← All questionsGS4 · 2021 · Case Studies — Public Sector ·Illegal Sand Mining & Integrity
QUESTION 7
GS4
20 marks

Sunil is a young civil servant posted in a tribal-dominated district notorious for illegal sand mining. The mining mafia operates with support from local functionaries and tribal musclemen, and some office employees are in collusion. Sunil begins raids and stringent action. The mafia retaliates by threatening him and placing his wife and old mother under surveillance; a muscleman warns that he could meet the fate of a predecessor who was killed.(a) Identify the options available to Sunil.(b) Critically evaluate each option.(c) Which option is most appropriate and why?

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14 min
250 words
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What the examiner wants

Critically evaluate: answer the exact PYQ as framed — “Sunil is a young civil servant posted in a tribal-dominated district notorious for illegal sand mining. The mining mafia operates with support from local functionaries and tribal musclemen, and some office employees are in collusion. Sunil begins raids and st…” Treat each scoring limb separately instead of writing a general note on Illegal Sand Mining & Integrity.

Critically evaluateAnswer exactly what the question asks.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1Map the stakeholders, facts, competing obligations and the ethical/public-interest conflict embedded in the case≈65 words
  2. 2Answer each explicit sub-question in the case and compare feasible options using legality, consequences, rights, fairness and integrity≈65 words
  3. 3Choose and justify an implementable course of action, including safeguards, accountability and follow-through≈65 words

Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.

Answer plan

Key facts and stakeholdersEthical/legal issuesRealistic options with consequencesReasoned choiceImplementation safeguards and accountability

Where marks usually go

  • Writing generally about Illegal Sand Mining & Integrity without directly resolving: “Sunil is a young civil servant posted in a tribal-dominated district notorious for illegal sand mining.”
  • Under-developing the second scoring limb: “The mining mafia operates with support from local functionaries and tribal musclemen, and some office employees are in collusion.”

Value addition

  • Stakeholder map + options-versus-values decision matrix
    → Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.

Official source anchors

These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.