MGP 2024 Cohort 7 Sectional Test 10 Sol

MGP 2024
Test Code : 714201
Solution
Instruction to Students
Answers provided in this booklet exceed the word limit so as to also act as source of
good notes on the topic.
Candidates must focus on the keywords mentioned in the answers and build
answers around them. Elaborate answers are given with the purpose that candidates
understand the topic better.
We have also adopted a grey box approach to provide context wherever necessary,
which is not to be considered a part of the answer.
For any feedback, please write to us at helpdesk@forumias.academy
Forum Learning Centre: Delhi - 2nd Floor, IAPL House, 19 Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 | Patna - 2nd floor, AG Palace, E Boring Canal
Road, Patna, Bihar 800001 | Hyderabad - 1st & 2nd Floor, SM Plaza, RTC X Rd, Indira Park Road, Jawahar Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500020
9311740400, 9311740900 | https://academy.forumias.com | admissions@forumias.academy | helpdesk@forumias.academy
Page 1 of 26
Section A
Q.1 a) “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart.” Do you think there are
certain universal qualities that define a ‘good person’? Illustrate with suitable examples.
Approach: Start the answer with your understanding of a good person. In the first part of the body, list
some universal qualities of ‘a good person’. Next, list the changing standards of a good person with
changing place, time, and role. Conclude with the need to imbibe universal qualities and willingness to
adapt to changes.
There is no single definition of a ‘good person.’ Generally, a good person is one who is preferred by
every society in any civilization. Few common traits of a good person which are universally desired
are as follows:
1. Integrity: It is the quality of being upright in all situations even when no-one is watching. E.g.
– Mahatama Gandhi used integrity as a method of spiritual, social, and political activism to
counter the brute colonial force with moral force.
2. Compassion: It is to strive to work for alleviating the problems of the weak and vulnerable. E.g.,
Mother Teresa’s work for leprosy patients.
3. Objectivity: A person taking decisions based on facts and evidence and not subjective
interpretations makes for inquisitive, unbiased, and effective leaders. E.g., Swami
Vivekananda.
4. Dedication and devotion: Dedication gives vigour to act against odds and devotion gives faith
that goal will be achieved even if it takes time. Nelson Mandela and Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar lives are emulative examples.
5. Courage: It entails taking stand on issues, fighting for the right and not let external powers or
fear control one’s actions or thoughts. E.g., S. Manjunath laid his life but did not wither in the
fight against corruption.
Apart from the universally accepted traits of a good person, certain desirable traits that vary across
place, time, and roles, such as:
1. Place: People at different places or in distinct cultures have divergent preferences. E.g.,
individualistic, and family-oriented norms in the west and the east respectively.
2. Time:
a) With change in time, social needs, and ways of thinking change. E.g., gender norms in
the post-globalisation world entail gender equality vs patriarchal norms in pre-
industrial societies.
b) Standard of good qualities change with circumstances. E.g., dutifulness may be
required during war, but accountability and scrutiny in peace time.
3. Role:
a) Different roles in life require different traits, e.g., role as son vs father.
b) Certain professions require specific values and attitudes. E.g., a good civil servant
needs to have political neutrality while the same is not desired or undesirable from a
common citizen, who should be politically conscious.
So, depending upon society to society and time to time, the qualities of what constitutes a ‘good person’
keeps changing. But one should always strive to imbibe the universal qualities of being a good person
and be willing to adapt to changes required by changing place, time, and role. (402 words)
Page 2 of 26
b) “Human behaviour flows from three main sources: desire, emotions, and knowledge.” Discuss.
Approach: Introduce the answer by defining human behaviour. In the body of the answer, discuss how
desire, emotions, and knowledge influence human behaviour. Give suitable examples where needed.
Conclude the answer by highlighting the importance of wisdom and emotional intelligence in channeling
one’s desire, emotions, and knowledge.
Human behavior can be defined as the way in which humans act and interact with each other. Human
behaviour is guided by many factors. According to me, in the above quotation, Plato is highlighting the
three important/primary sources that guide human behaviour viz. desire, emotions, and knowledge.
Even though human behaviour changes with time, circumstances, and place, the primary factors of
desires, emotions, and knowledge nevertheless inform the conduct of human beings. The role of
desire in influencing human behaviour can be seen from:
1. Desires can be understood as propositional attitudes towards a favourable outcome. E.g.,
desire of a sportsman to win a match against his/her opponent; desire of a student to perform
well in his/her exams.
2. Desire shapes human behaviour by motivating them towards realising the object/objective
of desire. E.g., preference for discipline in a sportsman in order to attain desired physical
fitness to win a competition.
3. The element of desire is often used/manipulated to induce a preferred behaviour in humans.
E.g., advertising/marketing companies stimulate desire in consumers for a particular product.
4. Desire adds an element of romanticism in human behaviour. E.g., desire to change the world
as per our own values/beliefs.
5. Desire, when left uncontrolled/unchecked, often becomes a cause of sorrow (Buddhist
theory). It can inculcate negative behavioural attributes in human beings like envious
behaviour, desire to control others etc.
Emotions influence/shape human behaviour in the following manner:

1. Emotion can be defined as a mental state brought on by neurophysiological changes.
2. Emotions guide human behaviour by shaping the conduct of an individual towards a particular
object. E.g., fear of dogs may lead a person to avoid them.
3. Emotions inform human behaviour to act differently in different situations. E.g., emotion of
love/compassion at home; dedication at workplace.
4. Emotions often are the foundation of human reactions. E.g., emotion of surprise on meeting
a friend at an unexpected place.
5. Emotional intelligence in humans allows them to be in control of their emotions and to
project ideal behaviour.
Knowledge guides human behaviour in the following manner:

1. Knowledge can be broadly defined as the awareness of facts, possession of practical skills,
familiarity with objects or situations etc., gained through learning or experience.
2. Knowledge influences human behaviour by making it more reasoned and accordingly
restrained as per the given situations. E.g., a knowledgeable person will be reasonable with all.
3. Knowledge influences human behaviour by imparting the element of prudence. E.g., a
knowledgeable person is more likely to practice financial prudence.
4. Knowledge imparts civic virtues, influencing human behaviour. E.g., an educated person is
likely to maintain basic standards of personal hygiene.
Page 3 of 26
Wisdom and emotional intelligence are seminal to channel our desires, knowledge, and emotions for
projecting an ideal human behaviour. (458 words)
Q.2) a) In the context of ethics and human interface, what do you understand by ethics in private and
public relationships? Do you think public and private ethics are mutually exclusive in their
influence?
Approach: Introduce by defining the private and public ethics. In body list the differences and then discuss
the influence of private ethics on public ethics and public ethics’ influence on private ethics. Conclude by
commenting on their interlinked nature.
Ethics in private relationships deal with private life matters concerning oneself, family and friends
while ethics in public relationships are about workplaces, community, society, businesses and the
government
Ethics in private relationship Ethics in public relationship

1. Private ethics are grounded in 1. Public ethics are often formal in nature with
informal relationships and the social, economic and legal implications e.g.
implications are also informal such as Mehul Choksi is facing prosecution due to lack of
familial bonds, friendship etc. public ethics.
2. Private ethics is not generally 2. Public ethics is often desired to be publicly listed
codified such as code of conduct for a sector such as
3. Private ethics is governed by emotions media, or for political parties during elections.
and feelings mostly. 3. Public relationships’ ethics are governed by laws,
4. Private ethics is self-imposed. rules and codes of conduct.
4. Public ethics is externally enforced.
Private ethics affect public relationships’ ethics in following way:

1. Values of private relationships make public relationships more humane such as doctors
facilitating covid19 infected patient’s family to comfort the patient through video calls specially
in their last moments.
2. It makes organizations and governments more sensitive to impact of their activities and
policies on people such as through apology for disruption in electricity supply or on crashing
of server of an Internet-based platform.
Increasingly public ethics have started to inform and affect the rules governing private relationships,
such as:
1. Domestic violence was seen for a long time as a private affair, but over time it has come to be
governed by ethics of public relationships with legal ramifications.
2. Public ethics has positive influence on improving private conduct e.gcorporal punishment for
children is getting increasingly de-legitimized or recently courts have enforced individuals’
responsibilities towards old parents.
3. It highlights and resolves dichotomy in public behavior and private attitude such as
emphasizing on education of girl child but denying her rights on inheritance.
4. When public ethics is in conflict with private values, an assertive private ethics can lead to
boycotts, vigilantism, agitation, communalism etc. Examples include violence as a resistance
to the triple talaq laws, or lynching related to cattle-smugglings.
Page 4 of 26
The ethics governing private and public relationships remain in constant interaction with each other.
And both ethics should be complementary to each other to ensure society’s evolution. Even at
individual levels if they are at conflict with each other it leads to crisis of conscience and a disturbed
personality. Hence, it can be said that public and private ethics are interlinked and inseparable. (427
words)
b) Discuss the role of ethics in education and the role of educational institutions in imparting value-
based education.
Approach: Introduce the answer by defining education. In the next part, discuss the role of ethics in
education. Next, discuss how educational institutions impart ethical values in the individuals. Conclude
by emphasizing on how ethical values can aid in personal and professional endeavours.
Education is an effective tool for all round development of an individual. Inclusion of ethics in the
educational process makes learning more wholesome and enriching. The important role of ethics in
the education can be seen from the following:
1. Application of knowledge: Ethics in education is important to ensure virtuous application of
one’s knowledge. E.g., ethics may motivate law graduates to do free legal counselling for poor
undertrials.
2. Society over self: Ethics in education will enable an individual to value the larger social good
over his/her narrow/illicit personal gains. E.g., ethics will restrain a business professional
from indulging in corrupt practices.
3. Means over end: Ethics in education will exhort individuals towards respecting the purity of
means over the attraction of ends. E.g., ethics will aid a student in refraining from cheating; will
deter people from acquiring college degrees through fraudulent means.
4. Ethics in education can lead to development of a well-rounded personality of an individual.
5. Sensitivity: Ethical values can make learners sensitive towards prevailing social ills, thereby
motivating them to challenge the unjust order. E.g., students protesting to preserve the
Aravallis.
6. Humility: Ethics in education will aid the students in embracing humility as a virtue and to
shun vanity and arrogance.
While ethics in education make the learning process broad-based, educational institutions contribute
towards imparting value-based education in the following ways:
1. Ethics imparted through curriculum: Besides scientific temper, the curriculum is so designed
so as to impart ethical values. E.g., teachings from Hitopadesh, preamble of the Indian
constitution, jataka stories etc., imbibe moral/ethical values like pluralism and tolerance.
2. Observation: At educational institutions students closely observe the behaviour of fellow
students, teachers etc., and they emulate good behaviour in order to gain good values. E.g.,
learning punctuality from teachers.
3. Community work: Community work imparts the essential ethical traits like teamwork,
empathy, care, unity etc., in children. E.g., Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) in
educational curriculum.
4. Discipline: Educational institutions play an important part in teaching the students about the
virtues of discipline. E.g., reaching school on time, completing classwork and homework in the
stipulated time etc.
5. Dialectics: Debates and discussion not only broaden the horizons of children’s thought
process, but also ensure learning of ethical principles through inter-active means.
Page 5 of 26
6. Teaching tools: Audio-visual techniques, use of case studies, project work etc., ensure
effectiveness of ethical learnings. E.g., case studies about social leaders like Mother Teresa.
Education institutions play a significant role in imparting ethical values in an individual aiding them
in their future personal as well as professional endeavours. However, education devoid of ethics may
lead to a lapse in the important function of character building. (445 words)
Q.3 a) "Great ends cannot be attained by base means." In your opinion, what is more important,
adherence to means or to focus on ends?
Approach: Start the answer by mentioning the debate between ends and means in ethical philosophy. In
the body, first discuss justification of valuable ends. Then, discuss reasons for right ends as not a
justification for wrong means. Finally, discuss the merits of right means in ethics. Conclude with means-
based approach as a test of character.
The contest between ends and means is a perennial conflict of moral philosophy. While deontological
approach puts emphasis on right means, teleological school of ethics gives salience to right ends.
Valuable ends are justifiable grounds for actions in following ways:
1. Utilitarian approach: Bentham said that right action is one which ends up serving maximum
people with maximum happiness. E.g., Clinical trials risk the health of volunteers/animals for
the end to save millions of lives.
2. Just Wars justify use of violence. E.g., Gandhiji supported Britain’s war efforts during WW-II as
a fight against fascism.
3. Development: Liberal market policies and globalisation can create short-term pain for
domestic industry, but enable long-term trajectory for high economic growth. E.g., the 1991
liberalisation of India’s economy helped pull millions out of poverty.
But ends cannot justify means due to following reasons:

1. Negative externalities: Domination of ends over means ends up creating negative externalities.
E.g., environmental damage for development of infrastructure.
2. Subjectivity: The question about right ends is subjective. It could vary from person-to-person,
culture-to-culture and time-to-time.
3. Collateral Damage: Dropping of nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki to bring the World
War II to an early end.
4. Fraudulent Ends: USA’s invasion of Iraq to save the world from non-existent Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMDs).
Adherence to means, on the other hand, has following merits:

1. Inclusion: Right approach helps to avoid negative externalities and upholds interest of all
stakeholders. E.g., socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA) of projects.
2. Long-term good: Right means may be time-taking but they promote long-term good. E.g.,
independence by non-violent means helped to usher in a peaceful, democratic system in
India as opposed to autocracies in many decolonised countries.
3. Certitude: Right means provides for surety of action. They save one from cognitive dissonance
and indecision. E.g., as given in Geeta – “dharmo rakshati rakshitah” (if you take care of the
dharma, the dharma will take care of you).
Page 6 of 26
4. Physical & Mental health: Right tools, if adopted, keeps your emotional and physical well-being
intact. E.g., adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid accidents in
industries.
5. Soft Power: Adherence to the right means increases the appeal of a nation in the international
comity of nations. E.g., Nuclear waiver to India from NSG, India’s ‘vaccine diplomacy’ during
Covid-pandemic, etc.
While both ends and means are important considerations in deciding morality of an act, the right means
are the key to ethical conduct. Positive ends can be desired by anyone but true character shows in the
choice of means to achieve an end. As Vivekananda rightly said, liberation is the desired end for every
soul but liberation can be achieved only through right actions. (447 words)
b) Differentiate between:
(i) Self-interest vs selfishness
(ii) Normative ethics and Descriptive ethics
Approach: Contrast the differences in tabular format. Use examples to illustrate the differences.
(i) Self-interest vs selfishness:

Self-Interest Selfishness
1. Self-interest is a concern for one’s own well- 1. Selfishness is being concerned excessively
being e.g., eating proper diet, exercising, about oneself, with exclusion of others, e.g.,
working for one’s physical, material or taking credit for a work to the exclusion of
spiritual growth. your team members, destroying public
2. Having a healthy self-interest doesn’t ecology for private gains.
preclude caring about others, for example 2. Selfishness focuses only on one’s own
being nice to people so that they are nice to advantage, pleasure, or well-being without
you as well. Healthy self-interest is simply regard for others. Selfishness is never
taking care of yourself but not at the healthy. It involves satisfying your needs at
expense of others. the expense of others.
3. Self-interest is necessary for one’s economic 3. Selfishness is the drive behind hoarding
and career success. excessive money, and pursuit of greed.
4. It includes the ability to see win-win 4. Selfish person sees everything as a zero-sum
situations, which will help other people game. It’s a rejection of ‘good will’ or
gains and also help one advance his/her self- reciprocity in social conduct.
interest. 5. Selfish people can be less-self-seeking in a
5. Self-interest helps the person to think about limited environment such as family, but
his own and his family’s well-being. For would bring family’s interests in conflict
example, it enables him to work harder to with the larger society e.g., through
provide basic necessities or fulfil aspirations corruption.
of his family.
(ii) Normative ethics and Descriptive ethics:
Normative Ethics Descriptive Ethics

1. Normative ethics includes the formulation 1. Descriptive ethics describes people’s beliefs
of moral rules about good and bad or right about morality e.g., anthropological studies
about ethical relativism in tribal societies.
Page 7 of 26
and wrong conduct e.g., virtue ethics, 2. It deals with the question: What does a moral
Deontology etc. agent think is right? For example: What are
2. It deals with the question: how should a thoughts of Americans or Indians on issue of
moral agent act? For example: Should I lie? lying?
3. It provides a prescriptive course of action 3. It aids in broader understanding of ethics and
for day-to-day challenges in following cross-cultural social norms.
ethical conduct. 4. It Provides a theoretical background for the
4. It provides a practical guide to live an foundation of ethics.
ethical life.
(396 words)
Q.4) a) What do you understand by political attitude? Enumerate the factors that shape political
attitude.
Approach: Introduce the answer by defining political attitude. In the first part of the body, discuss the
importance/implications of political attitude. In the next part, discuss the factors that shape one’s
political attitude. Conclude by emphasizing the importance of developing positive political attitudes in
individuals.
Political attitude refers to the outlook of an individual group with respect to political persons, events,
institutions, etc.
Political attitude has the following implications:
1. Political attitudes of political leaders steer the political and societal development. E.g.,
socialist attitude of some constitution makers leading to formation of a welfare state in India.
2. Political attitude of the common masses influences the functioning of the government. E.g.,
liberal political attitude in masses will compel governments to cut red tape/bureaucratic
delays.
3. Democratic political attitudes among the masses can enhance the quality of governance. E.g.,
social audits leading to transparency; use of RTI Act to check corruption.
4. Political attitude of people often shapes societal discourse. E.g., communism may lead to
changes in traditional relations between landowners and peasants.
5. Political attitude may also lead to behavioural changes. E.g., reservation of women in PRIs
leading to dilution of patriarchal attitude.
6. Progressive political attitude as a bedrock of social transformations. E.g., secularism leading
to communal harmony.
The factors that shape political attitude are as follows:

1. Family:
a) Political opinion of individuals gets shaped through the process of socialisation among
family members. E.g., Bhagat Singh, a great freedom fighter, was hugely influenced
by the political opinions/beliefs of his uncle, Ajit Singh.
b) The profession of one’s family members influences an individual’s political attitude.
E.g., dynasty politics, where younger generations follow the footsteps of their
predecessors.
2. Society:
a) The prevalence of caste system in the society is a seminal influence in shaping the
political attitude. E.g., political parties field candidates in elections on the basis of
caste calculations.
Page 8 of 26
b) Influence of general materialistic condition of the society. E.g., poverty,

backwardness etc., are conducive for generating socialist political attitudes.
3. Educational institutions play a vital role in shaping political attitudes. E.g., political exposure
through election processes, literature, debates, discussions etc.
4. Politics:
a) Divisive politics is primarily held responsible for communal attitudes in people. E.g.,
public representatives invoking religious considerations, leading to communal riots.
b) Developmental Politics: Political education by elected leaders, political parties, civil
society organisations etc., can inspire liberal political attitudes. E.g., behavioural
changes associated with voting behaviour.
5. Government policies:
a) Coercive and high-handed actions of the government often lead to revolutionary
political attitudes. E.g., the Jallianwala Bagh massacre influenced many revolutionaries.
b) Welfare policies like health subsidies, education subsidies etc., result in appreciation
of socialist political attitudes.
It is imperative upon social institutions like schools, family units, civil society organisations to work
towards building a positive political attitude in individuals and groups alike. (424 words)
b) Differentiate between the following:

(i) Emotions and feelings
(ii) Empathy and Compassion
Approach: In the first part of the answer, differentiate between emotions and feelings. In the second part,
differentiate between empathy and compassion. Use a tabular format in both the parts of the answer to
put the differences in contrast. Appropriate examples should be added to support the points.
(i) Emotions and feelings

Emotions Feelings
1. Emotions are cognitive response, often 1. Feelings are a result of cognitive awareness and
physiological, to external situations. E.g., integration of various emotions. E.g., feeling
emotion of fear on seeing a snake. scared and worried while passing through a
2. Emotions, as a reaction to an external jungle infested with snakes.
stimulus, are involuntary. E.g., 2. Feelings are largely voluntary. Conscious
happiness on the win of one’s favourite interpretation of emotions in light of our own
team previous biases and experiences result in
3. Emotions are sudden, without any feelings. E.g., feeling compassion for someone
thought process attached to them. E.g., we care about.
emotion of surprise on an unannounced 3. Feelings occur as a result of a well-defined
visit of a friend thought process. E.g., feeling financially secure
4. Emotions usually last for a short as a result of sound economic planning.
duration. E.g., emotion of anger due to 4. Feelings, in general, are long lasting, in
frequent load shedding in summer comparison to emotions. E.g., feeling of
months. happiness in the company of one’s family.
Page 9 of 26
(ii) Empathy and Compassion

Empathy Compassion
1. Empathy is referred to as the ability to imagine 1. Compassion involves a reaction to
other’s pain as if it were one’s own pain. E.g., the plight of others. It is followed by
empathy of a person, who has dealt with motivation to help the victim. E.g., a
depression, with someone suffering from police officer feeling compassionate
depression. towards a robbery victim will take
2. The feeling of empathy enables a definite additional steps to nab the culprit.
understanding of the victim’s plight. E.g., An 2. A compassionate person inherently
orphan person can feel the exact pain of a child has a desire to alleviate the
living in the orphanage.
sufferings of others. E.g.,
3. There is a sense of remorse, guilt, regret etc., for Compassion in mother Teresa to
not being able to help the victim. E.g., a rape alleviate the sufferings of
survivor may feel regret for not being able to do downtrodden and poor.
enough to placate the pain of a sexual harassment 3. There is a sense of satisfaction after
victim. being able to help the victim.
4. Empathy is a spontaneous feeling which is often 4. Compassion is a conscious action
beyond our control, and it mergers as an which is built on thoughts,
involuntary emotion. experiences, attitudes etc.
(401 words)
Q.5) a) "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." In what ways does attitude influence
one’s thoughts and behavior?
Approach: Start the answer by defining attitude. In the body of the answer, list positive and negative
ways in which attitude affects one’s thoughts and behavior. Conclude with the role of attitude in
achieving happiness and peace.
An attitude is a cultivated propensity to view the world in

a particular manner and predisposition to behave in a
certain way. This might involve assessments of individuals,
problems, things, or events in positive, negative, or neutral
manner. Attitudes are frequently the product of
experience or upbringing.
Attitude influences one’s thoughts and behavior in the
following ways:
Fig: Shaping of Attitude
Positive Effect Negative Effect

1. Moral force: Mahatma Gandhi’s negative attitude 1. Obstinate and stubborn attitude leads
towards violence, created a strong moral force to clash of interests, which can have
which mobilized masses against the brutal might disastrous consequences. E.g., Jinnah’s
of the colonial government. It helped India refusal to come to terms with Congress
achieve independence and helped lay a solid led to partition riots and the current
foundation for post-colonial India.
tensions between India and Pakistan.
2. Attitude helps build resilience to deal with
2. Racial attitudes result in social
adverse circumstances. E.g., 12 boys and their
radicalization. E.g., racial targeting of
coach were able to survive for days without food
Indians in USA, Canada, UK etc.
Page 10 of 26
in a cave in Thailand because they had a positive 3. Selfish attitude causes one to have few
outlook on life. genuine friends.
3. Conscientiousness: Right attitude is key to good 4. Cynicism leads one to have a passive
work ethic. It promotes the quality of doing one’s view of the world. One ends up ignoring
work diligently. possibilities of good in trying to avoid
4. Attitude helps to uphold traditional practices. the pitfalls of bad experience.
E.g., touching the feet of elders due to respectful 5. Lack of responsibility and ownership
attitude. causes one to blame others for their
own failure and shortcomings. Such a
5. Inclusive attitude enables an official placed in a
riot-prone region to inspire confidence of people negative attitude is not conducive for
achieving happiness in personal or
in neutrality of state’s administrative
professional life.
machinery. She needs to placate all religions and
interests to calm the situation. 6. Trauma can result from affective
6. Good governance: Zero tolerance towards attitudes triggered by certain attitude
corruption and welfare for weaker sections can objects. E.g., among victims of child
abuse.
result from pro-poor attitude in governance.
Everyone’s life has ups and downs, but how one responds to them decides where they end up in life. So,
having the correct attitude may result in happiness in personal relations and peace in public life. (402
words)
b) “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with
creatures of emotion.” Examine the importance of emotional intelligence in personal and
professional life
Approach: Introduce the answer with the definition of Emotional intelligence. Mention its components
and utility. In the body, first discuss the role of EI in personal life. Next, discuss the role of EI in
professional life. Conclude with the role of EI in handling relevant issues of our times.
As per Daniel Goleman, emotional intelligence (EI) is a person's ability to understand and manage her
own feelings and emotions, and of influencing the emotions of others. It constitutes of four
components: self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and social skills. EI can be applied to
meet goals and targets, as well as create a happier and healthier personal and professional life.
Importance of EI in personal life is as follows:
1. Achieving goals- EI helps one understand their
goals and keeps them motivated to achieve Self-
Realtionship
regulation
them. E.g., J.K. Rowling made Harry Potter a Management
(Openness to
(Social Skills)
success despite being called too foolish by change)
publishers.
2. Mental health- EI ensures a good mental health
keeping people away from depression. E.g., Self-
Social
suicide among students due to failure in exam Awareness
Awareness
(confidence in
and pressure of high expectations. (Empathy)
oneself)
3. Maintaining relations- EI helps one understand
the emotions and vulnerabilities of another
person. It can be a catalyst in forming better Fig: The four-quadrants of EI
relations. E.g., EI would help men understand a girl’s
mood swings during her period.
Page 11 of 26
4. Achieving happiness- An emotionally intelligent person is aware of the transient nature of

feelings and looks towards inner peace. As per Geeta, this makes them ‘stithapragya’.
Importance of EI in professional life is as follows:

1. Teamwork- An Emotionally intelligent person is better able to handle a team. E.g., Dhoni was
a great captain due to his high level of self-regulation and self-motivation.
2. EI helps one to have open conversations on difficult issues like professional shortcomings or
grievances like workplace politics. Such conversations are key to keeping a healthy and
productive work environment.
3. Professional pressure is tackled by not just hard work and time management but also
emotionally intelligent ways of dealing with various pulls and pushes. E.g., Mr. Nambi
Narayan, an eminent ISRO scientist faced allegations of being a traitor.
4. Conflicting demands:
a) Work-Life balance- An EI person exhibits a balance in their life by not taking the work
stress to home and vice-versa. E.g., A police officer balances his firm/strict attitude
at workplace with loving/caring attitude at home.
b) Public Service: Political pressure, emergencies, and public expectations require civil
servants to manage various emotions and anxieties in self and others. E.g., calming a
riotous mob.
EI is a tool for accepting oneself, accepting others, and determining how coexistence is possible. At a
time, when negative emotions are fueling xenophobia, communalism, war etc., threatening to destroy
humanity, emotional intelligence is the need of the hour in personal and professional lives. (406 words)
Q.6) What do the following quotes mean to you:
a) ‘Happiness is a mysterious thing, to be found somewhere between too little and too much.’
Approach: Introduce by highlighting meaning of happiness. In the body firstly mention about happiness
in relation to too much and too little in columns then highlight how happiness acts as the middle point
between the two with examples. Conclude by highlighting the connotation of happiness for people at
large.
Human activities are directed towards an end, which is often – if not always - happiness. All human
beings aspire for happiness. However, happiness is subjective and its source may be different for each
person.
Issues in searching happiness in too much and too little are discussed below:
Too much Too little

1. Hoarding of wealth and money to lead a 1. Poverty and scarcity facilitate crimes.
luxurious life, often leads to early death E.g., E.g., poor socio-economic background of
career goal of retiring at 40, and early most undertrials in India.
occurrence of cardiac and spinal problems. 2. Too little resources lead to too little
2. The desire to extract as much fun from this life opportunities. E.g., lack of early
as possible under the belief of YOLO (you-only- childhood interventions leads to learning
live-once). E.g., drug abuse, sexual amorality gaps between children from poor and rich
etc. background.
Page 12 of 26
3. Too much happiness makes one aloof of worldly 3. Too little freedom leads to suppression of
issues and common sufferings. E.g., Marrie personality.
Antoinette’s infamous suggestion to the French 4. Too little regulation leads to unhappy
to eat cake. ecology.
4. It makes one inflexible in face of new 5. Too little happiness causes depression
challenges. and suicide.
5. Kinship ties are affected by conflicts over
property.
Happiness resides in between too much and too little in following ways:
1. Beyond momentary pleasure: one should avoid momentary pleasures which may often lead
to greater pains later. Happiness should be pursued as a joy that could last for the whole life.
E.g., money earned through honest living.
2. Stems from well-balanced relations: Happiness entails the idea of maintaining good relations
at individual, family and societal level contributing to peace and harmony. E.g., kinship ties.
3. Stay in present: Happiness helps one to abandon ideas of future uncertainties and past
happenings. One should rather live in present and work on improving the present.
4. Avoids deprivation: Happiness is the bridge across deprivations of various sections. E.g., rising
middle class and increasing demand for consumer goods. E.g., the joy of buying first car, or
own home.
5. Controls conspicuous consumption: Happiness comes from satisfying one’s basic requirement
without need for show offs. E.g., credit card economy.
6. Maintains environment sustainability: Happiness comes from harmonious living with nature.
E.g., LiFE movement for making lifestyle changes to adapt to environment.
As suggested by Lord Buddha one can be moderate in life to enjoy abundance of happiness. Too much
of extreme on both sides, only leads to suffering and pain. (423 words)
b) ‘The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing
anything.’
Approach: Introduce by giving Kantian definition of evil and connecting it with morality. In the body
firstly mention on how the world is threatened by evil acts. Next, mention how not just doing of evil but
absence of counter to it is also part of the problem. Conclude by highlighting the need for vigil against
threats to human rights and dignity.
Kant defined evil as human beings’ tendency to act against the universal moral law. The outcome of
one's natural tendency, or innate propensity, towards evil are actions or "deeds" that lead to
subordination of morality.
Evil acts pose threat of destruction for the world in following ways:
1. Sometimes one’s circumstances propel them to act against the already set moral standards of
the world. E.g., crimes under effect of poverty.
2. Evil acts often tend to bring in conflict among various sections of society. E.g., exploitation of
workers.
3. Wrong doings tend to threaten marginalized sections of society, creating disharmony. E.g.,
diversion of funds and benefits for the poor due to corruption and scams.
4. Acts that go against humanity like terrorism strikes at the root of morality of cooperation and
brotherhood between nations.
Page 13 of 26
5. Criminalization of Politics cause erosion of democratic values and protect interest of feudal
elements. E.g., issues of money and muscle power in politics.
But it is not just doing of evil but absence of counter to evil is also part of the problem as:
1. Identification: One must identify the way to counter any wrong act that tends to impede
human peace and progress. E.g., Lack of international consensus on definition of terrorism
is an impediment in containing terrorism.
3. Protection of Rights: Nations including civil society must act against threat to individual
dignity and freedom. E.g., #MeToo movement which changed laws in countries with regard to
sexual exploitation faced by women at workplace (POSH Guidelines)
4. Abandon narrow self–interest: One should always be empathetic towards others and treat
them with compassion and sympathy. E.g., discriminatory refugee policies cause
ghettoization and result in criminalization.
5. Agitation: Collective action and protest are a part and parcel of vibrant democracy which needs
to be exercised from time to time. E.g., recent protest at Sri Lankan against the despotic and
corrupt government.
6. International cooperation: Countries should come up together to raise voice against any act
that destroys the territorial sovereignty of any free nation. E.g., various international
organizations issued sanctions issues against Russia due to its invasion in Ukraine.
One should never accept toleration towards policies, attitudes and values that go against the basic
ideas of human rights. Conscious people should protest against threats to freedom and justice.
Accepting wrong acts will only make things worse and reduce faith in humanity and oneness. (397
words)
c) “There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes
all other courts.”-Mahatma Gandhi
Approach: Introduce the answer by defining conscience. Also, explain what according to you is the
meaning of the above quotation. In the body of the answer, discuss the exalted status of conscience in
comparison to the court of justice. In the next part, discuss measures by which conscience as a virtue can
be developed in individuals. Conclude the answer by highlighting the importance of conscience and the
need to practice it within the constitutional and legal framework.
Conscience can be defined as a special act of the human mind that comes into being when the intellect
passes a moral judgement on the goodness or badness of a particular action. Conscience is internal
to a person. In the above quote, Mahatma Gandhi stresses on the importance of conscience as a
sacrosanct parameter to gauge the impacts of one’s actions on the plank of morality.
According to me, the above quote of Mahatma Gandhi gives a transcendental status to an individual’s
conscience as a guide to the morality and ethicality of the individuals actions. The exalted status of
conscience, superseding even the courts of justice can be seen as:
1. While the courts of justice work in accordance with law, rules, and procedures, the court of
conscience is premised upon the morals and values.
2. Courts of justice work externally to an individual, imposing the rule of law, while the court of
conscience works internally, through self-reflection and introspection. E.g., societal
conscience can ensure self-restraint without external impositions.
3. Further, while the court of law judges the legality of an action, the court of conscience
evaluates the purity of means and ethicality of the action.
Page 14 of 26
4. The courts of justice are man-made institutions, which are amenable to pander to the wills
and fancies of autocratic dictators/governments. On the other hand, the court of conscience
does not oblige the powers that be. E.g., role of the judiciary in India under the British rule
was highly partisan.
5. While the courts of justice may go wrong in their decision, either by implementing a bad law,
or by incorrect interpretation of a good law, the court of conscience is immune from such
lapses.
Conscience as a virtue can be developed in individuals through following measures:

1. Social institutions like family, educational institutions etc., can play an important role in
inculcating moral and ethical values in individuals which can lead to a strong conscience in
them.
2. Anecdotal incidents from the life of great leaders can inspire people to act in accordance
with their conscience. E.g., Resignation of Admiral D. K. Joshi resigned from his post taking
moral responsibility for a series of naval mishappenings.
3. Cultural practices, civilizational values etc., can be a major source for development of
conscience in individuals. E.g., cultural practices of tribals are seminal in development of
environmental conscience.
4. Stressing on self-reflection, introspection etc., through practices such as yoga, meditation
etc., can help in finding and abiding by one’s voice of conscience.
Civil servants in performance of their duty often face a crisis of conscience. However, in the times of
dilemmas the voice of conscience should be adhered to within the larger constitutional and legal
framework. (442 words)
Section B
Q.7) Ramesh is a young 22-year-old man living in Preet Nagar, who is preparing for the prestigious
Civil Service Examinations, conducted by UPSC. Ramesh is the younger of the two siblings in the
home. The elder sister of Ramesh, Pragya, is an economic graduate and works as a teacher. Ramesh
and Pragya come from a very humble background. Their father is a retired peon from a Public sector
Bank and mother is a home maker. Pragya and Ramesh contribute to the household income by giving
tuitions to the children. Recently, Pragya’s marriage has been finalized by her parents. Everyone in
the family is happy about the prospects of Pragya’s marriage. However, the groom’s family has
expressed their wish for a lavish wedding, along with car and other household items as gifts for the
groom. Pragya’s father agreed to their demands happily as he did not want to break the prospective
alliance. During a dinner conversation at home, he tells his family members that he has decided to
sell off their ancestral land in order to arrange for the wedding. Ramesh and Pragya are well aware
that the family has limited means, and a lavish wedding, in addition to the gifts, may further
aggravate the already strained financial condition of the family.
Ramesh, in the course of his preparation, has studied about the menace of dowry in the society. He
knows that making a demand for dowry, in any form, is illegal and a punishable offence. After
consulting his sister, Ramesh decides to talk to his father. However, when Ramesh presents his
concerns to his father, he gets surprised by his reply. Ramesh’s father tells him that dowry is a social
norm and as a member of the society they are duty bound to accept the demands of the groom’s
family. Moreover, the groom is in government service and that way he is securing the future of
Pragya. He also tells Ramesh that marriage ceremony is a matter of social prestige for the whole
family. A lavish wedding will not only appease the groom’s family but also enhance the social status
of their own family. Further, his father tells him that it is out of his own love and volition that he has
Page 15 of 26
agreed to the demands of groom’s family. He also explained to Ramesh that the car, household items
etc., will be used by Pragya at her in-law’s place.
Ramesh could not argue with his father, even though he was not in agreement with his father’s view.
He and Pragya firmly believe that giving/accepting dowry is wrong and would lead to propagation
of a social evil. They also are of the view that a profligate wedding, without due concern for family’s
finances, is irrational and unjustified.
a) What are the various ethical issues involved in the above case study?
b) You are a close friend of Ramesh. What advice will you give, in this situation, to Ramesh in order
to convince his father to abstain from giving dowry and organizing a lavish wedding?
Approach: Introduce the answer by highlighting the major issues in the case study. In the body, mention
various ethical issues involved. Next, mention what advice will you give to Ramesh in order to convince
his father. Conclude by highlighting how the practice of dowry undermines constitutional values.
The above case study reflects the prevalent social issues of dowry, profligate spending on marriage
functions etc. The various ethical issues involved in the above case study are:
1. Social ill of dowry: The menace of dowry in the society is a major issue of ethical concern.
The brazenness with which it is demanded by the groom’s family and the readiness with
which it is accepted by the girl’s family reflects the moral decadence prevalent in the society.
2. The manner of expression of love of a father for his daughter by accepting the demand for
dowry and spending beyond financial capacity in the marriage also raises ethical concerns.
3. Giving and accepting dowry is not only a social ill, but it is also a statutory crime. General
acceptance for dowry despite it being illegal suggest the disregard for statutory provisions.
4. The prevalence of dowry system in the society and inclination of the people to spend beyond
their financial capacity on marriage ceremonies to boost their idea of family prestige, present
the ethical issue of rising materialism in the society. Materialism over tradition is also a
threat to cultural values.
5. The ceremony of marriage ought to be an association between two participants in equal
capacity. However, the regressive practice of dowry associated with the marriage ceremony
berates the dignity and honour of the bride (women).
6. The willingness of the groom’s family to demand dowry:
a) Raises the ethical issue of greed and avariciousness. Rising greed for materialistic
gains is an example of diminishing regards for culture and tradition.
b) The fact the tradition of dowry is supported by elders in the family smacks of moral
blindness.
As a friend of Ramesh, I will give him following advice to convince his father against dowry and
profligacy:
1. The wish of the groom’s family for dowry is a reflection of their selfish intentions. In the future
similar demands may be made, and non-compliance of the same by Pragya’s father may
jeopardise the safety of Pragya.
2. The act of demanding or giving bribe goes against the Kantian philosophy of categorical
imperative. Making dowry a universal law will hurt the interest of justice and social ethics.
3. By accepting the demand for dowry, Ramesh’s father will contribute towards propagation of a
social ill which has a debilitating effect upon the poor families in the country. Therefore, it
goes against Gandhi’s talisman of ensuring the wellbeing of the marginalised.
Page 16 of 26
4. The basis of marriage should be trust, love, and mutual respect. The demand for dowry by the
groom’s family as a precondition of marriage undermines the paradigm of trust and mutual
respect, and also is indicative of moral corruption.
5. Profligacy with regard to a marriage ceremony which would last for a few days by jeopardising
the financial well-being of the family in perpetuity is not only illogical but also myopic.
6. It raises questions of ethical concerns, such as:
a) Dowry would amount to wealth without work, which is one of the seven sins, as given
by Mahatma Gandhi.
b) Associating the money spent on marriage function with family’s honour amounts to
breeding the notion of false prestige.
c) The wish to secure Pragya’s well-being and comfort through dowry also puts a
question mark on the capability of the groom and the bride to fend for themselves.
While it is acceptable to present the bride with nominal gifts as a ritualistic practice, the socially
decadent practice of dowry should be avoided. Also, the practice of dowry downplays constitutional
values, and hence is illegal in its outset. (590 words)
Q.8) Dr. Shyam Das is a very reputed surgeon who is passionate about the role of medical profession
in development of India. He is also an honest tax payer, having paid nearly 45% of his income in
personal tax during the previous financial year. He has a family with a 6-year-old daughter and a
wife. They live in a metropolitan city that faces problems of severe air pollution each year in winters.
Given the sustained nature of the problem, Shyam has been thinking for some time about shifting to
another city.
Shyam started his professional journey along with his friend Ravi who is also his colleague. Today,
both of them are highly paid doctors and are working in a reputed chain of hospitals. They are
thinking about partnering to start a hospital in India for affordable health care. Recently they
participated in a medical camp, along with other colleagues and provided free medical counselling
and performed free cataract surgeries. At the camp, family members of a patient lethally thrashed a
doctor and nurse attending the patient for alleged negligence in surgery. In wake of this incident,
Ravi was terrified and has decided to migrate to country Z which has attractive personal tax rates,
better civic facilities, good schools, clean air, and is welcoming for skilled medical professionals.
The beating of medical staffs at the camp has left Shyam worried as well. He does not see this as a
one-off incident. In recent years attacks on medical professionals by families of patients have
increased across the country. Ravi is trying to convince Shyam to move to Country Z along with him.
Shyam, an otherwise patriotic person, thinks about the prospect of moving to another country. He
is aware that there is shortage of skilled medical professionals in India, and migrating to another
country would be doing injustice to a medically under-served nation like India. But he is also feeling
anxious and frustrated at the quality of life he seems to be getting in this country. As he is pondering
over the thought, he sees the day’s headlines filled with reports about instances of violence against
women. He feels that Country Z is a more gender-sensitive society where his daughter would be able
to develop her potential in a free-spirited way. He thinks that he must provide a safe environment
for his child and wife. But Shyam is conflicted as he also wants to serve his nation as a doctor. In
light of these facts, answer:
a) What are the various options available to Shyam? Suggest and justify the most preferable choice.
b) Everyone has a different conception of patriotism. What does patriotism mean to you?
Page 17 of 26
Approach: Introduce the case by writing the gist of the case and the conflict at hand. List the Various
options available for Shyam Das. Evaluate the merits and demerits of each option. Then, discuss the most
suitable course of action and justification for it. Write your understanding of patriotism giving reference
to the case. Conclude the answer by highlighting the significance of patriotism.
The case presents a situation of conflict of values for Shyam Das where his love for the country and
welfare of his family demands choosing different course of action.
a) Shyam Das has the following options:
1. Shift to country Z:
Merits Demerits
1. Improved quality of life for him and his 1. This would be akin to running away from
family. problems.
2. Good future for his daughter. Fulfill his 2. Cannot implement his plan for affordable
responsibilities towards his family. health care through an hospital in India.
3. He can explore technological solutions to 3. The new society may have its own issues
provide digital health care in India from his including on gender.
location in Z. 4. Possible loss of culture for his daughter.
2. Shift to another city:

Merits Demerits
1. Better air quality. 1. Challenges related to reestablishing
2. Pursue his interest of providing affordable reputation as good doctor in new city.
health care in India. 2. His concern for lack of gender sensitivity in
3. He can hire private security for safety of society might remain.
medical staff. 3. Attacks on medical professional are
4. Satisfy his conscience and feeling of reported from every part of country.
patriotism by staying in the country.
3. Convince his friend Ravi to not shift to Z:

Merits Demerits
1. Can execute his plan for affordable health 1. Ravi has already made up his mind.
care in India, along with his friend as per the 2. May not be in best interest of Ravi.
original plan and preserve an old friendship. 3. Dilemma related to future of daughter and
2. Would prevent ‘brain-drain’. family.
3. He will not feel guilty for leaving his country.
The most preferable choice would be as follows:

1. Running away from problems is not a good solution. It would be a disaster for a motivated and
patriotic person like him to turn his back to issues in his country.
2. His responsibility towards his daughter requires him to engage with society to evolve it
towards a gender-sensitive future. It’s only with more participation and claiming the space
for women, we can create a more gender-inclusive society.
3. It is true that freedoms of a gender sensitive society would help his daughter’s personality to
shape up. But challenging situations also shape up personalities in their own strong ways.
4. In addition, India also has world-class places for education. The likes of strong women such as
Indira Gandhi, Medha Patekar, Kalpana Chawla have studied in the schools in India.
Page 18 of 26
5. Other countries may be having better environment for schooling for his kid but loss of culture
and values may also need to be accounted for.
Thus, on count of his responsibility towards his daughter as well as towards his country he should stay
in India as there are enough merits in it. For the issue of pollution, shifting to another city is a worthy
consideration. He should consider telling Ravi the merits of staying in India to convince him to serve
the nation and society. This way he will be true to his feeling and avoid internal dissonance.
b) Patriotism fundamentally means the love for one’s country and the aspects related to it, such as its
people and culture. Patriotism is meaningless if it does not invoke a sense of activity. It also requires
being able to see issues that need to be addressed, and actively contributing to a constructive
resolution of those issues.
Turning a blind eye to the issues of society, or running away from them would be anathema to any
patriotic person. In fact, the emotion of patriotism would have him conflicted at the very thought of
seeking a path aloof from his social existence.
Patriotic people are as necessary to any society as muscles are to a body. They are the life and soul
of a country. The character of the country is reflected in the character of its patriotic citizens. (660
words)
Q.9) Mr. Prakash is the Principal of a XYZ school. He is an honest and upright individual, with an
impeccable career record. Under his guidance, the school has made a name for itself, and is known
for its discipline and good study environment.
One day, Mr. Prakash received a complaint that a student named Arun has come school in an
inebriated state. Arun is a 15 years old boy and studies in 10th standard. The Principal went to his
class to look into the matter. Upon enquiring, he came to know that Arun’s behavior has been
problematic for a long time. He is known to pick fights with classmates on trivial issues. There were
multiple complains about his rude and arrogant behavior from teachers and students. But coming to
school in an inebriated state, was a new low even by his standards. Meanwhile, Arun’s school bag was
checked and narcotics substance were found from it. Everyone was taken aback by this revelation.
Sensing the seriousness of matter, the Principal called Arun’s father and requested him to
immediately come to the School.
Arun’s father is an influential politician, belonging to the ruling party of the State. He came to the
School and the Principal narrated the whole matter to him. The Principal also informed him that the
Disciplinary Committee has decided to rusticate Arun for 30 days, and a formal police complain
would be lodged into the matter. On hearing all this, Arun’s father was unperturbed and tried to
downplay the matter. He told the Principal that Arun is a teenager and such ‘mistakes’ is not
unheard-of from children of his age. He asked him to revoke Arun’s suspension and desist from
reporting the matter to the police.
The Principal was shocked at Arun’s father response. He tried to reason with him but Arun’s father
was in no mood to listen. Instead he made a veiled threat to the principal. He said that he had good
connections with members of board of trustees of the school, and if the Principal don’t heed, he will
face the repercussions. He also hinted that a favour from his side will not go in vain. He will be
suitably rewarded with a seat in Board of Trustees of the school after his retirement, which is due in
next six months.
a) Evaluate the behavior of Arun’s father from an ethical point of view?
b) As the Principal of the school, what course of action Prakash should take?
c) What is the role of family in inculcating values in their children?
Page 19 of 26
Approach: Introduce the answer by highlighting the major issues in the case study. In the body, evaluate
behavior of Arun’s father from an ethical point of view. Next, mention how Prakash should response
along with justification. Then discuss the role of family in imparting values in their children. Conclude
by highlighting the importance of inculcating moral values in children and the role of multiple
stakeholders.
a) The above case study reflects the issue of misuse of constitutional office, rising drug abuse among
youth and lack of inculcation of values in children by their parents/family members.
Evaluation of behavior of Arun’s father from an ethical point of view:
Ethically right Ethically wrong
1. In the short term, it seems right on 1. In the long-term, Arun’s father action will do more
part of Arun’s father to protect his harm than good. He is also trying to supress an
son. As a father, he is responsible for incident which is a serious crime under NDPS
Arun’s well-being. Act.
2. This possibly one-off occurrence may 2. Downplaying the matter undermines his duty to
tarnish the family name/legacy, impart ethical values in child. Arun may be
which is built over decades. emboldened to repeat such things in future as well.
3. Display of compassion, counselling 3. He is breaching public trust by trying to misuse
may be of greater good for Arun at his influential position. It is unbecoming of a
this early stage of his life rather than constitutional functionary.
charging him with serious offence. 4. By giving ‘veiled’ threats to the Principal, he is
4. His loyalty towards party professes obstructing an honest individual from carrying
him to protect it from the out his mandate.
embarrassment if the incident comes 5. 5. Safeguarding the prestige of family by hiding
to light.
the illicit activities of his son smacks of ethical
impropriety.
b) As the principal of School, Prakash response should be:

1. Politely refuse the indirect offer of postretirement benefit by Arun’s father.
2. Firmly tell Arun’s father that he wouldn’t yield to his ‘threat’. He may explore the option of
reporting the matter to Police for appropriate action.
3. Implement the decisions of the Disciplinary Committee i.e. rusticating Arun for 30 days and
lodging a police complaint in the matter.
Reasons for responding in above manner:

1. To send a clear message to everyone that an act of indiscipline will be taken seriously. Also,
there shall be no discrimination and appropriate actions shall be taken as per the rules.
2. It will create a deterrence for such gross indiscipline by students/others.
3. To allay apprehensions of parents of other students; safeguard the reputation of school.
4. By reporting the incident in timely manner, it will benefit the trinity of Arjun, law enforcing
agencies and society at large.
5. By not yielding to threats and temptation, Prakash will exhibit moral courage; set right
example for his successors.
c) As family is the first institution of socialization, it has an important role in inculcation of values in
children:
1. Role of family is paramount in inculcating the values of honesty and integrity. E.g., teaching
children not to speak lies, etc.
Page 20 of 26
2. Family shapes attitudes, build values and moderate behavior of children. Family helps
in psycho-social development of child. E.g., behavior of father towards mother play vital role
in shaping the child’s attitude towards female members in society.
3. Values of righteousness, love, compassion can be imbibed in children through stories of Lord
Rama, Panchatantra, etc. E.g., bed time stories by grandparents/parents.
4. Family inculcate values of caring, sharing, trust, cooperation, etc in children. E.g., care by
parents; sharing of gifts/chocolates among siblings.
5. Family plays an important role in building forthrightness in children for effective
communication with one and all. E.g., in the case study, Arun lacked forthrightness.
6. Family members have role-modelling effect on children thus positive value can be imbibed in
children through righteous actions. E.g., Compassion can be taught through helping orphan
children.
Children are assets of society and future of the world. It is imperative to impart moral values in them
and families, educational institutions, and society have a crucial role to play. As it is said that “to
educate a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” (649 words)
Q.10) Anand and Radha are a married couple with two children living in a metropolitan city in India.
Anand is a successful manager at a reputable company. Radha is also a well-qualified and equally
skilled individual. Together as a family, they are close knitted and happy unit. One of the important
reasons behind their family’s wellbeing is the sacrifice made by Radha. Radha had previously
relinquished her successful career due to familial responsibilities arising out of childbearing.
Even though Radha is proud of her achievement in raising a happy family, she longs to fill the void
left due to letting go of what could have been a promising career. Radha, at multiple instances, has
expressed her resentment to Anand. The irony of being limited to household chores despite having
stellar professional credentials often leaves Radha rattled. Even though Anand is sympathetic to her
woes, he never really did anything substantial to allay her concerns.
One day, through a career portal, Radha learns of a job opening at Anand’s company that aligns well
with her qualifications. She thinks the job is perfect for her and will give her latent career a boost.
When Radha brought up the matter with Anand, to her dismay, Anand exhorted that, as a woman
Radha should prioritize herself more on the familial responsibilities. Also, Anand tried to reason that
his earnings were sufficient to cater the needs of the family. He further argued that both him and
Radha engaging in work may result in disturbing the wellbeing of the family.
Radha, on the other hand, rebuked by saying that family is not her sole responsibility and Anand
should equally contribute towards the running of the household. Further, Radha tried to explain that
she feels unsatisfied with limiting herself to domestic work and the void left due to compromising a
promising career makes her feel undervalued. She also conveyed that working in the same company
would lead to better coordination to manage family responsibilities. She expressed that her earnings
would also help enhance their standard of living.
Despite acknowledging Radha’s qualifications and her arguments, Anand turned down her request
citing company policies prohibiting the employment of close relatives. Nevertheless, Radha gets a
job in a different company. They mutually agreed that they would share their family responsibilities.
They agreed to avail the WFH (work from home) provisions alternatively for ensuring the well-being
of children.
Anand’s company started an important project and made Anand the overall in charge of the same.
Due to the nature of the project, Anand had to put in long hours in the office. Anand’s excessive
involvement with the project became a double whammy for Radha, as she had to juggle between
household and official responsibilities. Radha perceived it as a deliberate measure on the part of
Anand to overburden her and make her quit her job.
Page 21 of 26
Constant quarrels and clashes became the order of the day. The strained relationship between Anand
and Radha had a spillover effect on their children’s emotional wellbeing. They longed for care and
attention and felt traumatized seeing their parents’ fight.
You are a common friend of Radha and Anand.
a) What are the qualities you think that Anand lack? Does Radha also lack some qualities?
b) As a common friend what course of action would you suggest to Anand and Radha and why?
c) Do you think emotional intelligence can help Anand and Radha resolve their issues?
Approach: Start the answer by summarizing the key issues in the case. In the first part, tabulate the
qualities that were lacking with each of them. In the next part, suggest the course of action to the couple.
Finally, highlight the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in helping Anand and Radha to resolve their
issues. Conclude the answer by stressing on EI in balancing one’s life.
a) The above case study raises the issues of skewed/gendered distribution of household work,
difficulty in balancing personal and professional interests and subconscious biases impacting
personal relations.
Anand and Radha are found lacking the following qualities:
Anand Radha
1. Anand lacks an empathetic attitude as he 1. Radha fails to foresee that if her husband had
shows no respect for his wife’s recommended her for the job it would have
aspirations. resulted in a conflict of interest for him.
2. He lacks gratitude as he overlooked 2. She did not weigh the possibility of work and
Radha’s sacrifices for the family. personal life getting mixed up by being a
3. He displays lack of social awareness coworker with her husband.
component of Emotional intelligence (EI) 3. Radha fails to realize that their quarrels and
by coercing Radha to accept his skirmishes affect children’s moral
decision. development.
4. His gender biasness reflects in his view 4. She lacks EI as she fails to have effective
that women must shoulder greater communication with Anand and starts making
responsibility towards family. assumptions.
5. Spending less time with family reflect a 5. Radha lacks the ability to cater to different
lack of proper work life balance. responsibilities and seems to lack adversity
quotient.
Both fail to perform their duty as parents to provide a supportive family for their children,
especially at a young age. It is also crucial for their cognitive and emotional well-being.
b) I will suggest them the following course of action:
Anand Radha
1. He must step up in his parental role by sharing 1. Radha must try to have effective
after-school responsibilities and other domestic communication with Anand.
work. 2. In the age of internet, Radha can find
2. Anand must seek professional guidance by several opportunities matching her
consulting a family therapist to understand his professional skill sets and better
stereotypes and prejudices. manage familial needs.
Page 22 of 26
3. He must apologize to Radha for professing a 3. Radha should try to work as a team
possibly misogynist attitude. with Anand to share benefits and
4. Anand should empathize with Radha’s aspirations. burdens. E.g., for a brief while Radha
Apart from giving vent to her aspirations it would can adjust, as Anand’s work load may
enhance their standard of living. soon reduce.
5. He should take his family for a vacation which will 4. Radha can seek guidance from family’s
involve family bonding activities. elder member to deal with stressful
6. Anand should learn the art of role playing to better situations.

understand Radha’s situation.
c) Emotional Intelligence can help Anand and Radha resolve their issues in the following way:
1. EI can help Anand and Radha better understand each other’s emotional state and can aid in
strengthening their relationships. E.g., Anand could have been more considerate towards
Radha’s aspirations.
2. EI can help Anand and Radha to resolve value conflicts between themselves by seeking
common ground and finding solutions that are mutually beneficial and aligned with their
values. E.g., either of them could have opted for WFH for longer duration.
3. EI can facilitate open conversations between them on difficult issues. EI also enhances self-
awareness of an individual by aiding them to introspect upon their biases and prejudices. E.g.,
Anand’s gender biasness could have been reformed.
4. EI builds one’s adversity quotient. An emotionally intelligent person is more resilient to the
transient nature of the feelings and emotions and tries to seek long term interest. E.g., Anand
and Radha would have made a decision that did not affect their children’s well-being (long term
interest).
5. EI helps oneself to empathize with others. It would help one to be in the shoes of others and
better understand their perspective towards the problem. E.g., Anand could have empathized
with Radha’s double burden.
EI is a tool for evaluating oneself, accepting others, and determining how coexistence is possible. It
helps in building a happier and healthier personal and professional life. (658 words)
Q.11) You have recently started working at your dream company. You were recruited in the Sales &
Marketing department along with two other new joiners. All of you have just graduated out of
college. You have very friendly relations with co-joiners. The three of you have been helping each
other at work. In a very short span of time, a strong camaraderie has developed among three of you,
which is noted by others as well. Your boss has publicly appreciated the strong team-spirit displayed
by you and your colleagues.
At the annual review, you have been given a higher pay raise, and a more lucrative job profile. This
didn’t come as a surprise to you. You have worked beyond office hours more as a rule rather than as
an exception. The project you worked at was adjudged ‘the best project of the year in business impact’
at the annual corporate awards. One of your co-joiners remarks, in presumably good humor, that
you should suggest to your boss to allocate similar high impact projects to your friends as well. You
also heard murmurs suggesting that your boss's special affinity towards you is because both of you
belong to the same caste. You feel hurt but you decided to ponder over the remarks with an open
mind. You assess that the three of you have indeed worked hard with sincerity. One of your friends,
in fact, worked very efficiently despite being emotionally vulnerable, due to a personal tragedy at
home. There was already a salary differential between you and your colleagues as you are a graduate
from IIT while your colleagues graduated from a tier 2 college. The higher pay raise to you has
Page 23 of 26
further widened the differential pay structure. You always considered the initial pay differential to
be against the principle of equal pay for equal work. But now you also realize that your friends may
not have been given equal opportunities as well. You are inclined to the belief that efforts and talent
of your colleagues have been under-appreciated and under-valued. You start feeling guilty about
your promotion.
Based on the given information, discuss the options that are available to you for addressing the guilt.
What are the merits and demerits of those choices? Which option would you choose? Justify.
Approach: Introduce by defining guilt and writing a gist of the conflicts in the case. Mention in brief the
ways to address guilt. List down the possible choices in given context, with merits and demerits. Then
mention the most suitable course of action and conclude with justification for selection of the mentioned
action.
Guilt is a negative emotion that arises when you believe that you have violated your own standard of
morality. In the given case, following sources of guilt exist:
1. I may not have done enough to deserve the benefits given to me.
2. I may have benefited from immoral practices of unequal pay for equal work and inequality in
opportunities
3. I may have benefited more from my social capital instead of my professional competence.
Guilt needs to be managed at two levels:

a. Addressing the facts of actual conduct:
1. The efforts put in to deserve promotion can be seen from the fact of working beyond office
hours on a regular basis. The concern about not having done enough is not very well founded.
2. The violations of principle of equal pay for equal work is based on the company’s policy-based
perception about judging professional competence as per academic background. My conduct
is not under question here.
3. Violation of principle of equality of opportunities in project allocation to me can also be based
on perception related to academic background. This again would not be about my conduct but
the policy and practices of the company.
4. The given information does not suggest that I have done anything to take undue advantage of
my caste. My manager has given me responsibility based on his perception of my competence.
I had no role in that decision.
The facts do not suggest my actual conduct has been found to be wanting.
b) Addressing the perception about the conduct:
The perception about undeserving benefits due to not enough hard work and caste can be addressed
in following ways:
1. Let results speak:

Merits Demerits
1. Allows me to focus on professional 1. Negative perception at work place about me might
requirements of the jobs. persist and build up further.
2. Can increase productivity at work if 2. My relations with my colleagues might
negative perceptions can be ignored. deteriorate.
3. Continued negativity at workplace can affect
peace of mind and can pull down professional
motivation and work output.
Page 24 of 26
2. Be more open about my work:

Merits Demerits
1. Takes focus away from professional
1. Other people at work might better appreciate
requirements and productive work.
your work output.
2. Confidential information might get
2. Transparency in work and openness can
compromised.
build trust and cultivate strong team spirit.
3. 3. Professional jealousy might still persist.
3. Talk to the Human resource (HR) department:

Merits Demerits
1. Can address the issues of wrong conduct in 1. Can possibly harm your relation with your
company’s policies and practices about manager, if she sees this as complaint
recruitment and opportunities. against manager.
2. The practices for professional recognition 2. Can create negative perception about your
and appreciation can be improved to give due colleagues among the management of the
recognition to efforts. company.
3. Issues of actual caste prejudice can be
addressed (if that exists).
4. Talking to my manager:
Merits Demerits
1. Issues of real or apparent bias can be
1. Can harm professional interests of your
evaluated and addressed.
colleagues.
2. Manager may explain the rationale behind
2. Manager may see you as indulging in office
allocation of project which may satisfy my
politics and playing role of leader in it.
conscience.
Best course of action will be talking to manager as:

Building healthy work relationship is desired for productivity and better utilization of individuals’
potential. Issues of work-related guilt need to be addressed by people in managerial roles. For this, it
would be best for me to have an honest discussion with my manager about the issues of perceptions
at workplace. This can help resolve problems of communication and bona-fide error in judgment. Next
best option would be talking to HR as HR managers have a responsibility to maintain a healthy
workplace culture. (640 words)
Q.12) Sunil is a UPSC aspirant residing in Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi. Mukherjee Nagar is famous
for being the hub for the preparation of civil services examination conducted by the UPSC. The place
is abreast with aspirants preparing for the civil services examination, coaching institutes, hostels,
and various paying guest facilities. Sunil noticed that Mukherjee Nagar was ideal not only for UPSC
aspirants but also for the many business owners residing in the place. However, owing to increasing
attraction of civil services examination and more students opting for coaching institutes for their
preparation, Mukherjee Nagar had become extremely crowded.
Among other menaces like congested roads, high rents, sound pollution etc., Sunil noticed that
Mukherjee Nagar was also facing a pressing problem associated with stray dogs. He had often heard
his friends recounting their encounters with a pack of aggressive stray dogs when they returned
from the library or the metro station, late at night. Sunil had often observed that a group of people
tended to the stray dogs by feeding them food, providing them with blankets, etc. At one instance,
Page 25 of 26
Sunil was surprised to see a boy bandaging a dog. Upon enquiring, Sunil was told that some people
in the nearby park had attacked the dogs with sticks and stones. Sunil suddenly remembered that
while returning from his evening walk, a few days back, he too had witnessed some people pelting
stones at a dog. Sunil found it surprising that while one group displayed extreme hostility towards
the dogs, the other group was exceedingly sympathetic.
One day while studying in his room, Sunil heard a commotion outside. He went out and saw that a
boy had been bitten by a stray dog. On further enquiring, he found that the boy was bitten by a stray
dog while delivering tiffin boxes to a nearby hostel. Sunil also noticed that two groups of people were
engaged in a heated argument. While one group was of the opinion that feeding and tending of stray
dogs has attracted more dogs in the locality and aggravated the menace of stray dogs attacking
people, the other group said that the dogs have become aggressive as a result of some people beating
and throwing stones at them. Though Sunil too had faced difficulties due to the aggressive stray dogs
of Mukherjee Nagar, he was unable to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem.
a) What can be the reason behind the diametrically opposite attitude of two groups of people living
in the same locality?
b) According to you, who and to what extent can be held responsible for the problem of stray dogs
attacking people?
Approach: Introduce the answer by highlighting the issues raised in the case study. In the body of the
answer, analyze the reasons for diametrically opposite attitude of two groups of people living in the same
locality towards the dogs. Next, discuss who and to what extent can be held responsible for the menace of
stray dogs attacking people. Conclude by emphasizing on the need to balance kindness towards dogs with
protection of citizens from attacks.
a) The above case study throws light upon the issues associated with the increasing number of stray
dogs in Mukherjee Nagar. While some people tend to affectionately cater for the needs of the stray
dogs, another group of people display violent behavior towards stray dogs. The reasons behind
diametrically opposite attitude of two groups of people in the same locality can be seen as following:
Hostile behavior Affectionate behavior
1. Fear/negative perception: 1. Compassion and empathy towards stray
a) A general fear towards the canines is a dogs in general and towards their pitiful
common reason for hostile behavior of condition in particular is a common
people towards them. factor behind affectionate behavior of
b) Stray dogs are often associated with some people towards them.
poor hygiene. E.g., dog feces, carcass of 2. Positive experiences from the past may
half-eaten dead birds etc. make a person affectionate towards dogs.
c) Common perception that the dogs E.g., memories of owning a pet in one’s
(untamed) are unpredictable is one of childhood.
the reasons behind rising hostility 3. Some people pursue the hobby of
towards stray dogs. tending to domesticable animals like
d) Stray dogs are generally unvaccinated, dogs, cats etc.
and hence the fear of rabies is a reason 4. Involvement with NGOs related to pet
behind hostility towards them. care may also make one sensitive
2. Lack of ownership towards stray dogs is a major towards stray dogs.
cause of hostility towards them. E.g., security 5. Some people find tending to stray dogs
guards use violence as a means to keep stray an effective way to vent their stress and
dogs from entering buildings, parks etc. to keep them company.
Page 26 of 26
3. Hostility of people towards stray dogs is a 6. Family values may make people more
manifestation of rising frustration, anxiety, and compassionate towards dogs. E.g., some
depression, leading to anger-abuse. families keep the first chapati for the
4. Negative experiences of people with stray dogs cow and the last for the dog.
may make them hostile towards the canines.
E.g., a person bitten by a dog.
5. It is noticed that some people abuse stray dogs
as a means of amusement.
b) The responsibility of the aggressive behavior of the stray dogs towards people falls upon:
1. People who are hostile towards stray dogs:
a) Hostile behavior towards dogs may make them aggressive towards people in general.
b) Dogs may become violent in case their puppies are attacked by people.
c) Hostility by people may aggravate the other trigger points of aggressiveness like heat,
sound pollution etc.
d) Consistent hostility may lead to anxiety disorders in dogs making them more
offensive even towards those tending to them.
2. People who tend to stray dogs:
a) Tending to dogs may attract stray dogs form other localities into Mukherjee Nagar,
increasing conflicts with humans in general.
b) Increase in the number of dogs in congested places may become a cause of concern
for vulnerable people like children, elderlies, disabled etc. E.g., death of a 12-year-old
girl in Kerala after being bitten by a stray dog.
3. Administration:
a) Irregularities in sterilization drives of street dogs, leading to rise in numbers of
dogs, is a major cause behind rising incidents of stray dogs coming in conflict with
people.
b) Unavailability of adequate shelter homes for street dogs leaves the task of tending to
them in the hands of civilians, who are often not trained for the same adequately.
c) Poor municipal services in many places are a reason behind unhygienic conditions.
E.g., dog feces, dead carcass of a dog etc., lying for days without being attended to.
In order to check the rising incidents of stray dogs attacking people, there is a need to sensitize
people towards humane behavior towards dogs. As the Supreme court stressed, it is imperative to
balance kindness towards stray dogs with protection from attacks. (639 words)

MGP 2024 Cohort 7 Sectional Test 10 Sol

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

MGP 2024 Cohort 7 Sectional Test 10 Sol

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MGP 2024 Cohort 7 Sectional Test 10 Sol

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MGP 2024

Test Code : 714201

For any feedback, please write to us at helpdesk@forumias.academy

Emotions influence/shape human behaviour in the following manner:

Knowledge guides human behaviour in the following manner:

Ethics in private relationship Ethics in public relationship

Private ethics affect public relationships’ ethics in following way:

But ends cannot justify means due to following reasons:

Adherence to means, on the other hand, has following merits:

(i) Self-interest vs selfishness:

(ii) Normative ethics and Descriptive ethics:

Normative Ethics Descriptive Ethics

The factors that shape political attitude are as follows:

b) Influence of general materialistic condition of the society. E.g., poverty,

b) Differentiate between the following:

(i) Emotions and feelings

(ii) Empathy and Compassion

An attitude is a cultivated propensity to view the world in

Positive Effect Negative Effect

4. Achieving happiness- An emotionally intelligent person is aware of the transient nature of

Importance of EI in professional life is as follows:

Q.6) What do the following quotes mean to you:

Too much Too little

Conscience as a virtue can be developed in individuals through following measures:

2. Shift to another city:

3. Convince his friend Ravi to not shift to Z:

The most preferable choice would be as follows:

b) As the principal of School, Prakash response should be:

Reasons for responding in above manner:

b) I will suggest them the following course of action:

6. Anand should learn the art of role playing to better situations.

Guilt needs to be managed at two levels:

1. Let results speak:

2. Be more open about my work:

3. Talk to the Human resource (HR) department:

Best course of action will be talking to manager as:

You might also like