General Studies 2021 GS Paper IV 20 marks 150 words Critically examine

GS Paper IV — Q4

(a) Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude…

(a)

Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant?

(b)

In case of crisis of conscience does emotional intelligence help to overcome the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to follow? Critically examine.

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a)

अभिवृत्ति एक महत्वपूर्ण घटक है, जो मानव के विकास में निवेश (इनपुट) का काम करता है। ऐसी उपयुक्त अभिवृत्ति का विकास कैसे करें, जो एक लोक सेवक के लिए आवश्यक है?

(b)

उस नैतिकता अथवा नैतिक आदर्श, जिसको आप अंगीकार करते हैं, से समझौता किए बिना क्या भावनात्मक बुद्धि अंतरात्मा के संकट की स्थिति से उबरने में सहायता करती है? आलोचनात्मक परीक्षण कीजिए।

The question as printed in the 2021 General Studies paper

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Model answer

Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.

(a) Building a suitable attitude

Attitude is a learned, fairly stable tendency to respond favourably or unfavourably to people, ideas and situations, with cognitive, affective and behavioural components. It is an input because it decides how knowledge and skill turn into conduct. A public servant needs integrity, empathy, impartiality, objectivity, tolerance and dedication to service.

Socialisation and role models: Family values, mentors and seniors who model probity.
Training: Ethics modules and case studies, as under Mission Karmayogi.
Field exposure: Village attachments build empathy with the marginalised.
Reflection and persuasion: Internalising constitutional values and codes of conduct, and self-appraisal to resolve cognitive dissonance.
Institutional reinforcement: Rewarding honesty and using citizen feedback.

(b) Emotional intelligence in a crisis of conscience

A crisis of conscience arises when orders, pressure or expediency clash with one's moral convictions, such as when pressed to clear a flawed project. Emotional intelligence (EI) helps: self-awareness recognises fear or guilt, self-regulation keeps the mind calm enough to apply law and constitutional morality, empathy keeps affected citizens central, and social skills allow firm, respectful dissent by recording objections and proposing lawful alternatives.

EI has limits. It is value-neutral and can equally rationalise compromise or manipulate others, and excessive empathy towards superiors may dilute resolve. EI supplies no moral standard; values and conscience do. It enables, but cannot by itself guarantee, an unchanged ethical stand.

How this answer will be evaluated

Framework: GS4 Ethical Dilemma & Public Service Values

What earns full marks: Clear, balanced, and actionable; uses specific examples and references; addresses all parts of the question.

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

(a) Define attitude and outline a method to build a suitable attitude for a public servant. 10 marks · 150 words

explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close
Must cover
- Define attitude as a component of human development
- Identify specific attitudes needed for public service (e.g., empathy, integrity)
- Provide a method or steps to build these attitudes
- Link the attitude to the role of a public servant
Loses marks
- Preaching values without explaining how to build them
- Listing values without connecting them to public service
- Ignoring the 'input' aspect of human development
Earns more
- Mention specific values like empathy, integrity, or service orientation
- Reference the role of training or education in attitude building
- Connect attitude to public trust or service delivery
Extra mark
- Cite a specific value-based example or case study
- Reference a relevant quote on public service attitude
(b) Critically examine if emotional intelligence helps overcome a crisis of conscience without compromising ethical/moral stand. 10 marks · 150 words

critically evaluate— positives → negatives/limits → conditions/safeguards → conclusion
Must cover
- Define crisis of conscience in the context of public service
- Explain how emotional intelligence (EI) helps in managing such a crisis
- Critically examine if EI can be used without compromising ethical/moral stand
- Provide a balanced judgment on the role of EI
Loses marks
- Treating EI as a panacea for all ethical dilemmas
- Ignoring the 'without compromising' constraint
- Failing to critically examine the role of EI
Earns more
- Distinguish between emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning
- Provide an example of a crisis of conscience and how EI helps
- Discuss the limits of EI in ethical decision-making
Extra mark
- Reference a specific ethical framework or thinker
- Cite a relevant case study or example

What "Critically examine" is asking you to do

Test the proposition the question puts to you and return a finding on how far it holds. Examine stems carry a claim, or ask whether something has happened, and expect evidence weighed both ways before the extent is stated — often with remedial measures attached. “Critically” is not a section added at the end: name the yardstick you are judging by — the evidence, the stated objective, a constitutional principle, a rival explanation — and let a verdict close each part of the body. Where the question quotes a claim, that verdict must land on the claim itself, accepted, qualified or rejected, and not on the theme in general.

Structure that answers it

Restate the claim as the question frames it → evidence that supports it → evidence that undercuts it → the conditions under which it holds → verdict on how far it stands

Where marks are lost

Merits in one paragraph, demerits in the next, and a conclusion calling for a balanced and holistic approach. That is a survey with the judgement left out and it holds the answer in the middle band. The opposite error is reading “critically” as permission to attack — and with the odd pairings, critically describe or critically explain, the exposition still carries most of the marks, the judgement being a layer on it rather than a substitute for it.

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