Course of Action Questions

• Municipal response to contaminated tap water — choosing practical actions Statement: Residents of Model Colony (North Ward, City X) report three days of contaminated tap water and inaction by municipal staff. Courses of Action: (I) Initiate action against residents who complained. (II) Send a junior officer with staff to assess on site and test samples in laboratories. (III) Ask the Ward Engineer to check installations and pipelines in Model Colony.
• Educational exclusion in tribal areas — selecting effective actions Statement: People in some tribal areas are far from education. Courses of Action: (I) Government support to NGOs to open schools. (II) Launch a mass awareness programme. (III) Entrust social workers with the job of educating residents.
• Village-to-city exodus harms both — determine the sensible response Statement: The exodus from villages to cities is detrimental to both. Courses of Action: (I) Make rural postings mandatory. (II) Provide fewer trains linking cities to smaller places. (III) Launch employment-generation schemes in rural areas.
• Unseasonal rains damage rabi crop — choose appropriate relief measures Statement: Major part of the rabi crop in the district is damaged due to unseasonal heavy rains in the last few days. Courses of Action: (I) Grant relief to affected farmers to compensate their loss. (II) Provide free seed and fertilizer for the kharif season. (III) Waive all loans taken for the rabi crop by the affected farmers.
• Spurious liquor causes critical illness — identify immediate, just actions Statement: Many people became critically ill after consuming spurious liquor from a local shop. Courses of Action: I. Immediately close all liquor shops until stocks are tested for toxicity. II. Ask the shop owner to leave town and open elsewhere. III. Arrest the shop owner and try for criminal negligence.
• College seat shortage after school leaving — pick feasible remedies Statement: Each year, thousands of eligible students fail to secure college admission in both urban and rural areas. Courses of Action: (I) Set up more colleges in both urban and rural areas. (II) Reduce the number of schools. (III) Offer more vocational courses in schools so students can take up vocations after school.
• Historic structure in poor condition — funds are scarce: what should be done? Statement: Officials state that paucity of funds has led to the pathetic condition of a brilliant architectural structure. Courses of Action: (I) Design a new architectural structure for the building. (II) Find out the reasons for the poor condition. (III) Provide a grant to improve the condition of the structure.
• Security and nuclear power — identify reasonable policy directions Statement: “Nuclear power cannot make a country secure.” Courses of Action: (I) Stop further expenses on increasing nuclear power. (II) Destroy our nuclear capability. (III) Concentrate on improving diplomatic relations.
• Malpractices surge in examinations — choose robust deterrence and control Statement: This year there is an unprecedented increase in student malpractices during examinations nationwide. Courses of Action: (I) Exam authorities should immediately take effective measures to curb the menace. (II) Students detected using unfair means should be debarred from any of these exams for the next three years. (III) Using unfair means should be made a cognizable offence through necessary legislation.
• Decision-making – Courses of Action at an unmanned level crossing Statement: In one of the worst accidents at a railway level crossing, fifty people died when a passenger bus collided with a running train. Courses of Action: I. The train driver should be suspended immediately. II. The bus driver should be tried in court for negligence. III. The railway authority should be instructed to man all of its level crossings going forward.
• Decision-making – Viral shrimp mortality along the Andhra coast Statement: A mass mortality of shrimps has been reported in ponds along the entire Andhra coast due to the presence of a virus. Courses of Action: I. Immediately analyse affected pond water to identify the virus characteristics. II. Temporarily stop catching shrimps from the affected ponds. III. Advise fishermen to watch for early signs of similar outbreaks and report promptly.
• Decision-making – Industrial effluents polluting a river supplying drinking water Statement: Drinking water supply to New Bombay has been suspended by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board due to pollution of the Patalganga river from chemical-industry effluents. Courses of Action: I. Immediately order closure of the industries discharging effluents into the river. II. Treat river water appropriately before resuming supply. III. Conduct regular checks on the nature of effluents discharged by industries.
• Decision-making – Introducing free breakfast for primary students Statement: School M will provide free breakfast from the next academic year to all students in its primary section through its canteen, even without any government grant. Courses of Action: I. The school will have to admit many poor students who will now seek admission. II. The canteen’s facilities and utensils must be checked and augmented as needed. III. Funds must be raised to sustain the scheme in future years.
• Decision-making – Heat-wave preparedness across districts Statement: Daytime temperatures this summer are 4–5 °C above normal across the country. Courses of Action: I. Alert all district headquarters to send prompt reports of heat-wave deaths within their jurisdiction. II. Place government machinery on high alert with necessary equipment to prevent untoward incidents. III. Arrange adequate drinking-water supply across areas affected by extreme heat waves.
• Decision-making – Severe storm expected within 48 hours Statement: The meteorological department reports that a severe storm is likely to hit the city during the next 48 hours. Courses of Action: I. Advise all business and educational establishments to close for two days. II. Do not make the information public to avoid panic among residents. III. Activate the disaster-management program to tackle possible emergencies.
• Decision-making – Urban housing crisis inference Statement: In the city, over 75% of people live in slums and sub-standard houses, reflecting on the Government’s housing and urban-development policies. Courses of Action: I. Create a separate department dedicated to housing and urban development. II. Review current policies regarding urban housing. III. Review rural-housing policies as well to avoid similar problems in rural areas.
• Decision-making – Managing festival influx of ~20 lakh visitors Statement: It is estimated that about twenty lakh people will visit the city during the ensuing festival. Courses of Action: I. The civic authority should monitor crowding and restrict entry beyond a manageable number. II. The local police should be on high alert to maintain law and order. III. All hospitals in the city should be put on high alert for any eventuality.
• Decision-making – Supplier quality crisis (valves rejected for poor material/craftsmanship) Statement: Company X has rejected the first lot of valves supplied by Company A and cancelled its entire large order, citing inferior material and poor workmanship. Courses of Action: I. Company A should investigate its purchase, production, and quality-control functions. II. Company A should thoroughly inspect all the valves rejected by Company X. III. Company A should inform Company X of corrective steps taken and renegotiate the supply schedule.
• Statement — Despite increasing BPO jobs in the country, a large number of educated youth remain unemployed. Courses of Action: I. The Government should give unemployment allowance to all unemployed youth. II. The Government should introduce schemes in different areas that generate employment opportunities. III. Society and Government should encourage youth to pursue vocational education.
• Statement — Although India’s economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture, its share in global agricultural trade is low compared with the share of agricultural exports in India’s total exports. Courses of Action: I. Efforts should be made to increase agricultural production. II. Exports of non-agricultural commodities should be reduced.