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DKBalajiRank36GeneralStudies4:EthicsandIntegrityStrategy|INSIGHTS

MyGeneralStudies4(Ethics&Integrity)Strategy
DKBalaji,Rank36,CSE2014
DearFriends,
IintendtosharemystrategyforEthics,IntegrityandCivilServicesAptitude.BeforeIstart,Iintend
tomakeitclearthatmystrategymaynotbefoolproof.Thus,Icannotguaranteethatfollowingmy
strategywouldassureeveryoneveryhighscore.
ItisjustthestrategythatIfollowedandithasofferedmeadecentscoreof121/250.
TheopeningremarksaboutthesyllabusforETHICSpaperinCSEnotificationreadasfollows:
Thispaperwillincludequestionstotestthecandidatesattitudeandapproachtoissuesrelatingto
integrity,probityinpubliclifeandhisproblemsolvingapproachtovariousissuesandconflicts
facedbyhimindealingwithsociety
ThesewordscaughtmyattentionverymuchandIdecidedthatETHICSpaperisdesignedtoevaluate
theethicalcompetence,butnottheknowledgeaboutethics.So,Idecidednottorunbehind
anybookoranymaterialofanyinstitute.Now,whenIseebulkymaterialforETHICSbyvarioustop
notchinstitutes,itjustsurprisesandamazesme.Thataside,Idecided
tounderstandthemeaningsofeveryterminthesyllabusfirst.Mindyou,Iwanted
tounderstandthemeanings,notknowtheirdefinitions.So,Idecidedtolearnmeaningsfrom
internet.Here,thelinksofferedbywww.insightsonindia.comhelpedmealot.Itjustreducedmyeffort
tovisitallsitessuggestedbyGooglesearchengine.
Afterreadingabouteveryterm,Istartedthinkingdeeplyaboutit.Iusedtopicksome45terms
randomlyeverydayandreadaboutthemandkeptonthinkingwheneverIfoundtime(whileeating,
bathing,beforegoingtosleepetcetc).Mythoughtprocessrevolvedaroundtwointentions.First,I
triedtoexpressandexplainthemeaningsofeachterminmyownwaywithmyownwords,insimple
English.Second,ItriedtolinkthoseconceptstomylifeorlivesofpeoplewhomIknow.Icouldnt
connecteverytermtomylifeorlivesofpeoplewhomIknew.Insuchcases,Ididsomethingdifferent.
Iwouldexplainthatalittlelater.
Toillustrate,afterreadingaboutVALUES,Ikeptonthinkingaboutthat.Later,myunderstandinggot
crystallizedasbelow:
ValuesimplyPreferences.Whateverispreferredorvaluedbyanindividualbecomeshis/her
value.Whateverispreferredorvaluedbysociety,asawholebecomessocietalvalue.Thus,Indian
societyprefersCOLLECTIVISM.So,itisIndiansocietysvalue.Similarly,INDIVIDUALISMis
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valuedinAmericaandhenceitisAmericansocietysvalue.Valueschangewithtime.BecausePeople
andsocietypreferdifferentthingsatdifferentpointsoftime.InIndia,before1947,PATRIOTISM
wasthemostpredominantvalue.Similarly,post1991,thankstotheconsumeristculturebeingsetin
inIndia,MONEYalsonowbecomeavalue
Iwanttoemphasizethattheabovetextisnotanexcerptfromanytextbook.Itisjustmy
understandingofVALUESbeingshapedbymythoughtprocessandexamplesareallmyown
observations.
Iusedtodolikethisforalmosteveryterminthesyllabus.
ItookextracareinensuringthatIexpressedthemeaningofeveryterminasfewwordsaspossible.
Toillustrate,Valuesmeanpreferencesethicsmeansguideaboutrightor
wrongTransparencymeansprovisionofaccessofgovernmentinformationto
publicAccountabilitymeansholdingapersonanswerabletohis/heractsAttitudemeansa
personsownevaluationofanotherperson,idea,situationetc.Examplesabound.(Ihaveread
somewherethatdepthofunderstandingisinverselyproportionaltothequantityofwordsusedto
expressthesame).
Thishelpedmerememberthingseasilyandexpressmyunderstandinginaveryeffectiveway.
So,
LESSON1learnmeanings,developyourownunderstandingbythinkingandthenbeableto
expressthesameinasfewwordsaspossible.
Then,IconnectedeverytermtomylifeorlivesofpersonsIknew.
AfterthinkingaboutVALUES,IthoughtofmyvaluesandtheincidentswhereIhavedemonstrated
thosevaluesinmylife.IrealizedthatHONESTYismyvalue.Irecountedthefollowingincidents
whereIhaddemonstratedHONESTY.
Incident1Inmy10theStandardBoardexams,inEnglishPaper,wewereaskedtowritethe
oppositeofPOPULAR.IhadwrittenIMPOPULAR.Then,examinvigilatorwhowaswalking
accidentallysawmyanswerscriptandtoldme,thecorrectanswerisUNPOPULAR.However,I
didnotchangemyanswer.
Incident2OneSaturday,IateIDLIatParimalaHotelinTumakuruBusstand.Iforgottopay
themoneyandcameoutofthehotel.Evenhotelpeopledidnotaskme.Irealizedthatinthe
eveningwhenIfoundexcessmoneyinmypocket.ThenIpromptlywenttothehotel,saidsorry
andpaidthemoneyonMondaymorning.

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(IintentionallyrecollectedevenminutedetailssuchasHotelname,whatIateeve,toprovethatitis
notacookedupstory)
Ididthisexerciseforalmostallterms.Thisisjustasample.
Youpeoplecanalsorecollectsuchincidentsfromyourlife.
So,
LESSON2Connectyourlifewithtermsinsyllabus,recollectspecificincidentsandusethemin
youranswers
(Thereallifeincidentsmaybeassimpleasofferingaseattoelderlyinbus,helpingavisually
challengedcrossroadandsoon.Yet,bringthemintoyouranswers).
Sometimeswemaynothavesuchreallifeincidentsfromourlives.Then,whattodo?Ifpossible,quote
theexamplesfromthelivesofgreatsouls,whichyoumayhavereadorheardof.Pleasedontrun
behindautobiographiesandbiographiesnow.Whateveryouknowbynow,justtrytorecollectthem.
OnetipIcangiveyouhereourlanguagesubjectsupto10thstandardhadmanysuchanecdotes.
Justrecollectthem.HereIgiveafewsuchanecdotesforyourbenefit.
SirM.Visvesvrayya,thenDewanofMysorestate,usedGovernmentvehiclewhilehewentto
tenderhisresignation.Aftertenderinghisresignation,hedrovebackbyhisprivatevehicle.
Healwaysmaintainedtwosetsofcandlesonesetboughtoutofgovernmentmoneyandthe
othersetboughtfromhismoney.Heusedtheformersetofcandlesforlookingintoofficial
documentsandusedthelattersettoreadbooks.(Theabovetwoanecdotesarethebestexamples
fornotmisusingpublicresourcesforprivategain)
Kuvempu,Jnanapithawardee,apoetandKarnatakaspride,wasonceViceChancellorof
MysoreUniversity.HissonPoornachandraTejaswiwasstudyingBAinthesameuniversity.Once,
anEnglishProfessorapproachedKUVEMPUandtoldhimthathissonhadscoredmarksbelow
minimumpassmarkinEnglishPaperandaskedKUVEMPUastowhattodo.KUVEMPUwent
throughtheanswerscriptandinstructedtheprofessortoawardtoevenlessermarks.(This
anecdoteisthebestexamplesforavoidingconflictofinterest)
ARajputPrincewasconspiredtobekilled.Pannawhoworkedinthecourtlearnttheconspiracy.
InordertosavethePrince,shereplacedthePrincewithherownkid.Herownkidgotkilled.
(ThisanecdoteisthebestexampleforLOYALTY)
Aworkaholicengineerwasworkinginamajorscientificproject.AbdulKalamsirwastheproject
head.Childrenofthatengineeronceaskedtheirfathertotakethemtoanexhibitioninthe
evening.EngineersoughtpermissionfromKalamsirtoleaveearlyandmentionedthereasonas
well.Kalaamsiragreed.However,hegotsomuchinvolvedintheworkthathecompletelyforgot
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thathehadtoleaveearly.Kalaamsirobservedtheengineerbeingengrossedinthework.So,he
onlytookchildrentoexhibition.(ThisanecdoteisthebestexamplesforEMPATHYTOWARDS
SUBORDINATES)
SatishDhawanwasthechairmanofISROduringthefirstlaunchofSLV,themissionfailed.He
tooktheresponsibilityforfailure.Inthenextattempt,whenthelaunchwassuccessful,hegave
fullcredittotheteamthathadworkedforit(Thisanecdoteisthebestexamplesfor
LEADERSHIPandTEAMBUILDING)
Sagayam,anIASofficerfromTamilNaduhasdisclosedhisandhisfamilysassetsonthewebsite.
(BestExampleforPROBITY,TRANSPARENCY)
K.Jairaj,KarnatakacadreHASofficerwastoapprovethedismissalofaladytypistonthe
groundsofunrulybehaviorbyheragainsthercolleagues.Jairajsirdelvedalittledeeperintothe
issueandfoundoutthatshehadbeenwidowandonecoworkermisusedher,promisinghera
newlife.Andthishadpushedherintodepression.Addingsalttothewound,hercoworkers
startedabusingherinfilthylanguage.Thishadmadeherlosehertemper.Later,consideringher
precariousfinancialconditionandneedtoeducateherson,twoincrementswerecutandshewas
reinstatedtoservice.Later,hersongotaverygoodjobinInfosys.(ExampleforCOMPASSION
TOWARDSWOMENEMPATHYTOWARDSSUBORDINATESWORKCULTURE)
Suchanecdotesaremany.Youcanusetheminyouranswers.Irepeat,pleasedontrunbehind
autobiographiesandbiographiesnow(Youcanreadthem,maybe,afterMains).Ineverdidso.The
aboveanecdoteswereheardorreadbymeinnewspapersandonInternet.Ijustusedthemin
answers.
Hence,
LESSON3Trytouseanecdotes(onlyIfyouknowany)aboutgreatsoulsinyouranswers
Insomecases,youmaynothaveyourreallifeincidentsoranecdotesfromlivesofgreatsouls.Insuch
scenarios,trytocreatehypotheticalscenariosandquotethesameasexample.Alwaysstartsuch
exampleswithSUPPOSE..ASSUME.andsoon.
Toillustrate,foraquestiononconflictofinterest,youcanwriteanexampleassupposeanIAS
officerisapartofaninterviewpanel.Whiletakinginterviews,he/shediscoversthatacandidateis
asonofhisfriend.ThenthatIASofficershoulddisclosethatfact.Heshouldabstainfromtaking
interviewofthatcandidate.
Thiskindofscenarioshavetobecreatedinexamhalldependinguponthenatureofthequestion.So,
thatkindofthinkinghastobedevelopedbeforehand.
Onemoreimportanttipeverycasestudyyousolveisahypotheticalscenario.So,youcanusethe
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casestudiesyoumayhavepracticedashypotheticalscenariosforyouranswersintheexam.
LESSON4Createhypotheticalscenariosonyourownandusetheminyouranswers.
CASESTUDIES
Rememberthefollowingthingswhileansweringcasestudies.
1. Trytoprovidepracticalsolutions.Idealsolutions,ifunworkable,wouldnotfetchyoumarks.
2. Giveoutoftheboxyetpracticalsolutions.
3. Trytoprovidespecificsolutions.Avoidgeneralizedsolutions.Toillustrate,dontsay,Iwould
takestepstopromoteTRANSPARENCY.PleasementionhowdoyoupromoteTRANSPARENCY.
4. Whenyouareaskedtogivealltheoptionsavailabletoyou.Pleasegiveeventhemostundesirable
courseofactionasoneoftheoptions.However,dontchoosethatoption.Toillustrate,inacase
thatmentionsaboutofferofbribetoyou,mentionacceptanceofbribeasoneoftheoptions.But
prefertheoptionsrejectionofbribe.
5. Donottouchupononlycoreissues.Alsotouchuponperipheralissuesinacasestudy.To
illustrate,supposeacasestudyinwhichyouaretheheadofcommitteeinvestigatingthe
irregularitiesofcolleges.Youareindilemmawhethertorecommendforthederecognitionof
collegeandspoilthecareerprospectsofstudentsortorecommendtheirregularizationinthe
lightoffutureofthousandsofstudents.YouhavebeenofferedabribeofRs.5crores.Inthis
casestudy,acoreissueiswhethertoregularizecolleges.Mostcandidateswouldjustaddress
thisissueintheiranswer.However,thereisanotherissue,whichIwouldcallperipheralissue,
thatis,offerofbribe.Trytoaddressthatissueaswell.Whileaddressingbribeissue,pleasedont
justsayIwontacceptthebribe.AlsosayIwouldlodgecomplainagainstthepersonwhohas
offeredbribe.
6. Letyoursolutionstrytobalanceconflictingoptions,asmuchaspossible.(Cautionsuch
balancingmaynothappenalways).Letsusconsidertheexamplesmentionedintheprevious
point.Inthatmostcandidateswouldsay,eitherishallrecommendderecognitionofcolleges
becauseerrantcollegeshavetobepunishedorIshallrecommendforregularizationofcolleges
becauseofthefutureofstudents.Iwouldsay,trytothinkofasolutionthatpunishescolleges
andatthesametimerescuesthecareerprospectsofthousandsofstudents.Suchsolutioncanbe
allowingalreadyenrolledstudentstofinishtheircourseandrecognizingtheirdegreeswhile
prohibitinganyfreshadmissions.Oraccommodationofstudentsofsuchcollegesinotherproper
colleges.
Onemoreillustrationsupposeanelderlycouplelivinginavillageinadilapidatedhouse.Theyneed
agoodhouse.Theygetsomepension.Unfortunately,theirsonwholivesincitywouldsnatchthat
pensionawayfromthem.Youaretheheadofahousingcorporation.Theyapplyseekingsanctionof
houseundersomehousingscheme.Uponscrutiny,yourealizethattheirincome(becauseofpension)
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ismorethantheminimumincomelimitforabeneficiary.However,youcanbendtheruleand
sanctionahouse.Whatwillyoudo?Inthiscasestudy,mostcandidateswouldtakeeitherofthetwo
extremestandsbendingtheruleandsanctioningthehouseinthelightofhumanityand
compassiontowardsweakersectionsorrejectingthehousesincethatisagainstlaw.Iwouldsay,tryto
balanceboth.Suchsolutionscanbe
1. ConsiderthisasaspecialcaseandrequestyourhigherupstoGrantyoupowertosanction
thehouse
2. Rejectthehouseunderthisschemeandtrytoaccommodatetheirapplicationinanother
housingscheme,ifpossible
3. RejectthehouseunderthisschemeandtrytokeepthesecoupleintouchwithsomeNGOor
philanthropistwhomayhelpthembuildthehouse.
(Alsoaskthenearestpoliceinspectortowarntheirsonandensurethathednotsnatchtheirpension
inforthcomingmonthsthisisaperipheralissuewhichmostcandidatesmiss)
Miscellaneous
1. Bepreparedtowriteaboutyourrolemodelandwhathaveyoulearntfromhim/her.Letyour
rolemodelpreferablybesomeonewhomyouhaveseenforlongtime,likeyourparents,teacher
etc.,ratherthansomegreatsoulwhomyouhavenotmetevenonce.Thisismypersonalopinion,
whichmaynotbecorrect.
2. Wheneveryouanswersomeabstractquestionsuchashappinessaccordingtoyou,trytoinclude
thedimensionsofpubliclifeandprivatelife.Toelaborate,writewhatishappiness,according
toyouinpubliclifeandwhatishappinessaccordingtoyouinprivatelife.
3. LetallyouranswersreflectyourEMPATHYtowardspublicandcolleaguesorcoworkers.
4. Bearinmindthatyouarenotjustapublicservant,butyouhavesomeresponsibilitytowardsyour
subordinatesaswell.Thus,ifmediaandpublicprotestagainstyoursubordinatewhomyouknow
hasntbreachedhisduty,dontdisownhim/her.Youstandbyhim/her.
5. Alwaysbegenderneutraluses/heratherthanusingjusthe.Usehim/herinsteadofhim.
6. Knowaboutyourweaknessesaswell.Theremaybeaquestionthatmayaskyoumentionyour
weaknesses.Besmartinansweringsuchquestions.
7. Bereadywithevenatleastoneincidentinwhichyouhaveactedunethically.Butwhilewriting
suchincidents,dontforgettomentionthatnowyouarerepentantofsuchactandhasnever
committedthatactagain.
8. Questionsinethicsmaybeverymuchunpredictable.So,evenifyougetacompletelynewtypeof
question,dontgetshocked.Rememberthatitisanewtypeofquestiontoeveryotheraspirant
writingwithyou.Juststaycalmandthink.
9. Itisverytoughtowriteveryshortanswersinethics(personalexperienceinexamIfoundit
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verydifficulttoshortentheanswers).So,pleasebereadytowritefast.
10. Ethicsisasimplepaper.Dontcomplicateit.Donttrytomasterthephilosophiesofallgreat
thinkersontheearth.Itisneitherpracticablenordesirable.Iknowcoachinginstitutesbringing
outaseparatebookonthephilosophiesofthinkers.Idoubttheirutility.Dontwastetime
masteringthem.Again,thisispurelymypersonalopinion,thatmaybealtogetherincorrect.
GISTOFMYETHICSANSWER
QuestionPATRIOTISMincivilianlifeaccordingtoyou:
Answer
PuttingbitsofpaperonlyindustbinNotjumpingatrafficsignalFlushingthetoiletafteruse.
ThesethreeIrememberexactly.ButInowfeel,morepointscanbeaddedswitchingofflightswhen
notinuse,keyingoffthebikewhenitisathalt(mostlyattrafficsignals),andsonon.
Ihavedetailedmystrategyabove.Hopeithelpstoallofyou.However,nostrategyiscoolproof.You
maydrawinputsfrommystrategy.But,pleasedraftyourownstrategy.

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