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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Factual Case Study | Hypothetical ethical dilemma scenario testing applied moral reasoning | New 2026 format |
| Ethical Dilemma | Situation where two or more ethical values/duties are in irreconcilable tension | Case study core |
| Stakeholder | Any individual or group affected (directly or indirectly) by an administrative decision | Step 2 of framework |
| Consequentialism | Ethical theory judging actions by their outcomes — maximise good, minimise harm | Mill/Bentham |
| Deontology | Ethical theory judging actions by whether they fulfil duty/rights, regardless of outcomes | Kant |
| Virtue Ethics | Ethics based on character and virtues rather than rules or consequences | Aristotle — phronesis |
| Moral Courage | Willingness to take principled action despite personal risk | Whistleblowing, file dissent |
| Moral Cowardice | Yielding to pressure/convenience against one's ethical judgment | Leads to banality of evil |
| Conflict of Interest | Personal interest potentially influencing an official decision — requires disclosure + recusal | AIS Conduct Rules 1968 |
| Whistleblowing | Reporting wrongdoing by superiors/colleagues to authorities | Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014 |
| Whistleblowers Protection Act | 2014 Act protecting bona fide disclosures of wrongdoing in public interest | Legal safeguard |
| Proportionality | Principle that response must be commensurate with severity of the issue | Case study option evaluation |
| Natural Justice | Audi alteram partem + nemo judex — right to be heard and unbiased decision-maker | Land acquisition, relief exclusion |
| Rule of Law | Government through law; no one above law; laws applied equally | Foundation of admin ethics |
| Value Rationality | Weber: acting from ethical values, not just efficiency | Underlying ethical commitment |
| LARR 2013 | Requires SIA + 80% consent in Schedule V areas before acquisition | Land acquisition cases |
| FRA (Forest Rights Act) | 2006 Act recognising tribal communities' rights over forest land | Tribal land cases |
| PESA | Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act — gram sabha consent for tribal areas | Mining and land cases |
| Social Audit | Community-driven review of scheme implementation against official records | MNREGA fraud detection |
| MNREGA Ombudsman | State-level authority to receive MNREGA complaints | Wage fraud redress |
| SDRF | State Disaster Relief Fund — source of drought/flood relief in Rajasthan | Relief distribution cases |
| Inaction as Moral Failure | "Do nothing" in a crisis has moral consequences equal to wrongful action | Famine, fraud cases |
| AIS Conduct Rules 1968 | Rules governing IAS/IPS/IFS officers' conduct — prohibit conflict of interest, corrupt activities | Legal basis for ethical conduct |
| CrPC Section 144 | Magistrate's power to impose prohibitory orders to prevent public nuisance/danger | Communal tension cases |
Sources: UPSC Civil Services Ethics Paper GS-IV (2013–2024 questions); RPSC Mains Syllabus 2026; LARR 2013; Forest Rights Act 2006; PESA 1996; Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014; NDMA Guidelines; MNREGA Social Audit Rules 2011; John Rawls, A Theory of Justice; Immanuel Kant, Groundwork; Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem; Max Weber, Economy and Society; AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968.