UPSC Mains 2025

(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) (b) “Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and maturity of sense of rule of law.” Examine this statement in the light of the role of civil servants in upholding constitutional morality, promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration. (Answer in 150 words)

(a) Carl von Clausewitz states that “war is the continuation of politics by other means.” Critically examine the relevance of this statement in present context of contemporary geo-political conflicts. (Answer in 150 words) (b) Considering the national security in mind, examine the ethical dilemmas related to controversial issues of compensation in case of development projects in ecologically sensitive border areas in the country. (Answer in 150 words)

Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? (Answer in 150 words each) (a) “Those who in trouble untroubled are, Will trouble trouble itself?” — Thiruvalluvar (b) “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.” — William James (c) “The strength of a society lies not in its laudable ideals, but in the morality of its people.” — Swami Vivekananda

(a) “For any kind of social re-engineering by successful implementation of a welfare scheme, a civil servant must rise above personal biases and prejudices to maintain objectivity.” Justify this statement with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) (b) What are the major teachings of Mahavira? Explain their relevance in the contemporary world. (Answer in 150 words)

(a) “One who is devoted to one’s duty attains highest perfection in life.” Analyse this statement with reference to sense of responsibility and personal fulfilment as a civil servant. (Answer in 150 words) (b) To achieve holistic development goal, a civil servant acts as an enabler and active facilitator of growth rather than a regulator. What specific measures will you suggest to achieve this goal? (Answer in 150 words)

(a) It is said that for an ethical work culture, there must be code of ethics in place in every organisation. To ensure values-based work culture, what suitable measures would you adopt in your workplace? (Answer in 150 words) (b) India is an emerging economic power of the world as evident from recent trends in GDP growth rate, foreign exchange reserves and IMF projection. However, it is still a developing country. In this context, how will you justify the need of an ethical framework for sustainable economic growth of the country? Discuss in 150 words.