UPSC Mains 2016 GS4 Q6 — Attitude and Values
Our attitudes towards life, work, other people and society are generally shaped unconsciously by the family and the social surroundings in which we grow up. Some of these unconsciously acquired attitudes and values are often undesirable in the citizens of a modern democratic and egalitarian society. (a) Discuss such undesirable values prevalent in today's educated Indians. (b) How can such undesirable attitudes be changed and socio-ethical values considered necessary in public services be cultivated in the aspiring and serving civil servants ? (150 words) 10
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- unconsciously acquired attitudesundesirable in the citizens of a modern democratic and egalitarian societyeducated Indianssocio-ethical values considered necessary in public servicesaspiring and serving civil servants
- Implicit sub-parts
- Identification of specific cognitive biases and social prejudices (caste, gender, class) that persist despite formal education.
- Analysis of why 'educated' status fails to override 'unconscious' family socialization.
- Mechanisms for unlearning (de-socialization) and re-socialization through training and institutional culture.
- Linking personal attitudinal change to specific civil service values like impartiality, empathy, and objectivity.
- Common pitfalls
- Discussing general social evils like 'corruption' or 'illiteracy' instead of focusing on the 'unconscious' attitudes of the 'educated' class.
- Failing to differentiate between 'aspiring' (aspirants) and 'serving' (bureaucrats) in the second part of the question.
- Providing generic solutions like 'education' or 'awareness' without addressing the specific ethical training required for public service.
- Ignoring the 'modern democratic and egalitarian' benchmark mentioned in the prompt.
- Dimensions required
- Psychological/Behavioral (Cognitive dissonance and socialization)Sociological (Patriarchy, Casteism, and Parochialism)Constitutional (Equality, Liberty, Fraternity)Administrative (Ethics in Governance, Nolan Committee principles)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate approximately 60-70 words to Part (a) by identifying 3-4 specific undesirable values (e.g., patriarchy, deep-seated caste bias, or elitism). Use the remaining 80-90 words for Part (b), splitting the focus between pedagogical shifts for aspirants and institutional/incentive-based reforms for serving officers.
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