General Studies 2025 GS Paper IV 20 marks 150 words Compulsory Describe

Q1

(a) In the present digital age, social media has revolutionised our way of communication and interaction. However, it has raised several ethical issues and challenges. Describe the key ethical dilemmas in this regard. (Answer in 150 words) 10 (b) "Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and adherence of the rule of law." Examine the significance of constitutional morality for public servant highlighting the role in promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a) मौजूदा डिजिटल युग में सोशल मीडिया ने संचार और बातचीत के तरीके में क्रांति ला दी है। हालांकि इसने कई नैतिक मुद्दे और चुनौतियाँ खड़ी कर दी हैं। इस संबंध में मूल नैतिक दुविधाओं का वर्णन कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10 (b) "संवैधानिक नैतिकता कोई स्वाभाविक मनोभाव नहीं है, बल्कि नागरिक शिक्षा और कानून के शासन के पालन का परिणाम है।" सिविल सेवक के लिए संवैधानिक नैतिकता का परीक्षण करते हुए लोक प्रशासन में सुशासन को बढ़ावा देने और जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने में इसकी भूमिका पर प्रकाश डालिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10

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Directive word: Describe

This question asks you to describe. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'describe' for part (a) requires systematic enumeration of ethical dilemmas with brief elaboration, while part (b) demands 'examine'—critical analysis of constitutional morality's significance. Allocate ~75 words to each part (50% split), with part (a) covering 4-5 ethical challenges and part (b) analyzing constitutional morality through civil education, rule of law linkage, and public servant duties. Structure: brief context for each part → enumerated points → integrated conclusion linking digital ethics to constitutional values.

Key points expected

Part (a): Privacy violations and surveillance capitalism; algorithmic bias and filter bubbles; misinformation and fake news ecosystem; cyberbullying and digital hate speech; platform accountability vs. free speech tension
Part (b): Constitutional morality as defined in Navtej Singh Johar (2018) and Puttaswamy (2017) judgments; distinction from popular morality/majoritarian sentiment
Role of civil education in cultivating constitutional values among citizens and administrators; rule of law as foundation for ethical governance
Public servant application: impartiality, non-discrimination, transparency; resisting political pressure in policy implementation
Good governance linkage: participative, accountable, and inclusive administration; ensuring accountability through RTI, social audits, and ethical frameworks
Synthesis: digital age governance requires constitutional morality to navigate social media's ethical challenges in administration

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	4	For (a), enumerates multiple ethical dilemmas with precise description; for (b), critically examines (not merely describes) constitutional morality's constructed nature, analyzing causal mechanisms between civil education, rule of law, and ethical governance rather than asserting them	Lists ethical issues descriptively for (a) and describes constitutional morality for (b) without analytical depth; treats 'examine' as 'describe', missing critical interrogation of the quote's assertion	Misinterprets directives—narrates social media history for (a) or defines constitutional morality without examination for (b); conflates both parts into undifferentiated response
Content depth & accuracy	20%	4	Demonstrates nuanced understanding: for (a) distinguishes between individual and systemic ethical challenges; for (b) accurately cites Supreme Court jurisprudence on constitutional morality and connects to specific public service values (impartiality, integrity, objectivity) per Nolan Committee/Second ARC	Covers obvious ethical issues (privacy, fake news) and mentions constitutional morality in governance but lacks specificity on legal foundations or public service ethical frameworks; generic treatment of 'good governance'	Superficial listing without ethical analysis; conflates constitutional morality with constitutionalism or basic structure; factually incorrect on legal precedents or misattributes concepts
Structure & flow	20%	4	Clear demarcation between (a) and (b) with balanced word allocation; each part has internal logical progression—(a) moves from individual to societal to institutional dilemmas; (b) proceeds from concept definition → enabling conditions → public servant application → governance outcomes; seamless thematic bridge in conclusion	Both parts addressed but uneven development; some organization within parts but abrupt transitions; conclusion present but mechanical restatement without integration	Disorganized response with merged or indistinguishable parts; no logical sequencing within sections; missing conclusion or irrelevant closing statement
Examples / case-law / data	20%	4	For (a): cites specific instances—Pegasus surveillance revelations, Cambridge Analytica, Indian IT Rules 2021, Manipur viral video incident, or platform-specific cases; for (b): references Navtej Singh Johar, Sabarimala, or Puttaswamy judgments; mentions Second ARC on ethics, Vishaka guidelines, or specific civil service conduct rules; quantitative mention where relevant (e.g., fake news proliferation rates)	General references to 'recent Supreme Court judgments' or 'social media incidents' without specificity; mentions IT Act or constitutional provisions but without case names or precise application	No examples or case-law; hypothetical illustrations; incorrect or invented references; examples irrelevant to Indian context
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	4	Synthesizes both parts: argues that constitutional morality provides ethical framework for regulating social media governance; or conversely, that digital platforms must embody constitutional values; offers prescriptive insight on civil education-technology interface; demonstrates original thinking on 21st century administrative ethics	Separate concluding statements for each part without synthesis; standard summation of points; no forward-looking or prescriptive element	Absent or extremely brief conclusion; mere repetition of question; contradictory or irrelevant closing; no demonstration of independent analytical capacity

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