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Weekly GS Mains Comprehensive TestSub : Ethics Theory Part 1
Test No : 1
Q.1. What is the difference between Ethics and morality? Do they come in conflict with each other?Explain through an example. (12.5 marks)
Ans.
Ethics Morals
UPSC MAINS MISSION - 2018
Aditya Ratnaparkhi Sir(IRS) (AIR-257) 2017
The rules of conduct recognized in re-
spect to a particular class of human
actions or a particular group, culture,
etc. It defines how thing are according
to the rules.
Principles or habits with respect to right
or wrong conduct.It defines how things
should work according to an individuals’
ideals and principles.
What are they?
Where do theycome from?
Social system - External Individual - Internal
Why we do it?: Because society says it is the right thing
to do.
Because we believe in something
being right or wrong.
What if we don’tdo it?:
We may face peer/societal disapproval,
or even be fired from our job.
Doing something against one’s morals and
principles can have different effects on
different people, they may feel uncom-
fortable, remorse, depressed etc.
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Q.2 What is Happiness ? what is the source of happiness? Why do some people manage to stay happydespite facing certain difficulties in life? Should happiness be the ultimate goal in one’s life? Discuss.
(12.5 marks)
Ans.
Happiness : mental/emotional state of well-being .Positive , pleasant emotions ranging from contenment
to itense joy. Ultimate happiness, enlightenment comes when you have all your needs satisfied.
Happiness and Sadness are continuous part of life. Similarly Happiness and Sadness are relative. For
some, Happiness is perfect bliss, but for others happiness is good health and safe life, while for someone
else happiness is just absence of sadness. Hence, Happiness is relative and depends on the person to
person.
The source of happiness is the mind that directs a person to be happy even in circumstances that are
difficult and obstacles that may seem insurmountable to some. It is rightly said that happiness is a state of
mind. The people who manage to stay happy despite calamity are the ones who have most of the following
traits.
Contentment : The first rule to stay happy is to be content with whatever life gives you. One may be
ambitious and put in great efforts but satisfaction at the end of the activity must be there. It is soothing and
inspires a person to struggle.
Will power : An indomitable will power will encourage the person to find a way even at places where
there will be none.
Flexibility : Ethics are dependent on others for
definition. They tend to be consistent
within a certain context, but can vary
between contexts.
Usually consistent, although can change
if an individual’s beliefs change.
The “Gray”: A person strictly following Ethical
Principles may not have any Morals at
all. Likewise, one could violate Ethical
Principles within a given system of rules
in order to maintain Moral integrity.
A Moral Person although perhaps bound
by a higher covenant, may choose to
follow a code of ethics as it would apply
to a system. “Make it fit”
Origin : Greek word”ethos” meaning”character” Latin word “mos” meaning “custom”
(3)
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Positive outlook : A person with positive outlook will always look for constructive plans rather than
destructive ones. To construct something anew is anyways an inspiring activity which gains appreciation
from society and instills confidence in the person.
Passion : To move in a direction in which one is passionate is itself soothing. When way to destination
itself becomes enjoyable, destination is not far away. Happiness, in this case, lies not only in destination
but journey itself.
Aristotle’s concept of TELO
Being happy and content is sole aim of all living beings action. We eat, play and recreate to being happy.
Nobody likes to be unhappy.
(Quantitative happiness and qualitatie happiness)
Therefore, though circumstances may be difficult, certain inherent qualities in a human being make him go
past all difficulties.
Emotional inteligence, right attitude, right aptitude, surrounding helps people tackle theadversities.
It is rightly said- Adversities cause some men to break and some to break records.
Q.3. Mahatma Gandhi is known as the father of the nation for the work that he has done.What is hisSarvodaya philosophy? Why is Sarvodaya relevant for civil servants in India? (12.5 marks)
Ans.
He is known as the FATHER because he provided the template for a political and spiritual vision of the
nation. Just as a parent should provide both physical and spiritual notions of the good to a child, Gandhi
did this for his nation. While other leaders possessed conceptions of what India could be, Gandhi was
able to posit a notion of the good where political freedom was sought after spiritual liberation. In this light,
he sought to transform the nation and those who were in it. It is because of this that he is called "Father."
It was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who first addressed him as the father of the nation.
(Explain what Sarvodaya philosophy is)
The term was first coined by Gandhiji as the title of his 1908 translation of John Ruskin's tract on
political economy, "Unto This Last", and Gandhiji came to use the term for the ideal of his own political
philosophy.
Sarvodaya is a term meaning 'Universal Uplift' or 'Progress of All'. It is based on the principle of duties
rather than rights of individuals. It lays great emphasis on moral and spiritual values. It seeks to create
new social and economical values. The concept of possession yields place to the concept of trusteeship.
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In the Sarvodaya society of Gandhiji’s dream, therefore, every member will be free from any greed for
limitless acquisition of material wealth and more and more luxurious living. They will follow the motto
of simple living and high thinking. Everyone will, thus, get ample opportunity to produce and earn
sufficiently through honest work for having a decent and dignified living.
Consequently there will be no problem of unemployment. Of course, income of different people may
be different, depending on their talent, ability and effort. But those who will earn more will use the bulk
of their greater earnings for the good of the society as a whole. In such a society, all wealth, including
land, will be assumed as common property to be utilized for the welfare of all. If an individual has more
than his proportionate portion, he becomes a trustee of the excess wealth for the benefit of the less
fortunate members of the society.
(Relevance for Civil Servants)
India is a county of immense socio-economic disparities. Our social and politico-economic structures
have disadvantaged a large section of population like Dalits, poor, tribals, minorities etc. It is not just
economic benefits but also social and legal justice that eludes many. This has led to social unrest,
violence, dissent, riots, communalization etc.
The State that includes civil servants are the trustee of the public resources. It has a role towards its
equitable distribution. Therefore, the motto of upliftment and progress of all acts as a constant reminder
to civil servants about their constitutional and moral obligations in a poor country like ours. It persuades
public servants against limitless acquisition of wealth, which they are tempted to owing to their privileged
position and it becomes important in the context of the severe corruption in our public service. An
emphasis on Sarvodaya will help civil servants to practice the values of equality, empathy, equity,
empowerment, justice and compassion in public life. It will lead to their satisfaction and spiritual
enhancement.
Thus, Sarvodaya as a philosophy has immense relevance for civil servant seeking guidance as to how
to perform their duties in a morally upright manner and be the agent of change in the society.
Q.4. Attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about something. What is political attitude? Whatare the factors that shape the political attitude of a person? Discuss. (12.5 marks)
Ans.
Political attitudes are the approaches of people to the areas of public life covered by political psychology
such as views on nationalism, political conservatism, political liberalism, and political radicalism.
Political attitude can be defined as relatively stable views, either favourable or unfavourable, which
individuals or groups have about events , movements , policies and issues in the public sphere.
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Political attitude is reflective of an individual's orientations, beliefs, values and norms and behavior patterns
in economic, social and cultural system. Political attitude is an expression of favour or disfavour towards
different political ideologies, politicians and political culture prevailing in a society.
Political Attitude means the beliefs and values which underpin the operation of a particular political system.
These attitudes were seen as including knowledge and skills about the operation of the political system
positive and negative judgments about the system.
These attitudes decide how people participate, whom they vote for and which political parties they
support.
Political attitude tells us which party someone vote for, what kind of political ideology someone prefer
most, which social, economic, cultural, international policy someone prefer etc.
Factors which shape political attitude of a person:
The factors which make attitudes are family, gender, religion, race, ethnicity and region.
Family : Family is generally the first and most persistent factor which influence on young people’s
mind for shaping political opinions. Despite family incongruities and generation gaps, children tend to
grow up and have the political attitude similar to their parents. Though there are generation gaps it is
understandable that children tend to vote the way their parents do. If a family is more politically active
the child is more expected to hold the same principles and attitudes. As children grow older, other
influences crisscross the family and naturally their attitudes tend to diverge from those of their parents.
Religion : Religious principles often affect the way people vote. Religion is the faith of the people in
values and beliefs. The recent experiences have revealed that the religious right has supported more
conservative candidates for public office in more favour of the Republican Party than to the Democratic
Party. Associates of the “Religious Right” differ in their political attitudes from everyone else. The
religious right tends to support to be more conservative. This tendency is more clearly associated with
social issues such as gay rights, cow protection than with economic issues or foreign affairs.
Race and Ethnicity : It has been established that for the past half century, African Americans are
affiliated to Democratic Party than any other identifiable group. Some professionals believe that this
loyalty is fading. It is very obvious in several studies that Asian Americans tend to vote conservative,
but there is still a lack of concrete evidence to prove this.
Economic pressures : Many scholars affirmed that economic pressures are prime stimulus for choosing
a particular political position, and, indeed, this does appear to be an important factor. People who are
doing well in society usually do not want it to change. On the contrary, the poor have little to lose
materially and much to gain from progressive change. Or so it can be supposed. Economics is not the
only factor in the choice of political beliefs, however.
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Age : Age is also important factor in developing political attitude. Usually, the young are more likely to
be liberal than the aged. This is possibly because the older generations have a vested interest in the
status quo that the younger generations have not yet acquired. Young people lack not only wealth, but
also a sense of commitment and belonging.
Nature of People : This is determining factor in shaping political attitude. If person believes that
people are essentially bad, selfish, and aggressive, then one is likely to lean to the right of the spectrum.
Anyone who thinks that people are innately evil will tend to rely on strict laws and firm punishment for
violators in the belief that such measures are necessary to control errant behaviour. On the other hand,
people who consider their colleagues to be essentially well meaning and sensible will lean toward the
left. They will try to avoid inhibiting human liberty by “needlessly” severe laws, and they will try to
reason with lawbreakers.
Gender : It has been observed in our social structure that females tend to develop political attitude
according to their husband or other family members but in many cases it is observed that they have a
different political views. Generally women tends to be liberal as they want equal rights, equal pay,
more opportunities etc. But their political views also depend on religion, family, and class. Wherever
chief minister is women (Like Jayalalita, Mamta Banerjee), women are more motivated to vote for
their parties. In present situation, women also started voting for parties who support “women’s issues,”
such as women protection, women reservation, equal pay, and equal legal rights.
The study of political behaviour have political attitudes as its major element. Research in political
science has since that date been focused on empirical research on political behaviour and institutions.
Political attitudes have a prevailing function since they are a predictor for vote choice. Lane (1959)
highlighted the importance of political attitudes in a larger segment of attitudes and beliefs. He connected
political attitudes of respondents directly to other psychological factors.
Psychological factor : According to modern psychologists, there are five major personality traits
which explain an individual’s ideological orientation.
Agreeableness
Openness to experience
Emotional stability
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
e.g.: It is most likely that individuals with low emotional stability will embrace liberal economic policies
that create ‘safety nets’ and reduce exposure to market risk.
Apart from these, there are extraneous factors that may directly or indirectly influence political attitude.
(7)
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For instance, mass media acts not only as an agent of political attitude formation but also as an instrument
used for altering or strengthening existing political attitude. These factors are merely indicators of tendencies,
yet there are many exceptions. In the end, Indians are influenced by a wide array of factors when they cast
their secret votes on Election Day.
Q.5 Elaborate the statement “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” - SOCRATES
(12.5 marks)
Ans. Theory by Socrates
Socrates was the first person who gave a practical and political focus to the philosophy and ethics.
For investigation into defining the virtues and ethical behaviour, Socrates believed that the best way
was “dialogue” that is – meaningful conversations with people on ideas like justice, righteousness and
virtue.
This method of long conversations is called “dialectic” {also known as Socratic Method} and it
replaced the solitary contemplation. It was the dialogue which influenced the students and youth of
Athens and formed the basis of modern philosophy, science, ethics, social theory and other fields.
He believed that moral virtue is rooted in Practical Wisdom or Knowledge.
Thus, he acclaimed that- ‘Virtue is Knowledge’. Ethical life is led by reason. A right insight leads to
right action.
Socrates believed in two cardinal principles of- ‘Know Thyself’ and ‘Avoid Excess’. Socrates believed
that Virtue is the highest aim and greatest good one has to seek in life. Our virtues can be developed
by practicing reason.
He also believed that ethics does not stop at mere acquisition of knowledge of the idea of good. Once
the idea of good is gained, it starts guiding our actions, beliefs and feelings. Thus, a virtuous life cultures
our soul and makes us a better person
‘An Unexamined life is not worth living’.
Result of knowing oneself
The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end.
As one goes into it more and more, one finds peace. Only when the mind is peaceful - through self-
knowledge and not through imposed discipline - only then, in that peacefulness, in that silence, canreality come into being.
Knowing oneself is important because you cannot love something you don’t know and if you do not
know yourself you are prone to self judgment, guilt, shame, low self worth etc.
Knowing who you are because you and only you chooses who you are brings you not only responsibility
but also pride when you make the choices that make you into a person you want to be and gives you
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the greatest power: The power to be your own designer, your own creator, your own architect. There
is nothing better than being in control of who you are.
It is only then that there can be bliss, that there can be creative action
SWOT - Knowing your strength can help you develop the ability of differnt areas and find opportunities
easily.Knowing your weakness can help you search the ways of avoiding threats.
EI - Learning about yourself will help you understand others.
Q.6. The Honourable Supreme Court of India has recognized the transgender as a third sex. Whatattitudes do you notice towards the transgender people in India? What can be done to make thelife of the transgender people better. (12.5 marks)
Ans.
END to Gender Based Discrimination -
By recognizing the transgender community as a third gender entitled to the same rights and constitutional
protection as all other citizens, the Supreme Court has put in place a sound basis to end discrimination
based on gender.
Despite a pre-colonial heritage that recognized and celebrated gender diversity in temple sculptures
and mythology, transgender people in India, today, face intolerance, stigma, discrimination and violence.
Issues they face :
Human rights violations against transgender people pervade families, educational institutions, workplaces,
institutions such as law-enforcement, healthcare, media, and society at large.
Stigma against transgender people refers to devaluing of transgender-identified or gender nonconforming
people, and negative attitudes towards them
Discrimination : Transgender people experience discrimination in all walks of life.
At family level - It stars in family where parents treat transgender child in unfair manners. The
fear that a gender-nonconforming child will bring disgrace and shame to the family, apprehension
that their child will not marry leads to ostracism.
At school level - Absence of a supportive family and a hostile or abusive peers and school
environment are the reasons many gender-nonconforming children drop out of the educational
system entirely, foreclosing opportunities for gainful employment during adulthood.
Violence : Our societal discomfort with transgenderism has rendered transgender victims of sexual
assault, and domestic violence without necessary services. Discrimination and stigma forces them into
prostitution and other inhuman jobs that lead to physical and psychological violence against these
people.
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Steps to facilitate dignified life :
Families : Awareness and information are needed for parents to support their gender-nonconforming
or transgender children, setting aside their discomfort and deeply held normative attitudes. Such
information could be made available in health settings (pediatrics, child development specialties), as
well as through educational institutions. Parents and siblings should be alert to the risk of the children
facing bullying and other violence outside the home – in the extended family, at schools, on the
playground, and support them accordingly.
Educational institutions : Awareness of gender diversity and the need to safeguard transgender
youth from hostile school environments is a dire need. Interventions include formation on groups of
transgender children for meetings, holding film screenings, setting up of resource centre, augmenting
libraries with books and audio-visual materials on transgender issues, holding periodical sensitization
events, and adopting policies for preventing sexual harassment and bullying of transgender children.
Workplace : In consultation with community groups and human resource professionals experienced
in the area of Diversity and Inclusion, workplaces in public and private sector need to sensitize employers
and employees on issues of transgender persons.
Law and Law Enforcement : Cases of violations of human rights of Transgender persons have been
highlighted in the media and brought to the notice of Courts.
Social Welfare : Policy and institutional reforms that enable access to social protection schemes,
targeting the poor and other at-risk groups, must be made transgender inclusive.
Media and Society : Transgender human rights issues must be highlighted in the media and other
public forums so as to improve public awareness, and increase transgender people’s ability to realize
those rights. Stigmatizing coverage in the media must be curbed.
Q.7 What is Emotional Intelligence? What are the elements that make up Emotional Intelligence ?
(12.5 marks)
Ans :
Define what EI is
Concept given by Daniel Goleman
Emotioal Inteligence is the ability to understand and express our emotions to meet the requirement of
dayto-day living ,learning, and relating to others.
Emotional inteligence is a practice of :
Using emotional information from ourselves and other people.
Integrating this with our thinking.
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Using these to inform our decision making to help us get what we want from the immediate situation
and from life in general.
It helps you to :
Solve problems by using both logic and feelings.
Be flexible in changing situations
Help people express their needs.
Respond calmly and thoughtfully to difficult situations
Keep an optimistic and positive outook
Express empathy, compassion and caring for others.
Elements that make up Emotional Intelligence:
1. Perceiving emotions:
Abiliity to perceive emotions in oursevles and others
EI people recognise quickly if they are angry, or envious or feeling guilty or depressed
They have empathy. They are good at reading facial expressions ,tone of voice, other signs of
emotions.
2. Using Emotions :
Use their feelings to enhance thinking and decision making
Used to promote personal growth and improve relationship with others
Emotionally smart and strentghens relationships and increases emotional well-being
3. Understanding Emotions :
Emotions contain useful information : Eg. Anxiety is a cue that something is uncertain
People who are emotionally intellingent know what causes various emotions, what they mean, and
how they affect behaviour
4. Managing Emotions
EI involves an ability to manage our own emotions and those of others.
People who are emotionally intelligent have an ability to amplify or restrain emotions, depending
upon the situation.
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Q.8. "The Greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals aretreated.” - Mahatma Gandhi. Do you agree with this view? Critically comment. (12.5 marks)
Ans. Animals have always been the constant companion of human beings since the beginning of life on planet. The
start of civilization started from the domestication of animals, and in the earlier times , people took good care
of animals and consider them as part of their families. But increasingly with commercialization, man resorted
to the exploitation of animals, sometimes even subjecting them to utmost cruelty.
In this context, the statement of mahatma Gandhi holds utmost importance. Animals can’t express themselves,
can’t complain and can’t agitate for their rights. This result in unabated abuse of their rights
Chicken are kept in narrow confinement, debeaking of them
Buffaloes and cows are transported in open trucks without any provision of fodder or water
Traditions like Jalikuttu, camel race where ox and camels are forced for public entertainment
Captivity of elephants by temples and keeping them in chains.
Variuous tests conducted on animals
3Rs of humane animal research
Replacement : Methods that avoid or replace the use of animals.
Refinement : Improvements to scientific procedures to minimize the actual pain
Reduction : Methods that minimize the animal use and obtain comparable levels of information from
fewer species
Care ethics
Unique approach to moral treatment to animals that ground our moral duties to animals not in rights or
utilitarian considerations but in our sympathy for animals and relationshipos with them
Biocentricism
Therefore, true moral progress can only be reflected by how much we care about fellow living beings.
Though there are enabling legislations like prevention of cruelty against animal act, organizations like
PETA etc., still the real welfare of animals would begin from removal of general public apathy. That would
be the first step in achieving moral greatness of a nation.
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Q.9. Discretionary power with public servants, though has many problems, is a necessary for servicedelivery. Discuss. (12.5 marks)
Ans :
Importance of Discretionary power
Public servants through discretion and autonomy are pivotal actors in executing public policy. Discretionary
powers are important as the work conditions of public servants are inundated with clients, lack of resources,
unforeseen circumstances like disasters among other problems. It is expected that civil servants will use
their discretion according to ethical values of administration. However, through discretionary powers,
they also develop coping mechanisms to deal with disconnect between intended legislative goals and
actual policy outcomes.
Misuse of this power
Bureaucracies require that all similar clients shall receive equal treatment; however, the ability of bureaucrats
to apply discretion may elicit inequitable results. For example:
Discretion breeds red-tapism. It creates artificial barriers, delaying the delivery of services. It makes
access difficult, requires clients to wait or withholding of information, all intended to decrease demand
for services.
There is misuse in form of nepotism in awarding contracts or in form of corruption in delivery of
services etc.
On a daily basis numerous citizens are directly impacted by the decisions made by public service
workers, some adversely and others beneficially due to discretion of public servants.
Thus, discretionary powers may lead to problems in delivery of services the very requirement it needs
to fulfill.
Need of such power
However, it is still necessary as it allows public servants to adapt their rules and policies to the demands
of changing circumstances. Rules cannot be written through legislation for every aspect of executive
action. Some leeway in determining the course and method of execution, such as prioritizing in face of
short supply, are necessary. At the same time, a greater accountability is required to check its evils.
How to have the balance
The following are some of the measures, which need to be implemented in letter and spirit:
Right to Information Act and its enforcement
Code of conduct for civil servants
Strengthening and streamlining reporting mechanisms
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Streamlining and fast-tracking departmental enquiries
Overhaul of employee grievance procedures
Action on audit findings
Implementation of Citizens Charters’ for monitoring service delivery.
Q.10 Which qualities/characteristic traits of a person who is indulged in persuasion make conveying themessage more effective? What is the duty of the celebrities who endorse any product towards theconsumers? (12.5 marks)
Ans.
The key to understanding why people pay attention to, understand, remember and accept a persuasive
message is to study the characteristics of the person presenting the message, the content of the message, and
the characteristics of the person/audience receiving the message.
Various studies have found out that the same message delivered to same audience will have varying degrees
of impact depending on some features of the source – the person delivering the message.
Some of the features of the source that have been found to have persuasive impact on audience include:
Expertise : Same arguments carry more weight when delivered by someone who knows facts and
can instantly answer the questions of audience.
People who speak rapidly are more persuasive as it conveys the impression that the speaker knows
what s/he is talking about.
Trustworthiness : People are more easily persuaded when they think that the message is not intended
to manipulate. Having someone trustworthy convey the message improves chances of persuasion.
Likeability, including Race and Status of the communicator – Popular and attractive communicators
are more effective than unpopular and unattractive ones.
Case of Celebrity endorsement
Businesses use famous celebrities as ambassadors, exploiting the likeability character of the source for
persuasion, to achieve instant fame and profits. It has been found that audience which is less aware is
less likely to question the claims and accept the message uncritically. Using celebrities with mass
following and appeal in such cases has profound impact on consumer choices.
Brand endorsers exert a strong influence on their fan base. This is why celebrities venerated by masses
are expected to exercise judgment when endorsing products, especially those which directly impact
health, like drinks, noodles, chips, that do more harm than good.
Given the power and influence they exercise over the mind of the consumer, particularly impressionable
children, celebrities cannot shrug off the duty of care to consumers. There exists a duty to care because
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the endorser knows that the product will be purchased on the strength of their popularity, goodwill and
reputation.
Certainly the decisions by celebrities are expected to be reasonably rational and misrepresentation of
facts or safety certificates by the brand cannot be held up to the ambassador.
However, they cannot be expected to question the claims as an expert, but commonsensical knowledge,
given the resources at their disposal is expected. Also, they cannot be held liable for excessive consumer
behaviour, in say, buying cold-drinks. Even exaggeration can be fine, but it cannot be stretched to
blatant untruth. It is one thing to say a product tastes excellent, but quite another to say that it makes
healthy breakfast.
They cannot be held legally responsible, unless it is proved (and which is highly unlikely) that they were
privy to misrepresentation of facts/nutritional benefits. But they are certainly morally responsible if they
mislead the vast multitudes.
Q.11 What is the role of emotions in decision making? Does a civil servant need to have emotions whiletaking a decision ? (12.5 marks)
Ans.
Define what emotions are
It is a strong feeling deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.
Emotions are reactions consisting of subjective cognitive states, physiological reactions and expressive
behaviors as a response to an external event. Emotions are the energizer of motivation and give direction
to our decision making and behavior. Thus, the understanding and manipulation of own emotions become
important for a public servant who constantly faces events that may invoke strong emotions inside him/
her.
Their role in decision making
Emotions impact our cognition. When in positive affect a person is likely to interpret an ambiguous
situation positively while negatively otherwise. A positive affect encourages us to adopt a flexible, fluid
style of thinking and boosts creativity. Negative affect on the other hand leads us to engage in more
systematic and careful processing with narrowed down limits. Positive emotions also lead us to adopt
more cooperative and participative strategies in social settings.
Discuss about weberian model of bureaucracy
He lauded impersonality and dehumanization as the ‘special virtues’ of bureaucracy because they
would remove the danger of ‘irrational’ behavior by “individual bureaucrats and the organization as a
whole” These facts have a direct implication for the public servant operating in a social setting. Public
servants have to operate in dynamic setting where they need to opt fluid and flexible style of thinking.
(15)
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In a participative democracy like India, participation and cooperation of citizens and stakeholders is
imperative for effective policy making, implementation, and review. Thus, a positive emotional state
will assist effective discharge of service.
Emotions like empathy, sympathy, joy of serving etc are cogent with effective decision making. Thus,
it is not the emotions in general that inhibit the effective decision making, but negative emotions like
frustration, dissatisfaction, sadness, anger etc that hamper the decision making.
Hence, it is important that public servant must possess emotional intelligence so as to understand their
as well as other emotions. Further, an understanding of the origin of emotion is very important as it
prevents attributional error and excitation transfer to decisions. The awareness about why one is
feeling sad or angry helps in preventing its negative impact on though process and dissipation of the
same.
Thus, emotions can be capitalized as a useful tool in rational decision making by public servants.
Q.12 What do you understand by Impartiality and non-partisanship in public administration? Why is itnecessary? What steps can be taken to ensure these values in administration ? (12.5 marks)
Ans. Definitions
Impartiality – means that regardless of a public servant’s personal beliefs and preferences, and personal
relationships with others he/she must impartially serve the government of the day and treat members of
the public and other public servants fairly and impartially. It implies tolerance and restraint, particularly in
dealing with political or religious convictions.
It lies at the heart of pulic service and is the core of the commitments of a public servant. A pulic servant
must not act on the basis of nationality/race/caste/religion.
Public Impartiality -
Political Impartiality -
Non-partisanship in public administration means not to side with any political group. It ensures a neutral
approach in politics and a solid commitment to the govetrnment. For a public servant, rule of law should
guide his conduct irrespective of his personal preferences. Use of discretionary powers should be guided
by ethical guidelines implicit in the constitution like fundamental duty and directive principles of state
policy.
This helps retain the trust of the public and the political bosses
Steps that can be taken to ensure these values –
Maintaining contact with industrialist, builders, NGOs, politicians etc. only at the professional level via
meetings, conferences etc. and not at the personal level.
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Ensuring transparency via a website for my department where all decisions and reasons for taking the
decision will be uploaded real time.
Ensuring accountability by assigning time bound tasks to officers and monitoring the progress.
Citizens participation via 24×7 helpline and regular meetings with civil society.
Creating a citizen’s charter which will be derived from the ethics implicit in the constitution and which
will serve as guideline in cases where the law is ambiguous. This will help my department in successfully
navigating the “grey areas”.
Thus by leading by example, laying guidelines for the exercise of discretionary powers and by promoting
transparency, accountability and citizen’s participation it can be ensured impartiality and non-partisanship
in administration.
Q.13 Some educated people join extremist and terrorist organizations and fight against legitimategovernments?What could be the reasons? What values do they lack? Critically comment.
(12.5 marks)
Ans.
Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. – Aristotle
Gandhiji’s seven social sins – Knowlegde without character
Terrorism – The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political
aims.
Reasons :
Feeling of alienation in the land, when government doesn’t address their grievances. Like many Minorities
in UK, France and US joined IS because they felt that government doesn’t care for them and discourages
them in all aspects.
Many youths feel thrill to join, kill, use heavy weapon like video games. They feel it as a way to live an
extreme life than usual boring life.
Due to social media and active campaigning of these extreme groups, these people are exposed to
these ideas at very vulnerable ages and the tragedy is there is no similar counter ideological campaign
either online or offline to provide them an alternative narrative and they fall prey to these ideas.
Absence of Safety Outlets: This further leads to alienation as these youths are not able to express their
frustration and anger thus leading to search for alternative means for fulfilling their goals. For e.g. the
State not responding to the needs of the Youths, unemployment etc.
There are many different reasons why people believe that terrorism is wrong, for example, because of the
indiscriminate use of violence, its disproportional character, the instrumentalization of fear, etc.
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The lack values like :
Basic values of love and humanism.
Kindness, brotherhood and compassion.
Patience : they believe in immediate gratification of their emotions
Morality of right and wrong
They fail to realize that use of violence will never lead to a just society as Gandhi Ji often said that “Noble
Goals can be achieved only through Noble Means”. They also fail to realize the essence of values of
brotherhood and equality that all people are same. Thus, a cause which is achieved by killing by innocent
people can never bring justice to another group/community.
We need to secure our educated people by:
Making sure that every community representation is there in governance, administration and other civil
societies. All their grievances need to be addressed as per the constitution.
Promote the feeling of oneness and unity.
Catch the youths by strict online surveillance who shows leaning toward subscription of extremist
ideas.
Q.14 It is argued that is that spiritual awareness is innate and that it is an important component inhuman development. What do you understand by spirituality? How will it help in humandevelopment? Examine. (12.5 marks)
Ans. Spirituality is a concept dealing with aspects of principles, purpose and meaning of Life.
Spirituality involves facing the other as we face ourselves. The exerience of facing other reveals the
deep longing anf yearning to be in unity with ourselves.
To lead a disciplined and meaningful life spiritual awareness is necessary. Spiritual Education is to
Mind what Physical education is to body. For grooming a mind along the lines of morality and ethics it
will help. It will teach about purpose of life i.e. what one has to do in life so that eternal happiness is
achieved. It teaches about service to mankind, humility, and attitude towards fellow beings, being
down to earth and on how to live an austere life. In a way all these are necessary for a meaningful life
as in one or the other situation when humans face difficulties along the life it is these qualities that can
come to one’s rescue.
Spirituality will help in making a person a real human being who is not attached to material things and
respecting the every person irrespective of the rich or poor economic status. All the riches can be
shattered by a simple natural disaster but that resilience to recover from the ruins will be provided by
the Spiritual awareness. The mental strength to endure difficulties or suffering, moral values, ability to
live a dignified life, respecting people with equality, humility etc. all can be imbibed through spirituality
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and one can become a master of self-i.e. knowing self is possible which is a must before knowing the
world. Human development is inevitable when one is aware of self and the world and Spirituality
becomes a catalyst in such a process.
Spirituality plays a key role in the development of ethical leaders. Spirituality demands that leaders
cultivate and nourish a sense of self that recognizes the interrelatedness of the life.
It leads to Harmony between mind, body and soul.
Q.15 Explain the need to strengthen ethical and moral values in governance? What are the ways toensure this? (12.5 marks)
Ans. Ethics is an effort to direct human conduct and it helps individual in leading good life by applying moral
principles.
In present scenario, ethics in governance are attracting attention of researchers, people who talk of good
governance. The spread of democracy in various countries of the world has highlighted the issue of ethics
in governance.
In prehistoric time of India, good governance was conceptualized as Ram Rajya. Kautilya in his magnum
opus (Arthashastra) urged the rulers to be compassionate to their subjects.
The important duty of governance is to effectively and impartially implement what is called the social
contract. Hence, it demands a highly competent, well informed administration. It envisages the government
institutions to become innovative, participatory and have a good deal of sound policy formulation, open-
mindedness, and distinct citizen orientation.
The ethical and moral values are a part of personality. These values are formed in the individual through
the influence of his or her family, school, friends and the society. It can also be imbibed through proper
guidance and motivation by the institution, strictly enforced through the code of conduct. The accountability
and transparency in governance will help to achieve the values.
There are numerous ways to strengthen the moral values in governance.
Principle of Selflessness : Officers of public offices should take decision solely in terms of public
interest. They should not do anything to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family
or their friends.
High Integrity : Holders of public life should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation
to outside individuals or organizations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
Objectivity : In conducting public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts,
or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices only
on merit.
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Accountability : Owners of public offices should be as open as possible on all the decisions and actions
that they take. They should record reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the
wider public interests clearly demand.
Honesty : Holders of public offices have a duty to declare any private interest relating to their public
duties and to take steps to resolve conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interests.
Leadership : Holders of public offices should promote and support these principles by way of leadership
and examples.
Sense of belongingness with the Public : In order to implement ethics in governance, the elected
representative like village Panchayat members, Block Samiti members, ZillaParished members, Elected
members to the local bodies, MLA’s and MPs should develop a sense of belongingness with voters of
their constituencies; and listen and redress their grievances by visiting them periodically . There should not
be any communication gap between the two.
Responsible and Responsive Civil Servants : Each Ministry is headed by a senior level bureaucrat
who is a link between the public and the government. These high level officers should give proper feed-
back on the problems faced by the public to the concerned Minister and suggest the feasible measure
which can be taken to solve the problem within the ambit of law. If possible they can also suggest to
amend the law to address the problem properly.
Friendly relation with people : If there are cordial relations between the government and the people at
different levels, then governance will transform into good governance. People will feel that they are part of
the administration, and they shall better understand the position of the government if any of their critical
demand is not met with, due to any technical reason.
Q.16.Groping and sexual assault are becoming big problems for women who use buses especially duringpeak hours when buses are overcrowded. What priority policy measures can you formulate regardingthe public transport to address the issue? (12.5 marks)
Ans. As Swami Vivekananda rightly said that “A nation which doesn’t respect women will never become
great…..”. Therefore, in pursuit of making India a great nation, every citizen should work towards giving
women their much deserved status.
The growing incidents of physical assault on women paint a clear picture of the role of society in suppressing
the most vulnerable and helpless sections i.e. girl child and women.
The incidents has more to do with an established set of negative attitudes held by majority percentage of
people in the society than the failure of government in addressing the issue in the most effective way.
Although changing the mind-set of each and every individual of the society by government regulation
seems unviable, such incidents can be reduced to a greater extent at public places of interest with effective
policies.
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Increase in countless cases of violence against women that infringe upon the rights of women, especially
in overcrowded spaces and public transport buses and trains, demands for immediate priority policy
measures.
The below measures can reasonably be good in making a policy effective –
At structural level –
• Rigorous policing at the public places by constituting separate teams for women safety. Eg: ‘SheTeams‘
launched by Telangana government.
• Increasing the policing at selected places for certain duration of time in a day. Eg: After the suspension
of office/college hours for women employees and students in the evening.
• Launching separate ‘women only’ transport systems.
• Recruiting the women drivers and conductors by providing them fair compensation and benefits.
• Formulation of the strategy for ‘quick response teams’ by use of technology
• Providing a ‘helpline number’ or 24*7 support.
• Making mandatory for the organisations, colleges, schools etc to conduct the self-defence training
classes for their women employees and students.
• Improvement in getting reliable & meaningful data of violence against women to prioritize areas of
concern.
• If a bus station is well-lit, but the walk to the station or the parking lot is dangerous or intimidating,
people, not just women, won’t use the service. Interventions to improve public infrastructure can
contribute to reducing violence against women.
• Introduction of new technologies like CCTVs, GPS facilities, panic button, etc. improve safety by
helping women, in particular, to feel more secure.
• Separate and equal transport facilities or space in public transport will ensure women empowerment
and their safe ridership.
• Promoting job opportunities for women in bus operations like female driver, conductor, etc.
• Focusing on safety, security and access in transportation is also a must. Policies should be creative,
incorporating environmental design, policing and security.
Attitudinal change -
• Encouraging communications media such as pamphlets, radio, television, and theatre serve to educate
and promote change, as they can reach large audiences.
• Public education on gender awareness and outreach strategies is also necessary in region with persistent
rates of assault.
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Although no single intervention will eliminate violence against women, a combination of infrastructure, legal,
judicial, enforcement, education, health, and other service-related actions can significantly reduce such violence
and improve its negative consequences
.Q.17. Do you feel that capital punishment is ethical? Should we abolish it? Also examine opinion ofthe Supreme Court of India regarding death sentences. (12.5 marks)
Ans.
Capital punishment is the strictest punishment prescribed in law books and the whole idea is to serve
justice to the aggrieved and deter potential criminals from committing the same crime by setting a precedent.
Death penalty was widely used in medieval time at the whims of the ruler and also during colonial times to
suppress nationalism.
Human life is sacrosanct. Once lost it can’t be recovered. Hence it receive utmost importance leading to
the rejection of the idea of capital punishment. But, the question arises here is, “Is the life of the person,
who does not consider others life as sacrosanct, be given any importance”.
Two values are involved :
(1) Individuals life – human value – right of human to take life of other human
(2) Utilitarian value i.e. welfare of society at the cost of one life
Arguments against the capital punishment
No evidence exists to prove that death penalty deters crime rate. Rather if death penalty is prescribed
for cases like rape, the perpetrator will then have a reason to murder the victim.
Death penalty was used in earlier times for varying reasons. Such outdated and barbaric methods
have no place in modern civilized society.
It puts retribution first and rehabilitation and reformation second. There is no sinner without a future
just as there is no saint without a past. Also inordinate delays in possible Presidential pardons are
violation of rights of the convict and cause much mental agony to the convict and relatives.
The global trend is also to end capital punishment. As two wrongs don’t make a right.
No man should have the right to take anyone’s life. Moreover, capital punishment once done cannot
bring back the gone, even if the convict is found to be not guilty at a later stage.
Arguments in favour of capital punishment
Capital punishment is often defended on the grounds that society has a moral obligation to protect the
safety and welfare of its citizens. Murderers threaten this safety and welfare. Only by putting murderers
to death can society ensure that convicted killers do not kill again.
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Society should support those practices that will bring about the greatest balance of good over evil, and
capital punishment is one such practice. Capital punishment benefits society because it may deter
violent crime.
Justice demands that those convicted of heinous crimes of murder be sentenced to death. Justice is
essentially a matter of ensuring that everyone is treated equally. It is unjust when a criminal deliberately
and wrongly inflicts greater losses on others than he or she has to bear. If the losses society imposes on
criminals are less than those the criminals imposed on their innocent victims, society would be favoring
criminals, allowing them to get away with bearing fewer costs than their victims had to bear. Justice
requires that society impose on criminals losses equal to those they imposed on innocent persons. By
inflicting death on those who deliberately inflict death on other
If . . . he has committed a murder, he must die. In this case, there is no substitute that will satisfy the
requirements of legal justice. There is no sameness of kind between death and remaining alive even under
the most miserable conditions, and consequently there is no equality between the crime and the retribution
unless the criminal is judicially condemned and put to death.—Immanuel Kant
The discriminatory application of the death penalty is the possibility of mistaken conviction and its ghastly
consequences. In a sense, any punishment wrongfully imposed is irrevocable, but none is as irrevocable
as death.
So, Capital Punishment is justified only in the case of a fair retribution for a ravage crime committed.
Supreme Court’s Precedent since 1980s:
According to the court, murderer who murders of people from vulnerable social groups should be
considered for capital punishment.
Multiple murders – where many members of a family or group are killed – also merit the death penalty.
Decision should be based on context. No cut and dry prescription. In general, taking someone’s life is
against human values and moral conscience of rational society.
But, capital punishment can be considered
(1) If individual is without remorse and there is no scope of improvement in his conduct in future
(2) Crime is committed with planning and in cold blood knowing fully the consequences
(3) Crime crosses all limits of rationality and blurs difference between humans and animals
Also, Instead, we can opt for life imprisonment with mid-term appeal system and different jail system for
life imprisonment convicts with in-house vocational work for them with extra tight security. Also, all
money raised by their work should go to victim rehabilitation or society.
(23)
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Q.18.“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” – Mahatma Gandhiji. Do youthink the meaning and message of this famous quote by Gandhiji is relevant today? Comment.
(12.5 marks)
Ans. His statement “An eye for an eye only ends up making whole world blind” is still very relevant today. The
statement points to destructive attitude of answering violence by violence and argument by argument
without considering mediation and peace talk.
Gandhiji’s famous quote cited in the question is one of the foundational guiding principles, which holds its
relevance to time eternal. Though the context, space and time may vary, but the underline meaning remains
the same, which can be applied in different ways but centred on a single theme Non-violence.
Gandhi’s advocacy for Non-violence and his belief of ultimate prevalence of truth, are two dominating
force behind the idea. His belief of not to hate the criminal, but the crime, liberated India from the mighty
colonial power, has the potential to deal with several enemies, the Humanity presently is faced with.
In current geo-political scenario of nuclear weapon era when every nation is in race to acquire nuclear
weapon to flex muscle rather than focussing in nation’s poverty and political misery shows clear-cut
application of this statement where none of the nation is going to use nuclear weapon but just for their ego
and nuclear deterrence policy they want to possess.
Similarly in social scenario, rising number of crimes, violence, terrorist attack illustrates same philosophy
where in 2 parties, shia-sunni, religious extremists fights each other an unending and inconclusive war.
In Economic scenario, companies these days take path of destructive competitions like buying customers,
buying all other companies, providing free services and it becomes economic war between firms to
shame and malign each other’s reputation.
The large looming gloomy clouds of climate change, terrorism, poverty and many such similar problems
can be dealt with different approach guided by the quote. For example to deal with the climate change,
we need to fight with the source of climate change, change our living habit, have a balance between
materialism and spirituality and above all live with the nature in harmony. Thus the fight is with the problem.
Similarly instead of fighting with terrorists, we need to fight with the very origin of terrorism which is
poverty, twisted interpretation of religion and negligence. Though a situation may arise where lives of
many people is at stake, like in terrorists’ hostage case and be dealt with use of force, but beside such
exceptional situation, the quote is time tested instrument of action.
Hence, this statement is very much relevant today in all spheres of governance and business too.
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Q.19. Explain What do you understand by Freedom? Provide Aung san Suu Kyi’s views about freedomand fearlessness. (12.5 marks)
Ans.
Freedom is said to exist when external constraints onthe individual are absent. In terms of this definition
an individual could be considered free if he/she is not subject to external controls or coercion and is able
to make independent decisions and act in an autonomous way.
• However, absence of constraints is only one dimension of freedom. Freedom is also about expanding the
abilityof people to freely express themselves and develop their potential. Freedom in this sense is the
condition in which people can develop their creativity andcapabilities.
• But no individual living in society can hope to enjoy total absence of any kind of constraints or restrictions.
It becomes necessary then to determine which social constraints are justified and which are not, which
are acceptable and which should be removed.
• To be free individually means to reduce or minimise social constraints that limit our ability to make choices
freely. However, this is only one aspect of freedom. To put it in another way, freedom also has a positive
dimension.
• To be free a society must widen the area in which individuals, groups, communities or nations, will be able
to charter their own destiny and be what they wish to be. Freedom, in this sense, allows the full development
of the individual’s creativity, sensibilities and capabilities: be it in sports, science, art, music or exploration.
A free society is one that enables one to pursue one’s interests with a minimum of constraints.
• Freedom is considered valuable because it allows us to make choices and to exercise our judgement. It
permits the exercise of the individual’s powers of reason and judgement.
Aung San Suu Kyi – Freedom from Fear
“The wellspring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power is generally a firm belief in the
sanctity of ethical principles combined with a historical sense that despite all setbacks the condition of
man is set on an ultimate course for both spiritual and material advancement.”
She remained under house arrest in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi sees her freedom as connected to the
freedom of her people.
“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the
scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”
• Bhaya-gati, - fear, stifle and slowly destroy all sense of right and wrong,
• According to her “We must not be afraid of the opinions of other people, or of the attitude of
authority, or of the reactions of the members of our community to the things we want to do, of the
(25)
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ridicule of our peers, or of speaking our mind. Yet we find that we often exhibit such fear. For Aung
San Suu Kyi living a ‘dignified human life’ requires us to be able to overcome such fear.
• Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour,
courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one’s actions, courage that
could be described as ‘grace under pressure’ – grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of
harsh, unremitting pressure.
Q.20 Being a diverse country we now and then witnesses communal tensions. Elucidate the factor thatbreed harmony between different communities divided on the lines of religion and castes? As anadministrator, how will you help different communities to live in peace and harmony?
(12.5 marks)
Ans.
Diversity” indicates that every religious / caste based group has a stable identity related to its own
ethnicity, as well as its important cultural traits, and that this identity is fully respected. What is embodied
by “harmony” are the feelings of cultural tolerance and cultural sharing, which include different faith
systems and cultural traditions, and peacefully coexisting in the same social space.
“Harmony in diversity” is a form of practical rationality in which the four dimensions of noumenal
historical fact, ideology, behaviour and the ideal realm form an integral whole. It also proves that in a
multi-ethnic culture “harmony creates new substances, while sameness causes decay.”
Though there are many instances where there have been disruptions in the harmony, Maintaining
peace and harmony in a multi-religious and multi-lingual society like India becomes an important
administrative responsibility. The factors that breed harmony lie both in history as well as have to be
part of conscious government strategy to maintain tranquility and an atmosphere of tolerance.
Nationalism : as feeling of adherence to nation’s ideals helps citizens rise over differences. Recounting
a common glorious past, rich history of syncretic traditions and tolerance that has withstood all attempts
to divide the society can be highlighted. Eg. The famed Ganga-Jamunitehzeeb in UP
Humanity, respect for human life and liberty has been the defining feature of the modern State. In riot
cases also, people have often sheltered the persecuted class from the perpetrators. Such acts of
benevolence should be highlighted
An ideal Constitution that houses equality and abhors discrimination in any form, intends to promote
the interest of vulnerable sections. Successive governments have instituted schemes for minorities so
that they can be mainstreamed from the fringes.
An impartial administration, above all, which all sections especially minorities can bank upon is a
must. Faith in justice delivery system can prevent disgruntled sections from taking law unto their hands
and prevent any politicisation of issues that have in past escalated quickly.
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UPSC Mains Mission - 2019
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Weekly GS Mains Test (Model Answers)
A Muslim-girl winning the BhagvadGeeta competition in Mumbai are some of the heartening events
that exhibit that humanity is the ultimate religion .
Efforts should be taken To form a structure characterised by “harmony in diversity,” “seeking common
ground while reserving differences,” and “pluralistic integration” in which “everybody goes in the same
direction in different ways, and everybody thinks as one,” where they “are unified but maintaining their
differences, and are consistent with each other despite these differences,” and “use different means to
obtain the same result.”
As an administrator, I will:
Promote a permanent inter-faith dialogue where the current issues plaguing the society can be discussed
Ensure the government schemes bring about equitable development, without discrimination in education,
health and other social sectors
Enhancing involvement of other communities in festivals of another community could benefit the cause
of a secular society
During crisis situation, prevent the escalation, involve religious elders for quick resolution of any dispute,
bringing disputing factions to the table
Arrange for security of sensitive buildings like temples, mosques, churches, etc that may be prone to
miscreants
Display my impartiality to gain the confidence of citizens