← All questionsGS4 · 2014 · Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude ·Ethics Theory
QUESTION 2(b)
GS4
10 marks

What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these difficulties be overcome?

WRITE IN
7 min
150 words

What the examiner wants

Explain/Analyse the exact proposition in the PYQ — “What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these difficulties be overcome?” — using concept/chronology or mechanism, evidence on both sides where relevant, and a conclusion that answers the directive rather than merely describing Ethics Theory.

Explain/AnalyseAnswer exactly what the question asks.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1For the prompt cue ‘What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these’, directly answer: What do you understand by 'probity' in public life?≈35 words
  2. 2For the prompt cue ‘What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these’, directly answer: What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times?≈35 words
  3. 3For the prompt cue ‘What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How can these’, directly answer: How can these difficulties be overcome?≈35 words

Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.

Answer plan

Define/contextualise Ethics TheoryExplain mechanism/chronologyQuestion-specific evidence/examplesImplicationsConcise conclusion

Where marks usually go

  • For the prompt cue ‘What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How’, avoid a generic note on Ethics Theory; answer the actual wording/directive and the Ethics Theory proposition
  • For the prompt cue ‘What do you understand by 'probity' in public life? What are the difficulties in practicing it in the present times? How’, do not add examples around Ethics Theory unless they prove, qualify or rebut the proposition asked

Value addition

  • Provision/institution → issue → implication table
    → Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.

Official source anchors

These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.