ETHICS GS IV ::03-AUGUST-2019: SECTION B

Q1. You are the team leader of a team that has been assigned to carry out social impact assessment of a project proposed in a remote tribal area. Each member of a team has been allotted one village to conduct surveys and ascertain views of local people. You have been given strict instructions not to disclose the identity of respondents outside the project. After the preliminary survey is conducted, the data compiled shows puzzling responses from one of the villages. You along with the team member who was responsible for that village’s survey visit that village next day for verification. You randomly pick a person from the list of respondents and ask him to explain the reasons behind the response he had given earlier. He seemed confused and denied any knowledge of the survey being conducted, let alone hhe being questioned. You try to verify this from other respondents and get similar replies. This raises serious doubts about the integrity and credibility of the survey process. (20 marks)

(a) What are the ethical issues involved in the situation?

(b) As a team leader responsible for ensuring credibility of the survey and working on a difficult deadline, what are the possible options before you? List their merits and demerits.

(c) Giving reasons, state the course of action you would follow.