Case Study You are the Mayor of a town/city that has recently seen a rise in cases of dog bites. The local community is concerned about the safety of their children and pets, and they have started to demand action from the authorities. As the Mayor, you are responsible for addressing this issue and ensuring the safety of the community. Upon investigating the issue, you have discovered that many of the dogs in the area are strays, and some are owned by people who do not take proper care of them. You also found that the local dog population has grown significantly in recent years, and there is no effective system in place to monitor or control it. What would you do in this situation?

Case Study You are the District Magistrate (DM) of a tribal-dominated district. The Union Government has sanctioned a massive, multi-crore infrastructure project—a strategic greenfield expressway—that passes directly through your district. The project is critical for regional economic growth and national security connectivity. However, the proposed alignment cuts through an ecologically sensitive forest zone and requires the displacement of three ancient tribal villages. These tribes are deeply connected to the land, which holds immense cultural and religious significance for them. Under the law, the project requires approval from the local Gram Sabhas (village councils), but the tribal elders are vehemently opposing the acquisition, fearing loss of livelihood, identity, and exploitation. The situation escalates when a local NGO takes up their cause, triggering widespread protests. A video of a tribal elder weeping before local authorities goes viral on social media, causing nationwide public outrage. Meanwhile, you receive a call from the State’s Chief Secretary, emphasizing that any delay in land acquisition will lead to a massive escalation in project costs and lapse of central funds. The ruling political leadership expects you to "manage the situation swiftly" using administrative force if necessary to disperse protesters and secure the land, as elections are just six months away. (a) Identify the ethical dilemmas faced by you as the District Magistrate in this situation. (b) Evaluate the options available to you to handle this crisis. (c) Propose a comprehensive course of action that balances development goals with ethical governance and constitutional obligations toward vulnerable communities.

Sandeep Patel an IAS officer, was posted as Transport Commissioner. While performing chi’s duties he found that the whole of the Transport department including its Minister are steeped in corruption. It is widely believed that the Minister of the Department has arranged posting of ‘bad elements’ to sensitive jobs with the sole objective of facilitating rent seeking. Due to this, corrupt practices took place mainly in check-posts. There is heavy vehicle traffic to the neighbouring state which has many ports. There is a parking area where the drivers of the trucks first park the vehicle. They then collect ‘challans’ (demand note) after standing in a long queue before the window of the challan issuing officers. The driver may have to wait in the queue anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour to collect the challan from the clerk. Along with the challan amount, the truck drivers also paid an ‘extra’ amount as indicated in a coded sign language by the challan issuing staff. Further, due to the manual system, vehicles are held up for considerable time at the check-posts. In Sandeep’s place how would you try to improve the system?

You are a senior officer at an intelligence agency working for the internal security of the nation. You find out that a junior officer has been a victim of honey trapping through social media. In all of this, his phone was hacked and confidential files were leaked. The entire department has come together and wants you to take strict action against that officer for his behavior. That junior officer is highly skilled and a valuable asset for the organisation. He is also very close to you as you have mentored him throughout and he also respects you a lot. Moreover, any action against him might attract media attention and bring a bad repute to the organisation at large. (A) What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation? (B) Also, suggest a course of action you would like to follow.

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?