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Question

You are Vice Principal of a degree college in one of the middle-class towns. Principal has recently retired and management is looking for his replacement. There are also feelers that the management may promote you as Principal. In the meantime, during annual examination the flying squad which came from the university caught two students red-handed involving in unfair means. A senior lecturer of the college was personally helping these students in this act. This senior lecturer also happens to be close to the management. One of the students was son of a local politician who was responsible in getting college affiliated to the present reputed university. The second student was son of a local businessman who has donated maximum funds for running of the college. You immediately informed the management regarding this unfortunate incident. The management told you to resolve the issue with flying squad at any cost. They further said that such incident will not only tarnish the image of the college but also the politician and businessman are very important personalities for the functioning of the college. You were also given hint that your further promotion to Principal depends on your capability in resolving this issue with flying squad. In the meantime, you were intimated by your administrative officer that certain members of the student union are protesting outside the college gate against the senior lecturer and the students involved in this incident and demanding strict action against defaulters.

Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case.

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CSE 2021 (Prelims) CSAT Previous Year Paper (10-Oct-2021)

The core ethical dilemmas here revolve around integrity versus expediency. There's the stark conflict between maintaining academic honesty and the immense pressure to protect influential figures and the college's image. My personal integrity and potential promotion clash with my duty to uphold institutional rules. Furthermore, the explicit involvement of a senior lecturer highlights a breakdown of trust and accountability within the college itself, compounding the issue of fairness for all students.

Answered By:

Sarvesh Jha

Sarvesh Jha is a seasoned government exam mentor with firsthand success in top exams like IBPS PO, SBI PO, CDS, RRB JE, SSC CGL, BPSC, and CTET. Known for his deep conceptual clarity and strategic approach, he has guided over 5000 students through personalized mentorship. He has been creating well researched content for last 5 years.

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