Case Study Ananya Singh, a dedicated and empathetic IAS officer, is currently serving as the District Collector in a predominantly tribal and underdeveloped district of Jharkhand. The government has recently rolled out a revised Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to ensure timely financial support for pregnant women and lactating mothers, aimed at improving maternal and child nutrition. A key feature of this new system is mandatory biometric authentication through Aadhaar at the time of benefit disbursal. The move is intended to reduce pilferage, eliminate ghost beneficiaries, and enhance accountability in welfare delivery. However, within a few weeks of implementation, several ground-level issues begin to emerge. Many elderly caregivers, especially grandmothers caring for children in the absence of parents, struggle with fingerprint mismatch due to worn-out biometric impressions. In remote tribal hamlets, poor internet connectivity and lack of functional biometric devices cause frequent transaction failures. Local Anganwadi workers and ASHAs report that over 30% of eligible beneficiaries have not received funds, causing significant distress, especially among marginalized families who rely on this support for basic nutrition. Concerned about the impact on vulnerable groups, Ananya considers allowing alternative forms of verification, such as physical ID checks, mobile OTP, or manual register maintenance, as a temporary stop-gap measure. However, she is advised against it by the State Department, citing strict central guidelines that prohibit deviation from the biometric-based process. Meanwhile, a reputed local NGO organizes protests and contacts the media, accusing the administration of systemic exclusion and violation of Article 21 (Right to Life with Dignity). Questions: (a) Identify the core ethical dilemma involved in the case. (b) What are the options available to Ananya? Critically evaluate each of them and suggest the most appropriate course of action. (c) What steps can be taken by public institutions to ensure that the use of technology in governance does not exclude the vulnerable?

Case Study Q. You are the Zonal Deputy Commissioner in an affluent South Delhi district. Following a tragic fire in a high-end, upscale hotel that resulted in 21 fatalities (including foreign nationals), you have been appointed as the lead officer to conduct an internal inquiry and manage the public response. Preliminary findings indicate that the hotel—originally a residential property—was converted into a commercial establishment with illegal structural additions. Multiple fire safety inspections over the last three years resulted in "Conditional Approvals," despite clear non-compliance with the National Building Code. You discover that your immediate predecessor and several junior inspectors were instrumental in "facilitating" these approvals in exchange for significant kickbacks. Furthermore, the hotel owner is a prominent businessman who is a major donor to the party currently in power. Your District Magistrate (DM) has advised you to "focus on the fire-fighting lapses" rather than the "administrative and structural failures" in your report, warning that digging too deep would create an unnecessary political storm and affect the city’s global standing. Questions: 1. Identify the ethical dilemmas inherent in this situation as a civil servant. 2. Analyse the conflict between your 'Code of Conduct' and the instructions given by your superior. 3. Evaluate the moral implications of prioritising "institutional image" over "public safety and accountability" in this context. 4. Formulate a strategic plan to address the immediate aftermath and suggest institutional reforms to prevent such incidents in the future.

Case Study Ananya Sharma is the Deputy Manager in a large public sector organization responsible for infrastructure development. The organisation has a strong technical reputation but suffers from a toxic work culture. Senior officers often shout at subordinates during meetings, take credit for juniors’ work, and discourage dissenting opinions. Long working hours without recognition have become the norm, leading to low morale and high staff turnover. Ananya observes that talented young officers hesitate to share innovative ideas due to fear of humiliation. Women employees, in particular, feel uncomfortable raising concerns, as informal networks dominated by senior male officers control decision-making. Although there is no explicit harassment, the environment is psychologically unsafe and demotivating. Recently, a capable junior officer, Ravi, made a small procedural error in a project file. Instead of constructive feedback, he was publicly reprimanded by a senior officer during a meeting. Deeply demoralized, Ravi applied for transfer, citing “personal reasons.” Similar incidents have become common, affecting productivity and team cohesion. As a mid-level officer, Ananya is respected by her team but has limited authority over senior officials. She believes that such a toxic work culture not only harms employee well-being but also compromises efficiency, innovation, and public service delivery. Ananya now faces a dilemma: whether to remain silent to protect her own career progression or take steps—formal or informal—to improve workplace culture, promote dignity, and uphold ethical values within the organization. Q1. Identify the ethical issues involved in the above case related to workplace culture. How do such issues affect employee morale, productivity, and organizational effectiveness? Q2.What ethical dilemmas does Ananya face as a mid-level officer in addressing toxic workplace practices? Discuss the possible courses of action available to her, highlighting their merits and limitations. Q3. How can ethical leadership and positive organizational culture contribute to improved governance and employee well-being? Suggest measures to promote a healthy and inclusive work environment in public institutions.

Case Study Suman was a young,idealistic development officer in a district panchayat. After joining the District, she studied about its social and economic situation. She consulted various plan documents and looked at the social and economic parameters of the district. She found that the district is relatively better off than other districts in terms of irrigation, crop diversification and industry. But its social indicators were poor with high infant mortality rate, high maternal mortality rate and low literacy percentage among women. Based on his analysis, Suman thought that large investments in the social sector will be necessary inorder to tackle these problems. The panchayat was an elected body. It has decided to spend 40% of its budget on minor irrigation. Suman felt that the large allocation to minor irrigation will benefit land owning farmers and starve other social programmes. What are the ethical issues involved in the case. What are the options available to her and which would be the most appropriate step that can be taken.

In the religious land of India, there exists the exploitative custom of sexual slavery known as the Jogini system (a local variation of the Devadasi system) which involves marrying young girls to a deity. This social evil has resisted the legal measures aimed at curbing it till date, despite having been prohibited as per the Devadasi (Prohibition of Dedication) Act. You are posted as a District Magistrate and you get to know about such practice taking place in the area of your jurisdiction. Two Dalit girls have been confined and being prepared for dedication to God as devadasis. The children are forced into becoming Devadasis by their own parents because girls are their only source of income in most cases. In a society where a girl child is often considered a liability, turning them into Devadasis is how patriarchy works to transform them into assets. You also get to know of child prostitution being practiced in the name of Devadasi. (a) What course of action will you take in such a scenario? (b) What are the issues involved in banning the practice of Devadasi system, in spite of the laws already present against it?

Case Study Ravi, an IAS officer, is serving as the District Magistrate in a politically sensitive district. A massive political rally, expected to attract nearly two lakh people, was organised by the ruling party to showcase its strength. Senior leaders were to attend, and the event had been widely publicised. Although Ravi’s office had earlier issued advisories on barricading, evacuation routes, deployment of police, and medical preparedness, many instructions were ignored by the organisers, citing budgetary constraints and urgency. On the day of the rally, the situation turned chaotic. Entry and exit points were overcrowded, there was no proper crowd management, and medical facilities were insufficient. During the rally, a sudden push by people wanting to move closer to the stage created panic, leading to a stampede. Several lives were lost, many were injured, and the incident triggered widespread anger. Different stakeholders reacted sharply. Families of victims demanded justice, accountability, and immediate compensation. Civil society groups and the media accused the administration of negligence. Opposition parties claimed the government had put lives at risk for political gain. The ruling party, however, pressured Ravi to downplay the incident and present it as an “unavoidable tragedy.” Some officials also suggested that highlighting lapses could invite unrest and even threaten Ravi’s career. Ravi now faces a dilemma. As the administrative head of the district, he is responsible for public safety and upholding the rule of law. At the same time, he faces political pressure, the risk of transfers, and personal threats. His choices will have consequences not just for his career but also for the credibility of governance and the trust of the people. Questions: 1. What are the ethical dilemmas faced by Ravi in this situation? 2. Evaluate the options available to Ravi and the possible consequences of each. 3. Suggest the most appropriate course of action for Ravi in light of constitutional values and principles of good governance. 4. What systemic reforms can be introduced to improve crowd management and ensure accountability in large political and public events in the long run?

Case Study You are an IAS officer posted in a district known for its high rate of farmer suicides due to crop failures. The district has received special attention from the government, and several schemes and policies have been implemented to help the farmers. However, despite these efforts, the number of suicides has not decreased, and the situation seems to be worsening. During a routine visit to one of the affected villages, you come across a farmer who tells you that the local officials have been demanding bribes for the release of funds under the government schemes. He also tells you that the local officials have been inflating the cost of the projects and pocketing the extra money. The farmer tells you that he has already spent all his savings on his failed crops and cannot afford to pay any more bribes. You are aware that acting against the officials may result in political pressure and backlash, and it may also jeopardize your own career. However, you also know that if you do nothing, the situation will continue to deteriorate, and more lives will be lost. What would you do in this situation? How would you balance your duty to serve the people with the potential risks to your career and personal safety?