UPSC Mains 2021 GS4 Q6b — Integrity and ethics
“Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with suitable illustration. (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Justify
- Scope keywords
- Integrityvalueempowers the human beingsuitable illustration
- Implicit sub-parts
- Defining integrity not just as honesty, but as consistency between thoughts, words, and actions.
- The psychological mechanism: How integrity reduces cognitive dissonance and builds internal strength.
- External empowerment: How integrity builds trust, credibility, and leadership influence.
- Specific case study or illustration where integrity provided the courage to resist pressure.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing a generic essay on 'honesty' instead of focusing on 'empowerment'.
- Failing to provide a concrete 'illustration' or using a vague, non-specific example.
- Ignoring the internal/psychological dimension of empowerment, focusing only on social reputation.
- Spending too many words on the definition and not enough on the 'justification' of the link to empowerment.
- Dimensions required
- Psychological (Mental peace and clarity)Professional (Consistency in decision making)Social (Trust-building and social capital)Ethical (Moral courage and autonomy)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 30 words to define integrity and its link to empowerment. Spend 80 words justifying the 'empowerment' aspect through inner strength and social credibility. Reserve 40 words for a crisp, high-impact illustration (e.g., an upright civil servant or a historical figure like Socrates) that ties both themes together.
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