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Day 31 Mains Questions – Ace Answer Writing Program

Paper           – General Studies IV

Subject         – Ethics

Sub-Topic    – Case Studies on Attitude.

Click on the question to answer it:-

Case Study 1: You are an IAS officer newly appointed as the Director of the State Education Department. The department has a reputation for inefficiency, resistance to change, and low morale among staff. Upon taking charge, you’re confronted with several challenges: On your first day, you notice that many employees arrive late and leave early. When you inquire, you’re told that this has been the norm for years and attempts to change it have always failed. You receive a report indicating that the state’s educational outcomes are among the lowest in the country, with high dropout rates and poor learning levels. However, when you discuss this with your senior staff, they argue that the data is flawed and the situation isn’t as bad as portrayed. A group of teachers approaches you with complaints about delayed salaries, lack of training opportunities, and political interference in transfers and postings. They seem sceptical about your ability to address these long-standing issues. You discover that a significant portion of the department’s budget for infrastructure development remained unutilized last year. When you ask for explanations, officials cite bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of coordination with other departments. The Chief Minister’s office has asked for a comprehensive plan to improve the state’s education system within a month. However, your initial suggestions for reforms are met with resistance from various quarters, including some influential teacher unions. You learn that several schools in remote areas are functioning with severe teacher shortages, but urban schools are overstaffed. Attempts to rationalize teacher postings in the past have led to protests and political backlash. A reputed NGO offers to partner with the department to implement innovative teaching methods in government schools. However, some of your colleagues are wary, citing past failures of public-private partnerships. Questions: 1. How would you go about changing the work culture in the department? What challenges do you anticipate and how would you overcome them? 2. How would you address the issue of teacher shortages in remote areas while managing potential resistance? 3. How would you maintain a positive attitude in the face of systemic challenges and resistance to change? (20 Marks, 250-300 words)

Case Study 2: You are newly appointed as the Municipal Health Officer of a large city. Three months into your tenure, the city faces an outbreak of a water-borne disease in its slum areas. As you grapple with this crisis, several issues come to light: The disease spreads rapidly due to contaminated water supply and poor sanitation in the slums. When you visit the affected areas, residents express anger over years of neglect by the municipal corporation. Your initial efforts to isolate the affected areas and distribute clean water are hampered by misinformation spreading through social media, causing panic and resistance among some communities. You discover that warnings about the deteriorating water supply system were ignored by your predecessors. Some of your staff seem defensive and unwilling to acknowledge past mistakes. The mayor, concerned about his public image, pressures you to downplay the severity of the outbreak in media briefings. He argues that negative publicity will affect the city’s reputation and economy. Several private hospitals refuse to treat patients from the affected areas, citing a lack of specialized facilities. This increases the burden on already stretched public hospitals. Your request for additional funds to tackle the crisis is met with bureaucratic delays. Some officials suggest diverting money from other health programs, including vaccination drives. A group of social activists demands your resignation, blaming the health department for the outbreak. They’re planning public protests and legal action against the municipality. You receive an anonymous tip that some contractors responsible for water supply maintenance have been cutting corners and bribing officials to avoid inspections. Questions: 1. What attitude would you adopt in handling this public health crisis? Discuss your approach to managing the various challenges. 2. How would you address the anger and mistrust of the slum residents? Describe your strategy for community engagement. 3. Describe your strategy for managing the media and countering misinformation during the crisis. 4. How would you approach the issue of potential corruption in water supply maintenance? Discuss the attitude you would adopt in investigating and addressing this problem. 5. How would you maintain a constructive attitude in the face of public criticism and demands for your resignation? (20 Marks, 250-300 words)

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