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Approach Answer: General Studies Mains Mock Test 861 (2017)

Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each:
1. (a) Examine how role models influence ethical behaviour. What actions can leaders take to integrate
ethical conduct in their organisations?
Approach:
Briefly describe who a role model is and discuss how role models influence ethical behaviour.
Delineate the ways in which leaders can integrate ethical conduct in an organization.
Answer:
A role model is an individual who is looked upto and revered by someone else. He is someone who other
individuals aspire to be like, either in present or in the future. A role model may be someone who you
know and interact with on a regular basis, or may be someone who you have never met, such as a
celebrity. Common role models include well known actors, public figures such as police men or political
officials, teachers or other educators, and parents or other family members. They have an important role
in shaping the ethical attitudes of people, in both positive and negative ways.
Various role models influence ethical behaviour in different ways:
The priorities and principles that ones role model displays in his daily life are passed on through
subconscious integration. Vicarious learning from the success and failures of the role model helps in
learning outcomes of ethical and non-ethical actions. For example, honesty in conduct is emulated
by children if parents are honest in their day to day life.
Since role models are our ideals, their ethical and unethical principles are imbibed by us. For
example, religious leaders through their interpretation of religious texts influence ethical behaviour
in a society. In South Africa, leadership from various churches played an important role in both
upholding apartheid and opposing it. Similarly, sportspersons play an influential role in promoting
certain standards of behaviour. While they instil ideals of discipline, cooperation and health, their
involvement in match fixing or doping sends a wrong message.
In an organizational setting, leaders holding positions of authority and responsibility mould the
organizational processes that have a bearing on how employees think and behave. Thus, they have the
responsibility as well as capability to integrate ethical behavior in their organization. This can be done in
following ways:
Reviewing the organization's ethical code. Distinguishing clearly between what is acceptable and
what is not. Ensuring ethical standards based on integrity, honor, honesty and fairness to all.
Establishing mission statement and organizations core values. Communicating the mission and core
values to every employee and customer through words and actions.
Leading by example - if their own actions and decisions are ethical, it will be reflected in the actions
of their employees as well.
Ensuring that the organization is based on meritocratic principles and cutting down down on
nepotism and at the same time ensuring that there is no conflict of interest.
Establishing an ethics panel that will review organizational ethics violations and questionable
decisions. This group can take pressure off employees during decision-making.
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1. (b) According to Aristotle, for persuasion, not only Ethos (credibility of the speaker) and Logos (logical
argument) but Pathos (emotional connection to the audience) is equally important. Comment.
Approach:
Briefly define persuasion in the introduction.
Then demonstrate the meaning and significance of the three modes of persuasion i.e. ethos, logos
and pathos.
Also, briefly indicate ways to develop these methods.
Answer:
Persuasion is a process aimed at changing a person's or a groups attitude or behaviour toward some
event, idea, object, or other person. For these purpose modes of persuasion involving ethical strategies
or rhetorical appeals can be used. Aristotle describes these as: ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos
Ethos is an appeal to ethics, and it is a means of convincing someone of the character, authority or
credibility of the persuader If the presenter knows or assumes that the members of the audience share
certain moral values, the presenter then can appeal to those values to support their idea. It can be done
in multiple ways by:
Being a notable figure in the field in question, such as a college professor or an executive of a
company whose business is related to subject of the presentation.
Demonstrating mastery over the specialized vocabulary of the field.
Being introduced by or producing bona fides from other established authorities.
Logos
Logos is logical appeal or the simulation of it, and the term logic is derived from it. To use logos would be
to cite facts and statistics. Having a logos appeal also enhances ethos because information makes the
speaker look knowledgeable and prepared to his or her audience.
Logos can be developed by:
using advanced, theoretical or abstract language
citing facts
using historical and literal analogies
by constructing logical arguments.
Pathos
Pathos is an appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an
emotional response. Its important to to see the emotional side of the issue if one is trying to persuade
someone. Speakers use pathos to invoke sympathy from an audience. Pathos is most effective when the
author or speaker demonstrates agreement with an underlying value of the reader or listener.
Pathos can be developed by:
Using meaningful language
Emotional tone
Emotion evoking examples
Making illustrations funny because attention spans are short.
Thus, the most important aspect of pathos is the emotional intelligence of the speaker and in order to
persuade an audience, proper of Ethos, Logos and Pathos is necessary.

2. (a) With appropriate examples, discuss various ethical challenges associated with the utilization of
public funds in India. Suggest strategies to effectively deal with these challenges.
Approach:
In first part of the answer, discuss ethical issues like underutilization and misuse of funds.
In second part of the answer, suggest some solutions to effectively handle these challenges. Give
examples to substantiate your points.
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Answer:
The capacity of government to deliver its political programme, strengthen the economy ensure security
and the rule of law, and preserve social cohesion, depends not just on the funds at its disposal, but how
they are used.
There are many ethical issues associated with utilization of public fund in India, for example:
Misuse of public fund for political purposes: Given the volume of public funds, they are particularly
vulnerable to conflicts of interest, favouritism, bribery and other forms of unethical behaviour and
corruption, especially where risk management and control mechanisms are inadequate. For
example, recently, there were allegations of misuse of public funds for political advertisements
against a few state governments.
Flow of Funds: Ensuring a smooth flow of funds under any scheme is absolutely essential for their
proper utilization. However, many a times, there is too little delegation in the system creating
bottlenecks in the flow of funds, which impacts the effectiveness of the scheme and utilisation of
available funds, defeating the objectives to varying extents. Also, given the sheer volume of the job,
and the details that have to be gone into, there is a high probability of a trade-off between doing a
job well and doing so within a reasonable period of time.
Strategies to effectively manage challenges in utilization of public funds
Officials should focus on the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact of public spending, and
the durability of outcomes that are being purchased with public money.
Bringing in transparency and value for public money: E-governance tools should be applied on a
larger scale. This will ensure both efficiency and accountability. Similarly, more awareness regarding
RTI among people is required to have accountability in the utilization of public funds.
Institutional mechanisms like CAG financial audits which assess the economy, efficiency and
effectiveness of funds spent.
Making regularity and propriety fundamental to the right use of public funds. Regularity refers to
being compliant with the relevant legislation while propriety implies meeting high standards of
public conduct.
Ethics training can be a valuable tool in helping officials to avoid pursuing personal, private or
political agendas by misuse of public funds.
Moving towards end-to-end e-Procurement and administrative simplification.

2. (b) With proliferation of social media, people have got the opportunity to express their views
anonymously and more freely. (a) What according to you, is its effect on the social and political culture
of the country? (b) Discuss the role of social media in changing one's attitude, particularly the youth.
Approach:
State the effects of social media on the social and political culture of the country.
Explain how people are increasingly using the social media and relying on them as sources.
State how social media affects ones attitude and its effects on the youth.
Provide relevant examples to substantiate your points.
Answer:
Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc. are now powerful tools that can influence
and shape human behaviour, individually and collectively. These platforms not only create additional
avenues of expressing ones opinions but also provide anonymity, which has both positive and negative
aspects.
In a networked world, social media possesses the potential to promote public participation, social
engagement and democratization of public life.

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 (a) Effect on social and political culture:
Anonymity and freedom of social media is a boon in a conservative society, which is intolerant of
certain statements, opinions, or lifestyle. For example, discussions involving sexual abuse, minority
issues, harassment, etc. find their place in online platform in such societies. Similarly, doctors who
are members of the on-line community often encourage their patients to connect with others and
form support groups on issues about, which they do not feel comfortable speaking about publicly.
However, a downside of anonymity has been that false, inflammatory, extraneous information are
also widely shared on online platforms. For example, a lot of false information and propaganda was
spread in recently held presidential election of USA. Similarly, an exodus of North Eastern people
happened in Bengaluru few years back due to a false propaganda on WhatsApp. Many times social
media also creates flared up emotions among individual as well as communities. This creates division
among people and communities.
Freedom of social networking sites play a vital role in the electoral process of countries wherein
political parties use social media platforms to spread information about their policies in order to
expand their voter base. All major leaders have Twitter or Facebook accounts where they interact
with their followers.
With social media, mobilization of people for a political cause has become easier. For example, social
media played a significant role in the outbreak of protests such as the Arab Spring, the Umbrella
movement in Hong Kong.
(b) Role of Social media in changing attitude:
Through social media, people are more exposed to diversity and are connecting and being exposed
to diverse perspectives.
Support to things, people and ideologies are more visible, thus anyone with similar opinions can find
a group to share their ideas. This further shapes the attitude of social media users.
Social networks can harbour a flow of generally undesirable things such as anger and sadness,
unhappiness; similarly good things like happiness, love, altruism, and valuable information may also
follow which impact attitudes.
Many goods and services are being promoted through social media. Advertisers try to positively
influence customers, clients, or brand advocates online. Due to increasing application of data mining
and AI, selective advertisements may change our attitudes towards certain products.
There also have been many negative outcomes due to social media. Due to huge availability of
propagandist literature, and easy access to hate campaigns, in many countries youth are being
attracted to radical organizations. For terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, social media has
become an effective tool to recruit as youth are more impressionable and susceptible to
radicalization.

3. (a) What are the various components of an organization's work culture? What are key issues that need
to be addressed in any organisation to create a more developmental and performance oriented
culture?
Approach:
Briefly explain work culture and enlist its components.
Enlist the issues that are needed to be addressed for a developmental and performance oriented
work culture.
Answer:
An organizations work culture represents the collective values, beliefs and principles of organizational
members and is a product of multiple factors like history, product, market, technology, strategy, type of
employees, management style, and national culture.

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 The components of organizational culture include:
Vision and Values: While vision articulates a companys purpose, values offer a set of guidelines on
the behaviours and mind-sets needed to achieve that vision. For example Googles values might be
best articulated by their famous phrase, Dont be evil.
Symbols: They reflect the philosophies and values, ideals, beliefs and shared expectations. The
emblem or logo of the company is often represented as major symbol for the employees and its
customers.
Behaviour norms: It includes (i) formal norms which are implemented through official regulations
and include rewards and penalties, confidentiality rules etc. (ii) Informal norms, which have a big
influence over the organizational behaviour, although they are not registered in any document.
Examples include celebrating important personal occasions like promotions, birthdays etc.
Status and the role of the personnel: Status refers to hierarchical position and prestige of an
employee within the organization as perceived by its members.
Histories and organizational myths: build up about people and events, they reveal the history of the
organization and convey a message about what is valued within the organization. For example, it is
said that Steve Jobs early fascination with calligraphy shaped the aesthetically oriented culture at
Apple.
Key issues to be addressed to attain a development and performance oriented culture
Weakness of horizontal communications with regard to projects within and across divisions. This
limits the ability to learn from the work of others or to consult others.
It is critical that importance of work culture is emphasized all the time in a non-sporadic manner. This
also means that there is a need for effective mechanism for imposing sanctions in case of violation.
Practices followed in a company should be authentically aligned with the values of the company. This
generates trust of the shareholders in the organization.
No company can build a coherent culture without people who share its core values and possess the
willingness to embrace those values. Thats why the greatest firms in the world also have some of the
most stringent recruiting policies.
In a globalized world, a greater awareness about organizational culture is becoming more and more
important to manage organisations today. For instance, companies resorting to outsourcing have
teams located across countries. This requires the work culture to be synchronised among different
stakeholders as well.

3. (b) There is a difference between what a person has a right to do and what the right thing to do is and
often there is a conflict between these two. (a) Illustrate with examples the ethical issues that can arise
because of such a conflict. (b) How does this conflict play out if someone wants to protest against
injustice?
Approach:
The answer should start with brief differentiation between right to do and what the right thing to do.
Then, write about the ethical conflicts that can arise due to the conflicts.
Then highlight how this conflict plays out when it comes to protesting against injustice.
Answer:
(a) The statement rightly reflects the conflict between right of a person and right thing to do for a person.
Right to do refers to the fundamental and natural rights of a person guaranteed by the constitution and
the nature respectively. The right thing to do refers to the action taken by an individual based on the
circumstances and values held by him irrespective of the rights guaranteed to him.
Ethical issues in such conflicts can be; not abiding by the law but taking the right decision as per the
greatest good for greatest number. The other conflict can be professional vs personal ethics of an

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 individual. For example, a civil servant wanting to help someone who is needy is the right thing to do. But
due to his obligation to laws he might not help.
(b) In case of fight against injustice the right to do and right thing to do plays out a very crucial part.
There might be cases where ones right might be curbed to fight against injustice. For instance, laws
might be designed in ways to curb freedom of speech and expression or injustice might itself be
institutionalised by the laws. For instance, laws during the apartheid regime. However, the right thing to
do would be to fight the injustice. Silence, in such cases, helps the oppressor and not the victim.
At the same time, there might be times when right to do and right thing to do might not even be in
conflict when it comes to fighting injustice. For instance, for fighting the menace of child labour, the
Indian constitution has given certain fundamental rights to fight the injustice. Adhering to those is also
the right thing to do in this case.

4. (a) It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what the interest of the
individual is. Discuss the statement in the present context.
Approach:
Briefly explain the above sentence outlining the importance of individual interests, societal interests
and the need for balancing them
Discuss the statement by giving current examples where individual interests and societal interests
need to be prioritized and balanced.
Answer:
The interest of a community cannot be alienated from the interest of the individuals in that community.
In utilitarian terms, the societal interests is a collective of individual interests. However, individual
interests may at times vary and may also conflict with the overall societal interests and goals.
Understanding individual interests and balancing them with the societal interests thus becomes crucial in
a society. Some individual interests may be sacrificed for the common good, others may have to be
protected at any cost. The nature of society may also determine how the interests are balanced. For
example in societies which value individualism, minimum restrictions will be imposed on individual
interests.
A proper balance between individual interests and the interest of the community as a whole is a
delicate one. The interest of the community triumphs individuals interest when the former is
believed to be righteous for the society. For example, individuals may want to ride in their
automobiles without wearing a seat belt. Here the society may readily overrule individual choices as
they tend to threaten common welfare. Society may thus enact laws requiring the use of seatbelts in
order to reduce the number of accidents.
Another view is that the common interests must duly recognize individual interests and that they
cannot be discarded for the common good of the society. In a free society, the enforcement of
community interests should only be done with reasonable restrictions to their liberties. For instance,
debates around legalising abortion across the world.
Heavy restrictions to individual interest may not be accepted readily by the citizens and may be
difficult to implement. It will create dissent and disorder in the society. If such individuals are in
considerable number they may challenge the existing socio-political order. However, small
restrictions can be readily accepted if individuals believe that such impositions actually affords them
the safety and opportunity to nurture their interests. For example, property owners will gladly pay
taxes to the government for the common good if they believe that the government will protect them
those who would steal their land.
As Aristotle has rightly pointed out that humans cannot learn what the common good is and what
their proper role in society is without having individual interests. He has rightly argued that personal
happiness must exist before civic virtue can.
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4. (b) Vision and intentions are necessary components of political ethics. However, equally important are
the process of implementation, tools used and the established system. Elaborate with examples.
Approach:
The answer should begin with what constitutes political ethics.
Then, explain how ethics in politics does not restrict to vision and intentions only but is realised in
the methods adopted, tools used, established systems in the process and responsibility to ones own
decisions.
Substantiate with suitable examples.
Answer:
Political ethics is the practice of making moral judgments about political actions. As a field of study, it is
divided into two branches. First, the ethics of process focuses on public officials and the methods they
use. The other branch, the ethics of policy concentrates on judgments about policies and laws.
One example of political ethics is the manifesto of a political party stating its intention and vision that are
ethically correct and morally upright. However, what can be considered as morally upright depends upon
the perspective we chose. For e.g: whether we are looking at the ends that are in the greater interest of
society or appropriateness of means itself. This decision thus constitutes a part of political ethics.
Some leaders and citizens may confine ethics in politics to vision, declaratory politics, programmes, and
intentions, but it is through systems, rules, and decisions that ethics in politics takes on real weight and
influence. The difference between vision and reproach of double standards points to a deep discrepancy
between principles and values on one side, implementation, decisions, and risks on the other.
We need to think of Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela to realise the link between vision and process
that fuelled political success. For instance, Gandhi firmly rejected the rigid dichotomy between ends and
means.
For example, somebody with high political vision and acumen but believing in corrupt practices, having
intentions for benefitting only a few people in his links, encouraging for only achieving goal with all sorts
of ethical and unethical practices can create chaos in the society and will not be accepted as a leader.
One has to be responsible for his actions, means used and the system which are established in the
process. For e.g: Authoritarian rule may be helpful in quick decision making and may even reap
immediate benefits. However, it would be politically unethical as it bypasses democratic institutions and
will of the people. It weakens institutions in the long run, shifts power from people to a group or
individual and propensity to unethical acts increases. Thus, it compromises the process, tools and
established system.
As politics is a social laboratory, the political systems, tools and roles are invented through trial and error
method. Therefore, we need to establish smart processes, which are self-correcting and help to find out
perfect match for the political system. They may indeed differ in kind, but some convergence and
consistency may prove beneficial. Political leaders who are committed to ethical values may be the
engine of long-term vision, lucidity, and tolerance.

5. (a) Swami Vivekananda brought religion to the centre-stage and gave a new meaning to it while
stressing the need for harmony among faiths. In this context, discuss the relevance of his teachings in
contemporary society.
Approach:
Knowledge of the teachings and contributions of Swami Vivekananda must be displayed while
answering the questions.
Begin with a brief on the statement.
Give examples from the contemporary affairs of the world where these teachings can play a
governing or correctional role.
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Answer:
The teachings and thoughts of Swami Vivekananda had a huge impact on the Indian consciousness.
Swami Vivekananda gave a modern interpretation to the notion of religion prevalent during his
times. His religion was based on humanism, virtues, spirituality, rationality, action and fundamental
oneness of God. It was not based on isolation, rituals and knowledge san action. Thus, he
impersonalised religion and converted it from a tool of oppression to an agent of social change. Thus,
giving a new meaning to religion, he brought it to centre-stage in personal and public discourse.
Today, people of different faiths live side-by-side and faith is a source of division in communities,
which is why his ideas about humanism, plurality of faiths and their harmonious co-existence are
relevant in todays strife-torn world.
Some of his teachings which are relevant in the context of global happenings are:
o Harmony among religious beliefs, in the light of incidents of communal hatred and violence
frequently seen in India and around the globe.
o He was against one religion for all, as propagated by religious extremists today.
o Today, religion is used to justify hatred, violence and terrorism. These people preach superiority
of their religion or God over the other. Swami Vivekananda preached Harmony and peace, and
not dissension and Assimilation and not destruction; ideas which find relevance today.
o Indian society is mired with cases of corruption. Swami Vivekanandas teachings about integrity,
devotion to duty and equality in treatment find relevance in this context.
o His teachings spoke a language of universal solidarity and brotherhood.
o Swami Vivekananda once exhorted, Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached. This
inspires the youth and the people to unite and work for the country and the prosperity of all
mankind.
Thus, while he had a powerful impact on the world during his lifetime, his teachings continue to be
relevant today and can make India and the world a better place to live in.

5. (b) Access to quality basic services plays a critical role in enhancing individual capabilities to
participate fully in the growth of the nation. (a) Discuss the statement in the context of vulnerable
sections of India. (b) Analyse the challenges with regard to quality service delivery in India.
Approach:
Briefly explain how access to basic services enhance individual capabilities.
Describe their significance for the vulnerable sections.
Enumerate the challenges being witnessed in India, regarding quality service delivery.
Answer:
According to UN, basic services like access to clean water, healthcare, education and sanitation have
crucial implications for human development, average income, poverty, education and economic growth.
For example, throughout the world dirty water and lack of sanitation are among the leading causes of
child illness, disease and death.
It is, therefore, essential that basic services should be easily accessible to all via a broad framework
which includes the participation of policy makers, service providers (both public and private
organizations including NGOs) and the citizens.
a) Vulnerable sections include women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), children, aged
and disabled. They usually face discrimination in the provisioning of basic services on account of
their socio-economic backwardness or physical limitations.
Basic services to vulnerable sections are crucial to fulfil the constitutional ideas of socio-economic
justice. For example, Article 21 includes under its ambit the right to life with dignity, right to
education etc.

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 The Social Contract Theory, wherein individuals surrender some of their freedoms in exchange of
protection of their rights, also necessitates access to basic services for all.
High quality of basic services is essential for vulnerable section as it provides them with :
o Education and skills for gainful employment. For example the reservation of seats in educational
institutions for SC/ST,OBCs and differently abled, skill India Mission etc.
o Healthcare that creates active participants for the workforce. For example school meal
programmes for children, maternal care programs, targeted food subsidies etc.
o Social justice schemes which empower and enhance capabilities. For example educational
scholarships for backward classes.
o Public assistance to senior citizens. For example old age pensions.
Overall this serves the objective of inclusive growth.
Bolsia Famila of Brazil and quality public service delivery in states like Tamil Nadu and Himachal
Pradesh are examples of how these can benefit the vulnerable sections of society.
(b) Public sector provides a major chunk of public services in India. Various factors affect the effective
delivery of basic service, viz. budgetary constraints, rising customer expectations, global competition for
investment, public sector reform programmes and changing demographics.
Resource constraints:
o Human resources need continuous improvement supported by research. This is found lacking in
India.
o Monetary resource constraints. The focus is on increasing spending and not on its effective
utilization.
Culture of the public workplace:
o Lack of transparency
o Objectives are not always clear
o Organization works differently in face of events and transition in leadership
o Ministries and Departments often work in silos
o High absenteeism of staff, especially in rural areas.
Citizen involvement:
o Limited customer options, as in many cases the government as a public service provider has no
immediate or obvious competition.
o Leakages and capture by local elite.
The various challenges can be overcome by capacity building in existing institutions and adopting best
practices, such as defining priority outcomes, intensifying external and internal pressure to perform,
establishing small, high-powered delivery units, support of top leadership and engaging stakeholders.
Moreover, there is a need of greater use of technology in public sector agencies and bringing in private
sector expertise, wherever relevant, to develop new public service delivery models.

6. Is Emotional Intelligence influenced by cultural moorings? How would you differentiate the
applicability of Emotional Intelligence in Indian society from that of Western society?
Approach:
Discuss how EI gets affected by cultural values.
Differentiate the application of Emotional Intelligence in Indian and western context.
Answer:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage our own emotions and the emotions of
others. Studies have shown that a part of emotional intelligence ability is innate while another part can
be changed through learning and experience; this later part dominated by culture provides the
structures, guidelines, expectations, and rules to interpret behaviors.

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 Although emotions are known as universal phenomena, most researchers believe that the way in which
they are being experienced, expressed, perceived, and regulated can be influenced by cultural norms.
Culture affects emotional functioning by identifying which emotions are negative or positive, when
emotions should be expressed and even how emotions should be displayed.
Several ethnographic studies suggest there are cultural differences in social consequences, particularly
when it comes to evaluating emotions.
Explicit expression of emotions like anger, love, frustration etc. are considered as uncouth and are
restrained in public in collectivistic cultures, but the same is considered essential in individualistic
cultures. Thus in America, parents encourage emotional expression while suppression of emotion is
often disapproved.
Thus, the way people perceive, regulate and exhibit emotions varies according to their cultural
background.
Applicability of EI in India and the West
EI is embedded in Indian philosophic tradition, which stresses the powerful nature of emotions. These
emotions need to be harnessed for a harmonious life. For example, the Bhagavad-Gita refers to the
emotionally intelligent person as a Sthithapragnya (the emotionally stable person). A Sthithapragnya,
according to Lord Krishna is one who remains unperturbed in the face of calamity, and takes good or evil
with equanimity. He has the power to emotionally attach or detach from any situation, at his will.
The following differences may be listed:
Western approach deals largely with how we conduct ourselves with people around us in different
settings. But Indian approach also has soteriological purpose, i.e. to achieve self-control for getting
Moksha by performing our Dharma. It also teaches us to maintain equanimity of mind by detaching
ourselves from the end results.
In India, individuals see themselves as interdependent with their groups (collectivist culture),
whereas in West, people are independent and give more importance to personal goals and personal
needs (individualistic culture).
Indian employees usually prefer a more directive, task-oriented style of leadership, compared to the
participative style advocated by western managers.

7. Evaluate the success of RTI in bringing governance reforms in the country. Examine whether it has
served the purpose it was meant for.
Approach:
Highlight the effects of RTI in improving governance, enforcing ethics in administration and
empowering the people.
In the next part, discuss the challenges faced in its implementation.
Conclude with some suggestive measures.
Answer:
The RTI Act has completed 10 years, and there are at least 50 lakh RTI applications being filed annually.
Despite all complaints about poor implementation, people have owned the law like no other. Perhaps it
is the real empowerment and sense of hope that the RTI offers to every Indian citizen.
Achievements
The RTI has spawned a new breed of activism and citizenship, as it has begun to encourage a culture
of asking questions. Information on issues related to public distribution system, privatization
initiatives, pensions, road repairs, electricity connections, telecom complaints etc. have been sought
by people through the RTI.

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 It is a strong deterrent against wrong doing in officialdom and thereby a potent tool to reduce
corruption.
Though the legislation has certainly brought increased transparency in public bodies, however,
accountability has still not commensurably increased.
A vast number of organizations that should have been covered under the definition of public
authority have not come forward pro-actively to be covered by the Act.
Poor quality of information is provided, which forces the applicant to go on appeal. In many cases the
information is not provided within 30 days. This kills the motivation to use the law and also increases
the burden on the law enforcement institutions.
It has been seen that there is lack of attitudinal change on the part of PIOs and bureaucrats, as they
generally invoke the Official Secrets Act to deny the information. Thus, there is merely legal change
without corresponding attitudinal change, which effects the efficacy of the act. Lack of values of
transparency, responsiveness and accountability are also seen on the part of public servants.
Ineffective implementation of Section 4(1)(b), which calls for pro-active suo moto disclosure of
information has also been an issue.
Lack of political will to enforce the law as is evident in attempts to dilute the Act and not adhering to
the order of Central Information Commission on applying the Act to political parties has also been
witnessed.
There is still low public awareness regarding the RTI
Way forward
Issue clear user guidelines along with spreading awareness to encourage people to use RTI.
Impart attitudinal training to the PIOs and bureaucrats.
Empower the Central and State Information Commissions to enforce their orders. They should also
be provided with adequate man power and infrastructure to review the implementation of the Act
and take corrective actions.
The focus should be on pro-active disclosure of information.
Apart from technical training the public servants must also be given training in values, as highlighted
by Nolan Committee on standards in public services.

8. The decisive role that money plays in elections creates a vicious cycle of corruption. (a) Elaborate in the
context of India. (b) Discuss whether state funding of elections can help in curbing the menace of
political corruption in India.
Approach:
In the introduction, explain about vicious cycle of corruption created by use of money in elections.
In the next part, discuss the pros and cons of state funding of political parties.
Answer:
a) A well-functioning democracy requires vibrant political parties and competitive elections. To function
effectively, to run for and win office, or to serve as opposition, political parties need significant
financial resources. Since, there is no transparency in funding of political parties, therefore
sometimes even black money finds its way to win elections.
The decisive role money plays in polls is creating a vicious cycle of corruption. A candidate who
spends crores on his election is in a hurry to recover his investment by hook or by crook and the first
thing a minister may be "compelled" to do is ask bureaucrats to start making money for him. This
creates an unholy politician-bureaucrat nexus. For example, a former Telecom minister was arrested
for 2G scam.
Further, a corrupt person, if gets elected infuses disvalues in the system such as corruption,
nepotism, partisanship etc. This impacts the effectiveness and efficiency of institutions and thereby,
erodes the trust of people in the government. Such system becomes more prone to corruption and
providing leadership to person with low moral standards.

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 b) Many have suggested state funding of elections, like Indrajit Gupta Committee and 2nd ARC. But it
has both pros and cons, as under:
Pros
It creates level playing field and allows public spirited people to contest elections and thereby
ensures equality of opportunities.
It can break the political-corporate nexus, thereby ending rent seeking and crony capitalism. If this
happens, would reduce corruption.
The election would focus more on issues rather than on raising funds through illegitimate means.
Therefore, it is expected to infuse probity in political system.
Cons
State funding may not drive out black money used for illegal activities like excessive expenditure,
bribing voters, 'paid news, etc.
The State would need to raise resources for funding parties which would entail higher taxes. This in
turn may encourage other forms of corruption like tax evasion, money laundering etc.
The state funding alone cannot check criminalisation of politics and using money power in elections
unless every transaction is traced, which seems quite unplausible.
Corruption and lobbying is found even in those countries which have adopted state funding. For
example in USA (for Presidential election), France, UK etc.
State funding carries the risk of diverting public resources from public welfare to funding political
parties without any appreciable improvement in probity.
State funding may not be the panacea to the problems faced in the electoral process and it is necessary
to adopt other measures, irrespective of whether State funding is provided or not.
Apart from state funding, we need to take the following reforms:
Introduction of inner party democracy;
Transparency and audit mechanisms;
Decriminalize politics;
Stricter implementation of anti-corruption laws.

In the following questions, carefully study the cases presented and then answer the questions that follow (in
around 250 words):
9. You are the officer in charge of development planning of a state whose capital is the technology hub of
the country. However, the capital city is overcrowded and marred by traffic congestion. A group of top
MNCs have approached you and showed their interest in expanding their operations in the capital
provided that the highway connecting the SEZ to airport is widened. This has been cited as an
important business requirement. The expansion of MNC operations is expected to create numerous
jobs and would bring in huge revenues to the State. At the same time, the road connectivity in rest of
the state, especially the rural areas, is abysmal and is in need of urgent attention. Media has been
highlighting the incidents of deaths due to delay in hospitalization and other such issues which can be
directly attributed to poor condition of roads. As the officer in charge of the development planning you
find that the road widening project will entail huge cost and would severely curtail the rural road
development programme currently being undertaken by the state.
(a) What challenges do you face as the officer in charge, in this situation?
(b) State your priorities and discuss how you plan to achieve them in the context of given challenges.
Approach:
Clearly identify the challenges you face in the role of development officer in this case.
Clearly state your priorities among: decongesting roads via alternate solutions (example engineering
solutions like construction of over bridge, faster public transport like metro, relocating SEZ etc.),
going ahead with highway widening, focusing on rural development etc.
Also discuss how you plan to achieve the above.
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Answer:
a) Various challenges I face as the development officer include :
Decongesting the city roads: As the city is overcrowded and the city roads are unable to bear the
traffic, decongesting the roads is a big challenge. This is hampering the potential of the existing
industry ecosystem in the city.
Balancing rural and urban development: As the available resources are limited, balancing urban and
rural infrastructure development is a challenge. This needs to be overcome by clearly prioritizing the
development process and exploring additional sources of revenue. While there is a need to have an
efficient transport system in the city, the basic mobility requirements in rural areas must also be met.
Environmental and rehabilitation costs of widening the highway: Widening the highway has implicit
and explicit costs involved which includes large scale displacement in a crowded urban centre,
environmental costs, land acquisition and other legal hurdles and rehabilitation of those affected.
b) As a development officer, my priority will be equitable development which takes into account the
development of large number of rural areas which are still deprived of basic necessities.
Development of rural roads brings multiple socio-economic benefits to the rural areas which form a
strong base of the National economy and it is a powerful instrument for the socio-economic
transformation of the villages. Taking up the highway widening seems to be an expensive option due
to its potential to severely curtail the rural road development program in the state. Hence there is a
need to conduct a feasibility study for the project which also studies alternate options to meet the
demand of MNCs. The alternate options include :
o Allotting space to SEZ at the outskirts of the city with easy access to airport.
o Exploring possibilities of engineering solutions which may ease the congestion in the city. For
example: ring roads, bypass, over bridge/underpass at congestion prone junctions etc.
o Proposing issuing Municipal Bonds as the expansion of MNCs operations are expected to bring
in huge revenues. Meanwhile, the state government can focus on developing rural roads.
Additionally, I will urge the government to put in place policies to increase the use of public transport
and dissuade the use of private vehicles. For example, promoting car pooling, developing fast and
efficient public transport, rationing the registration of vehicles, using odd-even scheme, promoting work
from home etc.

10. You are the SP of a district where a large number of followers of a particular sect reside. The district
also hosts a large Ashram where regular gathering of the followers take place. The leader of the sect
has been under the scanner of the judiciary for his involvement in illegal activities. Now the court has
ordered his immediate arrest and an order pronouncing the same has been sent to you. You have been
asked to comply with the orders within two days. A large number of followers, which include women
and children, have already thronged the Ashram in anticipation of arrest of the leader. Intelligence
units have informed about the presence of not only large stock of food and water but also
ammunition, inside the Ashram. Your request urging the followers to vacate the site has failed.
(a) What could be the reason for peoples defiance?
(b) List the issues involved in the case.
(c) What will be your plan of action?
Approach:
Explain the reasons for peoples defiance.
Discuss issues like absence of scientific temper in the society, ethical dilemma of following the court
order, which may cause violence, or not following it.
List your plan of action.
Answer:
a) Various factors may be attributed for the resistance put up by the people:
Prevalence of superstition, blind faith and ignorance which leads to emotional outbursts and
provocative behaviour. This type of behaviour is further aggravated due to peer pressure.
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 Lack of understanding/seriousness of the issue and the consequences of preventing a law officer
from executing his/her duty.
Perceived sense of security in mob action which brings anonymity and diffusion of responsibility.
Perception of soft state and its poor law enforcement.
b) The issues involved include:
Lack of scientific temper and rationality in the society, which is a consequence of lacunae in our
education system, which does not focus on moral education.
Ethical dilemma for the executive: To promptly follow the court orders which in the current situation
might lead to violence among people particularly women and children.
c) My plan of action:
I will repeatedly request the people inside the Ashram to allow the arrest of the leader in a peaceful
way for a fair trial. The message will invariably include a timeline for strict action by resorting to
force. The message will be conveyed by various means of communication like dropping pamphlets
from air, using broadcast media etc.
Stern warning will be issued to the Ashram authorities and those involved in inciting the followers.
Influential leaders will be roped in to convey this message. A time based action plan will be issued for
non-compliance.
Further logistics like water and electricity will be cut off to facilitate the operation.
Disaster management teams and health services will be kept on alert for any adverse eventualities.
After the deadline for evacuation gets over, force will be used to get entry into the ashram to execute
the court orders. Anyone obstructing the operation will be dealt as per the law.
However, the standoff may require more time if major violence is encountered as intelligence reports
confirm the presence of ammunition inside the Ashram. A hostage situation is also possible wherein
few people may be holding others as a human shield. A fair assessment of the emotions of the crowd
is also critical as the crowd may also indulge in violence.
If unintended violence is suspected, I will ask the court to grant me some more time for executing
the court orders in view of unprecedented circumstances which may involve life and safety of
innocent people.
All efforts will be made to maintain peace and brotherhood in the city and avoid any inter-
community conflicts by clearly projecting the incidence as a law and order problem. Those involved
in politicizing the incidence will be booked under IPC and relevant sections.

11. Ramesh, a very hardworking person, is the sole bread earner in his family. He has worked with an oil
company's local affiliate for several years, and has established a strong, trustworthy relationship with
Suresh, manager of the local facility. Suresh has recently recommended Ramesh to be recruited as the
corporate consulting engineer for the company, which would be a position of greater responsibility
along with a stable income. During a casual conversation, Suresh mentions an incident in the 1960s
wherein 10,000 gallons of a petrochemical was leaked into the local environment by the company due
to negligence, though at the time no damage was found, and no mention of this leak was made to the
press. When Ramesh mentions that the state law requires him to report all spills, Suresh reminds him
that no harm had been done and reminds him that the company can't have a consulting engineer who
does not value loyalty and respect confidentiality.
(a) Identify the ethical issues involved in the given case.
(b) What are the options available to Ramesh in this situation? Evaluate each of them.
(c) Had you been at Rameshs place, what would have been your course of action? Give reasons for the
same.
Approach:
Analyse the case and identify the key ethical issues involved.
List the options available to Ramesh in a given situation and bring out the positives and negatives of
each available option.
Give the course of action and give arguments to justify your course of action.
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Answer:
Involved Stake holders
Ramesh, Suresh, the oil company, the government and the general public.
(a) Ethical Issue involved
1. Self-interest vs public interest
Provided that Ramesh is the only earning person in his family and his source of income is not stable;
he is not in position to lose his job. But, if he considers his job, he is showing apathy towards public
interest which lies in reporting the incident.
2. Moral values vs organisational ethics
Ramesh will be having the conflict between his belief in personal values and the organisational
ethics. Even if, he follows any one of them he will be doing injustice with the other.
3. Negligence to state laws vs responsible citizen
Being a responsible citizen of the country, it is his duty to show respect for the public laws by
reporting the issue. But, to save his job he will neglect the state laws.
(b) Options Available
1. Remain silent on the issue
Merits
Since it happened long back and nobody was affected, it may be argued that raising the issue now
would be pointless.
Following the advice of Suresh would mean that Rameshs relationship with him, both personal &
professional, would not be affected.
It may also pave the way for further promotions.
Demerits
Such inaction shows lack of respect for state laws which require reporting all such incidents.
Also such action may pave the way for future where such leaks are not reported.
2. Convince Suresh to report to the Government
Merits
Reporting such incidents shows respect for state laws.
Rameshs personal relationship with Suresh will remain unaffected.
It would lead to detailed investigation for assessing the impact of the leakage.
Demerits
It may jeopardize the professional career of both Ramesh and Suresh.
3. Talk to his senior or director
Merits
It will also give a chance to senior or director to take suitable actions to correct the earlier wrong
happenings.
It shows that Ramesh is trying to exhaust all available avenues where he can justify his own values
and responsibilities as a citizen.
Demerits
He may face resistance in the company against him as the company has not reported this incident till
now.
4. To become whistle blower and reveal the incident
Merits
He will ensure his actions towards abiding by the state laws as responsible citizen.
He will be able to save environment and risks to peoples lives, if there were any adverse effects later.
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 Demerits
He may lose his job and destroy his relationship with Suresh permanently.
(c) Best Course of Action
Considering the gravity of the situation, I would have tried to convince the seniors for reporting the
incident to the government which then can assess the damages done to the environment and public.
This would also mean that wrongdoers would be punished for their actions. This will also set an example
for others to work following the rule of law. However, it may mean that I might lose my job. At the same
time, it must be noted that in such cases public interest is more important which cannot be
compromised at any cost.

12. You are the CEO of a social media company that has a wide user base. The social network offered by
your company has emerged as a platform for people to interact with each other and share news,
opinions etc. However, at the same time, women are being repeatedly harassed and cyber bullied
through this network. Whenever any instance of harassment is brought to notice of the company, your
staff members immediately deactivate the account of the culprit. However, since new accounts can be
created easily, such incidents continue to happen. Also, the system to verify ones account details has
been deemed lax by public authorities and human rights groups. But in order to increase the user base,
you have to ensure that it is easy for a new user to sign up. Increase in the user base leads to more
advertisements on your network, which is a source of huge annual turnover for the company. At the
same time, in wake of increasing instances of harassment, you also need to tighten the process of
creating new accounts and deactivate or delete the ones being misused.
(a) Highlight the options available to you in this scenario and evaluate each of them. What course of
action will you take and why?
(b) Is there a need for having reasonable restrictions on social media for it to remain a platform of
healthy and fruitful engagement. Analyse from the viewpoint of different stakeholders.
Approach:
Give a brief summary of the situation and mention the stakeholders involved.
Evaluate some of the options available to you.
State your course of action, giving reasons.
Comment on whether there is a need for having reasonable restrictions on social media from the
perspective of different stakeholders.
Answer:
Brief summary:
In this situation, the social media company is rapidly expanding but has simultaneously become a
platform for harassment of women. This is increasingly becoming a problem for the company as it is easy
for users to create a new profile. Lax security while creating a new profile has led to a wide user base,
hence, more avenues for profit. However, it is also reinforcing instances of harassment.
Stakeholders
I being the CEO, it is my responsibility to ensure that my company grows well and at the same time
does not become a platform for harassment.
Employees of the company who are continually working to check increasing instances of harassment.
Victims of harassment as well as those who harass.
Continuing and new users, as they too can face similar situations in the future.
The society at large as societal values and norms are being violated.

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 Government and the regulatory bodies who have an obligation to prevent women harassment.
Ethical issues
Harassment of women, which can have an impact on their personal dignity, physical and mental
health.
Commercial profit vs moral responsibility of safeguarding societal values and interest.
Providing voice and connectivity to people through social medium vs becoming a medium of social
evil.
(a) Options available to me as a CEO in this scenario are:
Do a thorough background check of new and existing users:
Merits: This will ensure that the company monitors the accounts of past offenders. Similarly,
potential harassers can also be identified and such incidents can be prevented in the future. Will fulfil
companys obligation towards women and society as well as increase its popularity amongst women,
thus benefitting business in the long run.
Demerits: It can prove to be a cumbersome task as it is not feasible to evaluate large user base.
Moreover, conducting a background check does not serve as a guarantee that incidents of
harassment will not be repeated in future. Additionally, large customer base denotes more avenues
for advertisement by companies leading to more revenue for my company. The company will have to
forgo financial profit in this case.
Outsource the work to an external security agency in order to combat the existing problem:
Merits: This will ensure that one agency specifically deals with the problem and all resources are
used to put an end to it.
Demerits: It can lead to unanticipated security issues as a third party will get access to confidential
user information.
Deactivation of account on complaint and add the feature to contact the police of specified area
which can take forward the investigation.
Merits: Will prevent harassment and ensure swift action against miscreants. It will discourage
possible offenders and ensure protection of women.
Demerits: Can be used to file frivolous complaints and many genuine accounts will be affected.
Company will be greatly occupied with such cases while its popularity will decline.
Most suitable action: In this situation, the most suitable action will be to hire more personnel and
delegate the responsibility of checking instances of harassment to them. Company personnel can
immediately deactivate the account of the harasser and inform the local police. Additionally, they
can create a database of offenders for future reference. This will ensure that the same person will
not repeat the incident in the future. Also, in this way the company will prioritize the safety of its
users and will not compromise on it at any cost.
Additionally educate the users (especially the young) about the moral and legal aspects of online
harassment will help.
(b) Along with many benefits social media platforms have become avenues for fake news, online
harassment, fraud, etc. Thus, there is a need for reasonable restrictions on social media. This can be
analysed from the perspective of different stakeholders:
CEO/Company: Reasonable restriction prevents the misuse of a noble medium for deviant purposes. It
would be morally wrong for the company to allow itself to be used such for the sake of profit. Since
company earns through public it is its responsibility to cater to its interest and fulfil its social
responsibility.
Victims: Misuse can lead to mental anguish, depression and even suicide. Focus should be on
safeguarding users, especially women and children, who have become more vulnerable in this respect.
Users: Users will be prevented from abuse as well as exposed to correct information and data. Users will
not fall for malicious campaign or opinion thus safeguarding their interest.
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 Society: Anything that proliferates to extent of social media needs to be regulated whether internally or
externally, otherwise, it can have dire and unprecedented consequences.
But it should be ensured that these reasonable restrictions should not become a tool for political and
personal vendetta against opponents.

13. You and your friend are living together in a metropolitan city and preparing for civil service
examinations. While you manage to meet your daily targets, you sense that your friend is unable to
cope up with the pressure of the exam. Fear of not passing the exam and meeting the expectations of
his family is stressing him further. You realise that with time your friend is losing interest in everything
and often talks about committing suicide if he is unable to meet his goal. He is also missing out on
meals and prefers to stay indoors when asked to venture out. When you sought professional help, the
doctor diagnosed your friend with clinical depression. Being aware that your friend needs professional
counselling and psychiatric care, you reach out to his parents who reside in a rural area. They rebuff
you for suggesting counselling and instead reiterate that nothing is wrong with him. They sternly
mention that your bringing up the matter will only make people engage in loose talk. They also ignore
you when you politely inform them that it is not wise to ignore ones mental health. Your friends
parents see his state as a sign of failure and decide to call him home where he can continue with his
preparation. You are aware of the gravity of the situation if your friend goes back to his house. You
also know that there is very little awareness about mental health and that the solution is not to ignore
it but to take necessary measures to tackle it.
(a) As a concerned friend and an aspiring civil servant who can frame policies for the public in the
future and has a moral duty towards them, what are the options available to you in such a situation?
(b) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option you would adopt, giving reasons.
Approach:
State the available options and their impacts in this situation
List the pros and cons of each of the possible options and state the eventual course of action.
Answer:
a) The options available to me in this scenario are:
1. Convincing my friends family to keep my friend in the city and taking responsibility for his
treatment.
2. Not pursuing the matter any further once his parent dont listen to my advice.
3. Let him go back to the village as his parent desire but helping him in other possible ways.
b) Evaluating each option
1) Convincing my friends family to keep my friend in the city and taking responsibility for his
treatment.
Considering the fact that my friend is suffering from suicidal tendencies, his life is at great risk and as
a friend and well-wisher I must ensure that he gets professional help from a psychiatrist. The fact
that his family is not aware about the gravity of the situation due to rural background necessitates
my intervention even further.
However, this will come at the cost of my precious time which I need to devote to my studies. This
may also enrage my friends family members who are against any medical intervention to the
problem due to social fears. Medical cost may also be an issue which may arise.
2) Not pursuing the matter any further once his parents dont listen to my advice.
As my friends parents do not consider my advice useful, I may focus back on my studies leaving the
matter solely in their hands.
This will be an escapist route and may lead to adverse consequences for my friend, his family and
even for me as any harm to my friend will also impact my mental state and my preparation for the
upcoming exams. This will amount to selfish and mean behaviour.
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 3) Let him go back to the village as his parents desire but helping him in other possible ways.
This may help him as he will be close to his family, which may provide the much needed
psychological support. As health is the utmost priority here, a bit of sacrifice of regular studies is not
an issue.
But professional advice and intervention is still sought which may not be readily available in a rural area.
Possible course of action:
First, I will try to educate my friends parents about Depression, its implications and will apprise them of
the professional advice which was given in this case. Asking the doctor to convince my friends parents
about the treatment may also be useful.
Regarding whether my friend should stay here or go back to his village for studies should be decided on
the basis of professional advice, availability of psychiatrist in the village and his convenience.
Taking a break may help especially in reviving his interests which he is losing fast. I will also try to help
him in meeting his daily targets which are bothering him and are a cause of stress for him. Additionally, I
will also suggest him to break the targets into smaller tasks.
Lastly, I will make my friends parents aware about the hard work my friend is putting into this exam
which should be praised.
As competitive exams are extremely stressful and mentally taxing, an aspirant may at times face anxiety
or depression which must be treated like any other health anomaly. As a friend/partner/relative etc. of a
person who suffers from depression, we should ensure that we do our best to normalize the situation for
the person diagnosed with it and support him/her in every stage of treatment.

14. You are the Managing Director of a multinational company that prides on hiring people from diverse
backgrounds. The company also chooses multiple projects under Corporate Social Responsibility that
are geared towards social inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society. Miss X
who works in your office tells you that she has been diagnosed with HIV. It happened due to
malpractice by a medical practitioner who re-used a contaminated syringe that led Miss X to contract
the disease. The company has strict policies about toleration and you ensure Miss X that she can
continue with her job in the company without facing any form of discrimination. A few days after the
revelation, Miss X angrily submits her resignation letter. She states that she has faced discrimination
at the workplace every day after the revelation. Her colleagues are hesitant to eat lunch with her, they
make sure they do not drink water from the same source and the females in the office comment on her
marital status. She is also asked to sit separately during departmental discussions. She intends to sue
the company for mental harassment. If she takes the step, the public image of the company will be
maligned and its non-discriminatory policies will be questioned. The following are some suggested
options for you to deal with the situation as a Managing Director of the company. Evaluate the merits
and demerits of each of the options:
(a) You accept her resignation and suggest a compensation package so that she refrains from suing the
company.
(b) You persuade her not to submit her resignation and transfer her to another department.
(c) You ask her to continue with her job and take strict action against the colleagues who discriminated
against her
Also, state (without necessarily restricting to the above options) your course of action, giving proper
reasons.
Approach:
Highlight the ethical issues involved.
Assess the given options and state their merits and demerits, with reasons.
State your preferred course of action in the situation. Substantiate it with reasons.

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Answer:
An employee is being socially discriminated at workplace and feels harassed to the extent that she wants
to quit her job. In such a situation, the employer, on the one hand, has to address her grievances and, on
the other, bring an attitudinal change about this sensitive issue amongst his colleagues.
Evaluation of the stated options
a) If employer accepts her resignation and offers a compensation package, then there is a probability
that Miss X will refrain from suing the company. However, it will not boost the morale or self-
confidence of Mrs X which was lowered by her colleagues. Also, it will justify the balancing of
unethical practices with monetary compensation. By doing this, the employer will set a wrong
precedent and indirectly reinforce the practice of discrimination in the company.
As a Managing Director, it is my duty to ensure that the employees have a conducive, non-
discriminatory work environment. Accepting resignation will not be a right step in ensuring such
work environment but an easy way out of this situation.
Further, every time monetary compensation for such incidents will pose additional financial burden
on the company. Thus, it is necessary to root out the cause of problem which is wrong attitude of
people in company.
b) If I persuade Miss X not to submit her resignation and transfer her to another department, it will
ensure that she will remain in the company and not sue it. She will also not face her co-workers who
have made her uncomfortable in the situation. However, there is no guarantee that her co-workers
will not discriminate against her in another department. Moreover, by transferring her I will not
eliminate the issue at hand, which is ensuring there is no workplace discrimination
c) Taking strict action against her colleagues will send a right message and create deterrence against
discriminatory practices in future. It will address the grievances of Mrs X and boost her confidence
for the companys management. However, the managing director must seek explanation from her
colleagues before taking strict action against them. There must be fairness in the decisions of
management otherwise it will lower the morale of other employees.
Course of Action
Any course of action must comprehensively address all the aspects of the situation. The action must
bring justice to Mrs X, send a right message to the employees and create a positive atmosphere in the
company.
Ask Mrs X to continue with her job in the present department and ensure her of non-discriminatory
work environment in future in the company.
Seek explanation from her colleagues who discriminated against her and take strict action against
them
I will also make it a point to socialize with her in the workplace, whenever feasible, to set an example
for other workers
Request the HR department to ensure through the code of conduct that there is no discrimination
against HIV patients.
Further, to bring attitudinal change in employees, the management of the company can undertake
various activities such as:
Arrange lecture sessions and workshops for employees by NGOs working in the field of eliminating
discriminations against HIV patients.
Undertake CSR activities for the welfare of HIV patients and involving companys employees in them.
It will sensitize them about the people suffering from AIDS.
Social discrimination against HIV patients should not be tolerated as they are already dealing with the
health and financial pressures of contracting the disease. It is everyones moral responsibility to
destigmatize the disease and treat HIV patients normally.

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