Case Studies Q. You are posted as the General Manager of a large public sector manufacturing unit. Recently, tensions have escalated between the management and the workers’ union. The union has raised demands regarding increased wages, better safety standards, and permanent absorption of contractual workers. While some of their demands are legitimate and align with labour welfare norms, others may have a severe impact on the company's financial health. Moreover, you discover that a few influential union leaders are instigating workers to go on an indefinite strike, even though negotiations are still ongoing. Meanwhile, a group of junior employees approaches you confidentially, expressing concern that the aggressive approach of the union may harm their career prospects and lead to a prolonged factory shutdown. At the same time, pressure mounts from the Ministry to avoid disruptions and meet production targets crucial for national supply chains. In the midst of this, a senior union leader offers to de-escalate the situation in exchange for personal favors, such as awarding contracts to firms linked to him and ensuring his relatives receive preferential treatment in job promotions. You are expected to submit a report to the Ministry suggesting a path forward that ensures industrial peace, protects workers’ rights, and prevents unethical compromises. A. Identify and discuss the ethical issues involved in this case. B. How would you balance worker welfare with organizational sustainability and public interest? C. How should you respond to the offer made by the union leader? What mechanisms should be used to ensure transparency and accountability? D. What ethical values and principles of public administration should guide your conduct?

Case Study: As the Sarpanch of a village Panchayat, you oversee a government-run primary school that provides midday meals to its students. Recently, a new cook was appointed as per government norms, following due process and eligibility criteria. However, it emerges that the cook belongs to a Scheduled Caste community. A section of parents, influenced by caste prejudices, begins to prevent their children from consuming the meals. As a result, school attendance drops, raising concerns about the continuity of the midday meal scheme, teacher retention, and even the functioning of the school itself. This situation threatens not just the education of children but also social harmony, inclusion, and the credibility of public welfare programs. Questions: 1. What are the ethical dilemmas faced by Sarpanch? 2. What steps can the Sarpanch take to resolve the caste-based conflict and restore school attendance? 3. How can different stakeholders support inclusive practices in public services?

Case Study: You are the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of a flood-affected district. Thousands of people have been displaced in the recent floods. The state government has sent an emergency relief fund that is significantly lower than what is required. You are instructed to distribute it “based on urgency and vulnerability.” However, you face the following situation: 1. Village A is politically influential. The local MLA pressures you to allot a major share of relief funds there. He hints that “future cooperation” will depend on your decision. 2. Village B is severely affected, but it has poor road connectivity. Delivering aid there will take extra time and resources. 3. Village C has fewer casualties but houses a large migrant labour population that lacks documents required for official relief distribution. 4. Your field staff privately suggests that you divert some funds for logistics (vehicles, fuel, meals). Official guidelines prohibit this, but without these expenses, delivery to remote areas will be delayed. 5. The media is reporting that the administration is “slow and careless,” adding further pressure. You must decide how to allocate the limited resources fairly, efficiently, and ethically, while handling political pressure, administrative constraints, and humanitarian concerns. Question: Q1. Identify the major ethical issues involved in this situation. Q2. As the SDM, outline the options available to you. Evaluate each option using ethical principles. Q3. What would be your final course of action? Justify your decision with proper reasoning, referencing ethical theories and principles of public service.

Pawan is pursuing MBA and shares a room with you in the private hostel. He desperately needs a job after completing his course because of educational loan and weak economic background. In his last two semesters, he couldn’t secure good grades due to serious illness. In current semester he has to secure good marks at any cost to satisfy minimum criteria for placements. Few days before the final semester exam, he comes to you and asks for money. He is stressed and nervous. He tells you about his plan to purchase semester papers to clear the exam and convinces you for the same by giving reference to his bad health, family status and his education loan. In such circumstances, would it be right to lend money to him? (a) Identify the moral dilemma faced by you. (b) Analyse your role and duties as a friend, also suggest your course of action.

Case Study The municipal corporation of a city approved felling of trees to develop public transport infrastructure. Amidst the concrete jungle of the district, area X is a treasured green patch. With increasing environmental awareness, people have come on the streets to spread the message of conservation and stand against the indiscriminate felling of trees. The Municipal Corporation is of the view that developing viable public transport infrastructure will dissuade people from using private vehicles and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint. Meanwhile, activists say it is the sole surviving natural floodplain of the area, whose reclamation through construction and felling of trees would lead to greater inundation during the monsoon. The state government alarmed by widespread public protest against the felling of trees has constituted a committee to look into the matter and suggest alternatives for this project. You are appointed as the chairperson of this committee, What course of action will you recommend to the government for assuaging public concern and limiting environmental impact?

Case Study You are the Superintendent of Police in a city hosting a major religious festival. The event is expected to draw over a million pilgrims to a sacred site with limited infrastructure. Despite careful planning, a sudden surge in the crowd near the main shrine entrance has resulted in a stampede. Initial reports indicate multiple casualties and injuries, with panic spreading rapidly through the dense crowd. The narrow streets around the shrine complex are congested, making it difficult for emergency vehicles to access the area. False rumors are spreading rapidly on social media, claiming that the stampede was caused by a terrorist attack, leading to increased panic and the potential for communal tensions.Your actions in the next few hours will be crucial in minimizing casualties and preventing the situation from escalating further. 1. Identify the key stakeholders involved in this case. 2. What immediate measures should be taken to prevent further casualties and manage the aftermath of the stampede? 3. Discuss the long-term strategies that need to be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future and enhance the safety of large public gatherings

You are Abhishek and you went to Jodhpur to attend the wedding of your friend Neeraj. The wedding went very well and all the rituals were properly followed. At the end of the wedding, the father of the bride offered Rs 10 Lakh to Neeraj to buy a car as a dowry. Since Neeraj and his family are very progressive, they are against the practice of dowry, they denied it. They also reminded the father that under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, it is illegal to offer a dowry. But the father insisted that being a father, he has the right to give his money to his daughter and her husband. Identify the ethical dilemmas involved in the case. What suggestions will you give to your friend Neeraj in this scenario? Are legislative solutions effective to solve social issues?