You are a Municipal Corporation Commissioner of your city which is under heavy rainfall over the last few days. The boundary wall of one of the housing society collapses. The incident took place at midnight, leading to the death of 12 workers, including two children, sleeping in the shade beside the wall. On the preliminary inquiry, it has been found that inspite of inappropriate soil conditions, the permission to construct wall was given by previous Municipal Commissioner, who happens to be your close friend. Also, irregularities in construction material have been found and the other officials in the department are trying to influence or manipulate you. The whole scenario seems like a nexus between the officials of the municipal department and builder. However, the builder is a close relative of one of the most powerful leaders of the party in power and is trying to threaten you. (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 You are a young Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer posted in a country where a large Indian diaspora resides. Recently, a conflict broke out in one of the regions of the country, and several members of the Indian community, including women and children, are stranded and seeking urgent evacuation. Your embassy has limited resources and a small staff. While coordinating the evacuation, a prominent local businessperson with significant political connections requests immediate priority evacuation for his family, bypassing the official protocol. He offers to donate a large sum to support the evacuation mission if you agree to his demand. However, prioritizing his request would mean delaying the evacuation of several families who are in more precarious situations. Adding to the complexity, you are under pressure from the local government to minimize visible evacuation operations as they fear it might escalate tensions further. You must decide how to proceed in this crisis, balancing ethical considerations, resource constraints, and diplomatic pressures. (a) What are the stakeholders involved in this situation? (b) Under the given conditions, what are the options available to you as the officer in charge of the evacuation? (c) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by you?

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 Mr. Rohit Nair is the Commissioner of Police in a metropolitan city that has recently witnessed a rise in organised crime, including theft, drug trafficking, and incidents of violence. To enhance policing efficiency, the State Government introduces an advanced facial recognition surveillance system integrated with CCTV cameras across the city. The system is designed to identify suspects in real time and has already helped solve several cases. Encouraged by early success, higher authorities directed Mr. Nair to expand its use, including continuous monitoring of public spaces such as markets, metro stations, and residential areas. However, concerns begin to emerge from civil society organisations, legal experts, and sections of the public regarding privacy violations, lack of consent, and potential misuse of personal data. Reports indicate that the system has a higher error rate in identifying certain groups, raising fears of profiling and wrongful targeting. Additionally, there are no clear guidelines on data storage, access, or accountability mechanisms. Some officers informally suggest using the system to monitor “habitual protesters” and political activists to prevent potential law-and-order issues. The State Government emphasises that public safety must take precedence over abstract privacy concerns and expects visible results in crime reduction. Media debates intensify, with some praising technological efficiency and others warning against a “surveillance state.” Mr. Nair must decide how to implement the system while balancing public safety, individual rights, and ethical governance. Questions: 1. What are the ethical issues involved in this case? 2. What options are available to Mr. Nair? Evaluate the merits and demerits of each. 3. What should be the most appropriate course of action for Mr. Nair? Justify your answer in terms of ethical principles, constitutional values, and administrative accountability.

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?