GS 4 Ethics: be algorithmic, not inspired

The GS 4 Ethics paper comes on the third day, in the second half. You will be exhausted by then. Don’t rely on your “conscience”, inner voice or creativity: be as algorithmic as possible.

Keep mental models, mnemonics, templates and ready definitions and diagrams. And don’t limit yourself to Mahatma Gandhi: move one level up and use examples like ISRO, APJ Abdul Kalam and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Ready-made ethical dilemmas

Case studies increasingly ask you to list the ethical dilemmas involved. Trying to come up with them in the paper, where finishing is already hard, may be injurious to your marks. Have templates for them at your fingertips.

Four keywords and simple diagrams

The four most important keywords in the paper are BVAB: beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour. Keep their definitions and diagrams simple. A relevant diagram adds 1 to 1.5 marks per question.