GS4 2022 Q8 20 marks 250 words Public Service Integrity

UPSC Mains 2022 GS4 Q8 — Public Service Integrity

Ramesh is State Civil Services Officer who got the opportunity of getting posted to the capital of a border State after rendering 20 years of service. Ramesh's mother has recently been detected cancer and has been admitted in the leading cancer hospital of the city. His two adolescent children have also got admission in one of the best public schools of the town. After settling down in his appointment as Director in the Home Department of the State, Ramesh got confidential report through intelligence sources that illegal migrants are infiltrating in the State from the neighbouring country. He decided to personally carry out surprise check of the border posts along with his Home Department team. To his surprise, he caught red-handed two families of 12 members infiltrated with the connivance of the security personnel at the border posts. On further inquiry and investigation, it was found that after the migrants from neighbouring country infiltrate, their documentation like Aadhaar Card, Ration Card and V oter Card are also forged and they are made to settle down in a particular area of the State. Ramesh prepared the detailed and comprehensive report and submitted to the Additional Secretary of the State. However, he has summoned by the Additional Home Secretary after a week and was instructed to withdraw the report. The Additional Home Secretary informed Ramesh that the report submitted by him has not been appreciated by the higher authorities. He further cautioned him that if he fails to withdraw the confidential report, he will not only be posted out from the prestigious appointment from the State capital but his further promotion which is due in near future will also get in jeopardy. (a) What are the Department options available to Ramesh as the Director of the Home Department of the bordering State? (b) What option should Ramesh adopt and why? (c) Critically evaluate each of the options. (d) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Ramesh? (e) What policy measures would you suggest to combat the menace of infiltration of illegal migrants from the neighbouring country? (Answer in 250 words)

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Question Decoded — examiner's intent

Directive verbs
evaluatesuggest
Scope keywords
illegal migrants are infiltratingconnivance of the security personneldocumentation like Aadhaar Card, Ration Card and Voter Card are also forgedposted out from the prestigious appointmentfurther promotion which is due in near future will also get in jeopardyethical dilemmas
Implicit sub-parts
  • Analysis of the nexus between local bureaucracy, security forces, and political elements in human trafficking/infiltration.
  • The conflict between 'Personal Interest' (mother's health, children's education) vs 'National Security' (border integrity).
  • Feasibility of utilizing 'Whistleblower' channels if the internal hierarchy (Additional Home Secretary) is compromised.
  • Long-term systemic fixes for document forgery and biometric verification at borders.
Common pitfalls
  • Ignoring the specific 'border state' context where infiltration is a matter of National Security, not just local law and order.
  • Over-emphasizing Ramesh's personal tragedy (mother's cancer) at the expense of his professional duty to report a crime.
  • Suggesting Ramesh should blindly follow the Additional Secretary's 'order' without questioning the legality of such an instruction.
  • Proposing generic policy measures like 'fencing' instead of addressing the 'connivance of security personnel' and 'forged documentation' mentioned in the text.
Dimensions required
National SecurityProfessional Ethics and IntegrityPersonal vs Professional Conflict of InterestAdministrative AccountabilityTechnological and Legal Reforms
Marks allocation hint

Allocate approximately 50 words each for parts (a) and (c) by combining the evaluation of options. Dedicate 40 words to part (d) identifying dilemmas. Spend 60 words on part (b) to justify the chosen ethical path. Use the remaining 50 words for part (e) to provide concrete, multi-layered policy solutions focusing on both border technology and internal document integrity.

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