NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Reference: Chapter 12: Indian Art & Culture yojana-january-2021
Why the question:
The question is from Yojana edition Jan 2021.
Key Demand of the question:
One must discuss the impact of two major interventions – the Moghul rule (13th century onwards) and the European rule (18th century onwards) on Indian art and culture.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with some introduction about the richness of art and culture in the country from past to present.
Body:
Explain that the spirit of India is all about the values of inclusiveness, beauty, aesthetics, purity of intention, attention to detail, discipline, focus, the pursuit of perfection, willingness to connect with one’s higher self, openness, excellence, and plurality. Indian philosophy values beauty and aesthetic experiences and this inform Indian art & culture at every stage.
Account for the impact of two major interventions – the Moghul rule (13th century onwards) and the European rule (18th century onwards) on Indian art & culture.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance.
Introduction:
India has a rich heritage of art and culture, since the Old-Stone age, Harappan civilisation to the present times. India’s Art and Culture is a synthesis of centuries of wisdom and freedom of expression. Many different cultural ameliorations can be seen in the Indian art and culture.
Body:
The Mughal period witnessed a significant and widespread development in cultural activity. It was manifest in the sphere of art and architecture, painting, music and literature. In this cultural development, Indian traditions were blended with Turko-Iranian culture which was brought into India by the Mughals.
Impact of Mughal Rule on Indian art and culture:
- The Mughals introduced new instruments in India such as the rabab, khamanche, ek-tar, du-tar, se-tar which we know as sitar today.
- The architecture of the Mughals includes the magnificent forts, palaces, public buildings, mosques and mausoleums.
- The Mughals were fond of laying gardens with running water. Some of the Mughal gardens such as the Nishat Bagh in Kashmir, the Shalimar Bagh at Lahore and the Pinjore garden in the Punjab have survived even today.
- Large scale construction of buildings started with the advent of Akbar. He built many forts and the most famous one was the Agra Fort.
- Akbar also built a palace- cum-fort complex at Fatepur Sikri (City of Victory), 36 kilometres from Agra.
- Taj Mahal is considered a jewel of the builder’s art. It contains all the architectural forms developed by the Mughals. The chief glory of the Taj is the massive dome and the four slender minarets.
- Music had also developed under the Mughals. Akbar patronized Tansen of Gwalior. Tansen composed many ragas.
- Mughal paintings reached its climax during the reign of Jahangir. He employed a number of painters like Abul Hasan, Bishan Das, Madhu, Anant, Manohar, Govardhan and Ustad Mansur.
Impact of Europeans on Indian art and culture:
Europeans started coming to India as traders by the end of the 15th century and eventually colonised entire South Asia by the mid-18th century. Like Mughals who influenced Indian culture with their styles like Persian Architecture and lifestyle, Europeans too have left their mark on Indian Art and Architecture.
- Music: The European influx pf Portuguese, Dutch and English shifted the music out of royal courts and introduced chamber music. This is the birth of art performances in auditoriums in India.
- Instruments such as violin was adapted with Carnatic music. T Chowdiah is well-known for this in India.
- Architecture: Europeans introduced Gothic style seen in Victorial memorial hall in Kolkata. They also brought in planned city development, for example, Lutyens Delhi, which was based on geometry and open wide spaces.
- Art: Europeans brought new styles of paintings like oil paintings. These were adapted into local styles like Kalighat paintings and also with themes from Indian mythology like Bharat Mata. One of the pioneers towards this transition was Ravi Varma.
Conclusion:
To sum up, the Indian art and culture espouses not only beauty and aesthetics but also inclusiveness, discipline, attention to detail and elements of various traditions. Today India’s rich art and culture is a part of our invaluable intangible wealth.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article presents the scope of cooperatives and unions as the pathway for women dairy farmers.
Key Demand of the question:
One must discuss in what way cooperatives and unions can prove to be pathways to financial stability for women dairy farmers in the country.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with contribution of women to White revolution in India.
Body:
Explain that the success of women despite a majority of dairy farmers owning only small landholdings (typically households own two to five cows) is also a testament to the success of the dairy cooperatives models that were at the heart of Operation Flood. The approach made it possible to enhance backward and forward linkages in the dairy value chain, paving the way for freeing small farmers from the clutches of middlemen, and guaranteed minimum procurement price for milk.
Then discuss the challenges facing small Dairy farmers.
Talk about the role of women and about Enhancing Bargaining Power of Women.
Give examples and explain in what way cooperatives and unions can prove to be pathways to financial stability for women dairy farmers in the country.
Conclusion:
Conclude with scope of cooperatives and unions to women farmers in general.
Introduction:
The huge increase in milk supply through concerted efforts on a cooperative level is known as the White Revolution. Forty-eight years after Operation Flood – that made India the world’s largest milk producer – India continues to be on the lookout for the next breakthrough in agricultural produce and productivity. White Revolution 2.0 has effectuated dairy firms’ marketing strategy for milk and milk products, resuscitating the outlook of product-market mix.
“A cooperative is an organization established for the purpose of purchasing and marketing the products of its members, i.e., shareholders, and/or procuring supplies for resale to the members, whose profits are distributed to the members (in the form of patronage dividends), not on the basis of the members’ equity investment in the cooperative, but in proportion to their patronage of it, i.e., the amount of business that each member transacts with it”.
Body:
Milk production in India:
- India emerged as the largest milk producer and consumer in 2019.
- Niti Aayog estimates that the country is expected to increase its milk production to 330 million metric tonnes (mt) in 2033–34 from the current level of 176 mt.
- Currently India has 17% of world output of dairy products, surpassing USA in 1998 as world’s largest producer of dairy. All this was achieved by operation Flood which was launched in 1970’s.
- According to market research company IMARC, the milk and dairy products industry reached Rs7.9 lakh crore in 2017.
- In 2016, the milk sector alone was valued at Rs3 lakh crore and is projected to scale Rs7.3 lakh crore by 2021.
- The per capita milk availability in India has gone up from 126 gm per day in 1960 to 359 gm per day in 2015.
Need to setup cooperatives for women farmers in dairy industry:
- Cooperatives enhance backward and forward linkages in the dairy value chain, paving the way for freeing small farmers from the clutches of middlemen, and guaranteed minimum procurement price for milk.
- A study by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) indicates that 93% of women farmers who receive training alongside financial support succeed in their ventures, compared to the 57% success rate of those who receive financial aid alone.
- According to latest data, there are more than 1,90,000 dairy cooperative societies across the country, with approximately 6 million women members.
- Increased Income: A study conducted on Women Dairy Cooperative Society (WDCS) members across Rajasthan showed that with the income generated through dairying, 31% of the women had converted their mud houses to cement structures, while 39% had constructed concrete sheds for their cattle.
- Provides Leadership lessons: Importantly, women-led cooperatives also provide fertile ground for grooming women from rural areas for leadership positions.
- Breaks barriers: In many instances, this becomes the first step for women in breaking free from traditional practices.
- Defeats Information Asymmetry: The presence of collectives in the form of cooperatives and milk unions plays a significant role in enhancing the knowledge and bargaining power of women
Measures needed:
- The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) now organises farmer’s orientation programmes across the country, under which women farmers are trained in scientific best practices on animal health, fodder quality, clean milk production, and accounts management. This must be further pushed with vigour to all states.
- NDDB has played a proactive role in setting up women-led producer enterprises like Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Company, which was started with 24 women and now has more than 90,000 members, with an annual turnover of approximately ₹450 crore. Such cooperatives must be emulated across the breadth and width of the country.
- This is a great opportunity for the State governments to promote dairy business in those districts where milk production and milk availability are less than the national average. They can facilitate the promotion of the cooperative model in these regions, to channelise and formalise milk procurement, which will help millions of people to be gainfully employed.
- The Finance Minister recently announced an outlay ₹15,000 crore for Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund, which will be used for supporting private investments in dairy processing and value addition, and cattle feed infrastructure. This will not only give a boost to local manufacturing and consumption of locally produced goods but will also help the national consumer become “vocal for local”; thus taking India forward on the path of self-reliance.
Conclusion:
The dairy sector plays a vital role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — especially SDG 1-No poverty, SDG 3-Good health, SDG 5-Gender equality, SDG 8-Good jobs and economic growth, and SDG 10-Reduced inequalities — and it helps in improving lives and transforming the global economy.
Strengthening cooperative milk business across these regions will help generate alternative employment opportunities, especially for women and economically disadvantaged communities. A flourishing dairy sector will help rural India become self-reliant and will also contribute to doubling farmers’ income.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The author of the article explains in what way Indian education system must stop chasing ‘learning outcomes’.
Key Demand of the question:
Critically analyse in what way our New Education Policy’s focus on learning outcomes can drain education of meaning, thus suggest what needs to be done and what should be the way forward.
Directive:
Critically analyse – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief introduction of what constitutes – ‘Learning outcome’
Body:
LO refers to grade-appropriate, basic competencies in numeracy and literacy, which school-going children are supposed to acquire.
Discuss the recent trend of overemphasis on LO in the country. Give examples of such instances.
Explain the problems associated with NEP 2020 -due to its overemphasis on LO in detail.
Explain what needs to be done and suggest solutions.
Conclusion:
It is essential to celebrate learning as a meaning-making exercise by the teacher and the student rather than simply focusing on LO that will allow testing to take precedence over learning.
Introduction:
In the present context, which seeks to demonstrate, measure and quantify learning, learning outcomes (LO) have become a fetish with policymakers and textbook developers, an idea popularised by large-scale assessment surveys, such as the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), in India. This calls for a critical analysis of New Education Policy 2020 and its emphasis on learning outcomes.
Body:
Learning Outcome: It essentially refers to grade-appropriate, basic competencies in numeracy and literacy, which school going children are supposed to acquire. The new National Education Policy 2020 underscores the importance of foundational skills as being central to a child’s schooling.
New Education Policy 2020: Importance:
- In adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education starting at age 3, the policy recognises the primacy of the formative years from ages 3 to 8 in shaping the child’s future.
- Another key aspect of school education in the new policy is the breaking of the strict division of arts, commerce and science streams in high school.
- Another laudable aspect of the scheme is the introduction of vocational courses with an internship. This may nudge the vulnerable sections of society to send their children to school.
Issues with more emphasis on Learning outcomes:
- A quick review of the new textbooks shows that they centre around LO and follow a didactic approach of essentially presenting information/facts that children are supposed to passively consume and memorise.
- Such books typically deny the agency of both the teacher and the student, making them subservient to the printed text. They are physically heavy but conceptually terse.
- It was with great difficulty that National Curriculum Framework, prepared by NCERT in 2005, changed the form and nature of textbooks. Any change of government at the Centre or state level was/is usually followed by a change in textbooks, particularly history.
- Besides blatant misuse as a political tool, textbooks suffer from other limitations. They reproduce social inequalities by either omission of diverse social groups or their misrepresentation.
- There is no denying that textbooks, just like curricular frameworks, syllabus, and assessment practices, need to be revised periodically. However, textbooks tailored to measure the acquisition of LO on part of children is a self-defeating exercise.
- This singular focus on LO will take the teaching-learning processes away from the possibility of a meaningful co-construction of knowledge to a teacher teaching to the test.
- Since teachers’ own appraisal is contingent on children’s performance in these tests, they feel pressured to ensure that children know the basic minimum and somehow pass the test.
Way Forward:
- Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Centre and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the states.
- Thus, the Centre has the giant task of building a consensus on the many ambitious plans.
- There is a need to strive Towards Universalisation of Education. Also, creation of ‘inclusion funds’ to help socially and educationally disadvantaged children pursue education.
- A mechanism is needed to set up a regulatory process that can check profiteering from education in the form of unaccounted donations.
Conclusion:
Focus on learning outcome is a welcome change. But it is a result of multiplicity of factors including access, availability and affordability of education. Hence overall, education must focus on pedagogy and quality of teaching instead of single-point focus on learning outcome.
Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Bangladesh to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war of liberation and the centenary year of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the recent developments in the India-Bangladesh relationship. Explain the straining points and issues in the bilateral relation.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
2021 marks 50 years since the independence of Bangladesh. India has played a key role in Bangladesh’s Liberation War and the friendship continues to grow.
Body:
Trace briefly the journey of the relationship. The relationship between India and Bangladesh has vacillated through highs and lows depending on the regimes in power.
Discuss the achievements so far and present the irritants between the two.
Both the countries have solved the border issues amicably by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were exchanged allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region’s most peaceful.
This has allowed India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere along India’s borders and tension prone areas.
Conclusion:
Conclude that to make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three Cs — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
Introduction:
India’s links with Bangladesh are civilisational, cultural, social and economic. India and Bangladesh today enjoy one of the best periods of their relationship, with positive development in the areas of diplomatic, political, economic and security relations. India played the great role in emergence of independent Bangladesh and was the first country to recognise Bangladesh as separate state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war of liberation and the centenary year of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and his meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina showcased the deep history the two nations share, their future plans and the challenges ahead.
Body:
Recent developments:
Bilateral relations:
- India and Bangladesh today enjoy one of the best periods of their relationship, with positive development in the areas of diplomatic, political, economic and security relations.
- Bilateral trade was a little over $9 billion in FY 2017-18 and Bangladeshi exports increased by 42.91%, reaching $1.25 billion in FY 2018-2019.
- The India-Bangladesh border is one of India’s most secured.
- By signing of the Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, the two neighbours amicably resolved a long-outstanding issue.
- In 2018, in addition to the 660 MW of power imported by Bangladesh, Indian export of electricity increased by another 500 MW.
- Train services on the Dhaka-Kolkata and Kolkata-Khulna are doing well, while a third, on the Agartala-Akhaura route, is under construction.
- Today, Bangladesh contributes 50% of India’s health tourism revenue.
- India and Bangladesh share 4096.7 km. of border, which is the longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbours. The India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) came into force following the exchange of instruments of ratification in June 2015
- Relations between the two border guarding forces are at their best right now.
- India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers. A bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) is working since June 1972 to maintain liaison between the two countries to maximize benefits from common river systems.
- India and Bangladesh share the historical legacy of cooperation and support during the Liberation War of 1971.Various Joint exercises of Army (Exercise Sampriti) and Navy (Exercise Milan) take place between the two countries.
Concerns:
- Teesta waters issue remains a big problem due to continuous protest by the West Bengal government.
- National Register of Citizens has left out 1.9 million people in Assam and they are being labelled as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
- But Bangladesh is firm in its stance that no migrants travelled to Assam illegally during the 1971 war of independence and NRC may risk the relations.
- The Rohingya issue and India’s remarks in 2017 on the issue have been upsetting for Bangladesh which has been facing the challenge of providing shelter to more than a million Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution
- Bangladesh is overwhelmingly dependent on China for military hardware. China’s economic footprint is growing.
- Since 2010, India approved three Lines of Credit to Bangladesh of $7.362 billion to finance development projects. But, because of bureaucratic red tapism, just $442 million have been disbursed until December 2018.
- Though Bangladesh is slow in implementation, India’s requirement of the disbursement process to be approved by Exim Bank has not helped either.
- Since the ban by India on cattle export, cattle trade has fallen from 23 lakh in 2013 to 75,000 till the end of May this year.
- Hundreds of illegal migrants cross the porous border putting economic pressure on India. New Delhi’s plan to document illegal migrants and deport them is viewed with concern in Dhaka.
- Bangladesh’s participation in the China-led belt and road initiative is a cause of concern for India due to the growing closeness between a key ally and a strategic rival.
Way Forward:
- Maintaining stable and friendly relations with India has been to Bangladesh’s advantage in terms of both countries sharing a common position on regional security.
- Bangladesh’s strong stand against religious militancy and terrorism has resonated with policy makers in Delhi and vice versa.
- In the field of trade, there is certainly a gap in terms of exports and imports, but again, it is geography which has often determined conditions.
- Bangladesh is currently India’s biggest trade partner in the South Asian region.
- To strengthen and encourage Bangladesh’s trade and commerce, India has given several concessions to Dhaka, including duty-free access to Bangladeshi products into the Indian markets.
- While India has given duty-free access to a number of Bangladeshi goods, its physical enormity precludes circumstances that could have Bangladesh enhance the quantum of exports.
- While the gap between the countries’ exports to each other seems worrying, for Dhaka the redeeming factor is its economy, which is currently one of the fastest-growing in the world.
- Meanwhile, the inauguration of the Chilahati-Haldibari railway link has been a significant move in enhancing connectivity between the countries.
- Bangladesh has received 9 million doses of Covishield vaccines from India, a gesture that has enormously boosted morale in Dhaka as it battles the pandemic.
- India’s continued partnership with Bangladesh benefits both countries.
- New Delhi must keep up the partnership that allows for economic growth and improved developmental parameters for both countries.
- It is important to address specific issues like Teesta and to respond to Dhaka’s call for help on the Rohingya issue.
- The two countries share 54 transboundary rivers, and water management is the key to prosperity.
- Effective border management for ensuring a tranquil, stable and crime free border.
Conclusion:
The shared colonial legacy, history and socio-cultural bonds demand that the political leadership of the two countries inject momentum into India-Bangladesh relations.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Reference: The hindu business line
Why the question:
The question is about discussing the prospects of Ocean Energy for India and its contributions.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain the possible contributions of ocean energy to regional development apart from climate change in the country.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with some key data or facts related to renewable energy and more specifically of the ocean energy.
Body:
Oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface and represent an enormous amount of energy in the form of wave, tidal, marine current and thermal gradient. India has a long coastline with the estuaries and gulfs. Ocean energy is used in the form of Tidal, Wave, Current Energy and Ocean Thermal Energy.
Discuss the prospects of Ocean Energy for India in detail with spatial aspects, use a map of India to add value to your answer.
Then explain in what way it can potentially contribute to regional development apart from climate change in the country.
Conclusion:
Conclude with significance.
Introduction:
Oceans’ water movement creates a vast store of kinetic energy (energy in motion) in the various forms of renewable energy viz. wave energy, tidal energy, ocean current energy, salinity gradient energy and ocean thermal gradient energy which can be harnessed to generate electricity.
The Ministry of New and Renewable energy declared the power produced using tidal, wave, ocean thermal energy conversion, among others as renewable energy in August 2019. Consequently, this makes the Ocean energy eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).
Body:
Various means of Ocean Energy:
- Oceans are literally throbbing with energy.
- There are at least several sources of energy in the seas.
- One is the bobbing motion of the waters, or ocean swells — you can place a flat surface on the waters, with a mechanical arm attached to it, and it becomes a pump that can be used to drive water or compressed air through a turbine to produce electricity.
- Another is by tapping into tides, which flow during one part of the day and ebb in another. You can generate electricity by channelling the tide and place a series of turbines in its path.
- One more way is to keep turbines on the sea bed at places where there is a current — a river within the sea.
- Yet another way is to get the waves dash against pistons in, say, a pipe, so as to compress air at the other end.
- Sea water is dense and heavy, when it moves it can punch hard — and, it never stops moving.
Prospects of Ocean Energy for India:
- India has a long coastline with the estuaries and gulfs which can be fully used to harness this energy.
- According to MNRE, the total identified potential of tidal energy is about 12,455 MW, with potential locations identified at Khambat & Kutch regions, and large backwaters, where barrage technology could be used.
- The total theoretical potential of wave energy in India along the country’s coast is estimated to be about 40,000 MW – these are preliminary estimates.
- This energy is however less intensive than what is available in more northern and southern latitudes.
- Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) has a theoretical potential of 180,000 MW in India subject to suitable technological evolution.
- Tidal streams and ocean currents are huge and almost endless resources which can be used with relatively small environmental interactions for large scale electricity generation.
- Ocean energy technology can help India stimulate innovation, create economic growth and new jobs as well as to reduce its carbon footprint.
- It will also help India to support its neighbouring countries who have energy deficits, for their better economic growth and can guide them on their way to being self-sufficient in energy sector.
Significance of Ocean Energy:
- The world today needs more energy than it ever required. The growing population along with the growing industries requires more and more sources of energy.
- They have become inevitable in our daily life. However, we also need to take care of the fact that this consumption should not affect much of the ecological balance of the planet.
- Given fluctuating fuel prices and the impact of global warming, Ocean Energy is now in a very strong position to commercialise the vast body of research and development it has invested in over the past 10 years.
- The sea is a limitless source of power and is a challenging environment, so in order to exploit wave energy commercially there are a number of key components required.
- Unlike wind, solar and other ocean energy sources such as wave power, tides and ocean currents are almost 100 percent predictable. The endless flows create reliability of the future energy availability.
- Moving water is 832 times denser than moving air, which multiplies the kinetic energy by the same factor, making oceans an energy-rich source.
- In many regions, land is a scarce resource. Therefore, on-shore solutions such as wind and solar compete with other users. Subsea ocean energy technologies are hidden in the depth of the ocean, out of sight and do not compete for land space.
- However, the deployment is currently limited but the sector has the potential to grow, fuelling economic growth, reduction of carbon footprint and creating jobs not only along the coasts but also inland along its supply chains.
Conclusion:
Ocean energy technology can help India stimulate innovation, create economic growth and new jobs as well as to reduce its carbon footprint. It will also help India to support its neighbouring countries who have energy deficits, for their better economic growth and can guide them on their way to being self-sufficient in energy sector.
General Studies – 4
Topic: corporate governance.
Reference: Lexicon Publications
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of corporate governance.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the concept of corporate governance and highlight its potential to address the problems of conflict of interest in business sector.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly define and explain corporate governance.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Explain the potential of Corporate Governance in removing Conflict of interests in business sector. Corporate governance practices such as appointment of independent directors on its boards; strict compliance of annual financial disclosures tends to remove conflict of interest among the employees of companies. This helps in minimizing the corporate corruptions and failures.
Also explain how it helps in promoting ethics in business.
Mention some limitations.
Conclusion:
Conclude that corporate governance should go beyond the realm of law, it should emanate from management culture.
Introduction:
Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a firm is directed and controlled. Corporate governance essentially involves balancing the interests of a company’s many stakeholders, such as shareholders, senior management executives, customers, suppliers, financiers, the government, and the community. Since corporate governance also provides the framework for attaining a company’s objectives, it encompasses practically every sphere of management, from action plans and internal controls to performance measurement and corporate disclosure.
Ethics is at the core of corporate governance, and management must reflect accountability for their actions on the global community scale.
Body:
Corporate governance establishes the relationship, among various primary participants of the firms those are shareholders, directors, and managers, in formulating the directions and performance of their firms. In a broader sense, it delineates the rights and responsibilities of each primary stakeholder and the design of institutions and mechanisms that induce or control board directors and management to best serve the economic interests of shareholders along with safeguarding the interest of other stakeholders of a firm.
A company’s corporate governance is important to investors since it shows a company’s direction and business integrity. Good corporate governance helps companies build trust with investors and the community. As a result, corporate governance helps promote financial viability by creating a long-term investment opportunity for market participants.
Communicating a firm’s corporate governance is a key component of community and investor relations. Example, On Apple Inc.’s investor relations site, for example, the firm outlines its corporate leadership—its executive team, its board of directors—and its corporate governance, including its committee charters and governance documents, such as bylaws, stock ownership guidelines and articles of incorporation.
Most companies strive to have a high level of corporate governance. For many shareholders, it is not enough for a company to merely be profitable; it also needs to demonstrate good corporate citizenship through environmental awareness, ethical behavior, and sound corporate governance practices. Good corporate governance creates a transparent set of rules and controls in which shareholders, directors, and officers have aligned incentives.
Corporate governance and conflict of interest:
In recent years, the ownership structure of companies has changed a lot. Public financial institutions, mutual funds, etc. are the single largest shareholder in most of the large companies. So, they have effective control on the management of the companies. They force the management to use corporate governance. That is, they put pressure on the management to become more efficient, transparent, accountable, etc. They also ask the management to make consumer-friendly policies, to protect all social groups and to protect the environment. So, the changing ownership structure has resulted in corporate governance.
Conflicts of interest abound at the board level. They constitute a significant issue in that they affect ethics by distorting decision making and generating consequences that can undermine the credibility of boards, organizations or even entire economic systems.
- A director should not take advantage of his or her position. As the key decision makers within the organization, board members should act in the interest of the key stakeholders, whether owners or society at large, and not in their own.
- Major conflicts of interest could include, but are not restricted to, salaries and perks, misappropriation of company assets, self-dealing, appropriating corporate opportunities, insider trading, and neglecting board work. All board members are expected to act ethically at all times, notify promptly of any material facts or potential conflicts of interest and take appropriate corrective action.
- This will help us prevent scam like Harshad Mehta scam.
- Another conflict of interest is when a board member’s duty of loyalty to stakeholders or the company is compromised. This would happen when certain board members exercise influence over the others through compensation, favors, a relationship, or psychological manipulation.
- Even though some directors describe themselves as “independent of management, company, or major shareholders,” they may find themselves faced with a conflict of interest if they are forced into agreeing with a dominant board member. Under particular circumstances, some independent directors form a distinct stakeholder group and only demonstrate loyalty to the members of that group. They tend to represent their own interest rather than the interests of the companies.
- When the interests of stakeholder groups are not appropriately balanced or harmonized is another potential conflict. Shareholders appoint board members, usually outstanding individuals, based on their knowledge and skills and their ability to make good decisions.
- Once a board has been formed, its members have to face conflicts of interest between stakeholders and the company, between different stakeholder groups, and within the same stakeholder group.
- When a board’s core duty is to care for a particular set of stakeholders, such as shareholders, all rational and high-level decisions are geared to favor that particular group, although the concerns of other stakeholders may still be recognized.
- Board members have to address any conflicts responsibly and balance the interests of all individuals involved in a contemplative, proactive manner.
- At a larger scale, conflicts are those between a company and society and arise when a company acts in its own interests at the expense of society.
- The doctrine of maximizing profitability may be used as justification for deceiving customers, polluting the environment, evading taxes, squeezing suppliers, and treating employees as commodities.
- Companies that operate in this way are not contributors to society. Instead, they are viewed as value extractors.
- Conscientious directors are able to distinguish good from bad and are more likely to act as stewards for safeguarding long-term, responsible value creation for the common good of humanity.
- When a company’s purpose is in conflict with the interests of society, board members need to take an ethical stand, exercise care, and make sensible decisions.
Conclusion:
Corporate governance is a system that aims to instill policies and rules that helps maintain the cohesiveness of an organization. It exists to help hold a company accountable, while helping them steer clear of financial, legal, and ethical pitfalls while addressing conflict of interests at various levels. The importance of corporate governance is made abundantly clear by the direct benefits seen when a good corporate governance framework is in place.
Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of Family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
7. Social media can not survive without social media ethics. Discuss. (250 words)
Reference: www.ibe.org.uk
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of social media and ethics related to it.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail in what way Social media cannot survive without social media ethics.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with definition of social media.
Body:
Briefly define ethics and social media ethics.
Explain how social media evolved and changed its values over the period of time. Discuss the ethical issues with social media.
Discuss the Ethical issues with social media – Public or private data, Misuse of data etc.
Suggest what needs to be done and give solutions.
Conclusion:
The immense popularity of social media, both with individuals and organisations, means that maintaining ethical practices is of paramount concern. Whenever an individual or organisation uses social media for research, marketing, or any similar profit or non-profit venture, it’s vital that all work be carried out ethically, to ensure that the rights and privacy of users are protected. It is of utmost importance to respect the boundaries of others.
Introduction:
The term “social media” refers to internet-based applications that enable people to communicate and share resources and information. While they have enabled faster communication, there are many challenges, of which information hygiene is the most important.
We live in an age of infodemic, where there is a lot of data to consume; but at the same time the veracity of claims made by the information is not factually true. This leads to fake news and mass hysteria.
Body:
There has been a transformation in communication because of social media. Here are some changes that have taken place:
- People have now become both the producer and consumer of information.
- News can be shared instantly online before it even reaches the television.
- The judgment of communication is both positively and negatively affected.
- It is up to the reader to decide whether or not the information is true and credible. The reader must look at the context, channel, and author of the information.
- Because more people communicate online, the value of face-to-face communication is lost. This has multiple effects on the way a message is received and interpreted.
- People have the ability to filter out and choose the types of messages they want to receive and those they want nothing to do with.
Need for ethical principles to be applied to social media:
Social media allows anyone to share basically anything online. Within a business, it is their responsibility to build a positive identity for their brand. If policies are not put into place, employees could be free to share anything to anyone. The business needs to find the audience with whom they want to share information. Here are some guidelines a business should follow when communicating online:
- Share information that will give your brand a positive image.
- People want credible information, so give them that. This will build trust for your business, which can help increase leads and customers.
- When sharing, be aware of others’ perspectives and opinions. Be open to what others have to say.
- When you respond, be fair in what you say to create a social wellbeing for your business and customer relationships.
- Be aware of who can see your information, what is being shared, and what is being said and shared about your business.
- If something negative is being shared, analyze it for credibility. If it is credible, respond to it in a positive fashion to show that you care about what is said concerning your business, and that some type of action is being taken to improve.
- Overall, a business should create a positive, credible online presence for both their own benefit and for the benefit of their customers. Think about the business brand and identity that you want to share and build upon.
What should be included in a social media policy?
The action of an employee’s online presence reflects on the business. When creating a policy, the behavior expectation of the employees needs to be addressed. What is expected of a business online, and even offline, should be mentioned to create an identity. Here are some other elements to include in a social media policy:
- The purpose for social media in the business
- Provide evidence of responsibility with sharing
- Provide some business information for credibility and authenticity
- Understand the audience with whom you are communicating
- Provide credit to the right people or businesses
- Protect confidentiality of the business
- Provide value for the consumers and the business
- Find a balance between social media and other work
Conclusion:
Social media should be a part of a business and business should not entirely be social media. Communicating online is different from communicating in person or printed messages. Be aware of all the different aspects of social media – who sees your message, who is sharing messages and what are they sharing. Take responsibility for any online behaviours – positive and negative – and understand the logic behind having an online presence.
