Rakesh is a responsible district level officer, who enjoys the trust of his higher officials. Knowing his honesty, the government entrusted him with the responsibility of identifying the beneficiaries under a healthcare scheme meant for senior citizens.
The criteria to be a beneficiary are the following:
(a) 60 years of age or above.
(b) Belonging to a reserved community.
(c) Family income of less than ₹ 1 lakh per annum.
(d) Post-treatment prognosis is likely to be high to make a positive difference to the quality of life of the beneficiary.
One day, an old couple visited Rakesh’s office with their application. They have been the residents of a village in his district since their birth. The old man is diagnosed with a rare condition that causes obstruction in the large intestine. As a consequence, he has severe abdominal pain frequently that prevents him from doing any physical labour. The couple have no children to support them. The expert surgeon whom they contacted is willing to do the surgery without charging any fee. However, the couple will have to bear the cost of incidental charges, such as medicines, hospitalization, etc., to the tune of ₹ 1 lakh. The couple fulfills all the criteria except criterion ‘b’. However, any financial aid would certainly make a significant difference in their quality of life.
How should Rakesh respond to the situation?
Approach · directive: “how should respond”
What it asks · Decide how Rakesh should respond to a deserving old couple who meet every criterion except belonging to a reserved community.
Open with · Article 41 asks the State to assist the old and sick within its economic capacity; the case sets a scheme's fixed criterion against a genuine need and tests whether an honest officer can be lawful and compassionate.
Cover
- Stakeholders: the couple, Rakesh, the government and taxpayers, eligible beneficiaries from the reserved community, the surgeon, and public trust in the scheme.
- Dilemma: the rule (criterion b) against compassion and need; equality and rule of law against relief in a hard case; his integrity and the trust reposed in him.
- Option 1, reject under criterion (b): keeps the rule and fairness to eligible applicants but leaves an urgent need unmet; lawful, yet harsh if he offers no other help.
- Option 2, bend the rule and enrol them: meets the need but is arbitrary and illegal, unfair to eligible applicants, sets a precedent and invites misuse; not acceptable.
- Option 3 (best): decline enrolment under this scheme but help through lawful routes such as the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, the Prime Minister's or Chief Minister's relief funds, hospital charity funds, CSR and local trusts.
- Process: explain the rule and reasons to the couple with empathy, help with applications and the surgeon's free service, record the case, and avoid personal favours that create obligations.
- System fix: tell superiors that the criterion excludes needy elderly persons of other communities, and suggest a hardship provision or a companion scheme.
Close with · Rakesh should uphold the rule without abandoning the couple: decline enrolment, secure help through lawful channels such as AB PM-JAY or Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, and press for a review of the criterion.
Add value (verified)
- Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare fund, gives financial assistance to patients below the poverty line suffering from major life-threatening diseases for treatment at government super-speciality and other government hospitals: a lawful channel for a needy patient who falls outside a scheme's criteria. Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), Arthapedia, Indian Economic Service (ies.gov.in) ↗“provides financial assistance to patients who are living below poverty line and suffering from major life threatening diseases related to inter-alia, heart, liver, kidney and for cancer, etc., to receive medical treatment at any of the 12 super specialty Government hospitals / institutes or other Government hospitals”
- Article 41 of the Constitution (Directive Principle): the State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity, make effective provision for public assistance in old age, sickness and undeserved want. The Constitution of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) ↗“The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.”
- AB PM-JAY provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation (PIB, September 2024). Cabinet approves health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above irrespective of income under AB PM-JAY — PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 11 September 2024 ↗“AB PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization”
- Since September 2024 AB PM-JAY covers all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of income. Cabinet approves health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 and above irrespective of income under AB PM-JAY — PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 11 September 2024 ↗“The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the health coverage to all the senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).”
- Rule 3(1)(xvii)-(xviii) of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, as amended: act with fairness and impartiality, not discriminating against the poor and under-privileged, and refrain from anything contrary to law, rules and established practices. Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 (updated) — Department of Personnel and Training ↗“(xvii) act with fairness and impartiality and not discriminate against anyone, particularly the poor and the under-privileged sections of society; (xviii) refrain from doing anything which is or may be contrary to any law, rules, regulations and established practices;”
- Rawls's difference principle: social and economic inequalities are to be to the greatest benefit of the least-advantaged members of society. John Rawls — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ↗“They are to be to the greatest benefit of the least-advantaged members of society (the difference principle )”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2018, GS Paper IV — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer · 381 words (UPSC limit 250) · Minimalist IAS
Article 41 asks the State to provide public assistance in old age and sickness "within the limits of its economic capacity"; schemes ration that capacity through criteria. Rakesh faces the gap between a fixed criterion and a genuine need, and must be lawful and compassionate at once.
Stakeholders
- The old couple; Rakesh and the trust placed in him; eligible applicants from reserved communities; the government and taxpayers; the surgeon; public faith in fair administration.
Ethical issues
- Rule versus need: criterion (b) is clear, yet the couple meet every other test and face pain, poverty and childless old age.
- Equality: reservation corrects historical disadvantage, but here it excludes a household disadvantaged in every other way.
- Integrity and precedent: Rakesh was chosen for his honesty; quietly bending the rule would betray that trust and open a door for others.
Options
| Option | Merit | Demerit |
|---|---|---|
| Reject and close the file | Lawful, consistent | Harsh, passive |
| Enrol by stretching the rule | Relieves the couple | Arbitrary; unfair precedent |
| Decline, but find lawful help | Keeps rule and meets need | Needs effort and follow-up |
Recommended course
- Explain with empathy: tell the couple the criterion and the reason in person, so that refusal is not felt as indifference.
- Mobilise lawful channels: check eligibility under AB PM-JAY, which covers hospitalisation up to Rs 5 lakh per family a year; the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi if they are below the poverty line and the illness qualifies; the Chief Minister's relief fund, hospital charity funds, CSR and local trusts.
- Own the follow-up: assign a staff member to complete applications, coordinate with the surgeon and track the case until surgery; record each step; accept no favour.
- Justification: the conduct rules ask officers not to discriminate, "particularly the poor", and also to refrain from anything contrary to rules; this course honours both. Rawls's difference principle, favouring the least advantaged, guides the compassion; rule of law guides the method.
Systemic fix
- Report that criterion (b) leaves needy elderly persons of other communities uncovered, and propose a hardship clause. (Since then, in 2024, AB PM-JAY was extended to everyone aged 70 and above irrespective of income, a step in that direction.)
Rakesh should keep the rule and still not abandon the couple: an honest officer's compassion works through lawful channels, and through feedback that makes the next scheme fairer.
Written by Minimalist IAS from facts checked at source (how we verify) — a little fuller than exam length, so every part of the question is covered; in the hall, keep the structure and trim the detail. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.