Revision summary
A capable, kind director is beating his wife at home; you are his junior assistant. Ignoring it as private life leaves her in violence and teaches that rank is a licence. Reporting to the Protection Officer, police women’s cell and a competent official is the lawful duty. Do it with a safety plan, not as WhatsApp shaming or blackmail for career favours. Innovative conduct is confidential evidence, professional protectors for her, and no bargain of silence for training.
Model answer
Introduction
The boss is a good teacher at work and a violent husband at home. You are junior, you need the job, and you now know enough. Domestic violence is not a “private taste”. The options in the stem must be weighed by harm, duty and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
Body
Stakeholders
- The wife, who is less educated, isolated, and already being beaten.
- The director, who is your trainer and a violent offender at home.
- You as a junior assistant who heard the crying and confirmed a pattern.
- Other staff, whose silence would become a culture.
- Children if any, and the public that expects a government office not to incubate impunity.
- Protection officers, police, and the Internal Complaints Committee only if workplace sexual harassment is also in play — here the core is domestic violence.
Values
- Courage, empathy, integrity, and respect for dignity (Article 21).
- Loyalty to a mentor is real; it does not outrank a woman’s bodily safety.
- Confidentiality of a family is not a cloak for crime. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 made that explicit.
- Non-maleficence: do not make her safer on paper and deader in the house by a reckless public shaming.
(a) Ignore it as a personal matter
- Meaning: treat the crying as none of your business because it is “inside the home”.
- Merit: you keep the training, avoid a powerful enemy, and avoid a mistaken report if your office gossip was wrong.
- Demerit: you have already heard the noise and checked the office. Continuing silence is chosen ignorance.
- Consequence for the wife: the beatings continue with the office as a respectable front.
- Consequence for you: moral injury, and possible later blame if a serious injury occurs and it is shown you knew.
- Consequence for the service: a lesson that rank buys a private licence.
- Ethical verdict: reject. Personal life is not a free zone for assault. Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (as then in force) and the 2005 Act already publicise this wrong.
(b) Report the case to the appropriate authority
- Meaning: a written, factual complaint to the competent person — typically the Protection Officer under the 2005 Act, the police if a cognisable offence is made out, and, for a government servant, the designated superior or vigilance if conduct unbecoming is in issue, without a market-place poster.
- Merit: the law is used; the wife can get a protection order, residence order and medical help; the director faces a real process, not a junior’s sermon.
- Demerit: he may try to destroy your career; the wife may deny out of fear, which is common; a clumsy report can worsen violence in the next hour.
- Consequences: inquiry, possible arrest or protection order, office disruption, and a chance of safety if the protection machinery actually moves.
- Ethical verdict: reporting is necessary, but not as a solo leak to a WhatsApp group. It must be to the lawful authority, with care for her immediate safety.
(c) Innovative approach (recommended mix)
- Do not choose (a). Do not make (b) a public execution without a safety plan.
- First, if you can do so without trespass, encourage the wife — through a woman colleague, a helpline, or a protection officer — to speak in a safe setting. The 181 women’s helpline and the Protection Officer exist so that a junior man is not her only door.
- Record what you personally heard and what independent office sources said, dated, without embroidery.
- Inform the Protection Officer / police women’s cell with that record, and ask them to approach her, not you as a lone hero at his door.
- Inform your organisation’s competent authority in a confidential note that a domestic-violence allegation against a Group A officer needs lawful handling, so that transfers and appraisals cannot be used as revenge against you or her.
- Do not blackmail him (“train me or I talk”). That is another abuse.
- Do not counsel him as a moral tutor in his drawing room if that puts her at risk of punishment for “airing dirty linen”.
- If he asks, you may say you heard distress and that violence is a crime; you will not bargain silence for mentorship.
- Support: National Commission for Women, State commission, legal services authority — for her, not as your press conference.
- Workplace: continue to do your job; recuse from his personal errands at home.
Consequences of the innovative mix
- She has a professional protector, not only a frightened junior.
- He faces law, not office gossip.
- You have a paper trail if he retaliates.
- Residual risk remains; ethics here is risk reduction, not a film ending.
Flow diagram
flowchart TD HEAR[Heard crying and confirmed beating] --> NO[Do not ignore] NO --> SAFE[Protection Officer and 181 helpline] NO --> AUTH[Confidential note to competent authority] BLACK[Blackmail the boss] --> WRONG[Another abuse] GOSS[Office gossip] --> RISK[More violence]
Conclusion
Ignoring domestic violence because the boss is kind at work is complicity. A raw public report without a safety plan can also harm the wife. The sound path is confidential report to the Protection Officer and police machinery, a sealed note to the competent authority, no blackmail, and help routed through women’s helplines and legal services.
Quick related
Students also ask
-
Case study. One of the scientists working in the R & D laboratory of a major pharmaceutical company discovers that one of the company's best selling veterinary drugs, B has the potential to cure a currently incurable liver disease that is prevalent in tribal areas. However, developing a variant of the drug suitable for human beings entailed a lot of research and development having a huge expenditure to the extent of f 50 crores. It was unlikely that the company would recover the costs as the disease was rampant only in poverty-stricken area having very little market otherwise. If you were the CEO, then- (a) identify the various actions that you could take; (b) evaluate the pros and cons of each of your actions.
Next question on this syllabus topic (2015 · Q9). View answer →
-
If the wife later denies everything, were you wrong to report?
Denial under fear is common. You report facts you witnessed and let the Protection Officer do a competent inquiry. You do not drop the duty because the powerful man is your teacher.
-
Is mentoring at work a reason to wait?
No. Skill at the desk does not buy a right to beat a spouse. Waiting is option (a) with a polite face.
PYQ trend
When UPSC asked this
Related PYQs from other years, newest first. Open a question to read it.
-
2016 · Q9 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. ABC Ltd. is a large transnational company having diversified business activities with a huge shareholder base. The company is continuously expanding the generating employment. The company, in its expansion and diversification programme, decides to establish a new plant at Vikaspuri, an area which is underdeveloped. The new plant is designed to use energy efficient technology that will help the company to save production cost by 20%. The company's decision goes well with the Government policy of attracting investment to develop such underdeveloped regions. The government has also announced tax holiday for five years for the companies that invest in underdeveloped areas. However, the new plant may bring chaos for the inhabitants of Vikaspuri region, which is otherwise tranquil. The new plant may result in increased cost of living, aliens migrating to the region, disturbing the social and economic order. The company sensing the possible protest tried to educate the people of Vikaspuri region and public in general that how its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy would help overcome the likely difficulties of the residents of Vikaspuri region. In spite of this the protests begin and some of the residents decided to approach the judiciary as their plea before the Government did not yield any result. (a) Identify the issues involved in the case. (b) What can be suggested to satisfy the company's goal and to address the residents' concern? -
2016 · Q10 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Saraswati was a successful IT professional in USA. Moved by patriotic sense of doing something for the country she returned to India. Together with some other like-minded friends, she formed an NGO to build a school for a poor rural community. The objective of the school was to provide the best quality modern education at a nominal cost. She soon discovered that she has to seek permission from a number of Government agencies. The rules and procedures were quite confusing and cumbersome. What frustrated her most were delays, callous attitude of officials and constant demand for bribes. Her experience and the experience of many others like her have deterred people from taking up social service projects. A measure of Government control over voluntary social work is necessary. But it should not be exercised in a coercive a corrupt manner. What measures can you suggest to ensure that due control is exercised but well meaning, honest NGO efforts are not thwarted? -
2016 · Q11 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. A fresh engineering graduate gets a job in a prestigious chemical industry. She likes the work. The salary is also good. However, after a few months she accidentally discovers that a highly toxic waste is being secretly discharged into a river nearby. This is causing health problems to the villagers downstream who depend on the river for their water needs. She is perturbed and mentions her concern to her colleagues who have been with the company for longer periods. They advise her to keep quite as anyone who mentions the topic is summarily dismissed. She cannot risk losing her job as she is the sole beard-winner for her family and has to support her ailing parents and siblings. At first, she thinks that if her seniors are keeping quiet, why should she stick out her neck. But her conscience pricks her to do something to save the river and the people who depend upon it. At heart she feels that the advice of silence given by her friends is not correct though she cannot give reasons for it. She thinks you are a wise person and seeks your advice. (a) What arguments can you advance to show her that keeping quiet is not morally right? (b) What course of action would you advice her to adopt and why? -
2016 · Q12 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Land needed for mining, dams and other largescale projects is acquired mostly from Adivasis, hill dwellers and rural communities. The displaced persons are paid monetary compensation as per the legal provisions. However, the payment is often tardy. In any case, it cannot sustain the displaced families for long. These people do not possess marketable skills to engage in some other accusation. They end up as low paid migrant laborers. Moreover, the development goes to industries, industrialists and urban communities whereas the costs are passed on to these poor helpless people. This unjust distribution of costs and benefits is unethical. Suppose you have been entrusted with the task of drafting a better compensation-cum-rehabilitation policy for such displaced persons, how would you approach the problem and what would be the main elements of your suggested policy? -
2016 · Q13 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Suppose you are an officer in charge of implementing a social service scheme to provide support to old and destitute women. An old and illiterate woman comes to you to avail the benefits of the scheme. However, she has no documents to show that she fulfils the eligibility criteria. But after meeting her and listening to her you feel that she certainly needs support. Your enquiries also show that she is really destitute and living in a pitiable condition. You are in a dilemma as to what to do. Putting her under the scheme without necessary documents would clearly be violation of rules. But denying her the support would be cruel and inhuman. (a) Can you think of a rational way to resolve this dilemma? (b) Give your reasons for it. 24. You are a young, aspiring. -
2015 · Q9 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. One of the scientists working in the R & D laboratory of a major pharmaceutical company discovers that one of the company's best selling veterinary drugs, B has the potential to cure a currently incurable liver disease that is prevalent in tribal areas. However, developing a variant of the drug suitable for human beings entailed a lot of research and development having a huge expenditure to the extent of f 50 crores. It was unlikely that the company would recover the costs as the disease was rampant only in poverty-stricken area having very little market otherwise. If you were the CEO, then- (a) identify the various actions that you could take; (b) evaluate the pros and cons of each of your actions. -
2015 · Q10 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. There is a disaster-prone State having frequent landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts, flash floods and earthquakes, etc. Some of these are seasonal and often unpredictable. The magnitude of the disaster is always unanticipated. During one of the seasons, a cloudburst caused devastating floods and landslides leading to high casualties. There was major damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges and power generating units. This led to more than 100000 pilgrims, tourists and other locals trapped across different routes and locations. The people trapped in your area of responsibility included senior citizens, patients in hospitals, women and children, hikers, tourists, ruling party's regional president along with his family, additional chief secretary of the neighbouring State and prisoners in jail. As a civil services officer of the State, what would be the order in which you would rescue these people and why? Give justifications. -
2015 · Q11 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. You are heading a district administration in a particular department. Your senior officer calls you from the State Headquarters and tells you that a plot in Rampur village is to have a building constructed on it for a school. A visit is scheduled during which he will visit the site along with the chief engineer and the senior architect. He wants you to check out all the papers relating to it and to ensure that the visit is properly arranged. You examine the file which relates to the period before you joined the department. The land was acquired from the local Panchayat at a nominal cost and the papers show that clearance certificates are available from the two of the three authorities who have to certify the site's suitability. There is no certification by the architect available on file. You decide to visit Rampur to ensure that all is in order as stated on file. When you visit Rampur, you find that the plot under reference is part of Thakurgarh Fort and that the walls, ramparts, etc., are running across it. The fort is well away from the main village, therefore a school here will be a serious inconvenience for the children. However, the area near the village has potential to expand into a larger residential area. The development charges on the existing plot, at the fort, will be very high and the question of heritage site has not been addressed. Moreover, the Sarpanch, at the time of acquisition of the land, was a relative of your predecessor. The whole transaction appears to have been done with some vested interest. (a) List the likely vested interests of the concerned parties. (b) Some of the options for action available to you are listed below. Discuss the merits and demerits of each of the options: You can await the visit of the superior officer and let him take a decision. You can seek his advice in writing or on phone. You can consult your predecessor/colleagues, etc., and then decide what to do. You can find out if any alternate plot can be got in exchange and then send a comprehensive written report. Can you suggest any other option with proper justification?
More from this topic
Q12 · UPSC Mains 2025 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Ashok is Divisional Commissioner of one of the border districts of the North East State. A few years back, Military has taken over the neighbouring country after overthrowing the elected civil government. Civil war situation is prevailing in the country especially in last two years. However, internal situation further deteriorated due to rebel groups taking over control of certain populated areas near own border. Due to intense fight between military and rebel groups, civilian casualties has increased manifold in recent past. In the meantime, in one night Ashok got information from the local police guarding the border check post that there are about 200-250 people mainly women and children trying to cross over to our side of the border. There are also about 10 soldiers with their weapons in military uniform part of this group who wants to cross over. Women and Children are also crying and begging for help. A few of them are injured and bleeding profusely need immediate medical care. Ashok tried to contact Home Secretary of the State but failed to do so due to poor connectivity mainly due to inclement weather. (a) What are the options available with Ashok to cope with the situation?(b) What are the ethical and legal dilemmas being faced by Ashok?(c) Which of the options, do you think would be more appropriate for Ashok to adopt and why?(d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the Border Guarding Police in dealing with soldiers in uniform?
Ethics Case Studies
Options range from pushing everyone back to opening the gate to armed men; both extremes fail. The dilemma is non-refoulement and medical duty versus sovereignty and the risk of a ruse. The better path is triage and shelter for civilians, especially women and children, and separate internment of disarmed soldiers pending the Centre. Border police should keep distance, seal weapons, separate camps, and avoid humiliation or leaks. Waiting for a dead phone while a child bleeds is not caution; it is omission.
Q11 · UPSC Mains 2025 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program, MGNREGA was earlier known as National Rural Employment Scheme, NREGA. It is an Indian Social Welfare Program that aimed at fulfilling the 'Right to Work' provisions made in the Constitution. MGNREGA was launched in 2006 under Rural Employment Sector by the Ministry of Rural Development. Main objective of the program is to give legal guarantee of wage employment to the adult members of rural households who are willing to do unskilled manual labour work subject to a maximum of 100 days per year for every household. Every rural household has the right to register under the scheme, job card is issued to the registered, Job Card holder can seek employment; State Government shall pay 25% of minimum wage for the first 30 days as compensatory daily unemployment allowance to the families and of wage for remaining period of the year. MGNREGA work was undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You have been appointed as an Administrator Incharge of the District. You have been given the responsibility of monitoring MGNREGA work undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You are also given the authority to give technical sanctions to all MGNREGA works. In one of the Panchayats in your jurisdiction, you notice that your predecessor has mismanaged the Program in terms of: (i) Money not disbursed to actual job-seekers.(ii) Muster Rolls of the Labourers not properly maintained.(iii) Mismatch between the work done and payments made.(iv) Payments made to fictitious persons.(v) Job Cards were given without looking into the need of person.(vi) Mismanagement of funds and to the extent of siphoning of funds.(vii) Approved works that never existed. (a) What is your reaction to the above situation and how do you restore the proper functioning of MGNREGA Program in this regard?(b) What actions would you initiate, to solve the various issues listed above?(c) How would you deal with the above situation?
Ethics Case Studies
The first duty is to protect records, tell workers the truth, and stop further theft. Arrears must reach real job-seekers while ghosts, fake works and siphoned funds go to vigilance and the police. Job cards should be re-verified without stripping genuine households. The predecessor deserves due process, not a media hanging or a cover-up. Social audit, geotagging and a public dashboard keep the repair from rotting again.
Q10 · UPSC Mains 2025 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Rajesh is a Group A officer with nine years of service. He is posted as Administrative Officer in an Oil Public Sector undertaking. As an Administrative Officer he is responsible for managing and coordinating various administrative tasks to ensure smooth functioning of office. He also manages office supplies, equipment etc. Rajesh is now sufficient senior and is expecting his next promotion in JAG (Junior Administrative Grade) in the next one or two years. He knows that promotion is based on examination of ACRs/Performance Appraisal of last few years (5 years or so) of an officer by a DPC (Departmental Promotion Committee) and an officer lacking requisite grading of ACRs may not be found fit for promotion. Consequences of losing promotion may entail financial and reputational loss and set-back for career progression. Though he also puts his best efforts in official discharge of his duties, yet he is unsure of assessment by his superior officer. He is now putting extra efforts so that he gets thumping report at the end of financial year. As Administrative Officer, Rajesh is regularly interacting with his immediate boss, who is his reporting officer for writing his ACR. One day he calls Rajesh and wants him to buy computer-related stationery on priority from a particular vendor. Rajesh instructs his office to initiate action for procuring these items. During the day, the dealing Assistant brings an estimate of Rupees Thirty Five Lakhs covering all stationery items from the same vendor. It is noticed that as per delegated financial powers, as provided in the GFR (General Financial Rules) as applicable in that Organisation, expenditure for office items exceeding Rupees Thirty Lakhs requires sanction of the next higher authority (boss in the present case). Rajesh knows that immediate superior would expect all these purchases should be done at his level and may not appreciate such lack of initiative on his part. During discussions with office, he learns that common practice of splitting of expenditure (where large order is divided into a series of smaller ones) is followed to avoid obtaining sanction from higher authority. This practice is against the rules and may come to the adverse notice of Audit. Rajesh is perturbed. He is unsure of taking decision in the matter. (a) What are the options available with Rajesh in the above situation?(b) What are the ethical issues involved in this case?(c) Which would be the most appropriate option for Rajesh and why?
Ethics Case Studies
Splitting ₹35 lakh into smaller bills to avoid the boss’s sanction is a GFR violation, even if it is a common trick. The ethical issues are career fear, a named vendor, and the habit of collective cheating. Rajesh’s options include splitting, lawful phasing, written illegal orders, or a proper sanction. The right choice is a single proposal to the competent authority and a competitive purchase. A promotion that needs a false indent is not worth the integrity it costs.
Toppers' copies
Toppers' copies for this question will be uploaded soon.