Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships

3. Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? (Answer each in 150 words) 3 (a) "Those who in trouble untroubled are, Will trouble trouble itself." – Thiruvalluvar 3 (b) "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." – William James 3 (c) "The strength of a society is not in its laws, but in the morality of its people." – Swami Vivekananda

In line with the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Indian Constitution, the government has a constitutional obligation to ensure basic needs – "Roti, Kapda aur Makan" (Food, Clothes and Shelter) for the under-privileged. Pursuing this mandate, the district administration proposed clearing a portion of forest land to develop housing for the homeless and economically weaker sections of the society. The proposed land, however, is an ecologically sensitive zone densely populated with age-old trees, medicinal plants and vital biodiversity. Besides, these forests help to regulate micro-climate and rainfalls, provide habitat for wildlife, support soil fertility and prevent land/soil erosion and sustain livelihoods of tribal and nomadic communities. In spite of the ecological and social costs, the administration argues in favour of the said proposal by highlighting that this very initiative addresses fundamental human rights as a critical welfare priority. Besides, it fulfils the government's duty to uplift and empower the poor through inclusive housing development. Further, these forest areas have become unsafe due to wild-animal threats and recurring human-wildlife conflicts. Lastly, clearing forest-zones may help to curb anti-social elements allegedly using these areas as hideouts, thereby enhancing law and order.

Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context?

In the last few years, the coordinated strategy of the Central and State governments has substantially reduced the menace of Naxalism in many affected regions. However, in several remote districts the Naxal problem continues to pose the main internal-security threat. Recently, in one such district, a spate of violent incidents involving explosives and killings has taken place and reliable intelligence points to renewed activities of over-ground workers and foreign extremists in the area.

Differentiate 'moral intuition' from 'moral reasoning' with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words)

Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context?

You are working as an executive in a nationalised bank. A colleague secretly uses ₹10 lakh from a dormant account, facilitated by the bank manager, for her father’s heart surgery and is repaying it.

Rashika, a Joint Secretary, struggles to balance demanding office work with her family responsibilities and personal well-being.

Vinod, Managing Director of a State Road Transport Corporation, receives evidence of the Chairman’s alleged bribery and must decide how to act amid political pressures.

Seema, a talented new architect, faces continuous harassment from the soon-to-retire Chief Architect who fears loss of credit for an important project.

You are a medical officer in a Government hospital. You receive reports of your 11-year-old son’s behavioural issues at school, including purchasing chocolates from a vendor against rules and being mocked by classmates.

It is believed that adherence to ethics in human actions would ensure in smooth functioning of an organization/system. If so, what does ethics seek to promote in human life? How do ethical values assist in the resolution of conflicts faced by him in his day-to-day functioning? (Answer in 150 words)

What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples. (150 words)

With regard to morality of actions, one view is that means are of paramount importance and the other view is that the ends justify the means. Which view do you think is more appropriate? Justify your answer. (150 words)

What do each of the following quotations mean to you in the present context? "Falsehood takes the place of truth when it results in unblemished common good." — Tirukkural (150 words)

It is a State where prohibition is in force. You are recently appointed as the Superintendent of Police of a district notorious for illicit distillation of liquor. The illicit liquor leads to many deaths, reported and unreported, and causes a major problem for the district authorities. The approach till now had been to view it as a law and order problem and tackle it accordingly. Raids, arrests, police cases, criminal trials – all these had only limited impact. The problem remains as serious as ever. Your inspections show that the parts of the district where the distillation flourishes are economically, industrially and educationally backward. Agriculture is badly affected by poor irrigation facilities. Frequent clashes among communities gave boost to illicit distillation. No major initiatives had taken place in the past either from the government’s side or from social organizations to improve the lot of the people. Which new approach will you adopt to bring the problem under control? (250 words)

A big corporate house is engaged in manufacturing industrial chemicals on a large scale. It proposes to set up an additional unit. Many States rejected its proposal due to detrimental effect on the environment. But one State government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to a city, brushing aside all opposition. The unit was set up 10 years ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial effluents was affecting the land, water and crops in the area. It was also causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to a series of agitations demanding the closure of the plant. In a recent agitation thousands of people took part, creating a law and order problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the State government ordered the closure of the factory. The closure of the factory resulted in the unemployment of not only those workers who were engaged in the factory but also those who were working in the ancillary units. It also very badly affected those industries which depended on the chemicals manufactured by it. As a senior officer entrusted with the responsibility of handling this issue, how are you going to address it? (250 words)

Dr. X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a super-speciality hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region. You are heading the tax investigation agency of that region. During an inspection of the doctor’s clinic, your officers have found out some major irregularities. A few of them are substantial which had resulted in considerable withholding of tax that should be paid by him. Now the doctor is cooperative. He undertakes to pay the tax immediately. However, there are certain other deficiencies in his tax compliance which are purely technical in nature. If these technical defaults are pursued by the agency, considerable time and energy of the doctor will be diverted to issues which are not so serious, urgent or even helpful to the tax collection process. Further, in all probability, it will hamper the prospects of the hospital coming up. There are two options before you: (i) Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature. (ii) Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether substantial or merely technical. As the head of the tax agency, which course of action will you opt for and why? (250 words)

The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss. (150 words)

Without commonly shared and widely entrenched moral values and obligations, neither the law, nor democratic government, nor even the market economy will function properly. What do you understand by this statement? Explain with illustration in the contemporary times. (150 words)

Explain how ethics contributes to social and human well-being. (150 words)

Law and ethics are considered to be the two tools for controlling human conduct so as to make it conducive to civilized social existence. (a) Discuss how they achieve this objective. (b) Giving examples, show how the two differ in their approaches. (150 words)

What is meant by 'environmental ethics'? Why is it important to study? Discuss any one environmental issue from the viewpoint of environmental ethics. (150 words)

You are the Sarpanch of a Panchayat. There is a primary school run by the government in your area. Mid-day meals are provided to the children attending the school. The Headmaster has now appointed a new cook in the school to prepare the meals. However, when it is found that the cook is from Dalit community, almost half of the children belonging to higher castes are not allowed to take meals by their parents. Consequently the attendance in the school falls sharply. This could result in the possibility of discontinuation of mid-day meal scheme, thereafter of teaching staff and subsequent closing down the school. (a) Discuss some feasible strategies to overcome the conflict and to create right ambience. (b) What should be the responsibilities of different social segments and agencies to create positive social ambience for accepting such changes?

One of the scientists working in the R & D laboratory of a major pharmaceutical company discovers that one of the company’s best-selling veterinary drugs, B, has the potential to cure a currently incurable liver disease that is prevalent in tribal areas. However, developing a variant of the drug suitable for human beings will entail a lot of research and development, having a huge expenditure to the extent of ₹50 crores. It is unlikely that the company would recover the costs as the disease is rampant only in poverty-stricken areas having very little market otherwise. If you were the CEO, then – (a) identify the various actions that you could take; (b) evaluate the pros and cons of each of your actions.

There is a disaster-prone State having frequent landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts, flash floods and earthquakes, etc. Some of these are seasonal and often unpredictable. The magnitude of the disaster is always unanticipated. During one of the seasons, a cloudburst caused devastating floods and landslides leading to high casualties. There was major damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges and power-generating units. This led to more than 100,000 pilgrims, tourists and other locals trapped across different routes and locations. The people trapped in your area of responsibility included senior citizens, patients in hospitals, women and children, hikers, tourists, ruling party’s regional president along with his family, additional chief secretary of the neighbouring State and prisoners in jail. As a civil services officer of the State, what would be the order in which you would rescue these people and why? Give justifications.

You are heading a district administration in a particular department. Your senior officer calls you from the State Headquarters and tells you that a plot in Rampur village is to have a building constructed on it for a school. A visit is scheduled during which he will visit the site along with the chief engineer and the senior architect. He wants you to check out all the papers relating to it and to ensure that the visit is properly arranged. You examine the file which relates to the period before you joined the department. The land was acquired from the local Panchayat at a nominal cost and the papers show that clearance certificates are available from the three authorities who have to certify the site’s suitability. There is no certification by the architect available on file. You decide to visit Rampur to ensure that all is in order as stated on file. When you visit Rampur, you find that the plot under reference is part of Thakurgarh Fort and that the walls, ramparts, etc., are running across it. The fort is well away from the main village; therefore a school here will be a serious inconvenience for the children. However, the area near the village has potential to expand into a larger residential area. The development charges on the existing plot, at the fort, will be very high and the question of heritage site has not been addressed. Moreover, the Sarpanch, at the time of acquisition of the land, was a relative of your predecessor. The whole transaction appears to have been done with some vested interest. (a) List the likely vested interests of the concerned parties. (b) Some of the options for action available to you are listed below. Discuss the merits and demerits of each of the options: (i) You can await the visit of the superior officer and let him take a decision. (ii) You can seek his advice in writing or on phone. (iii) You can consult your predecessor / colleagues, etc., and then decide what to do. (iv) You can find out if any alternate plot can be got in exchange and then send a comprehensive written report. Can you suggest any other option with proper justification?

You are recently posted as district development officer of a district. Shortly thereafter you found that there is considerable tension in the rural areas of your district on the issue of sending girls to schools. The elders of the village feel that many problems have come up because girls are being educated and they are stepping out of the safe environment of the household. They are of the view that the girls should be quickly married off with minimum education. The girls are also competing for jobs after education, which have traditionally remained in boys’ exclusive domain, adding to unemployment amongst the male population. The younger generation feels that in the present era, girls should have equal opportunities for education and employment, and other means of livelihood. The entire locality is divided between the elders and the younger lot and further sub-divided between sexes in both generations. You come to know that in Panchayat or in other local bodies or even in busy crossroads, the issue is being acrimoniously debated. One day you are informed that an unpleasant incident has taken place. Some girls were molested when they were en route to schools. The incident led to clashes between several groups and a law and order problem has arisen. The elders after heated discussion have taken a joint decision not to allow girls to go to school and to socially boycott all such families which do not follow their dictate. (a) What steps would you take to ensure girls’ safety without disrupting their education? (b) How would you manage and mould patriarchic attitude of the village elders to ensure harmony in the inter-generational relations?

"Human beings should always be treated as 'ends' in themselves and never as merely 'means'." Explain the meaning and significance of this statement, giving its implications in the modern techno-economic society. (150 words)

Now-a-days, there is an increasing thrust on economic development all around the globe. At the same time, there is also an increasing concern about environmental degradation caused by development. Many a time, we face a direct conflict between developmental activity and environmental quality. It is neither feasible to stop or curtail the developmental process, nor is it advisable to keep degrading the environment, as it threatens our very survival. Discuss some feasible strategies which could be adopted to eliminate this conflict and which could lead to sustainable development. (250 words)

In our country, the migration of rural people to towns and cities is increasing drastically. This is causing serious problems both in the rural as well as in the urban areas. In fact, things are becoming really unmanageable. Can you analyze this problem in detail and indicate not only the socio-economic but also the emotional and attitudinal factors responsible for this problem? Also, distinctly bring out why— (a) educated rural youth are trying to shift to urban areas; (b) landless poor people are migrating to urban slums; (c) even some farmers are selling off their land and trying to settle in urban areas taking up petty jobs. What feasible steps can you suggest which will be effective in controlling this serious problem of our country? (250 words)

"The good of an individual is contained in the good of all." What do you understand by this statement? How can this principle be implemented in public life? (150 words)

You are working as an Executive Engineer in the construction cell of a Municipal Corporation and are in-charge of constructing a flyover. During surprise inspections you notice serious deviations from design specifications which, if ignored, may affect public safety. The Chief Engineer advises you that it is not a serious lapse and to expedite completion. Evaluate the merits and demerits of the following options and suggest the course of action you would take, giving reasons: (i) Follow the advice of the Chief Engineer and go ahead. (ii) Prepare a detailed report of facts, analysis and your views and seek written orders from the Chief Engineer. (iii) Call for explanation from the Junior Engineers and order the contractor to make corrections within a targeted time. (iv) Highlight the issue so that it reaches officers above the Chief Engineer. (v) Considering the rigid attitude of the Chief Engineer, seek transfer from the project or report sick. (250 words)

Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is known for its manufacturing clusters on firecrackers and matches. The local economy largely depends on this industry, leading to economic development and improved living standards. International Labour Organization (ILO) norms fix the minimum age for hazardous industry work at 18 years, whereas in India it is 14 years. Industrial units may be registered or non-registered; many claim to be household-based units to evade child-labour laws, employing children from outside to reduce costs and increase profits. (Further questions continue on next page.)

You are heading a leading technical institute of the country. The institute is planning to convene an interview panel shortly under your chairmanship for selection of the post of professors. A few days before the interview, you get a call from the Personal Secretary (PS) of a senior government functionary seeking your intervention in favour of the selection of a close relative of the functionary for this post. The PS also informs you that he is aware of the long pending and urgent proposals of your institute for grant of funds for modernization, which are awaiting the functionary’s approval. He assures you that he would get these proposals cleared. (a) What are the options available to you? (b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option which you would adopt, giving reasons. (250 words)

As a senior officer in the Finance Ministry, you have access to some confidential and crucial information about policy decisions that the Government is about to announce. These decisions are likely to have far-reaching impact on the housing and construction industry. If the builders have access to this information beforehand, they can make huge profits. One of the builders has done a lot of quality work for the Government and is known to be close to your immediate superior, who asks you to disclose this information to the said builder. (a) What are the options available to you? (b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option which you would adopt, giving reasons. (250 words)

You are the Executive Director of an upcoming Infotech Company which is making a name for itself in the market. Mr. A, who is a star performer, is heading the marketing team. In a short period of one year, he has helped in doubling the revenues as well as creating a high brand equity for the Company so much so that you are thinking of promoting him. However, you have been receiving information from many corners about his attitude towards the female colleagues; particularly his habit of making loose comments on women. In addition, he regularly sends indecent SMS’s to all the team members including his female colleagues. One day, late in the evening, Mrs. X, who is one of Mr. A’s team members, comes to you visibly disturbed. She complains against the continued misconduct of Mr. A, who has been making undesirable advances towards her and has even tried to touch her inappropriately in his cabin. She tenders her resignation and leaves your office. (a) What are the options available to you? (b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option you would adopt, giving reasons. (250 words)