Case Study 11:

As a Block Development Officer, you were invited to preside over a Gram Sabha
meeting in one of Gram Panchayats falling under your jurisdiction. The Gram
Sabha was called to take a decision on two crucial things: to identify and
confiscate fake job cards used under MGNREGA scheme and to choose the
beneficiaries to allot houses under Indira Awas Yojana. You had ordered a month
ago to all Gram Panchayat secretaries to conduct programs to create awareness
and advertise about coming Gram Sabha so that people would participate in
large numbers.Unfortunately, on the day of Gram Sabha to which you were invited, very few
villagers turned up. It is mandatory that at least one tenth of members of Gram
Sabha (those whose names are in electoral rolls) attend the Gram Sabha. But on
that day less than one tenth were in attendance. At the same time, all the
Panchayat members were present. They all insisted that the Gram Sabha should
continue as people would slowly come and attend as the meeting progressed.
Somehow you were convinced and the meeting started. Those few who attended
were chosen by vote to get homes allotted after verification that they met the
criteria under the Indira Awas Scheme. Job card verification was not possible as
there were no people at the meeting.Next day you received a complaint by a villager accusing Panchayat
members of coercing Panchayat Secretary to conduct Gram Sabha on a date when villagers
had gone out to neighbouring village to attend a festival. According to the
complaint this was done to stop the identification of fake job cards, which some
elected Panchayat members had themselves created to siphon off money. The
complaint also alleged that you and Panchayat ecretary had taken bribe from
Panchayat members to conduct a fake Gram Sabha meeting. There was also
allegation that beneficiaries who got allotted IAY houses were actually all
relatives of Panchayat members present on the day of Gram Sabha.
1) Identify the major issues and your options in the case study. (150 Words)
2) As a responsible officer what were your duties prior to conducting Gram
Sabha and what course of action you should follow after receiving the complaint.
(200 Words)

Case Study 12:

A former employee who was fired due to poor quality work, absences, and
lateness related to her drinking problem, informs you that she has applied for a
position at another company and has already given your name as a reference.
She desperately needs a job (she is a single parent with three children), and she
asks you to give her a good recommendation and not mention her drinking,
which she assures you is now under control.
She also asks you to say that she voluntarily left the company to address a family
medical crisis, and that the company was pleased with her work. You like this
person and believe she is a good worker when she is not drinking. You doubt
that she really has overcome her drinking problem, however, and you would not
recommend your own company hire her back.
What do you say to this woman?
What do you say to an employer who calls you for a reference?
What if the prospective employer was a friend?
Suppose the problem was a theft?
Suppose she had asked you to be a reference prior to supplying your name
to her prospective employer?
What values are at stake? Do some of the values conflict with one another?
Case Study 14:
You are working as Sub Inspector and the place where you work is also the
constituency of powerful politician who is now a very influential minister in the
state government. Recently a woman social activist was tied to tree and was
badly beaten and molested by few political activists belonging to the ruling party.
After registering the case and preliminary investigation you come to know that
the men
who molested were staunch followers of the minister. The minister frequently
calls you and pressurises you to either go slow with investigation or close the
case citing lack of evidence. In your
investigation you have found strong evidence to give justice to the woman and
punish minister‟s followers. However, the minister has threatened to transfer you
to a distant place if you do not heed to his requests. Despite threats and
pressures you continue with your investigation and file a strong case against the
perpetrators. Later you come to know that the minister had used his influence
and bribed the judges to get bail to his followers.
a) How do you deal with political pressure when performing your duty? (100
Words)
b) In the above case, your wife advises you to record your conversations with the
minister in your cellphone and make them public via media. Will you do so?
Justify. (150 Words)
c) Some of your friends suggest you to get transfer and move to new place so
that you are saved from the wrath of the minister whose requests you neglected.
(100 Words)

Case Study 15:

Rajanna had borrowed money from a private bank to buy a tractor. He was a
farmer who grew sugar-cane on his two acres irrigated land. He bought the
tractor from the money he had received from bank loan. He also used part of the
money to pay dowry and expenses for his daughter’s wedding. Owing to price
drop in sugar cane in the market, he consistently defaulted on his bank loan.
Fortunately he owned irrigated land and he was confident of repaying the debt
within two years if the price of sugar cane improved. The bank authorities had
sent him few notices. However, recently the bank decided to publish the
photographs of defaulters in the public places and in local newspaper to putpressure on them. Rajanna, who was
a respected individual in his village was
shocked to know this and committed suicide.
After few days, the bank auctioned his tractor off too. Rajanna’s wife and
children have complained against the bank to the police accusing it of killing
Rajanna.
1) Was it ethical for the bank to take a decision to publish photographs of loan
defaulters? Explain. (150 Words)
2) Critically comment on ethical aspects of Rajanna’s deeds. (250 Words)
Case Study 16:
You are working as DM of a district where illegal mining of sand is rampant.
Recently there was an accident between a truck illegally carrying sand and a
government passenger bus. Many passengers died on the spot because of the
accident. Ever since you assumed power, you are trying to curb this illegal mining
of sand. Because of negligence and involvement of police officers at local level,
illegal mining is going on in many parts of the district despite your efforts to curb
it. These trucks which travel on narrow village roads, have not only damaged
roads, they have also caused traffic problem for passenger vehicles frequently
causing accidents.
The media and some people from a political party are protesting against you
after the bus accident. They are saying that you are working hands in glove with
the sand Mafia. There is also an accusation that you have some personal rivalry
with the Superintendent of Police. Moreover, even local media is portraying you
as someone intentionally allowing illegal sand mining in the district.
In this situation, what are your options? How will you deal with accusations? And
how will you manage the situation? (250 Words)
Answer:
There are many issues highlighted by the case
1. Illegal mining of riverbed sands – harming ecology of floodplains effecting
drainage patterns hence may lead to problems like falling water table and severe
flooding in monsoons
2. Gossip on my character and conflict with other power figures undermine my
Authority

Case Study 17:

You are working as Superintendent of Police. In a village which comes under your
jurisdiction a gang rapes has taken place. A school teacher has been raped by
four youths. The parents of the lady directly complain you that the local Sub-
Inspector has not registered case against those youths and moreover, when their
daughter went to register a complain, he insulted and then threatened her with
consequences if she went before media or made the case public. They also tell
you that the lady teacher was not sent for medical check-up. Now the media
doesn’t know about the case, nor does the public. The parents allege that the
local Sub-Inspector has taken bribe from those youth and has let them off
without registering a case against them. Now the parents are saying that as a
last resort they would go before the media, but they are scared about revelation of their daughter’s identity and
losing her job too.
In this scenario, what will you do? Explain. (200 Words)

Case Study 18:

You are the Principal of a famous government run residential school. Your son,
who is studying in 12th standard in your school is extremely poor in
Mathematics. Your wife is worried that if your son fails, he might slip into
depression. You are also afraid that his failure would bring a bad reputation to
you. You have never pressurised him to study though. Your son is good in other
subjects and he is also a very good athlete in the school who has won lots of
awards and medals in various competitions. Your wife is also worried that failing
in 12th standard might encourage him to discontinue his studies forever. In this
regard, during ongoing board exams, your wife requests you to allow him to cheat in the exam. She requests
you to talk to Mathematics teacher who is a
family friend of yours to help your son during the exam. As a Principal of the
college, you can do this to help your son just pass the exam.
1) What are the options available to you? (150 Words)
2) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option that you would adopt,
giving reasons. (200 Words)
Case Study 18:
You are the Principal of a famous government run residential school. Your son,
who is studying in 12th standard in your school is extremely poor in
Mathematics. Your wife is worried that if your son fails, he might slip into
depression. You are also afraid that his failure would bring a bad reputation to
you. You have never pressurised him to study though. Your son is good in other
subjects and he is also a very good athlete in the school who has won lots of
awards and medals in various competitions. Your wife is also worried that failing
in 12th standard might encourage him to discontinue his studies forever. In this
regard, during ongoing board exams, your wife requests you to allow him tocheat in the exam. She requests you
to talk to Mathematics teacher who is a
family friend of yours to help your son during the exam. As a Principal of the
college, you can do this to help your son just pass the exam.
1) What are the options available to you? (150 Words)
2) Evaluate each of these options and choose the option that you would adopt,
giving reasons. (200 Words)

Case Study 19:

You are visiting a famous animal zoo with your husband and two children. Your
family is near a lion’s enclosure enjoying the view of Asiatic lion pride. Your
husband is explaining to your children some interesting facts about these lions.
While doing so, an 18 year old boy, standing next to your husband, starts
climbing the barricade to get a full view of the pride. Unfortunately, he slips and
falls into lion enclosure. Around 2-3 lions approach him and start mauling him
while the public is watching with shock. Around you there are no security guards
or any authorities from zoo. Few minutes later, the body of the boy is torn apart
by the lions.
1) In situation like this, what will you do? Explain. (100 Words)
2) On whom will you put blame for the death of the boy in the above case study?
Explain why. (150 Words)
3) At home, your husband is arguing that security guards (assuming they were
around the enclosure) should have shot dead lions to save the boy. But you are
putting blame on the boy himself. To support his argument, your husband is
asking you what would you have done if one of your children had fallen into the
enclosure – shoot lions (assuming you had fully loaded gun) or stand there
watching helplessly? In the light of above arguments, critically comment if it is ethical to kill animals to save
humans? (200 Words)

Case Study 20:

A multi-storey building which was illegally constructed collapses and kills fifty
innocent workers – including women and children. These workers were poor
migrants from far away villages. The building was allowed to construct only three
storeys, but the builder has violated the rules and raised four more storeys. The
government immediately announces cash relief to aggrieved families. The
builder is arrested and put under court trial.
1. On whom does the ultimate blame for the death of fifty innocent lives rest –
government or builder? Explain why. (200 Words)
2. Is it morally correct to give cash