GS4 2016 Q12 15 marks 250 words Domestic Violence Ethics

UPSC Mains 2016 GS4 Q12 — Domestic Violence Ethics

You are a young, aspiring and sincere employee in a Government office working as an assistant to the director of your department. Since you have joined recently, you need to learn and progress. Luckily your superior is very kind and ready to train you for your job. He is a very intelligent and well-informed person having knowledge of various departments. In short, you respect your boss and are looking forward to learn a lot from him. Since you have a good tuning with the boss, he started depending on you. One day due to ill health he invited you at his place for finishing some urgent work. You reached his house and before you could ring the bell you heard shouting noises. You waited for a while. After entering the house the boss greeted you and explained the work. But you were constantly disturbed by the crying of a woman. At last, you inquired with the boss but his answer did not satisfy you. Next day, you were compelled to inquire further in the office and found out that his behaviour is very bad at home with his wife. He also beats up his wife. His wife is not well educated and is a simple woman in comparison to her husband. You see that though your boss is a nice person in the office, he is engaged in domestic violence at home. In such a situation, you are left with the following options. Analyse each option with its consequences. (a) Just ignore thinking about it because it is their personal matter. (b) Report the case to the appropriate authority. (c) Your own innovative approach towards the situation. (250 words) 20

Question Decoded — examiner's intent

Directive verbs
Analyseeach option with its consequences
Scope keywords
nice person in the officedomestic violence at homepersonal matterappropriate authorityinnovative approachsincere employee
Implicit sub-parts
  • Identify the ethical dilemma: Public virtue vs. private vice.
  • Evaluate the legality of the 'personal matter' argument under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
  • Assess the professional risk of whistleblowing against a powerful mentor.
  • Develop a phased 'innovative approach' involving counseling, mediation, and legal escalation if required.
Common pitfalls
  • Adopting a 'mind my own business' stance which fails the ethical test of a civil servant.
  • Being overly emotional or confrontational in the office, leading to insubordination charges.
  • Failing to mention specific legal frameworks like the PWDVA 2005 or Vishakha guidelines (by extension of character).
  • Suggesting an innovative approach that is too idealistic or passive, such as just 'talking to him' once.
Dimensions required
Ethical (Integrity and Courage)Legal (Criminality of Domestic Violence)Professional (Mentor-Protégé dynamics)Social (Gender sensitivity and Patriarchy)
Marks allocation hint

Allocate 20% to identifying the ethical issues and the conflict between professional respect and moral duty. Spend 50% on a balanced analysis of options (a) and (b), focusing on consequences for the victim and your career. Devote the remaining 30% to a robust, actionable 'innovative approach' that prioritizes the victim's safety while exhausting non-adversarial channels first.

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