Ethics, Integrity : May 2022 Current Affairs - UPSC PDF Download

Moral Education

Dhritarashtra in Mahabharata wanted his son Dhuryodhana to be the king of Hastinapur. In the process, he did many wrong things and failed to stop his son from doing wrong. In the end, the same son led to the destruction of whole Kuru Empire. This episode highlights the importance of inculcating values, moral and ethics in our younger generation.

Character Building Among Children Is Important

Gandhiji has declared ‘Knowledge without character’ as a deadly sin. Albert Camus said, ‘A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world’. Not focusing on character development of children will have huge repercussions for society –

• Crime against vulnerable sections like women and old age will increase.
• Juvenile delinquency, drug addiction etc. will increase. 
• Lack of values like tolerance, empathy & compassion, fraternity will create social disharmony, communal tension, and regional tensions. This hinders growth and development.
• Greed in people will lead to unsustainable and noninclusive development. Youth will focus on Kama and Artha and not on Dharma and Moksha. (Four Purusharthas)
• Narrow conception of life will push the coming generations towards materialism, consumerism and hedonism.

Value Based Parenting

Parents must adopt holistic approach to educate their children. This can be done through:

• Adopting democratic child rearing practices: It must be ensured that in early phase attitude formation is positive about gender equality, pluralism & diversity, democracy among others.
• Parents must also ensure value inculcation of honesty, dedication and compassion to achieve excellence and character. They must act as a role model in this regard.
• Parents must use intangible goods like love, appreciation, spending time with them etc. to reward the child.
• Parents must ensure that correct observation learning is done by children. Like children shall not be exposed to violence shown on media.
• Teenage period is the most difficult time for children. Parents must keep a watch and provide correct guidance whenever a child requires it. They should act like a friend in this regard. Every word, facial expression, gesture, or action on the part of a parent gives the child some message about self-worth. It is sad that so many parents don't realize what messages they are sending. John Dewey saw education as the foundation of democracy and as the key process for social reform.

Socratic Dialogue

There is one aspect of discussion in Moral education regarding technique of development of morality among children. In this regard let’s discuss Socratic dialogue technique – “teaching by asking instead of telling”. This method of questioning is named after the Greek philosopher Socrates (469 BC–399 BC). The Socratic method is a means of evaluating beliefs by examining contradictions among their implications or in other words: learn to make room in our minds for different ideas and perspectives no matter how much they challenge our current beliefs. The ultimate aim of  Socrates’ philosophical method is always ethical. It should make us aware of our misconceptions, delusions and self-deceptions and bring us to a better understanding of the good and thus help us attain the goal that all human beings desire – happiness (eudaimonia).

At the beginning of 20th century, the German philosopher Leonard Nelson developed the Socratic Dialogue method to philosophise dialogically in groups. The aim of a Socratic Dialogue is to achieve a genuine consensus about the answer to the general question. The starting point of the analysis is an example from a real life.

In the classroom, Socratic method can be used as a shared dialogue about values, principles and believes between teacher and students. For example, if the general question is: “What is friendship?” then students would choose an example that they “think” is an exemplary case of friendship. Both the teacher and students are responsible for pushing the dialogue forward through questioning. The “teacher”, or facilitator of the dialogue, asks probing questions trying to expose the values and beliefs which frame and support the thoughts and statements of the students. The teacher imparts no information. The inquiry is always open ended. The classroom must share rules like raise hand to contribute, let others finish their sentences, be concise, use arguments that come from your own experience. The relevance of Socratic dialogue for ethics and value education is high, since it enables us to reflect upon our own beliefs and put them in opposition to beliefs and attitudes of others. The rational dialogue is the cornerstone of every rational discourse and practice. It helps children to develop skills in oral communication, critical thinking, interpret and evaluate information, transform information into knowledge and knowledge into judgment and action, interpersonal skills, respect for others and intellectual honesty.

The ethical process is a steady experience. Because the teachers today are more and more involved in the general education of the child, they have a very important role for ethics education of children too. There is no possibility to educate ethically without the teachers’ experience of ethics. The most important part of this is a consciousness of necessity to overcome the self-interests and be more open for the common good. The children should face the reality of daily life in the community and interpersonal exchange. The pillar of this exchange is the teacher. Consequently, the teacher is also an example of the related autonomy. In this autonomy, the respect of person of pupils, parents and teachers in their relation to each other is included.

In dialogue, critical thinking could be achieved and children can be trained in exchange of human resources for this task of the healthy society. Not only the parents but especially teachers and educators should be more involved to dialogize critically as autonomous persons with the pupils about these ethical topics.

To read more information on this topic:

• Attitude: Ethics - 2

Case Studies for Practice 

Case Study 1: You are a responsible district level officer in Maharashtra who is known for his efficiency and innovations in resolving issues at district level. Region under you is a drought prone area where major occupation of people is agriculture. Central Water Commission (CWC) has recently issued drought advisory for your district. It has asked for judicious use of water as water level available in nearby reservoirs is reducing at a very fast rate.

In fact, this problem is reoccurring, and you want to have some long-term solution for it. Monsoon will take at least 50 days to reach your district and replenish water reservoirs. What strategy can be adopted by you to redress the immediate problem and steps that can be taken in long term to redress the issue permanently? 

Indicative Solution

The case presents a challenge for me and for the district administration to deal with water crisis and usher in good governance. Since the major occupation of people in the district is agriculture, the issue must be looked into with empathy, compassion and urgency.

Following are important issues in the case –

• Test of my ability to solve the issue of water crisis.
• Responsibility of local administration to pre-empt any crisis to avoid economic, social and emotional suffering of people.
• Inclusive morality of people to use water judiciously, taking care for the needs of others.

Strategy to Redress the Immediate Problem

1. Wide scale dissemination of the Central Water Commission (CWC) drought advisory through different means – radio, Television, newspaper, gram panchayat, schools etc
2. Persuading people to self-fix the daily water consumption target to an optimal level. I myself can set example and declare my target. With support of locals it may become as mass campaign.
3. Encouraging recycling of water. Eg – kitchen refused water can be used in agricultural field.
4. Value inculcation and engagement by local leader to avoid ‘water-riot’ like situation.
5. A fund can be made to hedge the risk of farmers due to water scarcity. This may reduce economic burden, debt trap and social unrest.

Strategy for Long Term Solution

1. Introduction of micro-irrigation and other water efficient technique in agriculture with the help of governments under various welfare schemes. 
2. Making agriculture climate-smart in the region. Since water crisis is perennial problem, farmers may switch crop like pulses, bajra etc, which require less water. Persuasion for behavioral change will be required by various government machinery.
3. Use of new technologies like ‘Oneer’ developed by CSIR for water purification making available the ample amount of drinking water. This would require emotional intelligence and compassion among the scientific community.
4. Increasing the water storage capacity in reservoirs, farm ponds etc.
5. Ground water recharge techniques to improve water table level.
6. Developing ‘conservation’ as a value in our society will help in judicious use of water.

Crisis also creates opportunity for mutual cooperation and improvement and innovation. I must deal with the situation with positivity and look for short-term and long term solution.

Case Study 2: Mr. X is the head of a village Panchayat in Delhi NCR region. He is very popular among his community and people adore him for his leadership and humility. Communities belonging to different religions also lives in this village as well as nearby areas.

Small clashes are quite common but this time a murder has taken place. The son in law of Mr. X got killed in an altercation with a group of three young men who belonged to some other community. The fight started as his son in law objected to lewd remarks made against his wife by these three men.

The incident has led to immense tension and a Maha panchayat has been called by community members. On the day of cremation, thousands of angry people have gathered in Maha-panchayat to decide on future course. In this context, explain the contrasting emotions and dilemmas Mr. X is going through and what shall be his conduct? 

Indicative Solution

The case presents a highly charged-up situation which demands sound emotional intelligence to deal with.

Following are contrasting emotions Mr. X might be going through:

1. Grief due to death of son-in-law and emotional suffering of daughter and whole family.
2. Anger might also erupt due to his personal loss, especially on account of lewd remark against his daughter.
3. Sadness and frustration because of altercation and communal clashes in his village.
4. Since he is a humble man with leadership capacity, he must also have emotion of love, care, empathy, compassion, for the welfare of the entire village.

Dilemmas for Mr. X

• To act as per the law or allow communal backlash for the mob at Maha-panchayat.
• To focus on death of son-in-law or focus on my duties as a head of village panchayat.
• To act as per negative emotion of anger or as per my leadership ability.
• To focus on personal interest or lager public interest of communal harmony.

The situation is very tense and fragile on account the murder. There is also mob gathering in form of Maha Panchayat. It may lead to communal clashes as permanent rift. In such a scenario Mr. X must show extra ordinary courage and leadership ability. He must take following course of action –

• Act strictly as per the law. He must inform police, register FIR and ensure the culprits are punished.
• Using emotional intelligence he must control passion, if any, in the crowd. He must inspire them to be law abiding citizens and have faith in the judicial process.
• Personal enmity and hatred must not be allowed to take shape of communal clash. This will be disrespect to the deceased.
• He must also comfort his daughter and family in the time of grief and help them think objectively.

It is said that true test of integrity is at the time of adversity. Mr. X must fall back on his values to come out of this painful situation without loss of values. This will serve the public interest and larger national interest of peace and communal harmony.

To read more information on this topic:

• Ethics Case Studies Compilation (1 to 5)