Case Study You are the captain of a space exploration mission to Mars. Six months into the journey, a critical life support system malfunctions. After careful analysis, your engineer determines that the system can be repaired, but it requires a specialized part that can only be 3D printed using a rare material. There's enough of this material on board to either print the part or to continue producing essential medication for one of your crew members with a chronic condition. If you choose to repair the life support system, all crew members will survive the journey, but the one crew member will likely suffer severe health complications. If you continue producing the medication, that crew member will remain stable, but the faulty life support system significantly increases the risk of mission failure and potential loss of all lives on board. The crew member in question is your most experienced engineer, crucial for the mission's success on Mars. Earth is too far away to provide immediate assistance, and your decision must be made within 24 hours. Your choice will have profound implications for the mission, the lives of your crew, and potentially the future of space exploration. 1. What are the ethical dilemmas involved in this case? 2. How should a leader balance the ethical principles of non-maleficence and beneficence in this critical situation? 3. What lessons can be learned from this scenario to improve contingency planning and resource allocation?

Case Study Meera Rao, the District Magistrate of an expanding industrial district, is confronted with increasing incidents of language-based violence targeting migrant labourers arriving from different parts of the country. In recent weeks, several troubling events have created a climate of fear. A group of construction workers was beaten by local youth for not speaking the regional language. Two delivery workers were humiliated and forced to record apology videos for using their mother tongue. A factory supervisor allegedly denied work shifts to labourers who could not communicate in the local language. Hospitals report a visible rise in assault cases involving migrant workers. Police inputs indicate that intimidation is being coordinated through social media groups that promote linguistic purity and urge locals to reclaim jobs. Investigators also suspect that some cultural organisations with political influence are indirectly escalating tensions by encouraging divisive narratives during public gatherings. Meera drafts a multi-layered plan that includes strict legal action under relevant provisions, a multilingual grievance helpline, sensitisation programmes in industrial areas, mandatory anti-discrimination guidelines for factories, and partnerships with labour unions and community groups. Opposition to her plan emerges immediately. Local trade associations fear that strict policing will disrupt hiring practices and harm small industries already facing economic stress. Cultural groups accuse the administration of undermining regional identity and argue that the increasing presence of migrants is eroding local culture. A few media channels portray Meera’s efforts as an attempt to favour outsiders, deepening the polarisation. Some political leaders privately advise her to slow down due to the sensitivity of the upcoming elections. Simultaneously, labour welfare organisations, rights-based NGOs, and several industrialists express deep concern. They warn that delayed action will embolden extremist behaviour and cause large numbers of migrant workers to flee the district. This could severely disrupt essential services, supply chains, and industrial production. Meera feels torn between the duty to safeguard vulnerable workers and the need to maintain social stability, between enforcing the law with firmness and respecting cultural identity, and between administrative neutrality and political pressure. Questions: 1. What are the main ethical dilemmas Meera faces in this situation? 2. Identify and analyse the conflicting values and principles involved in this case. 3. Evaluate the possible courses of action available to Meera and their likely consequences. 4. What should be Meera’s most ethical and administratively sound course of action to address language-based violence against migrant labourers?

Case Study You are the newly appointed Secretary of the School Education and Literacy Department in a state known for the deep-rooted influence of the publishing mafia. As the Secretary, you face two major challenges. First, the mafia exploits the government's free book distribution scheme by colluding with officials to demand commissions, causing financial losses and compromising book quality. Second, they manipulate private school textbook purchases, forcing schools to buy expensive textbooks under the guise of quality education, which burdens students and families financially. Your predecessor, an honest officer, attempted to tackle these issues but faced severe resistance from the publishing mafia, leading to their resignation. Determined to combat this mafia, you must solve this issue and ensure a fair and transparent system for textbook procurement and distribution. 1. What are the stakeholders involved in this case? 2. How would you address the exploitation of the government's free book distribution scheme by the publishing mafia? 3. What long-term strategies would you implement to ensure a fair, transparent, and high-quality textbook distribution system for all students?

Case Study A new and ambitious District Magistrate (DM) was recently appointed in a district plagued by severe water scarcity and recurring farmer suicides. During his initial field visits, he observed widespread illegal extraction of groundwater by industries, which exacerbated the crisis in rural areas. Despite a Supreme Court directive banning unregulated groundwater extraction, the industries continued to exploit resources, often bribing local officials to evade scrutiny. One day, during a surprise inspection, the DM sealed a major industrial plant violating water extraction laws. Soon after, he began receiving veiled threats from influential industrialists and even faced indirect pressure from senior bureaucrats to revoke his action. The DM also discovered that the illegal activities were intertwined with the livelihoods of many low-income workers employed by these industries, creating a social and ethical conflict. As public protests against the plant's closure gained momentum, the DM was faced with a challenging decision: to uphold the law and protect long-term water security or to consider the immediate economic impact on local workers and their families. (a) Identify the ethical dilemmas faced by the DM. (b) What options are available to the DM in this situation? (c) Suggest the most appropriate course of action with justifications.

Case Study You are the District Magistrate (DM) of a rapidly urbanising district. The State Government has approved a large urban infrastructure project involving construction of affordable housing and commercial complexes under a Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model. One of the shortlisted private firms is owned by a close relative of your spouse. The firm has a strong technical record and offers the lowest financial bid. While the rules do not explicitly bar participation of relatives, media reports have begun questioning the transparency of the selection process. At the same time, senior political executives informally indicate that clearing the project quickly is crucial for economic growth and employment generation. Delaying or recusing yourself may slow the project and invite allegations of inefficiency. Your subordinates are divided, some argue that merit should prevail, while others warn that public perception of bias could damage the administration’s credibility. Questions: 1. Identify the ethical issues involved in the above case. 2.What options are available to you as the District Magistrate? 3.Which course of action would you choose and justify your decision on ethical grounds. 4.How can institutional mechanisms be strengthened to prevent such dilemmas in public administration?

Case Study You are posted as a District Magistrate. You come to know about a situation in the village under your jurisdiction where the population is suffering from Anaemia. An initiative was taken to provide fortified rice to villagers in order to provide nutrition to them but villagers refuse to eat them as they have the misconception of the rice being the plastic rice. On the other hand, the village is also influenced by the Leftist movement and you get to know that Naxalites are using this public perception for their own benefit, making it more difficult for the government to reach the people. An alternate initiative was taken by providing iron tablets to people but it created another misconception among villagers that these tablets lead to more weight of babies in pregnant mothers leading to delivery complications. Thus, it also ended in failure. (a) What are the various issues involved in the above case study? (b) How will you change the perception of the people in the backdrop of the spread of misinformation by the Naxalites?

You are a Superintendent of Police in a district where caste-based discrimination is rampant. In a recent case, members from the Dalit community were prevented from cremating the body of an old woman from their community at the public crematorium. People belonging to the dominant upper caste community have destroyed the funeral pyre and have allegedly threatened the family of the deceased. After the police intervention, the Dalits staged a protest and the body was cremated on the ground in front of the residence of MLA of the region, who also belongs to the dominant community. In the process of investigation, you come to know that not only family members of the MLA but some of your relatives too have been involved in the destruction of the funeral pyre. What will be the possible ethical dilemmas that you might face? What will be your course of action? Justify.