General Studies 2025 GS Paper IV 20 marks 150 words Suggest

GS Paper IV — Q6

(a) It is said that for an ethical work culture, there must be code of ethics in place in every organisation. To ensure…

(a)

It is said that for an ethical work culture, there must be code of ethics in place in every organisation. To ensure value-based and compliance-based work culture, what suitable measures would you adopt in your work place ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

(b)

India is an emerging economic power of the world as it has recently secured the status of fourth largest economy of the world as per IMF projection. However, it has been observed that in some sectors, allocated funds remain either under-utilised or misutilised. What specific measures would you recommend for ensuring accountability in this regard to stop leakages and gaining the status of third largest economy of the world in near future ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a)

ऐसा कहा जाता है कि नैतिक कार्य संस्कृति के लिए प्रत्येक संगठन में आचार संहिता होनी चाहिए। मूल्य-आधारित और अनुपालन-आधारित कार्य संस्कृति सुनिश्चित करने के लिए, आप अपने कार्यस्थल में कौन से उपयुक्त उपाय अपनायेंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

(b)

भारत विश्व की उभरती हुई आर्थिक शक्ति है क्योंकि आई.एम.एफ. के अनुमानानुसार हाल ही में इसने विश्व की चौथी सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था का दर्जा हासिल किया है। तथापि यह देखा गया है कि कुछ क्षेत्रों में आवंटित धनराशि का या तो कम उपयोग किया जाता है अथवा उसका गलत उपयोग होता है। इस संबंध में जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने, लीकेज रोकने तथा निकट भविष्य में विश्व की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था का दर्जा प्राप्त करने के लिए आप क्या विशिष्ट उपाय सुझाएंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

The question as printed in the 2025 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) Measures for Ethical Work Culture

To integrate compliance-based adherence with value-based internalisation, I would implement:

Institutional Norms and Training: Codify a clear Code of Ethics alongside mandatory, periodic scenario-based ethics training to internalise core public service values beyond mere rule-compliance.
Protection and Incentives: Establish a secure, confidential whistleblower protection mechanism and an objective reward-and-punishment framework that links ethical conduct to performance appraisals.
Ethical Leadership: Practice 'tone at the top' through transparent decision-making, setting personal integrity benchmarks to foster institutional trust.

(b) Measures for Fiscal Accountability and Growth

To eliminate fund leakages and under-utilisation, propelling India toward becoming the third-largest economy:

Digital and Budgetary Mechanisms: Universalise the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), DBT and SNA-SPARSH just-in-time fund release (which prevents funds lying idle in state accounts), mandate real-time expenditure tracking, enforce geo-tagging of capital assets, and transition strictly to outcome-based budgeting.
Institutional and Public Oversight: Expand CAG performance audits alongside concurrent internal audit, institutionalise community social audits on the MGNREGA model (MGNREGA is now succeeded by the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025), and enforce third-party impact assessments under Parliamentary Standing Committee review.

Maximising capital expenditure efficiency and plugging leakages enhances the Ease of Doing Business, ensuring high fiscal multiplier effects to achieve the $5-trillion economic milestone.

How this answer will be evaluated

Framework: GS4 Ethical Governance & Administrative Accountability

What earns full marks: Precise, actionable measures with clear administrative logic and specific examples.

Evaluation rubric

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

(a) Suggest measures to build a value-based and compliance-based ethical work culture in your workplace. 10 marks · 150 words

suggest— the problem in one line → implementable measures → who acts → conclusion
Must cover
- A clear, participatory code of ethics and code of conduct
- Value-based measures (training, leading by example, recognition of integrity)
- Compliance-based measures (audits, declarations of interest, reporting channels, sanctions)
- Actionable steps for the workplace with follow-up
Loses marks
- Preaching without application
- Ignoring compliance
- Vague suggestions without implementation
Earns more
- Whistle-blower mechanism and protection
- Linking values to daily decisions and appraisals
- Building institutional trust through transparency
Extra mark
- Specific code (e.g., Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964; draft Public Service Values in the Public Services Bill)
- 2nd ARC 4th Report (Ethics in Governance)
(b) Recommend specific accountability measures to prevent under-utilisation and misutilisation of funds, supporting India's growth to the third-largest economy. 10 marks · 150 words

suggest— the problem in one line → implementable measures → who acts → conclusion
Must cover
- Measures for under-utilisation (just-in-time release, planning capacity, outcome budgeting)
- Measures for misutilisation (audits, DBT, geo-tagging, social audits)
- Specific accountability mechanisms (PFMS, SNA-SPARSH, CAG, CVC, legislative committees)
- Link measures to growth and the third-largest-economy goal
Loses marks
- General talk about corruption without measures
- Ignoring under-utilisation
- Not linking measures to growth
Earns more
- Audit bodies (CAG, CVC) and concurrent audit
- Digital tracking tools and public dashboards
- Sector-specific leakages (e.g., PDS, welfare transfers, capital projects)
Extra mark
- IMF projection data (India fourth largest in 2025)
- Anti-corruption statute (Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 as amended 2018)

What "Suggest" is asking you to do

Propose measures that attach to the causes the question has just had you identify. Each should name who acts, on what, and why it would work; a measure with no actor behind it is a wish rather than a suggestion.

Structure that answers it

The problem in one line → measure 1 with the cause it addresses → measure 2 → measure 3 → how it would be implemented and what it requires

Where marks are lost

Prescriptions that would fit any question on any subject — awareness campaigns, capacity building, better coordination. The examiner checks whether each measure is traceable to a cause the answer itself named.

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