QUESTION 4(a)
GS4
10 marks
Which eminent personality has inspired you the most in the context of ethical conduct in life? Give the gist of his or her teachings with specific examples and describe how you have applied these teachings for your own ethical development.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Name the personality who most inspired your ethical conduct, give the gist of their teachings, and show how you applied them.
DescribeGive a clear, detailed account of the main features.
Demand-wise check
- 1Choose one person and say why (e.g. Gandhi, Vivekananda, Ambedkar, Kalam, Lal Bahadur Shastri, or a lesser-known figure)≈30 words
- 2Gist of teachings with specific examples from their life (e.g. Gandhi: truth, non-violence, ends-means purity, trusteeship; Champaran, admitting 'Himalayan blunder')≈30 words
- 3Personal application: 2-3 concrete, honest instances (admitting a mistake, refusing a shortcut, serving others)≈30 words
- 4How it shaped your outlook as a future civil servant≈30 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
Personality and whyTeachings with examplesYour applicationsImpact on your values
Where marks usually go
- Writing a biography and skipping the 'how you applied' part
- Vague personal claims with no concrete incident
Draw this
- Three-column table: teaching → example from their life → your application
Value addition
- ThinkerGandhi's Talisman (1948): when in doubt, recall the face of the poorest person and ask if your step will help them.Gandhi, 1948
- ExampleLal Bahadur Shastri resigned as Railway Minister after the 1956 Ariyalur train accident, owning moral responsibility.Indian political history, 1956
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Satyam Gandhi · Page 10 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aakash Garg · AIR 5 · Page 7 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Vidushi Singh · AIR 13 · Page 5 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.