Rajapuram is a border district. Jhara and Biru, its two major communities are in continual conflict with each other. The social fabric is fractured and demands mending. Ethnic tensions between the two communities have erupted into violence resulting in a large number of deaths. The stated causes are conflicting land claims, uneven resource allocation and inadequate political representation in government bodies. Separate relief camps had to be created for the two communities. The situation is volatile and appears to be getting out of control. Rajan has been appointed the District Magistrate (DM) of Rajapuram and tasked to quickly get the situation under control. His immediate tasks include restoring administrative authority, reopening the highway and initiating peace talks. On taking over his appointment, Rajan realized that the inter-community rivalry had even seeped into the local administration and police. With functional neutrality being the immediate casualty, it had made both communities distrustful of the government. The neighbouring country could utilize the opportunity to spur insurgent activity and further aggravate the situation. Rajan favoured a controlled approach starting with opening the highway to restore food and medical supplies. He toyed with the idea of requisitioning CRPF units to help restore administrative control. (a) Discuss the ethical issues that need to be addressed in this case. (b) What are the options open to Rajan? Which option would ensure protection of his non-partisan image without compromising ethics?

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Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 273 words

Q1.

Rajapuram is a border district. Jhara and Biru, its two major communities are in continual conflict with each other. The social fabric is fractured and demands mending. Ethnic tensions between the two communities have erupted into violence resulting in a large number of deaths. The stated causes are conflicting land claims, uneven resource allocation and inadequate political representation in government bodies. Separate relief camps had to be created for the two communities. The situation is volatile and appears to be getting out of control. Rajan has been appointed the District Magistrate (DM) of Rajapuram and tasked to quickly get the situation under control. His immediate tasks include restoring administrative authority, reopening the highway and initiating peace talks. On taking over his appointment, Rajan realized that the inter-community rivalry had even seeped into the local administration and police. With functional neutrality being the immediate casualty, it had made both communities distrustful of the government. The neighbouring country could utilize the opportunity to spur insurgent activity and further aggravate the situation. Rajan favoured a controlled approach starting with opening the highway to restore food and medical supplies. He toyed with the idea of requisitioning CRPF units to help restore administrative control. (a) Discuss the ethical issues that need to be addressed in this case. (b) What are the options open to Rajan? Which option would ensure protection of his non-partisan image without compromising ethics?20

Introduction

Rajapuram tests whether a district administration can be trusted by both sides at once. The core dilemma is between Public Order and Inclusive Consent.

(a) Ethical Issues That Need to Be Addressed

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Lost neutrality

Partisan officers and police breach Nolan's Objectivity and Article 14, making the state a party to the conflict.

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Right to life in camps

The blocked highway starves both camps, so Article 21 demands equal relief.

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Root-cause justice

Land, resources and representation are grievances of distributive justice; ignored, they leave only an armed peace.

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Security and fraternity

A hostile neighbour can exploit distrust, as Manipur since 2023 [current event] shows.

(b) Options Open to Rajan

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(i) CONFRONT [Strict-Legal]

Force and curfew give quick control but deepen alienation.

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(ii) CAPITULATE [Compromised-Hybrid]

Conceding one group's demands rewards violence.

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(iii) EVADE [Procedural-Evasive]

Awaiting instructions is Bystander Apathy.

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(iv) COMPROMISE [Empathetic-Humanitarian]

Relief alone lets violence fester.

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(v) RECONCILE ✓ [Balanced]

Neutral force, equal relief and parallel dialogue (recommended).

(b) Option That Protects His Non-Partisan Image Without Compromising Ethics

Public Order vs Inclusive Consent. Venn diagram: Public Order, Inclusive Consent; overlap: Neutral force, equal relief, dialogue

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Neutral authority

Requisition CRPF under minimum-force orders and rotate partisan officers.

•

Equal corridor

Escorted convoys to both camps, monitored as by the Gita Mittal Committee [committee/report].

•

Peace committees

Joint panels modelled on Suresh Khopade's Bhiwandi mohalla committees [officer], with a transparent land-records review.

Justification:

Kant's Categorical Imperative: one rule for both communities makes Rajan's authority impartial and trusted.

Conclusion

Neutrality shown in action, not claimed, gives Rajapuram a peace both communities can own.

This model answer is indicative and the model can make mistakes; please verify key facts independently.

Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.