How to solve a case study in RAS Mains
RAS Mains, Paper II, Unit I (Administrative Ethics), point 9: "non-factual case studies", which can be set on the eight points above it
- Updated for the Jan 2026 syllabus
- Read time: About 20 minutes (the 20 practice cases sit on their own pages)
Exam weight (our count, real papers of 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, Unit I)
Direct case-study questions: 0. The syllabus line is explicit all the same, so a Part C (10 marks) style question may appear. That is our guess, not RPSC information
30-second summary
Remember
- A case study is an invented administrative situation in which you, the officer, must say what you would do. There is no single "right answer"; a reasoned, lawful and humane choice earns the marks.
- Solve every case in five steps: stakeholders; issue and clashing values; three options; best option (with a supporting value or law); short-term and long-term action.
- Word limits have two sources. The RPSC Scheme of Examination (09-01-2026) gives Paper II, Unit I as 7 questions of 5 marks (50 words) and 3 questions of 10 marks (150 words). The real 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024 papers carried 5 questions of 2 marks (15 words), 5 of 5 marks (50 words) and 3 of 10 marks (100 words). RPSC itself says the Scheme is only for general guidance and that marks and questions may vary. So this page gives the 50, 100 and 150 word versions side by side.
- Cite a law or code only when you are sure of it: Conduct Rules, a Constitution article, the RTI Act, the Gita, Gandhi, the seven Nolan principles. Naming the principle beats naming a wrong section.
- One line to remember: "Respect the rule, never forget the human; talk first, then write, then escalate, and go outside last."
Part A box (ready to write, 15 words each)
Remember
- Case study: a hypothetical situation where values clash and the officer reasons to a decision. (15 words)
- Ethical dilemma: choosing between two rights or two wrongs, where every option has a cost. (15 words)
- Stakeholders: every person and institution whom the decision affects, directly or indirectly, including the weak. (15 words)
The five-step card (RAS version)
Memory hook: S-I-O-B-A (Stakeholders, Issue, Options, Best option, Action).
| Step | What you do | One-line sample |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Stakeholders | Name 3 to 5 parties: the weakest party (who cannot speak up), yourself, your superior, the community, the department or institution. | "The affected children, their families, teachers, the head teacher, the department." |
| 2. Issue and clashing values | In one sentence say what the problem is and which two values pull apart (duty vs compassion, law vs custom, loyalty vs integrity). | "The issue is honest records against compassion." |
| 3. Three options | Write three real routes: one easy (often wrong), one harsh or dramatic, one balanced. Give each one gain and one cost. | "A. Look away: peace, but a false record. B. Harsh action: rule kept, children lose. C. ..." |
| 4. Best option | Choose one and give the reason, with one rule, law, constitutional idea, Gita, Gandhi or Nolan principle. | "I choose C, because the Conduct Rules demand absolute integrity." |
| 5. Action | Give the short term (today to a few weeks) and the long term (fix the system). | "Correct the record now; a transparent policy later." |
When to shrink the card. Stay inside the marks and words of the question. In 5 marks, steps 1 and 2 merge into one sentence; in 10 marks, every step should show.
Time and word budget
Two patterns, both 65 marks. (1) RPSC Scheme of Examination, 09-01-2026: Unit I = 7 questions x 5 marks (50 words) + 3 questions x 10 marks (150 words). (2) Real papers of 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024: 5 questions x 2 marks (15 words) + 5 x 5 marks (50 words) + 3 x 10 marks (100 words). RPSC's own note says the Scheme is only for general guidance and marks and the number of questions may vary. So practise every case at 50, 100 and 150 words, and in the exam follow the word limit printed on the paper.
Work out your own ratio from the paper (total time divided by total marks gives minutes per mark). The split below is our suggestion, not an RPSC rule.
| Version | Total words | Stakeholders + issue | Options | Best option + support | Action | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 marks (compressed) | about 50 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | read 1 min, plan 1 min, write 3 min |
| 10 marks (standard, as in recent papers) | about 100 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 25 | read 2 min, plan 2 min, write 6 min |
| 10 marks (extended, the Scheme's 150 words) | about 150 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 35 | read 2 min, plan 3 min, write 8 min |
Tips: (a) Read the case twice; the first time for the story, the second time to underline names, posts, dates, limits and "who is asking for what". (b) On rough paper write the five headings (S, I, O, B, A) and then the answer. (c) Dispose of the options in one line each and keep your words for the best option and the action.
Do's and don'ts
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Write "I" as the officer and use concrete verbs (I will call, write, verify) | Write general sermons such as "the government should" |
| Put the weakest party first among stakeholders | Look only at your own or your superior's interest |
| Give both sides, then choose | Write one option and leave the rest unsaid |
| Climb the ladder: talk, write, superior, higher authority, outside agency (last) | Start with the media, resignation or a public exposé |
| Stay with the facts in the case; write "I will verify" for what is unknown | Invent facts ("suppose the contractor is guilty") |
| Respect every party, even the one who seems at fault | Label a community, post or person as simply wrong |
| Save the legitimate aim (leakage control, timely work) and repair the means | Say "no" and abandon the target |
Using laws and codes
| Source | What it gives you | A safe line to write | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1971 | The duties of a government servant. Rule 3(1) (at all times (i) absolute integrity and (ii) devotion to duty and dignity of office), Rule 3(2)(i) (a supervisor must ensure the integrity of subordinates), Rule 4(iii) (an anonymous or pseudonymous petition is improper conduct), Rule 5 (a son, daughter or dependent taking a job with a private firm that has official dealings with him needs the Government's prior sanction; provisional acceptance and prompt report if urgent), Rule 7(1) (no membership of, or association with, a political party), Rule 10 (connection with the press or radio), Rule 11 (criticism of government), Rule 13 (unauthorised communication of information), Rule 15 (gifts), Rule 25D (disciplinary action for taking part in or performing a child marriage) | "Conduct Rule 3(1) demands absolute integrity at all times." | Rules and sub-rules follow the Rajasthan Government PDF; quote a sub-clause only if sure |
| Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 | The parallel central rule; Rule 3(1)(i) absolute integrity, Rule 5 politics | In RAS answers name the State rules first | State servants are governed by the State rules |
| Constitution | Article 14 (equality), 15 (no discrimination), 16 (equal opportunity in public employment), 17 (untouchability abolished), 19(1)(a) (expression), 21 (life and dignity), 21A (education, ages 6 to 14), 25(1) (freedom of religion, subject to public order), 47 (nutrition and public health a primary duty of the State), 48A (protect the environment), 51A(g) (a citizen's duty to protect the natural environment) | "Article 14 protects equality before the law." | State the plain meaning; do not invent case-law |
| RTI Act, 2005 | Section 4 (proactive disclosure), 7(1) (30 days; 48 hours where life and liberty are involved), 19 (appeals), 20 (penalties) | "Replying within 30 days is a legal duty." | Section 8(1)(j) was rewritten by section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (in force from 13 November 2025); it now rests on "personal information" alone and the old public-interest condition is reported removed. Write only "the personal-information limit" |
| Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 | Section 7 (public servant taking undue advantage), Section 8 (giving a bribe; it does not apply to a person who was compelled and reports within 7 days), Section 17A (approval before inquiry into decisions; not needed for an on-the-spot trap; in January 2026 the Supreme Court gave a split verdict and sent the matter to a larger bench, so the section stays in force meanwhile) | "Taking an undue advantage is an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act." | Name a section only when the case is plainly a bribe |
| Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 | A girl below 18 and a boy below 21 is a "child". Section 13: a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or a Metropolitan Magistrate issues an injunction (on the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer's application, on anyone's complaint, or suo motu); in urgent cases an interim injunction without notice. Section 16: the Officer's duties are prevention, evidence, counselling and awareness. Sections 10 and 11: those who conduct, promote or permit the marriage are punishable | "The Prohibition Officer prevents, and under section 13 asks the court for an injunction." | Write a section number only when sure; the amount of punishment need not be quoted |
| Protection of whistleblowers | The Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014 was passed (assent 9 May 2014) but, per the Government's parliamentary reply of 11 December 2025, has not been notified; meanwhile the 2004 Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers Resolution applies, with the Central Vigilance Commission as the designated agency | "The whistleblower Act is passed but reported not yet in force." | Do not call it "the law in force"; for a State employee, his own written record and the proper channel are the safeguards |
| Gita | 2.47 (right to action, not to its fruit), 3.20 (lokasangraha, holding society together), 3.21 (what the best do, others follow), 3.35 (svadharma), 18.63 (reflect fully, then decide) | "Gita 2.47 teaches right effort without anxiety over reward." | "Not the fruit" does not mean ignoring results |
| Gandhi | Means and ends (Hind Swaraj, 1909, ch. 16: seed and tree); the talisman (attributed to him) | "For Gandhi the means are the seed, the end the tree." | For the talisman write "attributed to Gandhi" |
| Nolan principles (1995) | Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership | "Nolan's openness forbids withholding information without clear and lawful reasons." | A British code; use it to support Indian law, not replace it |
| Thinkers | Kant (persons are ends, never only means), Mill (greatest happiness), Rawls (help the worst off first), Ambedkar (constitutional morality; his statement in the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948: it is not a natural sentiment, it has to be cultivated) | "Rawls would have the least advantaged served first." | Name the thinker, but keep the case at the centre |
Three rules for safe citation. (1) Where you doubt a section or date, write the principle instead ("the RTI Act sets a time limit"). (2) Never invent a law to fit the case. (3) Use at most two authorities in one answer: one law or code and one value or thinker.
A full worked example (काल्पनिक केस / Hypothetical case)
Case: present in the register, at the hospital in person. In a district of Rajasthan, Block Education Officer Prerna makes a surprise visit at 1 p.m. to a remote upper-primary school. Two of the three teachers are present. Dinesh, the science teacher, is absent, yet the register shows him "present" for the whole day. Dinesh built the school's science corner and his class has the best results in the block. Head teacher Lata explains that for three months Dinesh has left at eleven on Tuesdays and Fridays because his wife's dialysis is 70 kilometres away. Leave would have cut his pay, so Lata said "I will manage it" and went on signing the register. Parents say, "Nobody teaches better." Class 8, preparing for its board exam, runs fully on the other three days.
Questions. (a) What should Prerna do? (b) Which values clash here? (c) Suggest long-term steps to reduce such cases.
Step 1. Stakeholders. Students (especially Class 8), Dinesh and his wife, the head teacher, other teachers (who live under the same rules), parents, the department, Prerna.
Step 2. Issue and clashing values. Honest records and rules (true attendance) against compassion and student welfare (keep a good teacher). Beyond that, the head teacher has made false entries.
Step 3. Three options
| Option | Gain | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| A. Look away and praise the results | Kind; the good teacher stays | A false register continues; wrong signal to colleagues; Prerna herself becomes answerable |
| B. Immediate disciplinary action against both | Rule upheld; one yardstick for all | The good teacher and the children lose; the humane reason is ignored |
| C. Record the truth; get the register corrected; written warning; Dinesh applies for lawful leave or timing adjustment; a substitute teacher | Truth, rule and compassion all survive; teaching continues | Some paperwork and time; Dinesh may still fear a pay cut |
Step 4. Best option: C. Support: Rule 3(1) of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1971 (absolute integrity and devotion to duty); Gita 3.21 (what the best do, others follow); Nolan's "honesty". Compassion should find a way inside the rule, not against it.
Step 5. Action. Short term: correct the register; a written warning to the head teacher; Dinesh's application for leave or timing adjustment; a substitute for the two afternoons; a review after a month. Long term: a transparent leave and timing-adjustment policy for teachers with caregiving needs; regular inspection in the block; a culture of true records instead of "everything is managed".
Model answer, 10 marks, about 100 words
The stakeholders are the students, Dinesh and his wife, the head teacher, other teachers and the department. The issue is honest records against compassion. I have three routes: look away, take action, or record the truth and find a humane solution. Looking away lets a false register continue; harshness makes a good teacher and the children lose. I choose the third, because Conduct Rule 3(1) demands absolute integrity. I would correct the register, warn the head teacher in writing, have Dinesh apply for leave or a timing adjustment and post a substitute. Long term, I would frame a transparent policy for caregiving teachers.
Compressed version, 5 marks, about 50 words
The issue is honest records against compassion. Looking away continues a false register; harshness makes a good teacher and the children lose. I choose the truth, because Conduct Rule 3(1) demands integrity. I would correct the register, have Dinesh seek lawful leave, post a substitute and frame a transparent policy.
Extended version, 10 marks, about 150 words
The stakeholders are the students, especially Class 8; Dinesh and his wife; the head teacher; other teachers; parents; the department; and I. The issue is honest records against compassion and the children's interest, with the head teacher's false entries on top. I have three options. Looking away keeps the teacher, but a false register and a bad example continue. Acting against both at once keeps the rule, but a good teacher and the children lose. The third route is to record the truth and find a humane remedy. I choose it. Rule 3(1) of the Rajasthan Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1971 demands absolute integrity, and Gita 3.21 says that whatever the best do, others follow. Now I would correct the register, warn the head teacher in writing, have Dinesh apply for lawful leave, post a substitute and review after a month. Long term, I would frame a transparent policy.
What to learn from this. All three versions keep the same spine (issue, options, choice with reason, action); only the number of words changes.
Answer template (fill in the blanks, about 100 words)
"In this case the interests of [stakeholders 1, 2, 3 and the weakest party] are at stake. The issue is [value 1] against [value 2]. I have three routes: (A) [the easy route], but [cost]; (B) [the harsh route], but [cost]; (C) [the balanced route], which [gain]. I choose (C), because [one rule, law, constitutional idea, Gita, Gandhi or Nolan principle]. At once I would [two concrete steps, in writing]. In the long term I would [one system fix]."
Answer skeleton: introduction (stakeholders and issue, 2 lines) → body (three options, one line each) → conclusion (choice and its support) → value addition (short and long-term steps).
Self-evaluation checklist (rubric)
Score each row 0 (absent), 1 (partly) or 2 (fully). Total 20.
| # | Criterion | 0 / 1 / 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | At least three stakeholders, including the weakest party | |
| 2 | Issue in one sentence, with two clashing values named | |
| 3 | Three real options (not one real and two straw men) | |
| 4 | One gain and one cost for each option | |
| 5 | One option clearly chosen, with the reason | |
| 6 | At least one correctly cited rule, law, code or thinker in support | |
| 7 | Both short-term and long-term action | |
| 8 | No invented facts; no law broken; what is unknown is "to be verified" | |
| 9 | Humane and proportionate: talk, write, superior, higher authority, outside agency (last) | |
| 10 | Within the word limit, in the first person ("I"), clear and plain |
Reading the score. 16 to 20: exam ready. 11 to 15: fix one or two criteria (often 3, 6 or 9). 10 or below: reread the card and solve the same case again.
Map of the 20 practice cases
| Case | Title | Syllabus point | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | The wedding date and the Class 10 girl | 1 values, family, society | Medium |
| 9.2 | "Cooperation" at the exam centre | 1 values, education, society | Easy |
| 9.3 | The pond catchment and the debt to generations | 2 Rit, Rin, duty | Medium |
| 9.4 | The travel allowance bill | 3 integrity | Easy |
| 9.5 | One lane, two processions | 3 impartiality | Medium |
| 9.6 | The party flag at the camp | 3 non-partisanship | Medium |
| 9.7 | The measurement book request | 3 transparency, RTI | Easy |
| 9.8 | The viral video and the first statement | 3 media | Medium |
| 9.9 | Top of the table | 4 Gita | Medium |
| 9.10 | The wall of names | 5 Gandhi: means and ends | Hard |
| 9.11 | One list for solar pumps | 5 Gandhi: the talisman | Easy |
| 9.12 | Sharing the water tankers | 6 moral thinkers | Hard |
| 9.13 | The wedding horse | 6 Ambedkar, constitutional morality | Hard |
| 9.14 | A job offer for the son | 7 conflict of interest | Medium |
| 9.15 | The "tea money" speed | 7 corruption | Medium |
| 9.16 | The measurement mismatch | 7 whistleblowing | Hard |
| 9.17 | The self-help group and the flour | 7 right versus right | Hard |
| 9.18 | "98 per cent disposal" | 7 AI versus conscience | Medium |
| 9.19 | The order written by AI | 7 AI versus conscience | Medium |
| 9.20 | Nine school merger files | 8 basis of decisions, rationality, accountability | Hard |
Practice plan (our suggestion). Solve the first case untimed at 150 words; then the same case at 100 words in 8 minutes; then at 50 words. After that compare with the model solution and score yourself on the rubric.
Common mistakes
Writing only sermons ("honesty is important") without saying what the officer does tomorrow morning.
Making the first step dramatic: telling the media, resigning or suspending at once. Take the talk and written route first.
Changing the facts of the case, or inventing a section of law by accident.
Self-check (5 questions)
1. What are the five steps? (S-I-O-B-A)
2. How are the words split in a 10-mark answer? (about 20, 25, 30, 25)
3. Where does an outside agency or the media come on the ladder? (last)
4. What does Conduct Rule 3(1) demand? (at all times absolute integrity, devotion to duty and dignity of office)
5. What do you write when you doubt a section number? (the name of the principle)
One-page Revision
- S-I-O-B-A: stakeholders (weakest first)
- issue (two values)
- three options (easy, harsh, balanced)
- best option (with a rule or value)
- action (short and long term)
- 50/100/150 words: 12-12-14-12, 20-25-30-25, 35-40-40-35
- ladder: talk, write, superior, higher authority, outside (last)
- Conduct Rule 3(1)
- Articles 14, 21
- RTI s.7(1): 30 days
- Gita 2.47, 3.21
- Hind Swaraj ch. 16
- seven Nolan principles
- never invent facts
- when unsure of a law, write the principle.