GS Paper IV · Ethics
Ethics in World Affairs Current Affairs for UPSC (GS Paper IV)
From the syllabus: Ethics and human interface; attitude; aptitude and foundational values for civil service; emotional intelligence; moral thinkers; public service values and ethics in public administration; probity in governance
Why it matters: Examiners focus on moral questions surrounding international aid, technology sharing, and global negotiations among sovereign nations.
In the news
October 2026
12 Oct 2026
Navi Pillay awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace PrizeNavanethem Navi Pillay, a South African judge of Indian origin, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026. The Nobel Committee praised her lifelong dedication to international human rights, judicial independence, and...
10 Oct 2026
Anthropic Bans Abusive Behaviour Toward AI ModelsAI startup Anthropic has implemented new rules banning users from engaging in 'cruel' or abusive behavior against its Claude AI model. The company stated that while AI does not have feelings, preventing persistent harmful interactions...
04 Oct 2026
AI safety debates intensify amid new frontier model releasesRapid developments in autonomous artificial intelligence models have renewed calls for standardized frontier AI safety evaluations after developers paused specific model iterations over control concerns. Global regulators and tech...
September 2026
13 Sep 2026
Frontier AI Developers Urge External Safety Audits Amid Misuse ThreatsLeading artificial intelligence developers have proposed providing independent outside evaluators with continuous, employee-like access to frontier model codebases and testing labs. The initiative aims to counter critical risks related...
July 2026
15 Jul 2026
India Bans Imports of Forced Labor GoodsIndia has banned the import of goods produced using forced labor, preempting a pending investigation and tariff decision by the United States. This regulatory move highlights India's commitment to ethical supply chains and international...
07 Jul 2026
Amnesty Report Details Ethnic Cleansing in SudanAmnesty International has released a comprehensive report documenting systemic ethnic cleansing and severe conflict-related abuses in Sudan's North Darfur state. Based on an eight-month investigation involving interviews with 247...
07 Jul 2026
Global Panel Urges Caution in Artificial Intelligence DevelopmentThe Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI has emphasized that while artificial intelligence offers immense scientific promise, its rapid development must not unfold unchecked. The panel highlighted...
Practise Ethics in World Affairs
7 of our latest questions on this topic.
Question 1 of 7
Navanethem Navi Pillay, who won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, is best known for her work in which field?
Mains practice
India's recent decision to ban goods made with forced labor and its shift toward high-standard Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) like the India-UK CETA signal a transition in its global economic strategy. Discuss how aligning domestic trade policies with international ethical and quality standards can bolster India's 'Vishwaguru' ambitions while addressing the challenges of indigenous innovation.
15 marks
Previous years' questions
Past exam questions sorted by topic are coming here. Until then, the full papers are in our previous papers library.