Emotional Intelligence Questions for UPSC Mains

The topic, ‘Emotional Intelligence’ is one of the important topics from where questions are asked in the UPSC Mains General Studies Paper 4. In the IAS Exam, the topic encompasses Emotional Intelligence Concepts and their Utilities and Application in Administration and Governance. This article will provide you with a set of Emotional Intelligence questions that have been asked in the year 2013-2020.

Candidates can get other subject-wise/topic-wise GS 4 questions from the links provided in the table below:

GS 4 Moral Emotional Intelligence Questions

We have segregated the public organisations questions from the GS 4 papers of 2013-2020. There are two sets: 

• Theoretical Questions
• Case Studies. 

Candidates can find both sets under each year one after another. Public organisations being a broad topic in GS 4 has both theoretical and case studies-bound questions revolving around this topic. You can get a complete trend analysis of general studies 4 in our GS Paper 4 Strategy, Structure and Syllabus page. 

Emotional Intelligence Questions (Year-Wise)

1. What are the main components of emotional intelligence (EI)? Can they be learned? Discuss.

1. “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to make your emotions work for you instead of against you”. Do you agree with this view? Discuss. 

1. A big corporate house is engaged in manufacturing industrial chemicals on a large scale. It proposes to set upon the additional unit. Many states rejected its proposal due to the detrimental effect on the environment. But one state government acceded to the request and permitted the unit close to a city, brushing aside all opposition. The unit was set up 10 years ago and was in full swing till recently. The pollution caused by the industrial effluents was affecting the land, water and crops in the area. It was also causing serious health problems to human beings and animals. This gave rise to a series of agitation thousands of people took part, creating a law and order problem necessitating stern police action. Following the public outcry, the State government ordered the closure of the factory. The closure of the factory resulted in the unemployment of not only those workers who were engaged in the factory but also those who were working in the ancillary units. It also very badly affected those industries which depended on the chemicals manufactured by it. As a senior officer entrusted with the responsibility of handling this issue, how are you going to address it?
2. Dr X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a super-speciality hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region. You are heading the tax investigation agency of that region. During an inspection of the doctor’s clinic, your officers have found out some major irregularities. A few of them are substantial which had resulted in considerable withholding of tax that should be paid by him now. The doctor is cooperative. He undertakes to pay the tax immediately. However, there are certain other deficiencies in his tax compliance which are purely technical in nature. If these technical defaults are pursued by the agency, considerable time and energy of the doctor will be diverted to issues which are not so serious, urgent or even helpful to the tax collection process. Further, in all probability, it will hamper the prospects of the hospital coming up. There are two options before you:

a. Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature.

b. Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether substantial or merely technical.

As the head of the tax agency, which course of action will you opt and why?

1. How will you apply emotional intelligence in administrative practices?

1. Discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of seven sins. 
2. “Max Weber said that it is not wise to apply to public administration the sort of moral and ethical norms we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is important to realize that the state bureaucracy might possess its own independent bureaucratic morality.” Critically analyse this statement.

1. What is ‘emotional intelligence’ and how can it be developed in people? How does it help an individual in making ethical decisions? 

To get the topic-wise GS 4 questions for UPSC Mains in one place, check the linked article.

Emotional Intelligence Questions for UPSC Mains GS 4:- Download PDF Here

Candidates can get UPSC Previous Year Question Papers from the linked article.

GS 4 Related Links: