UPSC Mains 2021 GS Paper 4 with Solutions - 2 | UPSC Previous Year Question Papers and Video Analysis PDF Download

Q.9. An elevated corridor is being constructed to reduce traffic congestion in the capital of a particular state. You have been selected as project manager of this prestigious project on your professional competence and experience. The deadline is to complete the project in next two years by 30 June, 2021 , since this project is to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister before the elections are announced in the second week of July 2021 . While carrying out the surprise inspection by inspecting team, a minor crack was noticed in one of the piers of the elevated corridor possibly due to poor material used. You immediately informed the chief engineer and stopped further work. It was assessed by you that minimum three piers of the elevated corridor have to be demolished and reconstructed. But this process will delay the project minimum by four to six months. But the chief engineer overruled the observation of inspecting team on the ground that it was a minor crack which will not in any way impact the strength and durability of the bridge. He ordered you to overlook the observation of inspecting team and continue working with same speed and tempo. He informed you that the minister does not want any delay as he wants the Chief Minister to inaugurate the elevated corridor before the elections are declared. Also informed you that the contractor is far relative of the minister and he wants him to finish the project. He also gave you hint that your further promotion as additional chief engineer is under consideration with the ministry. However, you strongly felt that the minor crack in the pier of the elevated corridor will adversely affect the health and life of the bridge and therefore it will be very dangerous not to repair the elevated corridor.
(a) Under the given conditions, what are the options available to you as a project manager?
(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by the project manager?
(c) What are the professional challenges likely to be faced by the project manager and his response to overcome such challenges?
(d) What can be the consequences of overlooking the observation raised by the inspecting team? (Answer in 250 words) 20 Marks

Stake-Holders: 

• Project Manager
• Chief Engineers
• Chief Minister and other leaders of his party
• Citizens of that constituency 

 (a).  Under the given conditions, what are the option available to you as a project manager?
In this situation, Chief Minister and his party is in a haste to complete the project for their own political benefits. This move may adversely affect the citizens of that constituency if any catastrophic accident will take place in future. Citizens life cannot be put in danger for anyone’s political advantage. Project Manager must make efforts to stop the further construction before solving the minor crack.

Options Available with Project Manager

• Persuade the Chief Engineer to stop the project by understanding him the gravity of the situation. 
• Directly communicate with the chief minister that further green signal to this project can put citizens lives at stake. Project Manager should persuade him that any future accident can put his political career in danger. 
• If persuasion is not working, Project Manager must convey this situation to Civil society, Media or Opposition leaders to put more pressure on the government to resolve the technical glitch in the construction. However, in this case project manager’s job and personal safety is at stake. But in any case he has to show courage and integrity.

(b). What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by the project manager?

In this condition Project Manager is up against multiple ethical dilemmas

• Professional gain vs Public interest (Lives of Citizens): If Projects manger agrees with Chief Engineer and Chief Minister and go ahead with the project, he may be promoted up the ladder. But apparently that is unethical and immoral. Even though the crack is very minor, there should be absolutely no scope of doubt in such projects where larger public interest is involved. Here the main ethical conflict is his professional gains vs his conscience.
• His job vs his integrity: In this scenario if he chose to take a stand against the government, there are utmost chances that he will lose his job. Also politicians can pay vendetta card against him. So there is a threat to his personal life as well. On the other hand, his integrity will push him to stop further work in the project. 

(c) Professional Challenges faced by the project manager and his response to overcome such challenges?

• On one hand, if he put aside his ethical values and go ahead with the project, He may gain benefits from his patronage. That would be fruitful for his professional life. But in that case he will always be in guilt if any accident occurs in that construction. In that case he will also be part of the crime. 
• As mentioned above he may be suspended from his job if he takes any divergent view on this issue, since top political class is involved in the issue. That is the biggest professional challenge against him. 
• His Responses: Most appropriate response should be to stay upright and show resentment against government’s decision, even though he has to put his job at stake. 
• Second, he must take support from other influential people from the same political party or opposition parties, civil society and other pressure groups. 

(d). What can be the consequences of overlooking the observation raised by the inspecting team?

• Collapse of the elevated corridor can be the worst consequence of this minor negligence. Which may cause large scale causalities.  
• Construction without proper planning may also lead to the situation like stampede.
• These type of construction can be very fragile in case of any natural calamities like heavy rain, earthquake etc.

Q.10. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has quickly spread to various countries. As on May 8th, 2020 , in India 56342 positive cases of corona had been reported. India with a population of more than 1.35 billion had difficulty in controlling the transmission of coronavirus among its population. Multiple strategies became necessary to handle this outbreak. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India raised awareness about this outbreak and to take all necessary actions to control the spread of COVID-19. Indian Government implemented a 55-day lockdown throughout the country to reduce the transmission of the virus. Schools and colleges had shifted to alternative mode of teaching learning-evaluation and certification. Online mode became popular during these days.

India was not prepared for a sudden onslaught of such a crisis due to limited infrastructure in terms of human resource, money and other facilities needed for taking care of this situation. This disease did not spare anybody irrespective of caste, creed, religion on the one hand and ‘have and have not’ on the other. Deficiencies in hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, ambulances, hospital staff and crematorium were the most crucial aspects.

You are a hospital administrator in a public hospital at the time when coronavirus had attacked large number of people and patients were pouring into hospital day in and day out.
(a) What are your criteria and justification for putting your clinical and non-clinical staff to attend to the patients knowing fully well that it is highly infectious disease and resources and infrastructure are limited?
(b) If yours is a private hospital, whether your justification and decision would remain same as that of a public hospital? (Answer in 250 words) 20 Marks

Covid 19 Pandemic has adversely affected all section of the society. Health Infrastructure around the world was under immense pressure due to the extremely contagious nature of the virus. Doctors and nurses are the first line of defense. Front line workers lives are the most vulnerable due to direct and frequent contact with the covid patients. 

According to IMA, 798 doctors lost their lives during the second wave of covid 19 in India. Despite all the associated risks, doctors and other medical staffs adhered to their medical ethics and saved lives of millions of Patients. 

On frontline worker’s part, it was culmination work ethic, integrity, feeling of compassion and empathy and emotional intelligence which made them achieve what they did during 2 waves of covid 19 in India. 

(a) If I am the administrator of the hospital, I would have following criteria and Justifications for putting my clinical and non-clinical staff to attend the patient. 

• First and foremost, I would set strong protocols, under which no one would be allowed to work within the hospital premise without wearing mask and face shield. Utmost emphasize must be given to the safety of the clinical and Non-clinical staff, especially those who are directly dealing with the covid positive patients. 
• PPE kit must be compulsory for all the clinical and Non-clinical staff of the Hospital.
• Within the protocol adequate emphasize must be given to frequent sanitization of the hospital premise. 
• Under the Protocol free medical aid will be provided to any clinical or non-clinical staff and any of their family members, who gets infected by the virus. As I hospital Administration, it is my moral responsibility to ensure their good health. 
• If it is a public hospital, I would urge the state government to provide social security to the workers of the hospital. At the same time, I would make a proposal to give incentives to the front line workers of my hospital. 
• If any Clinical or Non-clinical staff’s demise occurs, whole cost of their children’s education must be bear by the Hospital Management. Also demise family must be given decent monetary amount for their further survival. 
• Strict penal action will be taken against any of the family member of patients who humiliate or hurt the dignity of the Hospital staff including both clinical and Non-clinical. 
• Under the protocol, paid leave must be provided to staff who have other alignments like high blood pressure, diabetes etc. since they are more vulnerable to the virus. 
• Provided with all the above guidelines and rules, I will make sure that all the staff is discharging their duties in an efficient manner by adhering to their medical ethics and protocols.

(b) Private Hospital 

During the pandemic we have seen many private hospitals adopting unethical means by taking advantage of the situation of patient’s medical condition and charging huge amount of money from the patients’ family

This is certainly against medical ethics. Also at the times of medical emergency this is inhumane to engage in such practices.

If I am the administrator of Private hospital, I will comply all the above protocols. At the same time, I will ensure that the hospital is not engaged in the unethical practices by charging more money. 

At the same time, I will ensure that, hospital is not engaging in biased practices by giving preferences to VIPS and influential people over the actual needy patients. In simple language I will try to bring the culture of transparency in the private hospital.

Q.11. A reputed food product company based in India developed a food product for the international market and started exporting the same after getting necessary approvals. The company announced this achievement and also indicated that soon the product will be made available for the domestic consumers with almost same quality and health benefits. Accordingly, the company got its product approved by the domestic competent authority and launched the product in Indian market. The company could increase its market share over a period of time and earned substantial profit both domestically and internationally. However, the random sample test conducted by inspecting team found the product being sold domestically in variance with the approval obtained from the competent authority. On further investigation, it was also discovered that the food company was not only selling products which were not meeting the health standard of the country but also selling the rejected export products in the domestic market. This episode adversely affected the reputation and profitability of the food company.
(a) What action do you visualize should be taken by the competent authority against the food company for violating the laid down domestic food standard and selling rejected export products in domestic market?
(b) What course of action is available with the food company to resolve the crisis and bring back its lost reputation?
(c) Examine the ethical dilemma involved in the case. (Answer in 250 words) 20 Marks

Stakeholders

• Company – violated the contract damage the health of public. 
• Competent authority
• Public at large – which is getting affected by compromised quality of food. 

(a)  As a competent authority actions available to me are:

• Take strict action against company, fined heavily and punish the wrong does according to the law concerned because the company:
• First violating the norms it declared in its prospects on which company get approvals. Hence it’s a crime to decive the government by concealing the true facts or of duties to contract later on. 
• Secondly it deviated from the promise made to the general public in domestic market through an announcement made. This is a crime against public at large. 
• Company failed in sample test by the government in food products so it’s a crime under food adulteration act 1954.
• Company can be delicensed under the companies act 2013
• Company also infringes the fundamental rights to good and nutritious food and also right to health of the people which is a fundamental right declared by supreme court in permananda katara vs UOI case. 

(b) course of action available to company:

• Company should accept the wrong done by it and plead for the minimal punishment of not big harm is caused to public.
• Company must accept its mistake and promised not to indulged in such unethical work in future publically or request to for give the company 
• Company should agree to compensate monetarily or in other form to anyone who is damaged din proportion to the damaged caused. 
• Company should have a surety bond with government that it will following all norms and sending weekly sample for inspection tp the government.

By adopting such actions company could again win the confidence of the general public in domestic as well as market in abroad and also win trust of competent authority so as company could recover its lost reputation.

(c) Ethical dilemmas involved for company:

• Integrity to the occupation or worl vs more profit earning 
• Duty to general public vs personal gains 
• Right to freedom of trade vs unethical practices 
• Profit making by illegal means vs mental agony

Q.12. Pawan is working as an officer in the State Government for the last ten years. As a part of routine transfer, he was posted to another department. He joined in a new office along with five other colleagues. The head of the office was a senior officer conversant with the functioning of the office. As a part of general inquiry, Pawan gathered that his senior officer carries the reputation of being difficult and insensitive person having his own disturbed family life. Initially, all seem to go well. However, after some time Pawan felt that the senior officer was belittling him and at times unreasonable. Whatever suggestions given or views expressed by Pawan in the meetings were summarily rejected and the senior officer would express displeasure in the presence of others. It became a pattern of boss’s style of functioning to show him in bad light highlighting his shortcomings and humiliating publically. It became apparent that though there are no serious work-related problems/shortcomings, the senior officer was always on one pretext or the other and would scold and shout at him. The continuous harassment and public criticism of Pawan resulted in loss of confidence, self-esteem and equanimity. Pawan realized that his relations with his senior officer are becoming more toxic and due to this, he felt perpetually tensed, anxious and stressed. His mind was occupied with negativity and caused him mental torture, anguish and agony. Eventually, it badly affected his personal and family life. He was no longer joyous, happy and contented even at home. Rather without any reason he would loose his temper with his wife and other family members. The family environment was po longer pleasant and other family members. The family environment was no longer pleasant and him in the office, comfort and happiness.
(a) What are the options available with Pawan to cope up with the situation?
(b) What approach Pawan should adopt for bringing peace, tranquility and congenial environment in the office and home?
(c) As an outsider, what are your suggestions for both boss and subordinate to overcome this situation and for improving the work performance, mental and emotional hygiene?
(d) In the above scenario, what type of training would you suggest for officers at various levels in the government offices? (Answer in 250 words) 20 Marks

Stakeholders

• Pawan
• His Boss
• Other colleagues in office.
• Pawan’s Family
• Other state government officials

Good Working conditions is an essential right of employers in both public and private sector. Harassment and mental torture at the work place is not only illegal but also highly unethical practice. It directly impacts the human dignity. 

For the holistic development of all the individuals’ good physical, mental, emotional and psychological health is imperative. 

In the given scenario, Pawan is working under immense toxic environment, which is impacting his own emotional health and its relations with his family. His boss’s behaviors are also undermining the self-respect and morale of pawan. This is apparently not a work environment, where pawan can nurture both his personal and professional life. 

(a) Options available with Pawan 

• Since, Pawan is working under the state government, he should file a complaint against his senior officer for his extremely unprofessional and toxic behavior at the work place. He can also adopt the judicial path if his grievances’ are not properly addressed 
• He can also seek for transfer to another office, since this work environment is intolerant for him and now it is also impacting his relations with his wife. 
• He can form a consensus with other colleagues/ employs if they have faced or facing the similar humiliation. Collective voice can be effective in these kind of scenarios. If he is only behaving like this if pawan, he should file a discrimination case against the senior officer. 
• He must share this emotional trauma with his family members. This will develop understanding and he will get emotional support. 
• He should show courage and directly communicate with the senior official regarding not to behave like this in future, since self-respect is very essential for the holistic development of any individual. 
• Pawan should develop emotional intelligence by not venting out the office anger at home. 

(b). As mentioned above, the senior official is also having disturbed personal life, but that should not be the excuse for his emotionally unhealthy behavior at work place. 

• Pawan can make efforts to be cordial with his senior for some time., but it the same thing is not reciprocating he should adopt other means. 
• Emotional intelligence is very important for a balanced life and holistic development of any individual. Pawan should learn this by practicing tools like Yoga and Meditation. This will make his personal, professional life in Harmony. 
• Interaction and discussion with family is very important for emotional health. Pawan must discuss his situation with his wife. This will give him moral and emotional support. At the same time, family will give him valuable insight regarding any future course of action. 

(c). As an outsider, my take is that an intervention by any higher authority is need of an hour in the given situation. Also a transparent committee must be set up to oversight and investigate the whole situation. 

• If the committee finds Senior official guilty after an unbiased investigation, strict action must be taken against him to set a right example of professionalism. 
• If required Pawan must be sent to counselling center. At the same time Senior official should also be send to counselling center, if he is facing any emotional or psychological problems. 
• Frequent seminars and team building activities should be carried out to maintain peace and harmony is the office. Lessons of emotional intelligence, empathy and compassion and team spirit should be taught to all employees irrespective of the hierarchy. 

(d) 

• Public officers are dealing with the wide range of issues every day. Also at times they are working under extreme stress environment. In these kind of working conditions, lessons of emotional intelligence must be taught to offices at various levels of government.
• At the same time, they have to collectively work in a team, for that various team building modules must be taught to them. Life learnings and ethical principles of Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Lord Buddha etc. must be taught to them. 

Social interaction skills and persuasion skills should also be taught to them.