UPSC Mains 2017 GS4 Previous Year Questions

Question list

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1. Q1 · Conflict of interest in the public sector arises when (a) official duties, (b) public interest, and (c) personal interest are taking priority one above the other. How can this conflict in administration be resolved? Describe with an example.
2. Q2 · Examine the relevance of the following in the context of civil service: (a) Transparency (b) Accountability (c) Fairness and justice (d) Courage of conviction (e) Spirit of service.
3. Q3 · Young people with ethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward.
4. Q4(a) · One of the tests of integrity is complete refusal to be compromised. Explain with reference to a real life example.
5. Q4(b) · Corporate social responsibility makes companies more profitable and sustainable. Analyse.
6. Q5(a) · “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.” – Napoleon Bonaparte. With examples, mention rulers who harmed society and country and those who worked for their development.
7. Q5(b) · “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Analyse.
8. Q6(a) · How will you apply emotional intelligence in administrative practices?
9. Q6(b) · Strength, peace and security are considered to be the pillars of international relations. Elucidate.
10. Q7(a) · The crisis of ethical values in modern times is traced to a narrow perception of the good life. Discuss.
11. Q7(b) · Increased national wealth did not result in equitable distribution of its benefits. It has created only some “enclaves of modernity and prosperity for a small minority at the cost of the majority.” Justify.
12. Q8(a) · Discipline generally implies following the order and subordination. However, it may be counter-productive for the organisation. Discuss.
13. Q8(b) · 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 contemporary times.
14. Q9 · You are an honest and responsible civil servant. You observe claims that ethical conduct may create personal and family difficulties, that a small ethical minority makes no difference when unfair practices are widespread, that ethical means may hinder developmental goals, and that small gifts can make the system more efficient. Examine these statements with their merits and demerits.
15. Q10 · You are an IAS aspirant who has reached the personal interview. On the way to the interview venue, you witness an accident in which a mother and child who are your relatives are badly injured and need immediate help. What would you do? Justify your action.
16. Q11 · You head the HR department of an organisation. A worker dies on duty; investigation shows he was drunk. The company denies compensation, while workers strike demanding support for his family. The chairman asks for your recommendation. What would you recommend? Discuss the merits and demerits of the alternatives.
17. Q12 · You manage a spare-parts company negotiating a critical deal with a large manufacturer. After dinner, the other company’s manager, driving fast, hits a motorcyclist and seriously injures him. You are the sole eyewitness. A truthful statement may lead to prosecution and jeopardise the deal. What dilemmas do you face and how will you respond?
18. Q13 · A building permitted for three floors is illegally extended to six floors and collapses, killing migrant labourers including women and children. Government announces relief and arrests the builder. Give reasons why such incidents occur across the country and suggest measures to prevent them.
19. Q14 · You are a Public Information Officer. While RTI promotes transparency and accountability, you observe applications filed on behalf of interested stakeholders and instances of activists using RTI to extort decision-makers, potentially harming administration and genuine applicants. What measures would you suggest to distinguish genuine from non-genuine applications? Give merits and demerits of your suggestions.