. Listening to music, watching aesthetic beauty of
nature or being with someone can give happiness. One needs to find it as his individuality decides.

For e.g.: .For Swami Vivekananda it is about serving the weak while Mother Teresa led a content life
serving disabled and lepers.
Conclusion
Thus, True happiness lies in doing something in welfare of others, helping & protecting others &
showing compassion & sympathy & doing one’s duties in an honest, morally upright & responsible
way. Lord Buddha argues that “Happiness is not in having a lot, but it is in giving a lot.”
Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-
partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and
compassion towards the weaker sections.
Integrity isn’t fidelity to your beliefs. It’s fidelity to seeking the truth. Comment. (150
words)
Why the question:
Directive Word:
Comment- here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall
opinion thereupon.
Introduction:
Begin by giving a definition of Integrity.
Body:
Write about the various dimensions of Integrity and mention how it is important to uphold the value
for the purpose of the value in itself as promoting truth and not as an aspect of one’s belief with few
examples.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the aspects stressed in body of the answer and conclude Integrity as a
core aspect of truth.
Introduction
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, or moral uprightness. It is
a personal choice to hold one’s self to consistent standards. One can describe a person as having
ethical integrity to the extent that the individual’s actions, beliefs, methods, measures and principles
all derive from a single core group of values. An individual must therefore be flexible and willing to
adjust these values to maintain consistency when these values are challenged such as when an
expected test result is not congruent with all observed outcomes.
Body
Integrity can be described as the strength of someone’s honesty and ethical standing. A person
with strong integrity is less likely to be influenced by those of a lesser moral value. You can
have honesty without integrity, but you cannot have integrity without honesty.
For instance, a person finds a wallet on the side of the road pick it up and takes it for himself. When
questioned by a family member as to who the wallet belongs the person states his intention that he
found it and intends to keep it. The person is exhibiting the trait of honesty but not integrity as he

makes no effort to return the wallet to the rightful owner. He is stealing essentially even if he is been
honest.
Honesty is about telling the truth, both in word and deed. Integrity goes a bit further. It means being
true to who you are, what you say, and what you believe. And doing so even when no one is
around to see.
For instance, before students enter the taekwondo training floor, they bow to the national flags kept
there as a sign of respect. But even when no one is around a person of integrity bows. Integrity
demands that you make that sign of respect, that bow, even if no one in the world is around to see
you do it.
Thus, integrity is not just being in sync with your beliefs only, but it is all about being in line with
Truth, even when none is watching you.
Conclusion
Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and consistent commitment to honour moral,

ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles. Integrity compels us to be socially conscious and
to welcome both personal and professional responsibility. Its values encourage us to be honest in all
our dealings and committed to a lifelong search for truth and justice. It requires self-discipline and
will power capable of resisting temptation. Its priceless reward is peace of mind and true dignity.
There’s one proviso, no one can guarantee that his or her particular version of integrity is actually
sound and true, and not misguided
Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and
behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion
Persuasion is an art of connecting to the audience through logic, by invoking emotions,
and by speaker’s credibility. Discuss. (150 words)
Why the question:
Directive:
Introduction:
Begin by giving an in-depth description of Persuasion
Body:
Write about the need of Persuasion in various contexts such as family, policy forums, elections etc, its
various modes such as ethos, logos, pathos and Kairos. Give few examples of personalities with great
persuasive skills such as Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Swami Vivekananda etc and how it
plays a role in their respective fields.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of Persuasion and the need to use it for positive
outcomes.
Introduction
Persuasion is symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people through
transmission of a message to change their attitudes or behaviours. Persuasion is the process of
changing or reinforcing attitudes, beliefs or behaviour of a person.
Body
People respond to persuasive messages in two ways: thoughtfully and mindlessly. When people are
in thoughtful mode, the persuasiveness of the message is determined by merits of the message.
When people respond to messages mindlessly, their brains are locked on automatic. Persuasion is
mainly dependent upon the attractiveness of the speakers and reaction of the listeners. Persuasion
is exclusively related with communication, learning, awareness and thought.
Importance of three factors:
Logic:
 A logical appealis a method of persuasion based on evidence and reasoning.
 When you’re trying to persuade people about something, the chances of your success
depend a lot on whether your arguments make sense, or are logical.
 If your reasoning leads logically to the conclusion you’ve stated, you’ve used logical appeals
effectively. If not, it’s very likely that your reasoning lacks evidence.
 Like a lawyer building his case, you need to gather evidence, or proof, to support your logic.
For example, if your main idea (or thesis statement) focuses on nutritional healing, you
should rely heavily on reliable research for evidence.
 If you’re blogging about how your new Droid is the best on the market, your own experience
will be persuasive, but you’ll also need to include evidence, such as comparisons of
specifications and features with another similar device.
Invoking emotions:
 Emotional persuasion is arousing emotion to influence decision-making processes.
 Pathos persuaders strongly employ interaction and involvement.
 They usually tell stories to make points and to expand others’ imagination of what’s
possible, rather than just appealing to morality or logic.
 They’re usually more personal in their approach, tending to discuss lessons learned and
portraying their own limitations.
Source/Speaker:
 Features of the source of the persuasive message include the credibility of the speaker and
the physical attractiveness of the speaker.
 Thus, speakers who are credible, or have expertise on the topic, and who are deemed as
trustworthy are more persuasive than less credible speakers.

 Similarly, more attractive speakers are more persuasive than less attractive speakers.
 The use of famous actors and athletes to advertise products on television and in print relies
on this principle.
 The immediate and long term impact of the persuasion also depends, however, on the
credibility of the messenger
Conclusion
Persuasion can bring a lasting change in people’s behaviour and is highly effective in implementation
of public policies provided the tools are used in a right way.
What do you understand by public morality? Explain with examples. (150 words)
Why the question:
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the
context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant
associated facts.
Introduction:
Give a simple elaboration on the concept of public morality.
Body:
Write about aspects such as what is accepted within the realms of public morality, is it static and
indestructible by quoting few examples. Influence of public morality on legislations and the changes
with time such as legalisation of same-sex marriage etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating that society evolves with time and thus the public morality also takes its shape,
however certain historically sustainable values must be preserved as well.
Introduction
A morality is a system of principles and values concerning people’s behaviour, which

is generally accepted by a society or by a particular group of people. Public morality refers to moral
and ethical standards enforced in a society, by law or police work or social pressure, and applied to
public life, to the content of the media, and to conduct in public places.
Body
Public morality is concerned with collective obligations, and is generally based on the notion of
consequentialism. For instance, Public morality often means regulation of sexual matters,
including prostitution and homosexuality, but also matters of dress and nudity, pornography,
acceptability in social terms of cohabitation before marriage, and the protection of children.
It is a main justification for censorship; it can lead to campaigns against profanity, and so be at odds
with freedom of speech. Gambling is generally controlled: casinos have been considered much more
of a threat than large-scale lotteries or football pools. Public drunkenness is quite unacceptable in
some societies, and legal control of consumption of alcohol is often justified in terms of public
morality, just as much as for medical reasons or to limit alcohol-related crime.

Abortion is sometimes treated as an aspect of public morality, even if it is legally defined, regulated
by medical professionals, and almost entirely hidden from public view. AIDS as a health policy issue
is linked to public morality in a complicated manner.
Views on public morality do change over time. Public views on which things are acceptable often
move towards wider tolerance.
Conclusion
Public morality has been on a decline due to a host of factors such as legal, corruption, malpractices,
cultural etc. Citizens in a political community must be bound together neither by feelings nor by self-
interest but by a commitment to common values discovered by public reason — values such as
political freedom, solidarity, shared traditions and cultural heritage.
Persuasion is not as simple as just convincing someone to engage in a particular

behaviour. It is about changing how people think, feel and behave. Discuss. (150 words)
Why the question:
Directive:
Introduction:
Begin by giving an in-depth description of Persuasion
Body:
Write about the need of Persuasion in various contexts such as family, policy forums, elections etc, its
various modes such as ethos, logos, pathos and Kairos.
Give few examples of personalities with great persuasive skills such as Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham
Lincoln, Swami Vivekananda etc and how it plays a role in their respective fields.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of Persuasion and the need to use it for positive
outcomes.
Introduction
Persuasion is symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people through
transmission of a message to change their attitudes or behaviours. Persuasion is the process of
changing or reinforcing attitudes, beliefs or behaviour of a person
Body
It isn’t always easy to change how people think, feel and behave.
Changing someone’s mind can be considered quite a difficult feat, particularly if they’re entrenched
in their particular way of thinking. This is because of the cognition of an individual which has the
idea deeply rooted.
For instance, Sati was considered a pious practice in the 19th century. Despite efforts, Raja Ram
Mohan Roy initially failed to stop the practice in the society. Likewise, despite the graphic warning
images that are placed on cigarette packs, smokers continue to indulge in the addiction of smoking.
Behaviour change is complicated and complex because it requires a person to disrupt a current habit
while simultaneously fostering a new, possibly unfamiliar, set of actions. Breaking these habits, the
Hard to Maintain behaviours, is often not easy as it sets up a conflict between the executive and
operational functions within the brain. E.g.: Smoking for example is reputedly one of the hardest
behaviours of all to quit.
Persuasion helps change how people think, feel and behave
Persuasion is one form of social influence on attitude; in fact it represents the intersection of social
thinking and social influence of everyday life. At its most basic level, persuasion is about
communication. But the art of persuasion is about using a sophisticated mix of communication skills
and leadership abilities to bring others around to your ideas, recommendations or proposals.
Persuasion can occur through appeals to reason or appeals to emotion. For example, school-based
substance abuse prevention programs using the social influences model consistently produce better
results than programs emphasizing only health information.
The government has also utilized this tool of persuasion for the success of the initiatives like Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan- cleanliness drives; Ujjwala Yojana’s Give it up campaign; Disclosing excess income
campaign; Beti Bachao Beti Padhao by making parents understand it is necessary to protect and
educate a girl child.
Conclusion
Persuasion can bring a lasting change in people’s behaviour and is highly effective in implementation
of public policies provided the tools are used in a right way. It acts as a nudge to encourage people
to act in a good manner and achieve certain goals or to remove certain social evils.


Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in

administration and governance.
People with strong emotional intelligence skills rise above any situation. Emotional
intelligence is the difference that makes the difference. Elucidate. (150 words)
To explain how EI makes a difference in day to day administration as well in extreme situations.
Introduction:
In your own words, define Emotional intelligence and what it means to you.
Body:
Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to the capability of a person to recognize, understand and manage
own emotions, as well as to understand, manage and influence emotions of others. It is not always
virtuous and can be used as a tool for positive and negative ends.
Very briefly describe the key 5 components of EI.
Explain why it is so valuable in the context of civil servants. Mention how it makes a difference and
people with high EI can manage any situation and rise above it. Cite examples to substantiate your
points.
Conclusion:
Conclude that Emotional intelligence is the single best predictor of performance in the workplace and
the strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence.
Introduction
Emotional intelligence or EI is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those
of the people around you. Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and
generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and
to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth.

Body:
According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who helped to popularize emotional

intelligence, there are four key elements to it viz. Self-awareness, self-management, social
awareness & relationship management.
Significance of Emotional intelligence:
 Appraising emotions arising from situations:
o Using emotions for reason based decisions and policy making.
o Identifying emotions in faces, voices, postures, and other content during public
management activities.
 Recruitment:
o EQ measurement is invaluable in selecting and recruiting high performance workers.
 Predicting performance:
o Some companies are blending IQ testing with scientific measurement of EQ to

predict job performance and direct workers to jobs where they are most likely to
succeed.
 Negotiation:
o Whether you’re dealing with a trading partner, competitor, customer or colleague,

being able to empathize and be creative in finding win-win solutions will consistently
pay off.
 Performance management:
o 360-degree feedback is a common tool for assessing EQ. Knowing how your self-
perception compares with others’ views about your performance provides focus for
career development and positive behavioural changes.
 Peer relationships:
o Good networking skills are a staple of job effectiveness for the average worker.
Networking has too often been associated with “using” other people, but a
heightened EQ ensures a mutually beneficial approach to others.
 Social responsibility:
o When a leader cares about others, he is not a centre of attention and keeps
everyone in the loop by making their intentions known.
 Stress tolerance:
o To stay focused, stress should be managed and it involves own reactions to stress or
the reactions of others to the stress.
 Impulse control:

o Independent people evaluate the alternatives and initiate the work by taking
appropriate action by executing the right options. People who manage their
impulses avoid being distracted and losing control of the situation.
 Optimism:
o Optimistic people have a target that they’re aiming toward. These people are
confident in their ability to carry out the required actions and meet the target by
looking for successful solutions to problems.
Ways to develop emotional intelligence in civil servants:
 Assessing personal strengths and limitations
 Providing feedback with care
 Maximizing learner choice
 Encouraging participation
 Linking learning goals to personal values
 Adjusting expectations
 Gauging readiness
 Fostering a positive relationship between the trainer and the learner
 Maximizing self-directed change
 Setting clear goal
 Maximizing opportunities to practice emotional intelligence
 Providing frequent feedback on that practice
 Enhancing insight into emotions and thought patterns
Conclusion:
The Center for Creative Leadership even draws on research to suggest that 75% of careers are
negatively impacted by emotional competency-related themes. These include the inability to
respond adaptively to change, nurture trust, lead teams during tough times, and deal effectively
with interpersonal problems. So developing your EI skills will help civils servants perform better in
the workplace.
“Every individual’s decision is determined more by emotions, rather than by rationale”.

Comment (250 Words)
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
How emotions influence our decisions more than the rationale behind it?
Directive word:

Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an
overall opinion thereupon.
Introduction:
Begin by describing Decision making process
Body:
Mention the factors that influence Decision making process
Then, mention how Emotions determine our actions & Decisions?
Further explain, how taking decisions with a Rationale in mind, would enhance the decision making
process?
Conclusion:
A relevant summarising statement
Introduction
A decision-making process is a series of steps taken by an individual to determine the best option or
course of action to meet their needs.
Body
Several factors influence decision making. These factors, include
 Past experience
 Cognitive biases
 Age and culture
 Individual differences
 Belief in personal relevance
 Escalation of commitment
 Motivation and Emotion
Understanding the factors that influence decision making process is important to understanding
what decisions are made. That is, the factors that influence the process may impact the outcomes.
Role of Emotions in Decision Making
Emotions are created when the brain interprets what’s going on around us through our memories,
thoughts and beliefs. This triggers how we feel and behave. All our decisions are influenced by this
process in some way. Making emotional decisions is natural.
 For example, if you’re feeling happy, you might decide to walk home via a sunny park. But if
you’d been chased by a dog as a child, that same sunny park might trigger feelings of fear,
and you’d take the bus instead. There may be logical arguments to be made either way, but
in the moment, the decision is driven by your emotional state.
Different emotions affect decisions in different ways. If you’re feeling sad, you might be more willing
to settle for things that aren’t in your favour, such as not putting yourself forward for promotion, or
remaining in an unhealthy relationship. But sadness can also make you more generous — research
shows that unhappy people are more likely to be in favour of increasing benefits to welfare
recipients than angry people, who are lacking in empathy.

Emotional decision making can affect not just the outcome of the decision, but the speed at which
you make it.
 Anger can lead to impatience and rash decision-making.
 If you’re excited, you might make quick decisions without considering the implications, as
you surf the wave of confidence and optimism about the future.
 While if you feel afraid, your decisions may be clouded by uncertainty and caution, and it
might take you longer to choose.
 Decisions led by emotion can also be more compassionate, particularly if they affect other
people. We see this at play in stories of people putting their own lives at risk to save
someone else, or when we choose how to break difficult news to a friend.
While rational decision making is a multi-step process for making choices between alternatives. The
process of rational decision making favours logic, objectivity, and analysis over subjectivity and
insight. Irrational decision is more counter to logic. The decisions are made in haste and outcomes
are not considered.
Conclusion
Both emotion and logic have a role to play in helping us make positive decisions. If we understand
where our emotions come from and start to notice how they affect our thinking and behaviour, we
can practice managing our response and learn to make better choices.
Narrate an incident from your life where your emotions led to some spontaneous
undesirable action. Also elaborate on the steps taken by you to prevent such things in
future. (250 Words)
Why the question:
How emotions influence our decisions and the actions needed to build Emotional Quotient?
Directive word:
Elaborate– To give in more detail, provide more information on
Introduction:
Begin by describing the influence of Emotions on our actions.
Body:
Mention an incident where your emotions led to undesirable actions.
Further, the steps needed to prevent such things in life.
Conclusion:
Introduction
Emotions can play an important role in how you think and behave. The emotions you feel each day
can compel you to take action and influence the decisions you make about your life, both large and
small.
Emotions can “strike” us in response to many events – a catastrophic illness, sudden job loss,
political upheaval – and we may experience more long term “storm systems” with feelings such as

chronic anxiety. Difficulties regulating your emotions can often lead to all sorts of other problems in
your life.
Body
You can quote your personal experience. We have given a generic example.
As public servants work in a mostly tense and stressful environment, they will be more prone to such
emotional storms. This is especially common in the events of natural disasters like floods,
earthquakes, cyclones or pandemics like the current COVID-19 as well as due to personal life events
and everyday stresses like public riots may trigger one.
Steps to be taken to control the emotions
 Learn to distinguish between primary and secondary emotions. Learning the difference
between “primary” and “secondary” emotions is an important step in learning to regulate
your emotions.
 Learning where your emotional responses come from can help you regulate them. For
example, a reaction to an external event might be how you respond to losing a loved one.
Or, it might be a reaction to being criticized for something.
 Distract yourself from strong emotions. Sometimes, people experiencing an emotional

storm may engage in extreme or damaging behaviors. Creating a productive distraction for
yourself will help channel your emotional energy into healthy behaviors.
 Learn assertive communication. Sometimes, unchecked emotions can override your ability
to express your needs, thoughts, and feelings. Learning to express yourself assertively can
help you state your needs, thoughts, and feelings in an open and honest way
 Learn to listen. Active listening is an important communication skill. It can help you avoid
emotional storms by keeping you focused on what the other person is saying, not what you
might read into the situation
 Learn self-soothing behaviors. Self-soothing can help reassure you that you will make it
through this emotional storm. Self-soothing behaviors are actions that you take to comfort
and be kind to yourself. Activities like listening to calming music, eating a comforting meal,
Take a warm bath or a hot shower etc.
 Learn to embrace uncertainty. The fear of uncertainty can set off emotional storms. An
intolerance of uncertainty can lead you to constantly worry or try to predict the future. It
may make you overly reliant on reassurance from others. It might even keep you from doing
things you would otherwise enjoy.
 Practice gratitude. Allow yourself to recognize what is good in your life. Take time daily to
journal at least 5 things you are grateful for that day.
Conclusion
Emotional intelligence positively influences the motivation of public service workers, which in turn
increases the level of their affective commitment. Thus, emotional intelligence becomes an
imperative trait for civil servants who deal with public at large day in and day out.

“If you love your job, you need not have to work”. Analyse the role of Emotional
Intelligence in making one enjoy one’s work. (150 Words)
Why the question:
How can Emotional Intelligence (EI), make a person Enjoy their work?
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the
topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Introduction:
Begin by describing the importance to find a job you love
Body:
First mention, how can Emotional Intelligence (EI), make a person Enjoy their work?
Explore the different dimensions related to EI, and relate their influence on work culture
Conclusion:
Introduction
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage one’s emotions
as well as emotions of others in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively,
empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.
Body
Role of Emotional Intelligence in making one enjoy one’s work

 The workplace represents a distinct social community, separate from our personal lives, in
which there is a growing appreciation that higher EI allows a person to understand
themselves and others better, communicate more effectively, and cope with challenging
situations.
 Employees with high EQs are more likely to listen, reflect, and respond to constructive
criticism.
 Emotionally intelligent leaders tend to have greater empathy. For example, if you notice a
co-worker displaying some nonverbal signs of sadness, you might take them aside to offer
empathy.
 When you are empathetic and understanding of others’ emotions, you can make decisions
with ease and complete tasks more efficiently.
 If we consider communication in the workplace, and more specifically, conflict resolution in

the workplace, individuals with higher emotional intelligence are more likely to approach
conflict resolution in a collaborative manner, working together with others in order to
effectively reach a mutually acceptable outcome.
 Emotionally intelligent employees are more likely to keep their cool under pressure. For
example, if you know you had a rough night, you might attempt to change your behaviours
the following workday by shifting your focus toward more positive feelings.

 Relationships in the workplace are affected by how we manage our own emotions and our
understanding of the emotions of those around us.
 Studies have linked higher emotional intelligence with better job satisfaction as well as
overall job performance.
 Success requires a team and leaders, by definition, require followers. Leaders can empower
others in a variety of ways. They enable others by fostering collaboration and building
trust. Successful leaders share power, delegate well, and do what’s necessary to help
others perform.
 Good networking skills are a staple of job effectiveness for the average worker. Networking
has too often been associated with “using” other people, but a heightened EQ ensures a
mutually beneficial approach to others.
Conclusion
Practicing emotional intelligence can help improve company culture, and your own well-being both
in and out of the workplace. An organization that is
emotionally intelligent has employees who are productive, motivated and efficient. They are
committed to achieving their goals. Team
members are able to work together in the most effective
manner, and provide better results for the organization as a whole.
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

Despite the enduring popularity of utilitarianism as an ethical system, deontology is
probably even more pronounced within our daily lives. Comment. (150 Words)
Reference: plato.stanford.edu
Why the question:
Key Demand of the question: To compare and contrast deontology and utilitarianism.
Introduction:
Begin by defining deontological ethics and its features.
Body:
First, write as to why utilitarianism is more acceptable and popular.
Next, write the limitations of utilitarianism and how deontological ethics have more moral sensitivity
in our daily lives on basis of rules and laws it lays down. Justify with examples as to how it is part of
our daily lives.
Conclusion:
Give a concise summation of your views to conclude the answer.
Introduction
In deontological ethics an action is considered morally good because of some characteristic of the
action itself, not because the product of the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least
some acts are morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare. Descriptive of

such ethics are such expressions as “Duty for duty’s sake,” “Virtue is its own reward,” and “Let
justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Body
Popularity of Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism because it rests on the idea that it is the consequences
or results of actions, laws, policies, etc. that determine whether they are good or bad, right or
wrong. In general, whatever is being evaluated, we ought to choose the one that will produce the
best overall results. In the language of utilitarians, we should choose the option that “maximizes
utility,” i.e. that action or policy that produces the largest amount of good.
In simple words, Utilitarianism is teleological which believes in “Ends justify the means”; whereas
deontological ethics believes in “Purity of means”. Yet this is more popular and acceptable
as Bentham evolved his theory of greatest good of greatest number. The greatest good of the
greatest number, is the most important formula of Bentham Utilitarianism.
For example, each government is obliged to adopt such policies which could give the greatest good
of the greatest number. A government which works for the good of a few numbers is not at all a
good government. It is tyranny and unjustifiable government. Thus, the principle of ‘the greatest
good of the greatest number’ is benevolent and universalistic in nature.
However, this came under criticism as denial of right to one or few to achieve greater good, would-
be injustice. And denial of justice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.
Limitations and criticism
 A limitation of utilitarianism is that it tends to create a black-and-white construct of

morality. In utilitarian ethics, there are no shades of gray—either something is wrong or it is
right.
 Utilitarianism also cannot predict with certainty whether the consequences of our actions
will be good or bad—the results of our actions happen in the future.
 Utilitarianism also has trouble accounting for values like justice and individual rights.
o For example, say a hospital has four people whose lives depend upon receiving
organ transplants: a heart, lungs, a kidney, and a liver. If a healthy person wanders
into the hospital, his organs could be harvested to save four lives at the expense of
his one life.
o This would arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number. But few
would consider it an acceptable course of action, let alone an ethical one.
Deontological ethics and its moral sensitivity
 The first great philosopher to define deontological principles was Immanuel Kant. He
believed that each man is an end in himself and must never be used as another man’s
means to an end.
 John Rawls another deontologist discarded utilitarianism. He said, that “Each person
possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole
cannot override”.

 For this reason, justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater
good shared by others.
 It does not allow that the sacrifices imposed on a few are outweighed by the larger sum of
advantages enjoyed by many.
 Therefore, in a just society the liberties of equal citizenship are taken as settled; the rights
secured by justice are not subject to political bargaining or to the calculus of social interests.
 As deontology places significance on human dignity, it is most widely accepted.
Conclusion
Deontology is simple to apply. It just requires that people follow the rules and do their duty. This
approach tends to fit well with our natural intuition about what is or isn’t ethical. Unlike
consequentialism, which judges actions by their results, deontology doesn’t require weighing the
costs and benefits of a situation. This avoids subjectivity and uncertainty because one only has to
follow set rules.
Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and

problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions;
laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance;
accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values
in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding;
By placing a moral compass, we create a clear vision of the mental processes that point
us in an ethical direction. Elaborate. (150 words)
Why the question:
Using the metaphor of the moral compass to describe conscience, our inner sense of right and wrong
offers a framework to guide our actions.
Directive:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context.
You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated
facts.
Introduction:
Start by describing what you understand by moral compass (conscience) which governs the actions
you take in day to day life.
Body:

Elaborate on how the moral compass aids in deciding what right from is wrong. Use examples to
substantiate your points.
One way is to treat others the way you want to be treated.
Next way, to use Rights Theory that obligates us to respect the rights of others and live up to our
obligations towards them.
Another way is to utilitarian perspective to do maximum good for maximum people.
Conclusion:
Completed the answer by bring out how the moral compass prevents us acting purely from self-
interest and helps us live a life of integrity.
Introduction
Moral compass is a term used to describe our inner sense of right and wrong offers a framework to
guide our actions. Conscience is inner moral sense of a person which guides him/her to regulate
his behaviour. Voice of conscience corresponds to an inner voice that judges your behaviour. Voice
of conscience is the source of ethical decision making for many.
Body
Conscience can be defined as something within each of us that tells us what is right and what is
wrong. Therefore, if one uses his/her conscience when making decisions it would be guided by what
is the right thing to do and what is wrong.
The traditional test is to apply ethical decision-making methods such as Rights Theory that obligates
us to respect the rights of others and live up to our obligations towards them. Another approach is
to evaluate the possible benefits and harms of alternative courses of action on stakeholders who
may be affected by our possible actions and choose the one that maximizes net benefits.
 Our conscience is our inner guide and it helps you figure out how to make good choices. As
we grow up, we learn right from wrong. Our conscience is the thought and feeling we have
that tells us whether something is a right or wrong thing to do or say. Thus voice of
Conscience is a consistent guide to ethical decision making.
 A person can prepare himself/herself to heed to the voice of conscience by:
 Pausing and thinking about the dimensions of issue.
 Practicing the power of silence.
 Meditating and prayer.
 Freeing oneself from external influences and selfish interests.
 A human being always comes across ethical dilemmas in the decision making the process.
Voice of Conscience acts as the guide for taking correct decisions when we have to choose
between competing sets of principles in a given, usually undesirable or perplexing, situation.
Example: Helping accident victim on your way to an interview.
 The voice of conscience of an individual help in analysing the situation from different
perspectives and help in taking the right decision.
 Voice of Conscience helps in avoiding Conflicts of interest for better decision making. It can
help in deciding between personal gains and public welfare.
 Voice of Conscience is our ability to make a practical decision in light of ethical values and
principles.
 Voice of Conscience is a person’s moral compass of right and wrong as well as the
consciousness of one’s actions. Expressions such as ‘gut feeling’ and ‘guilt’ are often applied
in conjunction with a conscience.
 The voice of conscience might suggest different principles and different behaviours to
different situations. But it for a moment help individual from not doing wrong based on
universal values.
Conclusion
Acting purely from self-interest, at best, keeps us parallel to the original position and can turn our
compass south if our actions do harm to others. We avoid going in that direction by living a life of
integrity. We also need to understand and appreciate why we should consider the needs of others
before acting. We could simply go back to The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be
treated. None of us, presumably, wants to be disrespected so we should treat others respectfully.
There can be no good governance without moral leadership. Comment. (150 words)
Why the question:
To write about the relationship between moral leadership and good governance.
Directive word:
Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an
overall opinion thereupon.
Introduction:
Begin by describing moral leadership.
Body:
Bring out the relationship between moral leadership and good governance. In governance, a leader
grapples with not only the legal aspects of the matter, but also with ensuring that moral
interpretations yield equitable results. Substantiate with recent examples from the happenings as
well as historical examples.
Suggest ways how leadership can align itself to moral values.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stressing on need for moral leadership in the present times.
Introduction
Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs
the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Ethical Leadership is about
Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity. Ethical leadership
means acting according to your moral principles in your day-to-day business life and decision-
making.
Body:
Moral leadership leads to good governance
 Leaders with good moral sense provide attention to the development of ethical perspectives
within organizational components.

 Leaders need to make ethically accountable decisions in rapidly changing government

environments and within these spheres, they face decisions and implement actions to create
an ethical environment and promote a community’s interests.
 The standard of governance and its outcomes in any government reflect the calibre
of officials that constitute the administrative
 A good and efficient administration is equally a responsive one; it takes cognizance that
purpose and obligation of government is to protect peoples’
rights and promote their individual and collective well-being as human
 These leaders are not simply well-behaved, they stimulate action by anchoring their daily
work – and the work of those around them – in a principled vision of what is good for the
world.
 Moral leaders are advocates who see the humanity in everyone and take the time to build
unique and deep relationships.
 They see people not as means, but as ends in themselves. They listen and learn from those
they lead and are often more inclusive.
 Moral Leadership has the potential to sustain ethical and personal development along with
social development.
 When morality buds in leaders, they become aware of the accountability condition, the
specific coping strategy relevant to the condition is embraced.
 The leaders who are held accountable for their moral actions are more likely to be aware of
the accountability requirements in order to promote good governance.
 When individuals were notified that they would be held accountable for their decisions
regarding stereotype change and generalizations, both information processing and judgment
vigilance increased.
Conclusion:
In a reshaped world, formal authority is less potent. Only moral authority can build trust, inspire
colleagues, create meaning and help people imagine a better future. Effective leadership and Good
Governance are two sides of the same coin. The two have many elements in common. Without an
effective leadership we may not envisage Good Governance in its totality. In fact, Good Governance
may not be achieved in its totality because of cultural, psychological, social and sociological impacts
and differences.
Should there be a total ban on liquor in India? Debate. (150 words)

Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract
Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
To debate on the pros and cons of total ban on liquor in India.
Directive:

Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing
relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well.
Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Introduction:
Begin by stating that concept of prohibition is mentioned in DPSP’s of our constitution.
Body:
Live Law
Next, write the cons – escalation to bootleg and hooch, loss of revenue, restriction on freedom of
people
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating you opinion on the issue of prohibtion.
Introduction
India has a long history of various states experimenting with various laws on liquor, ranging from
total prohibition to restricted sale of alcohol to phased closure of liquor shops. As liquor contributes
sizeable revenue to the exchequer, it has never been an easy decision for any state government to
impose the prohibition. It is evident that the problem is complex and there can be no easy solutions,
especially one that fits all. Alcohol addiction and its ill-effects may affect the poor more.
Body
Is total ban on alcohol justified
YES
 The Constitution places a responsibility on all state governments to “at least contain, if not
curtail, consumption of alcohol” (Article 47).
 Strict state regulation is imperative to discourage regular and excessive consumption of

alcohol.
 Alcohol denudes family resources and reserves and leaves women and children as its most
vulnerable victims. A social stigma at least as far as the family unit is concerned is still
attached to the consumption of alcohol.
 Vulnerable persons, either because of age or proclivity towards intoxication or as a feature

of peer pressure, more often than not, succumb to this temptation.
 According to the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre of Thiruvananthapuram, 44% of

Kerala’s road accidents, 19% of stays in government hospitals and 80% divorces are linked to
alcohol abuse.
 The drinking age is dangerously coming down. This clearly indicates alcohol has become a
social sickness and we have to treat it.
 Alcoholism does also critically impacts the household budgets of the poor and may lead to
domestic violence.
NO
 Banning food and beverages is neither desirable nor feasible. It puts unnecessary fetters on
freedoms

 Historical evidence shows that prohibition does not encourage or enable people to quit
drinking. Rather, prohibition tends to drive the trade underground and creates a market for
spurious liquor.
 This policy is just a populist decision impelled by factional politics within the ruling party.
 The policy may only help to shift the drinking space from bar to home or other private
spaces.
 Prohibition has criminalized certain societies where drinking is a social norm.
 Prohibition may lead to widespread smuggling and illegal sale of liquors, thus defeating the
very purpose.
 The massive profits from the illicit liquor trade would act as the launchpad for a parallel
economy with tentacles in everything from prostitution to gambling and terror.
 Prohibition will increase the sale of spurious liquor which has adverse health impacts.
Way Forward
The principal reason why a lot of prohibition strategies fail is because they seem to be based on the
simplistic assumption that cutting off the supply impacts effective demand for alcohol.
 State governments should have to be prepared to deal rapidly with the management of
man-made disasters such as liquor tragedies.
 Increase legal age of drinking and bring about uniformity in the same across all the states.
 Ban marketing and advertisement of all kinds so as to contain its reach and spread.
 The medical fraternity needs to be educated in rapidly responding to and treating victims of
liquor tragedies.
 Governments could consider linking de-addiction centres with primary health centres in
rural areas.
 Invest in creating better awareness among citizens about the negative impact of alcohol
consumption.
 Document good practices tried and tested by NGOs and other institutions for managing
alcohol problems not only within the country but also outside the country.
 Civil society should demand from its political parties a comprehensive policy that addresses
all the related issues instead of uncritically demanding or accepting proclamations of
prohibition.
When morality is not in consonance with a law, what should prevail – the moral
principle or the law? (150 words)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Why the question:
To debate as to what should prevail if morality is in conflict with the law.


Introduction:
Start the answer by mentioning the relationship between morality and law.
Body:
Explain that the popular conception of the connection between law and morality is that in some way
the law exists to promote morality, to preserve those conditions which make the moral life possible.
Write about the reason for conflict. They conflict most often because morality gives you a sense of
what is right and wrong or acceptable and what is not according to human nature. Law commands
obedience not out of a sense of right or wrong but out of necessity. Substantiate the above with
examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by underscoring that Morality forms the foundation, the pre-condition, for laws. Put
another way, laws do not have the necessary foundation or reason to be, if there is no such thing as
morality.
Introduction
Law is the codification of societal norms and values which helps in delivering justice.
While Morality is very those values and norms on which law is framed to decide what is right and
wrong. Law and morality are intimately related to each other. Laws are generally based on the
moral principles of society. Both regulate the conduct of the individual in society.
Body
Relation between law and morality:

 Law is essentially a set of rules and principles created and enforced by the state whereas
morals are a set of beliefs, values and principles and behaviour standards which are
enforced and created by society.
 Legal and moral rules can be isolated with the former being created by the legislative
institution of parliament whereas the latter have evolved with and through society and are
the standards which society in general accepts and promotes.
 Some laws mirror the majority of society’s moral view, for example, that murder is wrong
but the introduction of same sex marriages is seen by some people as morally wrong and
society is divided.
 The existence of unjust laws (such as those enforcing slavery) proves that morality and law
are not identical and do not coincide.
 The existence of laws that serve to defend basic values such as laws against murder, rape,
malicious defamation of character, fraud, bribery, etc. prove that the two can work
together.
 Morality forms the basis of good law and therefore laws are framed to prohibit any immoral
act. For example, Laws in India prohibits domestic violence, atrocities on lower castes, child
marriages, crimes like murder and rapes because they are immoral.
 Laws govern conduct at least partly through fear of punishment. Morality, when it is
internalized governs conduct without compulsion. The virtuous person does the appropriate
thing because it is the fine or noble thing to do.
 Morality can influence the law in the sense that it can provide the reason for making whole
groups of immoral actions illegal.
 Law can be a public expression of morality which codifies in a public way the basic principles
of conduct which a society accepts. In that way it can guide the educators of the next
generation by giving them a clear outline of the values society wants taught to its children.
 Obedience to law depends upon the active support of the moral sentiments of the people.
Laws which are not supported by the moral conscience of the people are liable to become
dead letters.
Conclusion
The only check against the breach of morality is social condemnation or individual conscience. Moral
actions are a matter of choice of inner conscience of the individual; laws are a matter of compulsion.
Law cannot be made on each and every aspect of life. More than law behavioral change is the key to
a moral society, as rightly said by BR Ambedkar, “No law can protect us if it’s not avowed by the
moral conscience of the society at large”.
Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of

governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government,
Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work
culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of
corruption.
In your opinion, who is better suited to improve efficiency and moral culture in an
organisation – a leader who is feared or a leader who is loved? Debate. (150 words)
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract
Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
To debate on the which type of leadership style is best – one which invokes fear or the one which
invokes affection.
Directive:
Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing
relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well.
Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning the role of leadership in improving efficiency and moral culture.
Body:
First, write about the pros and cons of a leader who is feared. Cite examples.
Next, write about the pros and cons of a leader who is loved. Cite examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating you opinion on the type of leadership that is best according to you.
Introduction

Leadership can be defined as the ability of the management to make sound decisions and inspire
others to perform well. It is the process of directing the behaviour of others towards achieving a
common goal. In short, leadership is getting things done through others.
A true leader should know their limits and mustn’t give into overconfidence or impulsiveness. Their
role is of immense value as they bring stability, ensuring that the company works together
collectively, despite disruptive changes
Body
A Leader who is feared
 Leaders that are feared are perceived to wield more power by the people.
 They are figures of authority who often give out harsh punishments and very little rewards.
 When employees are motivated by fear, they’re more likely to push themselves to be
efficient and avoid error, to avoid being punished.
 However, while it can improve performance, fear creates a shaky relationship between
leaders and the people.
 It results in decreased creativity and productivity. Therefore, a culture of fear can inhibit
learning and development.
 For instance, Adolf Hitler
A Leader who is loved
 Leaders that are loved focus on taking care of their employees, creating a stronger leader –
follower bond.
 This kind of relationship brings forth a culture of respect in the society.
 Additionally, it makes people feel valued, which can help in creating a healthy society and
boost the productivity of an individual.
 However, this also results in leaders having decreased disciplinary power over the society.
 It makes people less likely to listen to their leaders or respect their authority.
 In some cases, they may start slacking off and foregoing rules.
Conclusion
A strong ethical leader has four important characteristics – Values, Vision, Voice and Virtue. Leaders
need to strike a good balance between the two to be good leaders because going from one extreme
to the next can prove detrimental to the country. And the talk of fear and love only scratches the
surface of this broad subject. It also calls for a high level of awareness, prudence in making decisions,
and dedication, among other things. A good leader should also lead with purpose.

Case Studies on above issues.

A state government has imposed total prohibition programme and justified that the ban
on alcohol is in the interest of the society. However, in recent days, at least 24 people
have died and several others fell ill after consuming suspected spurious liquor in a
district where total prohibition is in place. Eight persons died a fortnight earlier after
allegedly consuming hooch in a village of another district. This has been the patten
since prohibition has been imposed.
Prima facie these deaths appear to have occurred due to the consumption of some poisonous
substance and the police have registered a case. Moreover, most of the victims are mostly
belonging to the Scheduled Castes, had allegedly consumed spurious liquor being sold by local
traders in the area and were hospitalised. Villagers claimed that all the victims had consumed
spurious liquor and after consuming liquor, the condition deteriorated and they were taken to the
nearby hospital where they died. There are reports that some more villagers who too consumed
liquor, have been admitted to different hospitals in the area. The administration has not
confirmed the cause of the deaths so far.
1. What are the ethical issues involved in the above case?
2. Is total prohibition on alcohol justified?
(250 words)
Introduction
India has a long history of various states experimenting with various laws on liquor, ranging from
total prohibition to restricted sale of alcohol to phased closure of liquor shops. As liquor contributes
sizeable revenue to the exchequer, it has never been an easy decision for any state government to
impose the prohibition. It is evident that the problem is complex and there can be no easy solutions,
especially one that fits all. Alcohol addiction and its ill-effects may affect the poor more.
Body
Ethical issues involved in case
 Right to choice of food and drinks of individuals.
 Individual desire versus societal benefit
 Death of people belonging to SC, due to consumption of spurious liquor
 Right to carry on one’s profession or business (Violation of freedom to trade)
 Increase in unemployment
 Discrimination based on place among liquor outlet owners
 Impact on societies due to rise of Spurious liquor and bootleggers
 Diversion of chemicals to manufacturing of spurious liquor
Is total ban on alcohol justified

YES
 The Constitution places a responsibility on all state governments to “at least contain, if not
curtail, consumption of alcohol” (Article 47).
 Strict state regulation is imperative to discourage regular and excessive consumption of

alcohol.
 Alcohol denudes family resources and reserves and leaves women and children as its most
vulnerable victims. A social stigma at least as far as the family unit is concerned is still
attached to the consumption of alcohol.
 Vulnerable persons, either because of age or proclivity towards intoxication or as a feature

of peer pressure, more often than not, succumb to this temptation.
 According to the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre of Thiruvananthapuram, 44% of

Kerala’s road accidents, 19% of stays in government hospitals and 80% divorces are linked to
alcohol abuse.
 The drinking age is dangerously coming down. This clearly indicates alcohol has become a
social sickness and we have to treat it.
 Alcoholism does also critically impacts the household budgets of the poor and may lead to
domestic violence.
NO
 Banning food and beverages is neither desirable nor feasible. It puts unnecessary fetters on
freedoms
 Historical evidence shows that prohibition does not encourage or enable people to quit
drinking. Rather, prohibition tends to drive the trade underground and creates a market for
spurious liquor.
 This policy is just a populist decision impelled by factional politics within the ruling party.
 The policy may only help to shift the drinking space from bar to home or other private
spaces.
 Prohibition has criminalized certain societies where drinking is a social norm.
 Prohibition may lead to widespread smuggling and illegal sale of liquors, thus defeating the
very purpose.
 The massive profits from the illicit liquor trade would act as the launchpad for a parallel
economy with tentacles in everything from prostitution to gambling and terror.
 Prohibition will increase the sale of spurious liquor which has adverse health impacts.
Way Forward
The principal reason why a lot of prohibition strategies fail is because they seem to be based on the
simplistic assumption that cutting off the supply impacts effective demand for alcohol.
 State governments should have to be prepared to deal rapidly with the management of
man-made disasters such as liquor tragedies.

 Increase legal age of drinking and bring about uniformity in the same across all the states.
 Ban marketing and advertisement of all kinds so as to contain its reach and spread.
 The medical fraternity needs to be educated in rapidly responding to and treating victims of
liquor tragedies.
 Governments could consider linking de-addiction centres with primary health centres in
rural areas.
 Invest in creating better awareness among citizens about the negative impact of alcohol
consumption.
 Document good practices tried and tested by NGOs and other institutions for managing
alcohol problems not only within the country but also outside the country.
 Civil society should demand from its political parties a comprehensive policy that addresses
all the related issues instead of uncritically demanding or accepting proclamations of
prohibition.
Even though people are aware that dowry is a crime, the evil still exists in society.
Recently, a young girl died by suicide after complaining of dowry harassment. In her
case, there were 102 witnesses and 53 pieces of evidence including her voice note sent
to her husband where she complains about the torture she faced from her in-laws.
It’s not just her but several other women who face dowry threats and die because their families
are not able to meet the dowry demands. The difference is that such incidents do not come to
light as victims decide to keep shut about it.
As per research, in the last three years, there is a very low conviction rate and the sad part is that
hardly anyone gets proven guilty in these cases.
Many literate and developed states, high number of incidence of dowry cases. This shows, high
rate of literacy has not been able to stop this menace. For example, with a 96.2% literacy rate,
Kerala is India’s most literate state. According to the 2011 census reports, 96.11% of males and
92.07% of females are literate in the state. However, a statistics report published by Kerala’s
Economic and Statistics Department contradicts has revealed that cases of dowry-related deaths
are touching the sky in the state. (250 words)
1. Why is dowry so deeply entrenched in our society?
2. What measures are needed to combat it?

Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Case Study Fridays’
in Mission-2022 Secure.
Introduction:
Mention the deep entrenchment on the illegal practice of dowry.
Body:

Write about various steps aimed and eradication and why dowry is still so deeply entrenched in our
society.
Mention the way to tackle dowry by further empowering women, creating awareness, holding guilty
party accountable and increasing the rate of conviction.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising the need to rid our society of dowry.
Introduction
Dowry, a cultural practice deeply rooted in many Indian communities, refers to the money, goods, or
property given to a bridegroom’s family along with the bride. Dowry is a social evil in the society,
that has caused unimaginable tortures and crimes towards women. The evil has taken lives of
women from all strata of society – be it poor, middle class or the rich. However, it is the poor who
succumb and fall prey to it, more due to their lack of awareness and education.
Body
Reasons for dowry to be deeply entrenched in our society:
 Patriarchal nature:
o Sons are seen as assets.

o There is a strong preference for male children, which has been blamed for years of
female feticide.
o This has left India with a very unbalanced sex ratio. There are 940 women for every
1,000 men according to 2011 census.
o India has 37 million more men than women, making it hard for men to find suitable
brides.
 Societal attitude:
o Instead of being regarded as a crime and a source of shame, dowry has become a
matter of pride.
o It is discussed over coffee at family gatherings.
o Sons-in-law are often introduced with the price tag they come with.
o Educated grooms tend to demand higher dowries. Education is reduced to just

another factor that determines your market rate.
o Today, dowries are seen as being directly linked to the brides’ estimation and
treatment by her husband, forcing their families to ensure that a substantial amount
of dowry is provided.
 Greed:
o Owing to expectations of material benefits from the bride’s family, dowry is

demanded for, and at times, when the demands are not met, either the marriage is
called off, or the bride is exploited leading to domestic violence.
 Illiteracy:

o With a literacy rate of 74.04% in the country, it is quite valid to consider it the
primary cause for different social evils.
o The communities that are not knowledgeable about the laws and legislation face
several atrocities owing to dowry exchange practices.
 Lack of Willingness to adhere to laws:
o The primary reason behind the failure is lack of mass participation.
o People pay no heed to such laws and make sure to exploit the dowry system to gain
material benefits under the veil of a marriage proposal.
Implications of dowry:
 It is because of the dowry system, that daughters are not valued as much as the sons.
 In the society, many a times it has been seen that they are seen as a liability and are often
subjected to subjugation and are given second hand treatment may it be in education or
other amenities.
 The parents don’t lay enough emphasis on educating their daughters, as they feel that
husbands will support them latter.
 The Poorer sections of society who send their daughters out to work and earn some money,
to help them save up for her dowry.
 The regular middle and upper class backgrounds do send their daughters to school, but don’t
emphasize career options.
 The very wealthy parents who happily support their daughters until they get married and
their ability to fork out a high dowry.
Measures to curb dowry:
 Education & Sensitization:
o Educate the younger generation of sons and daughters
o Encourage them to have their own career
o Teach them to be independent and responsible
o Treat your daughters equally without any discrimination
o Do not encourage the practice of giving or taking dowry
 Mass Media Campaign:
o Media holds the potential to remove dowry system from the mainstream Indian
society.
o By publishing related news and making the authorities aware of any reported case of
dowry related crime, they can keep an effective check upon the prospects.
 Laws on Dowry in India
o The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 deals with dowry in India.

o This Act prohibits the practice of giving or taking of dowry by either parties to a
marriage. This law also punishes demanding and advertising dowry.
o Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005:
o The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, was passed in order to
provide a civil law remedy for the protection of women from domestic violence in
India.
o The Domestic Violence Act encompasses all forms of physical, verbal, emotional,
economic and sexual abuse and forms a subset of the anti-dowry laws to the extent
it is one of the reasons for domestic violence.
 Role of voluntary organization:
o They should make propaganda against the evils of dowry.
o The workers of these organizations should help the victims of dowry harassment and
get them justice.
o These organizations should make aware of their address to the people through
advertisement so that victims can appeal them for their help to get justice.
o Women’s self-help groups should be systematically oriented about violence against

women and the existence of local support systems.
o By actively spreading awareness and displaying solidarity, women’s self-help groups
can play a powerful role in building a more equal society.
Conclusion
Dowry has become an institutionalized and integral part of the Indian marriage. Social and economic
realities do little to keep it in check. In such a situation, the need to revise the institutional
framework concerning dowry and the need for more research on different forms of dowry and the
reasons for its prevalence is the need of the hour.
There are many reasons why the death penalty should have no place in any society, not
least because it violates the fundamental right to life. The argument that it may deter
violent crime is countered by the observations that murder rates declined in ten out of
eleven countries which had abolished capital punishment in recent years. The most
egregious aspect of the death penalty is the widespread evidence of miscarriage of
justice which occurs even in the most robust judicial systems, leading to the real threat
of an irreversible punishment being inflicted on an innocent person.
India has a chequered history with the death penalty. For many years, until the execution of
Dhananjoy Chatterjee in 2004 for the rape and murder of a minor girl, the country was a de facto
abolitionist state. Since then, nearly 500 prisoners have been sentenced to death row, nine
individuals have been executed since 2014, and there has been a legislative expansion of the
death penalty, in particular for crimes of sexual violence.
Against this background, the release of the Deathworthy report last month on the relationship
between being sentenced to death and mental health, calls upon our society to revisit its
ambivalent stance on the death penalty. The report is the result of NLU Delhi’s Project 39A, under

the guidance of mental health professionals from NIMHANS, Bangalore. The study involved the
interview of 88 death row prisoners and their families. Its findings can be summarised in two
broad ways: First, what are the origins of the violent behaviours which led to the criminal acts and
second, how might living on death row affect the mental health of the prisoner.
Adverse childhood experiences are the most important determinants of poor educational
attainment, violent behaviours and mental health problems. This association has been
demonstrated in diverse contexts and has a clearly defined biological mechanism. The lack of
nurturing environments and the exposure to toxic stress, that is, when a child experiences intense,
frequent or prolonged adversity such as emotional abuse or neglect, directly impacts the
development of a healthy brain architecture which is most sensitive to environmental influences
in the early years of life. These influences lead to a range of psychological difficulties in young
adulthood, such as impulsivity and low frustration tolerance, which are precursors to violent
behaviour and antisocial acts.
The second observation is, perhaps, less surprising: Two-thirds of the prisoners were diagnosed
with a current episode of mental illness, in particular depression. About half were assessed to be
at “risk” of suicide. Undoubtedly, this suffering is the direct consequence of living with the fear of
an imminent, violent death. More shockingly, a significant number of prisoners had evidence of
cognitive impairment, often due to head injuries. Nine of these individuals were found to have an
intellectual disability. This implies that these individuals had deficits in mental functioning which
are well-recognised for influencing the capabilities to make responsible decisions and observe
social norms. Yet, in none of their cases was their disability brought to the attention of the courts.
Ultimately, the Deathworthy report provides a sobering, if not entirely unsurprising picture of the
devastating disadvantages experienced by death row prisoners which may have played a critical
role in mediating their violent acts and the mental health-related pain and suffering consequent to
living on death row. (250 words)
1. Is death penalty needed in India? Debate.
2. How to prevent crimes by addressing emotional inadequacies of childhood?

Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Case Study Fridays’
in Mission-2022 Secure.
Introduction:
Mention the provision of death penalty for ‘rarest of rare’ cases India
Body:
First, mention the drawbacks associated with death penalty in India. Present logical arguments and
examples to substantiate your points.
Next, write about the need for having death penalty in India. Present logical arguments and
examples to substantiate your points.
Write about various way to prevent crimes by addressing emotional inadequacies of childhood.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving a fait and balanced opinion regarding death penalty in India.
Introduction

Capital punishment also called as death penalty is the execution of an offender sentenced to death
after conviction by a court of law. The debate on whether to abolish the death penalty or not, has
been raging in India and in several other countries for decades.
Brutal rapes in India have not decreased despite enforcement of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act,
2013 which is a piece of legislation which prescribes the death penalty and life imprisonment for
sexual assaults. No study has shown that the death penalty deters murder more than life
imprisonment.
Body
Death Penalty in India is needed because:
 Supporters believe people who commit murder, have taken the life of another, have
forfeited their own right to
 Furthermore, capital punishment is a just form of retribution, expressing and

reinforcing the moral indignation of citizens.
 The punishment is not arbitrary because, it comes out of a judicial process. To call it
arbitrary, one has to necessarily prove the process as flawed.
 It is being implemented in the “rarest of the rare” cases and the fact is during the last 13
years, only four people have been executed.
 Its constitutionality is upheld, even in liberal democracies like U.S. It is not reflection of
uncivilised society.
 The sacredness of life can only be seen to be protected, if those who take it away are
proportionately punished.
 Maintaining a secure prison system for high-risk, violent offenders act as a drain on
government resources.
The need to abolish Death Penalty:
 Everyone has an inalienable human right to life as life is valuable, even of those who
commit murder.
 It unfairly targets poor and marginalised, that means, those without money & power.
 Many people believe that retribution is morally flawed and problematic in concept and
practice as it is just a sanitized form of vengeance. Retribution via capital punishment
legitimizes the very behavior that the law seeks to repress -killing. Hence, capital
punishment is counterproductive in the moral message it conveys
 Executions occurred in around five cases for every 1 lakh murders and it looks quite
arbitrary. It depends on judges personal beliefs.
 Punishment should not imitate crime.
 Most of the civilised world abolished it. Death penalty has not deterred terrorism, murder or
even theft.

 From 2000-2015, Supreme Court imposed 60 death sentences and subsequently admitted
that it had erred in 15 of them. So, it clearly admitted that it has arbitrarily imposed the
most extreme punishment.
 The Police is not known for its probity or efficiency in our Country.
 Delays in the Criminal Justice System disproportionately affects those, who suffer the
tyranny of the uncertainty of their life.
 It is argued that it is used more often against perpetrators from racial and
ethnic minorities and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, than those coming
from a privileged background.
Measures to prevent crimes by addressing emotional inadequacies of childhood
 Child guidance clinics should be established in order to give appropriate treatment to the
disturbed and mal-adjusted children.
 Families should be educated to realize the importance of giving proper attention to the
needs of their young children. Investments in strengthening parenting skills and support can
go can serve as preventive measures.
 Proper assistance to under-privileged children should be given to build in them good

character and law-abiding attitude.
 Social environment -slum areas, busy market places, gambling centres, etc., should be
improved
 The general economic standards of the people must be increased to prevent children from
becoming- delinquent due to economic exigencies
 Measures should be taken to improve conditions of juvenile homes, correctional homes

through regular inspection, adequate funds and imparting training to staff.
 The aftercare system should be strengthened to ensure that a juvenile once released
continues with his therapy and is effectively rehabilitated in the society.
Conclusion
As Law Commission said that it is the not right time of abolition experiment, the issue needs to be
debated and researched in more detail. But, capital punishment should not become a pent-
up of society’s misplaced anger and sense of judgment. It is also against the reformative purpose of
the Criminal Justice System and we must remember the words of Oscar Wilde, “Every saint has a
past and every sinner a future.”




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INSTA SECURE SYNOPSIS

INSTA SECURE SYNOPSIS

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Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics

 Do the right thing.

 Do it because it’s the right thing to do.

 Don’t do wrong things.

 Avoid them because they are wrong.

 The Ten Commandments are examples of deontology.

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The advantages of Deontological ethics are

 Emphasises the value of every human being

 It creates a level of personal responsibility.

 It creates a guideline to follow.

 It can still operate under objective guidelines.

There are few shortcomings too

 Allows acts that make the world a less good place

Four noble truths:

 Suffering (Dukkha) is the essence of the world.

 Every suffering has a cause – Samudya.

 Suffering could be extinguished – Nirodha.

 It can be achieved by following the Atthanga Magga (Eight Fold Path).

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 Physical Displeasure and Mental Discontentment: Nowadays, in this scientifically and

Relevance of Buddha’s Teachings

 The principles of peace, compassion, calmness, accommodation, and inclusiveness, which

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Values can be relative as well as absolute.

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What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

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Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and consistent commitment to honour moral,

Importance of three factors:

 A logical appealis a method of persuasion based on evidence and reasoning.

 Emotional persuasion is arousing emotion to influence decision-making processes.

 Pathos persuaders strongly employ interaction and involvement.

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A morality is a system of principles and values concerning people’s behaviour, which

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Persuasion is not as simple as just convincing someone to engage in a particular

Persuasion helps change how people think, feel and behave

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Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in

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According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who helped to popularize emotional

Significance of Emotional intelligence:

 Appraising emotions arising from situations:

o Using emotions for reason based decisions and policy making.

o EQ measurement is invaluable in selecting and recruiting high performance workers.

o Some companies are blending IQ testing with scientific measurement of EQ to

o Whether you’re dealing with a trading partner, competitor, customer or colleague,

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Ways to develop emotional intelligence in civil servants:

 Assessing personal strengths and limitations

 Providing feedback with care

 Maximizing learner choice