You are Vice Principal of a degree college in one of the middle-class towns. Principal has recently retired and management is looking for his replacement. There are also feelers that the management may promote you as Principal. In the meantime, during annual examination the flying squad which came from the university caught two students red-handed involving in unfair means. A senior lecturer of the college was personally helping these students in this act. This senior lecturer also happens to be close to the management. One of the students was son of a local politician who was responsible in getting college affiliated to the present reputed university. The second student was son of a local businessman who has donated maximum funds for running of the college. You immediately informed the management regarding this unfortunate incident. The management told you to resolve the issue with flying squad at any cost. They further said that such incident will not only tarnish the image of the college but also the politician and businessman are very important personalities for the functioning of the college. You were also given hint that your further promotion to Principal depends on your capability in resolving this issue with flying squad. In the meantime, you were intimated by your administrative officer that certain members of the student union are protesting outside the college gate against the senior lecturer and the students involved in this incident and demanding strict action against defaulters.
(a) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case. (b) Critically examine the options available with you as Vice Principal. What option will you adopt and why?
Approach ┬╖ directive: тАЬdiscuss / critically examineтАЭ
What it asks ┬╖ (a) Identify the ethical issues; (b) examine the options critically, choose one and justify it.
It asks 3 things тАФ answer each
- (a) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case
- (b) Critically examine the options open to me as Vice Principal
- (b) State the option you will adopt and why
Open with ┬╖ Ambition and loyalty to the management versus the integrity of examinations: the guardians of the examination are its corrupters, and my promotion is the bait.
Cover
- Opening: ambition and loyalty to the management versus the integrity of examinations; the guardians are the corrupters, and promotion is the bait.
- (a) Issues: integrity versus image (the Radhakrishnan Commission on examinations), conflict of interest, equality versus influence, due process versus mob justice, reputation versus honesty.
- (b) Options in a table: settle with the squad, stay passive, or cooperate and manage the fallout; only the third is lawful.
- (b) Adopt the third: forward the report intact, record management's instruction and my reply, recommend the lecturer's suspension, assure the union of due process.
- Why: a promotion bought by a cover-up makes me a hostage; Gandhi's reading of the Gita: who gives up only the reward rises.
- Long-term: CCTV, invigilator rotation, a fixed penalty for abetment, and a grievance route for staff under pressure.
Close with ┬╖ An institution that teaches must first be honest about its examinations; a lost promotion leaves intact the authority to say no.
Add value (verified)
- The University Education Commission (chaired by S. Radhakrishnan) recorded the complaint that examinations tend to corrupt the Moral standards of university life, and was convinced that if it were to suggest one single reform in university education it should be that of the examinations.Report of the University Education Commission (Radhakrishnan Commission), Government of India, Ministry of Education тАФ PDF of the report hosted by educationforallinindia.com тЖЧтАЬhow they tend to corrupt the Moral standards of university life. 2. Reform Essential.-We are convinced that if we are to suggest one single reform in university education it should be that of the examinations.тАЭ
- Nolan principle of integrity: holders of public office must avoid any obligation to those who might try to influence them inappropriately, and must not act for personal or family gain.The Seven Principles of Public Life тАФ Committee on Standards in Public Life, GOV.UK тЖЧтАЬ1.2 Integrity Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.тАЭ
- Gandhi published the seven social sins in Young India (22 October 1925): politics without principle, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice.Seven Social Sins тАФ mkgandhi.org (Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal & Gandhi Research Foundation) тЖЧтАЬSeven Social Sins Politics without Principle Wealth Without Work Pleasure Without Conscience Knowledge without Character Commerce without Morality Science without Humanity Worship without Sacrifice - Young India, 22-10-1925тАЭ
- Gandhi, introduction to Anasaktiyoga, his rendering of the Gita: the Gita's unmistakable teaching is to do one's allotted work but renounce its fruit; he who gives up action falls, he who gives up only the reward rises.M.K. Gandhi, Anasakti Yoga (introduction to his rendering of the Gita), Selected Writings of Mahatma Gandhi, mkgandhi.org тЖЧтАЬThe Gita says: 'Do your allotted work but renounce its fruit - be detached and work - have no desire for reward and work.' This is the unmistakable teaching of the Gita. He who gives up action falls. He who gives up only the reward rises.тАЭ
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2021, GS Paper IV тАФ paper тЖЧ. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify) тАФ UPSC publishes no model answers. ┬╖
Model answer┬╖ 359words ┬╖ Minimalist IAS
Ambition and loyalty to the management versus the integrity of examinations: here the guardians of the examination are its corrupters, and my promotion is the bait.
Stakeholders
- Honest students; the two students and the lecturer; the squad and university; management, politician and donor; the student union; and I.
(a) Ethical issues involved
- Integrity versus image: the Radhakrishnan Commission recorded the complaint that examinations "tend to corrupt the Moral standards of university life"; a lecturer's abetment corrupts the teacher's role itself.
- Conflict of interest: my promotion hangs on the outcome, and management's "at any cost" instruction means obstructing a lawful process.
- Equality versus influence: the politician's and donor's services do not buy their sons an exemption.
- Due process versus mob justice: the students face the university's unfair-means rules, the lecturer's culpability is greater, and the union's demand must not become mob justice.
- Reputation versus honesty: a cover-up that leaks later hurts the college more than the truth.
(b) Options examined
| Option | Merits | Demerits |
|---|---|---|
| Settle with the squad | Promotion, short-term image | Dishonest; affiliation at risk |
| Stay passive | No confrontation | Evades duty; unrest grows |
| Cooperate and manage fallout | Integrity, deterrence | May cost the promotion |
- Critically: the first obstructs a statutory process and teaches that rules bend for money; the second abandons my office's authority; the third is lawful, and its cost falls on me alone.
(b) The option I adopt, and why
- The third, in steps: at once, forward the squad's report intact and record management's instruction with my written reply; then recommend the lecturer's suspension pending inquiry, let the students face the prescribed procedure, and assure the union of due process.
- Why: a promotion earned by a cover-up would leave me hostage to the management, the lecturer and two families for my whole career. Gandhi summed up the Gita's teaching: "He who gives up action falls. He who gives up only the reward rises."
Long-term fix
- CCTV, invigilator rotation, a fixed penalty for abetment, and a grievance route for staff under pressure.
An institution that teaches must first be honest about its examinations; if the promotion is lost, what remains is the authority to say no, which no chair can confer.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) ┬╖ facts checked against official sources (how we verify) ┬╖ updated 1 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
