Question aGS4GS2

What are the ethical issues involved in the above case?

Main Body

Smt Srusti - a young and dynamic IPS officer, posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP in a sensitive district. Her husband, Arjun, is an IAS officer and posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate SDM in the same district. Both are honest, sincere and deeply committed to their work. They have a young daughter. After a month of maternity leave, Srusti resumed duty just two weeks after delivery. She got a call from the Superintendent at 9 PM on Saturday requesting her to prepare a detailed law and order brief for a high-level meeting the next morning. Srusti reaches home at 10 PM, feeling exhausted. She has not been getting proper sleep during the week due to a flood situation in the area. Arjun also returns around the same time after a long day in the field. Both express their heavy workload and baby's condition. Arjun tells her that she cannot keep pushing and that the child needs more of her attention. Srusti replies that she cannot make difficult ethical choices in avoiding maternity duty. People are already judging and unsupported, while Srusti feels the weight of family dinner as she had to attend an urgent meeting at the office. With conflicting expectations, Male Officer with child-dependent expectations put women, especially new mothers, are not easily under scrutiny. Many women are not suitable for field duty.

224 words1 paragraphs

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Page 31

Topper

SUNAWAR DEEP SINGH

AIR 762025

Subject & Paper

GS4GS2

Topic

Ethics

Professional Ethics and Work-Life Balance

Ethical Dilemmas in IPS Career

Writing Stats

224

Total words

Paragraphs

descriptive-analytical

Tone

Linked PYQ

Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is known for its manufacturing clusters on firecrackers and matches. The local economy of the area is largely dependent on firecrackers industry. It has led to tangible economic development and improved standard of living in the area. So far as child labour norms for hazardous industries like firecrackers industry are concerned, International Labour Organization (ILO) has set the minimum age as 18 years. In India, however, this age is 14 years. The units in industrial clusters of firecrackers can be classified into registered and non-registered entities. One typical unit is household-based work. Though the law is clear on the use of child labour employment norms in registered/non-registered units, it does not include household-based works. Household-based work means children working under the supervision of their parents/relatives. To evade child labour norms, several units project themselves as household-based works but employ children from outside. Needless to say that employing children saves the costs for these units leading to higher profits to the owners. On your visit to one of the units at Sivakasi, the owner takes you around the unit which has about 10-15 children below 14 years of age. The owner tells you that in his household-based unit, the children are all his relatives. You notice that several children smirk, when the owner tells you this. On deeper enquiry, you figure out that neither the owner nor the children are able to satisfactorily establish their relationship with each other. Bring out and discuss the ethical issues involved in the above case. What would be your reaction after your above visit?

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