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Primary Dilemma Related PYQ Case Studies
Sustainability/Environmental
Rehabilitation plan for Adivasis displaced by large projects.
Protection/Displaced
Balancing water conservation and farmers' livelihoods with
people’s Rights vs.
industrial consumption.
Economic
Balancing AI operations and climate footprint with market
Development/Economic
competition.
Gains
An SP caught between legal duty to detain extremists and
humanitarian concerns for tribal women.
National Security/Legal
Preventive policing and deradicalization, or handling social
Duty/Law enforcement vs.
media ethics.
Humanitarian Concerns
Can extends to issues like balancing free speech with
preventing hate speech.
A bank manager using dormant account funds for a
Procedural Compliance vs. colleague's father's surgery.
Compassion A tax officer dealing with financial irregularities by a doctor
setting up a charitable hospital.
Issues like nepotism and transparency in procurement.
Meritocracy/Impartiality vs.
An officer asked to leak policy information to a builder for
Favoritism
personal gain.
Professional Duty vs
Undue influence in a selection panel for nepotistic
Personal Gains
recruitment.
A CEO facing pressure to pay a bribe for a government
Business Sustainability vs.
contract.
Fair Competition
A private company faces coercive demands from a political
Corruption vs Bureaucratic
group for employment.
Hurdles
NGO faces red tape and bribery demands to start a school.
Human Dignity/Employee
Wellbeing/Safety at An architect facing harassment from a senior, or dealing with
Workplace vs. a toxic work culture.
Organisational Addressing harassment and inappropriate conduct by a star
Performance/Professional marketing head.
Jealousy
Corrupt land allotment for a school project.
Illegal construction collapse due to weak enforcement.
Public Interest/Safety vs. An IAS officer uncovering corruption and facing political
Vested Interests/Regulatory incentives.
Corruption Battling drug mafia with political-police connections.
A situation where corruption exposes a nexus, leading to
personal and professional threats.
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Organizational Loyalty vs
Public Interest Classified information is leaked citing moral duty despite
Confidentiality vs. legal prohibition.
Whistleblowing
Resource Allocation
Efficiency vs. Fairness A hospital administrator managing resource shortages during
Merit-based Distribution vs. a health emergency.
Need-based Distribution. A dilemma between allocating funds for Special Economic
Public Welfare vs. Zones (SEZ)/energy projects vs. housing the poor.
Political/Diplomatic Priorities
Public Duty/Professional A Joint Secretary struggles with job demands and neglected
Commitment vs. Family family life.
Obligations/Personal Choosing between helping relatives in an accident or
Priorities attending a crucial interview.
Child Rights vs. Economic Illegal employment of minors in hazardous units.
Gains Addressing poverty-driven child labor in exploitative farms.
Gender Equality/Right to
Tensions around girls' education escalating due to traditional
Education vs. Cultural
elders.
Conservatism
Social Prejudice vs.
Caste discrimination affecting a midday meal scheme.
Inclusivity
Scientific Integrity/Patient
A scientist pressured to fast-track drug trials unethically for
Rights vs. Corporate
corporate gain.
Pressure/Economic gains
Life-saving Interventions vs.
Providing urgent blood transfusions from non-authorized
Regulatory
sources during an emergency.
Compliance/Legal Protocol
Truth/Journalistic Integrity
A journalist faces pressure to suppress a story exposing
vs. Censorship/Personal
corruption.
gain
An MBA graduate is pressured to approve defective goods,
Product Safety/Consumer or a food company compromises domestic product quality.
Rights vs. Economic Gains A project manager discovers a structural fault before
inauguration.
Personal Dignity vs. An officer dealing with cyberbullying and viral social media
Restraint in Public Life defamation.