UPSC Mains 2020 GS4 Q12 — Migrant Crisis Ethics
Migrant workers have always remained at the socio-economic margins of our society, silently serving as the instrumental labour force of urban economics. The pandemic has brought them into national focus. On announcement of a countrywide lockdown, a very large number of migrant workers decided to move back from their places of employment to their native villages. The non-availability of transport created its own problems. Added to this was the fear of starvation and inconvenience to their families. This caused, the migrant workers to demand wages and transport facilities for returning to their villages. Their mental agony was accentuated by multiple factors such as a sudden loss of livelihood, possibility of lack of food and inability to assist in harvesting their rabi crop due to not being able to reach home in time. Reports of inadequate response of some districts in providing the essential boarding and lodging arrangements along the way multiplied their fears. You have learnt many lessons from this situation when you were tasked to oversee the functioning of the District Disaster Relief Force in your district. In your opinion what ethical issues arose in the current migrant crisis? What do you understand by an ethical care giving state? What assistance can the civil society render to mitigate the sufferings of migrants in similar situations? (250 words) 20
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- In your opinionWhat do you understandWhat assistance can
- Scope keywords
- socio-economic marginsinstrumental labour forcemental agonyethical issuesethical care giving stateDistrict Disaster Relief Forcecivil society
- Implicit sub-parts
- Analysis of the conflict between economic survival (utilitarianism) vs. human dignity (deontology) during the crisis.
- Evaluation of the systemic neglect of the informal sector as a failure of social justice.
- The role of the administrator as a moral agent in a disaster context versus a mere rule-enforcer.
- Defining the 'Ethic of Care' framework in governance as opposed to a purely rights-based approach.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too much on the administrative failures of the lockdown rather than the 'ethical issues' requested.
- Giving a generic definition of 'state' instead of the specific 'ethical care giving state' which requires an Ethics/GS4 lens (Noddings' theory or similar).
- Overlooking the specific grievances mentioned like the 'rabi crop' which highlights the rural-urban link and emotional distress.
- Listing general NGO activities instead of specific 'mitigation' strategies for a mass-exodus scenario.
- Dimensions required
- Moral Philosophy (Utilitarianism vs Social Justice)Political Ethics (Social Contract)Humanitarian EthicsAdministrative LeadershipCommunity/Social Capital
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate approximately 75 words to identify 4-5 core ethical issues. Use 75 words to define the 'ethical care giving state' using values like empathy and compassion. Reserve the final 100 words for the role of civil society and a concluding vision that integrates the lessons learned as the DDRF head.
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