SYNOPSIS [4th March,2022] Day 33: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

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SYNOPSIS [4th March,2022] Day 33: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

1. Aptitude without Attitude is Blind; Attitude without Aptitude is Lame.” Comment. 

Approach- 

Candidates need to write about attitude and aptitude with simple comparison highlight the importance of both in persons life with giving examples from daily life. 

Introduction 

Attitude and Aptitude are important characteristics of the human personality, which influence one’s learning, performance and behaviour as well as the way one adapts to his or her environment.

Body 

• Aptitude: An aptitude is a component of a competence to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitude is inborn potential to do certain kinds of work whether developed or undeveloped.
• Attitude: A predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation.
• While attitude is associated with character or virtues; it is a reflection of one’s personality, aptitude is associated with competence; it determines if the person can develop desired skills to do a task.
• Aptitude is the ‘ability to learn’ and attitude is the ‘desire to learn’, i.e., aptitude basically tells about the potential ability to learn or acquire a skill while, attitude tells about a person’s desire to perform or learn.
• For e.g. an aptitude for mathematics and reasoning is essential for success in engineering field. Similarly, civil service requires a certain specific aptitude for success.
• Attitude is a psychological phenomenon which can be positive, negative or neutral. On the other hand, aptitude can be mental (general mental ability) or physical. Both attitude and aptitude can be nurtured.

Requirement of both in today’s generation:

• In a constantly changing work environment, aptitude is crucial if one wants to succeed. If you have the potential to learn new skills and develop them over a time, success will not be far.
• But attitude often takes precedence because the right attitude helps influence other aspects like emotional intelligence, leadership, team spirit, fraternity, empathy, compassion, which are very vital for a civil servant.
• For example, the ability to fit in with the culture and values of the company or organization is crucial which demands a positive and right attitude more than just having high skill and apt aptitude. Many opportunities are lost, withheld, and forfeited because of negative or wrong attitude than from any other cause. 
• For instance, a person having an aptitude in scientific field in new emerging technologies but lacking the desire to hone his/her skill will not make him/her a good scientists no matter how greatly he might be gifted.

Conclusion

Both the right skills (aptitude) and the disposition (attitude) are equally important to excel in a particular field. In a diverse country like India, it is the right blend of the two inherited and acquired qualities respectively that go hand in hand in determining the gains and losses in a person’s life and help shaping the progress of one’s life.

2. Impartiality can’t be equated with neutrality. Do you agree? Critically comment. 

Approach  

Students are expected to write about both neutrality and impartiality and then as question demands to critically comment write points based on both as equal tenets of ethical values and also provide alternate side to it. 

Introduction 

Impartiality and Neutrality both form essential foundational values for civil services. While impartiality ensures equality without any bias and prejudices in the general, neutrality ensures a neutral approach in politics and a solid commitment to the government.

Body 

• Neutrality: Neutrality is political neutrality or non-partisanship in the context of public administration. It means one is not being specifically owned or affiliated with any group, party or cause.
• Impartiality: Impartiality is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.

Impartiality and neutrality can’t be equated:

• Impartiality means that civil servants in carrying out their official work, including functions like procurement, recruitment, delivery of services etc, should take decisions based on merit alone.
• However, neutrality implies that the administrator is to do his task without any fear of, or favour to any political party. The values of the administrator will flow from the constitution not from the ideology of any political party.
• Neutrality means in a crisis humanitarian situation aid must not favour any side in an armed conflict or other dispute. Impartiality means that humanitarian aid must be provided solely on the basis of need, without discrimination.

Impartiality and neutrality are same with similar characteristics:

• Both imply tolerance and restraint, particularly in dealing with political or religious convictions.
• Both values lies at the heart of public service and is the core of the commitments of a public servant.
• Both ensure citizen-centric administration and help in realizing the political and socio-economic justice.
• Impartiality imparts creation of positive & conducive work culture, keeping oneself free from nepotism, political-corporate nexus and corruption. 
• Without neutrality, there can be a close nexus between bureaucracy and large-scale enterprises which could further lead to crony capitalism.

Conclusion

However, it’s a bitter truth that neutrality and impartiality is seldom achieved in public service. In a diverse country like ours it is important that civil servants uphold these values and become a true democratic interface. These values become more so important where laws or guidelines are absent or not defined clearly.

3. Integrity is the seed for achievement. Elucidate.

Approach-

Candidates need to write about how the Integrity is the seed for achievement. Also elucidate/ highlight it with examples.

Introduction

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy, in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding within themselves apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

Integrity is the seed for achievement

• Integrity brings out success. Basically, having integrity is like avoiding unnecessary traits like stress, anxiety, and confusion. 
• Integrity is the only value that you can develop to get success. 
• It’s true that success without integrity means nothing.
• Having the courage to do the right thing is the only trait everyone craves for. 
• Be it professionally or personally, integrity is an essential trait to have. 
• No matter how speedily the world and trends are changing, integrity remains the same. 
• Integrity provides inner peace, happiness, and success.
• Successful people create positive personal impact.  A strong, unique personal brand is key to creating positive personal impact.  
• While your personal brand should be uniquely you, integrity is one thing that should be common to all personal brand.  
• In fact, integrity should be the cornerstone of your brand.  Do what you say.  Under promise and over deliver.  
• Become known as a person of integrity and you will be on your way to building a successful personal brand.
• Your integrity reflects who you are as a human being. It’s your deeper alignment with who you say you are and what you say you want. 
• When you’re living in alignment and integrity, it allows for greater power, expansion with ease, and more effortless attainment of goals… not to mention more happiness and joy.
• The easiest and most direct way to build your integrity (and your awareness of integrity) is to focus on living in alignment with your word. 
• If you do this one thing in your business and your life where there are any issues, problems or confusion, you will see incredible shifts and momentum toward the outcomes you are wanting to create.
•  integrity is important for one very practical reason — it creates the conditions in our personal and professional lives and relationships that allow for everything to WORK. 
• In any situation, people want to know where they stand and what kind of response they can depend on. 
• Integrity is the foundation by which consistency and trust supports us to work effectively, both on our own and with others, to create the results we want. 
• This holds true just as much for our personal goals and intimate relationships as it does for our leadership and professional successes.

Conclusion

Hakuna Matata means “no worries”. Apply Hakuna Matata in your life and be happy with whatever you have. Be honest and always speak the truth. Carry an integral personality full of integrity that is strong and hard enough to break.

TLP Synopsis Day 33 PDF