CASE STUDY

I. INTRODUCTION:

The duties of the Travelling/ Ticket Ticket examiner (TTE) is be in possession

of complete details of reservations made in the coach and make all occupation
details in the reservation chart along with number of vacant berths/seats. Second, to
check the travel authority of the passengers in the coach, guide them to their
berths/seats and also prevent unauthorized persons traveling in the coach. Third, to
realize fare and any other charges due from the passenger and give receipt for the
same. Fourth, allot accommodations which are vacant to passengers on demand at
intermediate stations on realization of fare, surcharge, reservation charges as per
rules on first come first serve basis or according to the priority in the waiting list. Fifth,
pay prompt attention to all complaints from passengers in regard to non-working of
lights, fans, tap etc., and take remedial action to get them rectified. Ensure
cleanliness in the coach and also ensure the doors of the coaches are kept closed
while on run. Sixth, always be polite, tactful and courteous in assisting passengers,
leaving no room for complaint. And lastly, wake up passengers to alight as requested.

So, the TTE must be responsible to act the said duties during the travel hour.
As a responsible citizen with empathy towards others as TTE and a concerned
citizen, what would you do to help others if encountered an unavoidable
circumstances in a train during the travel? How will you resolve the issue?

II. FACTS OF THE CASE

A. Personae
 The TTE who is abusive
 The Old Woman who is sick
 The Little Child
 You as passenger who desperately in need a rest and sleep

B. Setting
 FOREIGN SETTING (probably in India)
--> on a train, on sleeper class seat

C. Facts to Consider
 You have a reserved sleeper coach seat.
 You are tired and need sleep desperately.
 You are a moral person with empathy.
 You are a responsible citizen.
 The compartment is full.
 There is an old women, who is sick and has a small child with her who is drowsy.
 TTE is abusive and not kind.

D. Summary
You are travelling in a train in sleeper class at night. You have not slept
properly for three days because of some hectic tiresome personal work. You are
desperately in need of some good sleep. At around 10 pm an old woman and a small
girl child with lots of luggage gets into the car you are in. They have general ticket
but don’t possess reserved tickets. Someone had advised them that if any seats are
vacant, Ticket Ticket Examiner( TTE) would accommodate them. Unfortunately no
seat is vacant. You are falling asleep and the old woman and child are standing next
to your cabin awaiting anxiously the arrival of TTE. It appears that the old woman is
sick and they are traveling to some distant place on an urgent notice. This TTE is not
a kind man and as soon as he comes to know that these two are travelling without a
valid ticket, he starts abusing them badly. He asks the woman and child to pay hefty
fine and sleep on the floor near toilet or wait near the door till next station arrived
which is two hours away and get into general car — which is far away from the
sleeper class for these two to run and get into. Their ardent requests are met with
constant abuses. TTE even doesn’t care when the small girl starts crying as she is
very sleepy. TTE states clearly that he is not willing to accommodate them with
anyone in the sleeper class as it’s against rules. You lost your sleep and heard the
diatribe of TTE against these hapless woman and child. Inside the train it’s very cold.

E. Definition of Terms
 TTE- Travelling Ticket Examiner, the one who is responsible in checking the
travel authority of the passengers in the coach.
 Sleeper Class - is the most common coach on the Indian Railways, and usually
ten or more coaches of SL could be attached to a train rake.
 Desperately - in a way that involves despair, extreme measures, or rashness.
 Berth - a fixed bed or bunk on a ship, train, or other means of transport.
 Luggage - suitcases for a traveler’s belongings
 Hectic - full of incessant or frantic activity
 Tiresome - causing one to feel bored or annoyed.
 General Ticket - It's for unreserved seats. Means one can travel
in general compartment with general ticket from Delhi to Mumbai, but he can't
get into the sleeper or ac coaches.
 Cabin - a private room on a ship or boat or a train.
 Ardent - characterized by warmth of feeling typically expressed in
eager zealous support or activity.
 Hefty - quite heavy
 Diatribe - a bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing
 Hapless - having no luck

III. ETHICAL ISSUE

Personal duty vs Social duty
Personal duty --> not to help the old woman and her child so that I can sleep and
rest comfortably.
Social duty --> to help them to talk to the TTE in able to have a comfortable seats
for them.

As a responsible citizen with empathy towards others, what would you do to

help the old woman and child? How will you resolve the issue?

IV. ANALYSIS:
Option A: I will sleep and have my rest because I am desperately tired
 I will grab the opportunity to sleep well
 I will will rest because it is my privilege as I pay my ticket
 I will disregard the old woman and child who doesn’t have seats

Option B: I will help the old woman and the child to get a vacant seat for them
 I will politely ask TTE about the issue and try to calm him.
 As he is legally right in asking penalty, and women does not look to have enough
money, I should offer to pay their fine.
 I will try to convince TTE that as women of her age is like a mother to us. And it
can happen to anybody's mother/family given a situation.
 I will try to arouse empathy in him.
 I will offer my seat to them because the old woman need a comfortable place to
sleep because she is sick and near that seat I can use my newspaper to cover
the floor and sleep on it. Anyway what else I would have wanted more than
peace and a small space to get a sound sleep!

V. RESOLUTION:
As a group, we decided to help the old and sick woman together with her child
by giving comfort seats they need during the travel.

VI. SUBSTANTIATION:
In this case, we can apply the Kant Theory of Deontology. Deontology is an
ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong. Deontology is often
associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant believed that ethical actions
follow universal moral laws, such as “Don't lie. Don’t steal. Don’t cheat.
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.
So, to be morally good person and a person with a good moral character, we
must follow the rules in our society (incl. Workplace) with good motives and must
also consider other people in our surroundings.

VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?fontColor=black&backgroundCol
or=LIGHTSTEELBLUE&lang=0&id=0,2,406,453,570,1239

2. https://www.insightsonindia.com/2013/10/09/ethics-case-study-
13/?fbclid=IwAR2ttHawZW8Tsbqe2alGpyQ5dvuSt-BpFy_Irru-uTDQrH9u0k-
21Ayuhb0

3. https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-general-ticket-in-Indian-Railways

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berth_(moorings)

5. https://www.merriam-webster.com

6. https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/deontology