GS-4

INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

MAY 2025
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INSIDE
Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface
1. Ethical Obligation to Refugee 3

Syllabus: Human Values Lessons from the Lives & Teachings

1. Experiential Learning 4

Syllabus: Public Civil Service Values & Ethics in Public Administration

1. Whistleblowing 5

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Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface

ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO REFUGEE

Context:
The World Refugee Crisis is once again in focus after a 3-year-old refugee girl died during forced displacement, reviving
global debates on ethical responsibilities and humanitarian obligations.

About Ethical Obligation to Refugees:

• Definition & Moral Claim: Ethical obligation refers to the moral
responsibility of states and individuals to protect innocent
people fleeing persecution, war, or violence.
• Global Refugee Data: As of 2025, there are 43.7 million
refugees worldwide (UNHCR). 75% remain in the Global South in
precarious conditions.
• Types of Refugees:
o Conflict Refugees: Flee war zones (e.g., Syria, Ukraine,
Afghanistan).
o Persecuted Minorities: Escape religious or ethnic
oppression (e.g., Rohingya, Yazidis).
o Climate Refugees: Displaced by rising seas, droughts (e.g., small island nations, Sub-Saharan Africa).

Obligations of States Towards Refugees:

1. Negative Obligations: Do No Harm
• Border Abuse: Many Global North states inflict violence at borders (e.g., Calais, EU-Turkey border, US-
Mexico wall).
• Containment Policies: Policies like the EU–Libya agreement trap refugees in unsafe zones, violating rights.
• Detention & Encampment: Indefinite detention in Libya and forced camps in Greece breach the right to
movement and dignity.
2. Positive Obligations: Protect and Assist
• Resettlement Programs: Accepting refugees through humanitarian visas ensures autonomy and dignity
(e.g., Ukrainian visa schemes by UK/EU in 2022).
• Safe Routes & Rights Access: Facilitate legal travel, employment, and education for refugees (e.g., Eurostar
free travel for Ukrainians).
• Infrastructure Aid to Host Countries: Invest in refugee support in Global South nations to prevent
desperation-led migration (e.g., Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon)

Philosophical Justifications:
• Singer’s Samaritan Principle: If you can prevent great suffering without significant sacrifice, it is morally wrong not
to act.
• Arendt’s Theory of Rightlessness: Refugees lose rights not due to lack of humanity but lack of national protection
— denying them redress and dignity.
• Moral Equality Principle: The moral worth of all refugees (Ukrainian or not) is equal; ethical response must be
consistent and universal.

Significance of Ethical Obligations Toward Refugees:

1. Individual Level
• Moral Responsibility: Upholding compassion and moral universality by aiding those fleeing persecution
affirms our shared humanity.
• Ethical Agency: Enables individuals to act with moral courage and resist bystander apathy in the face of
human suffering.
2. Institutional Level:

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• Democratic Legitimacy: Institutions that respect refugee rights strengthen rule of law, social justice, and
procedural fairness.
• Ethical Governance: Promotes accountability, human dignity, and equitable policy-making based on
Kantian respect for persons.
3. Global Level:
• Global Justice & Solidarity: Reinforces cosmopolitan ethics and fosters collective moral responsibility
under international human rights frameworks.
• Moral Leadership: Ethical refugee policies enhance soft power and global norm entrepreneurship, setting
standards for humane governance.
Conclusion:
Global North states cannot ignore or actively harm refugees under the guise of border control. Ethical obligations—both
to refrain from harm and to actively protect—are grounded in universal moral principles. A humane, rights-respecting
approach, as extended to Ukrainian refugees, must be institutionalised for all.

Syllabus: Human Values Lessons from the Lives & Teachings

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Context:
Article in newspaper highlights India’s exam-centric education and advocates experiential learning for cultivating higher-
order thinking skills.
• Aligns with NEP 2020 reforms promoting critical thinking and real-world application of knowledge.

About Experimental Learning:

What is Experiential Learning?
• A learner-centric approach where knowledge is gained
through experience, reflection, and application (David Kolb,
1984).
• Key Features:
o “Learning by Doing” through hands-on activities.
o Builds skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and
creativity.
o Follows a four-stage cycle:
 Starting with a concrete experience
 Moving to reflective observation
 Followed by abstract conceptualisation
 Finally leading to active experimentation.

Why India Needs Experiential Learning:

• Exam-Centric Limitations: 80% of students in India struggle with application-based questions (ASER Report 2023).
• Unequal Learning Outcomes: Urban-rural and public-private divides hinder holistic education access.
• Low Higher-Order Thinking: Present rote learning model restricts skills like analysis, evaluation, and innovation.
• Cognitive Diversity: As per Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, different students learn differently—visual,
kinaesthetic, or auditory.

Implementing Experiential Learning in India:

• Pedagogical Strategies:
o Flipped Classrooms: Students learn theory at home; apply and discuss in class.
o Field Projects: Linking science with real-world problems via outdoor experiments.
o Collaborative Learning: Group tasks, role-playing, and peer feedback.

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o Simulation & Tech: Use of AR/VR in history, geography, and STEM simulations.
• Best Practices:
o Inquiry-based learning in Navodaya Vidyalaya’s.
o Activity-based learning adopted in Tamil Nadu schools has improved retention and engagement.

Challenges:
• Logistics & Training: Shortage of trained educators; lack of labs and digital tools in rural schools.
• Contextual Readiness: Not all students may be prepared; e.g., Grade 8 students reading at Grade 2 level (ASER
2022).
• Uniform Policy Pitfalls: One-size-fits-all frameworks ignore socio-economic and cultural diversity.

Way Ahead:
• Policy Integration: Embed experiential modules within existing curriculum without disrupting current structure.
• Capacity Building: Train teachers under DIKSHA and NCERT’s new training modules.
• Tech + Community: Use digital platforms and local knowledge holders (farmers, artisans) for learning activities.
• Assessment Reform: Shift from memory-based tests to portfolio-based, outcome-focused evaluation.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Leverage NGOs and Ed-Techs for scalable implementation.

Conclusion:
Experiential learning transforms the classroom into a laboratory of life. It nurtures curious, self-driven learners ready to
face real-world challenges. Integrating it within India’s education system is not just desirable but essential for equitable,
quality learning.

PYQ:
‘Earn while you learn’ scheme needs to be strengthened to make vocational education and skill training meaningful.”
Comment. (UPSC - 2021)

Syllabus: Public Civil Service Values & Ethics in Public Administration

WHISTLEBLOWING
Context:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is conducting an internal investigation into its founder Klaus Schwab after whistleblower
allegations of ethical and financial misconduct.

About Whistleblowing:
• Definition: Whistleblowing is the lawful disclosure of
misconduct or unethical activity within an organization to
authorized entities.
• Ethical Basis:
o Aristotelian Ethics: Focuses on moral character rather
than just rules or consequences.
o Ross’s Prima Facie Duty Theory: In whistleblowing,
the duty to prevent harm and promote justice
outweighs the duty of loyalty to one’s employer.
o Bhagavad Gita – “Karmanye vadhikaraste” meaning one must perform one’s duty without attachment to
results, even in face of adversity.

Key Features of Whistleblowing:

• Right Information: Involves exposing violations of law, fraud, corruption, abuse of authority, or threats to public
safety.

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• Protected Disclosure: Done through authorized channels like an internal ombudsman, regulator, or court.
• Scope: Applies to both government and corporate wrongdoing (e.g. insider trading, embezzlement, toxic
workplace).
• Anonymity and Protection: Effective mechanisms often ensure identity safeguards and protection from retaliation.

Importance of Whistleblowing in Ethics:

• Promotes Accountability: 2018 whistleblower complaint in a major bank led to top-level resignations and internal
audits.
• Protects Public Interest: Helps avert systemic failures (e.g. housing finance fraud exposed in 2020).
• Reinforces Governance: Whistleblower complaints are a top tool in detecting corporate fraud, according to ACFE
studies.
• Saves Costs: KPMG (2023) found companies with proactive mechanisms were 70% better at early fraud detection.

Global & Indian Legal Frameworks:

• Global Laws:
o US SEC Whistleblower Program: $600 million awarded in FY 2023, incentivising ethical disclosures.
o EU Whistleblower Protection Directive: Ensures confidentiality, non-retaliation, and right to legal redress.
o UN Convention Against Corruption: Recognizes whistleblowing as a key anti-corruption tool.
• Indian Laws:
o Whistleblower Protection Act, 2014: Covers public servants; lacks corporate coverage and anonymity.
o Companies Act 2013: Mandates vigil mechanisms in certain companies to report ethical violations and
fraud.
o SEBI Guidelines (2021): AMCs must adopt whistleblower policies, especially for insider trading and market
abuse.
o RTI Act, 2005: Empowers citizens to expose corruption in public offices.

Challenges to Whistleblowing:
• Fear of Retaliation: 51% of Indian whistleblowers face victimisation (Global Integrity Report 2024).
• Lack of Confidence: Over 50% cite distrust in complaint resolution or fear of professional backlash.
• No Corporate Protection Law: Private sector whistleblowers remain vulnerable.
• Social Stigma: Cultural hesitance and peer loyalty prevent internal disclosures.

Way Forward:
• Enforce Whistleblower Protection Act: Bring it into force with amendments to cover private sector and
anonymous tips.
• Strengthen Vigil Mechanisms: Every organization must ensure independent hotlines, legal support, and training.
• Reward Ethical Action: SEBI model of monetary rewards should be extended across regulators.
• Transparency Culture: Strong leadership must encourage ethical disclosures and recognize whistleblowers.

Conclusion:
Whistleblowing remains a cornerstone of ethical governance, exposing corruption and promoting transparency. However,
without legal protection and cultural change, whistleblowers risk serious retaliation. India must institutionalize protections
and promote ethical courage to uphold accountability in public and corporate life.

PYQ:
Whistleblower, who reports corruption and illegal activities, wrongdoing and misconduct to the concerned authorities,
runs the risk of being exposed to grave danger, physical harm and victimization by the vested interests, accused persons
and his team. What policy measures would you suggest to strengthen the protection mechanism to safeguard the
whistleblower? (UPSC-2022)

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