UPSC Mains 2018 GS4 Q4 — Ethics and Morality
(a) “In doing a good thing, everything is permitted which is not prohibited expressly or by clear implication.” Examine the statement with suitable examples in the context of a public servant discharging his/her duties. (150 words) (b) With regard to morality of actions, one view is that means are of paramount importance and the other view is that the ends justify the means. Which view do you think is more appropriate ? Justify your answer. (150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- ExamineJustify
- Scope keywords
- good thingnot prohibited expresslypublic servantdischarging his/her dutiesmeans are of paramount importanceends justify the means
- Implicit sub-parts
- Analysis of administrative discretion versus rule-based rigidity in public service.
- The boundary between 'innovative governance' and 'arbitrariness' when laws are silent.
- Evaluation of Deontology (Gandhian/Kantian ethics) vs. Utilitarianism (Machiavellian ethics) in policy outcomes.
- Developing a synthesis or a balanced stance on when means must remain absolute.
- Common pitfalls
- Interpreting 'everything is permitted' as an excuse for public servants to bypass the law or act as 'vigilantes'.
- Failing to provide concrete examples (like Operation Sulaimani or IAS-led social initiatives) for the first part.
- Writing a philosophical essay on Gandhi vs. Machiavelli without linking it to modern administrative dilemmas.
- Taking an extreme 'ends justify means' stance, which contradicts the ethical foundations of the Indian Civil Services.
- Dimensions required
- Administrative Law (Discretionary powers)Ethical Frameworks (Deontology vs. Teleology)Constitutional MoralityProfessional Integrity and Accountability
- Marks allocation hint
For part (a), devote 75 words to explaining the scope of discretion and provide one solid example of proactive governance. For part (b), use 75 words to contrast 'means' and 'ends', concluding with a preference for the purity of means (Gandhian approach) supplemented by the necessity of efficiency in public service.
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