Read Think and Write Strategy for Ethics Preparation

What is Read Think and Write strategy of EthicsVillae?

To save your time and relieve you from the hectic schedule we recommend the following approach.

Read (it will hardly take 30 minutes)

First, read the syllabus and questions of the respective day as mentioned in the schedule.

Then read the relevant topics from the book of your choice.

For example- say Day-1 topic is on Human values. Then you should read about these topics from the books or notes of your choice.

Think (Do not allocate any specific time for this)

You should consciously do think part of this program while you were walking, jogging, cooking or taking bath etc. (if the aspirant has the luxury of time, he/she can dedicate exclusive time for this).

Then pen down your thoughts in words when you were back to the study table. (i.e. Write phase)

For example– you should think about the Human Values that you have already read about like truth, love, honesty, loyalty etc.

Think of incidents from your personal life, or from the lives of great leaders (Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand, B R Ambedkar, Vishwa Guru Basavanna etc) and write those as examples in 50 words.

For example – Truth

At first, you should define ‘Truth’.

Then write in about the importance/significance of ‘Truth’ illustrating an example from your life or from the life of the great leader.

Write (another 30 minutes)

Write the answer to the questions given in the EthicsVillae platform. The questions are based on the topics of the syllabus of the respective day.

Do not try to be a great scholar while writing your answers. Just write in simple words with a blend of ethical approach.

For example- Truth

Definition- Truth is that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. In truth, there is no deceit.

Example

During my childhood, I and my brother used to steal 2 rupees from my mothers’ pocket. In the beginning, the mother did not notice this, and we continued to steal. After someday she came to know that frequently 2 rupees missing from her purse, and she asked both of us. I told we don’t know about this, she slapped. My brother told the truth. She forgave our mistake and told us not to lie and not to steal.

(Truth can never contradict non-injury. Speak what is true. Speak what is pleasant. Speak no disagreeable truth, speak no agreeable falsehood.

Truth always exists in a pure unmixed state. Truth includes self-restraint, absence of jealousy, forgiveness, patience, endurance, kindness, love.)

Few other samples example.

Concept – integrity

Definition – integrity means having strong moral principles, being honest, and standing for what we believe in, a person without one is likely to fall for anything (lose morale).

Example

Recently, I went to purchase chocolates for my niece. After purchasing, chocolates forgot to pay the 10 Rupees and left the shop. Since the shop was busy the shopkeeper also didn’t notice. When I reach home, came to know that I didn’t pay the money. Immediately I went to the shop and paid the amount. This brought the smile on the face of the shopkeeper. And a sigh of relief in me and a sense of satisfaction. By this act, I established myself as honest.

Concept – Aptitude

Definition – it is the natural ability to do something. It is a component of a competence to do a certain kind of work at a certain level.  

Example

Aptitude is one of the important qualities of a civil servant. A civil servant has the ability and skill to learn new things can serve better the nation and public than his peers. For example, a civil servant with good aptitude skills to learn new language serves the local people better than other officers. This helps in the speedy, effective delivery of services.

Some model questions

Day-1 – syllabus – Human values

Questions

Q.1) Define the following terminologies/concepts/ethical words/principles in your own words. And write an example of picking a story from your life or from the life of great leaders/thinkers or a hypothetical story in about 50-70 words for each of the concepts.

1. Truth
2. Love
3. Peace
4. Justice

Q.2) God of Truth and Justice can never create distinctions of high and low among His own children. – Mahatma Gandhi.  What do you understand by this statement in the present-day scenario? Explain. (150 words)

Read Think and Write (RTW) features

Objectives

• The prime objective of this program is to empower the aspirants to score 130+ in GS-IV paper i.e. ethics paper.
• The second most important objective is to disburden the aspirants from the tonnes of study material and redirect them to logical thinking and writing.
• The third approach is to save your time and energy in ethics preparation and eliminate the prejudices and stereotypes that already you built about the subject.
• And to make sure that just before prelims notification you should have built a strong foundation about ethics.

How this program (RTW) benefits you?

• EthicsVillae offers you a platform to prepare ethics at free of cost.
• The program facilitates you to read, think and write (RTW) about the so-called toughest ethical keywords, terminologies, concepts and principles in an effective and interactive approach.
• The platform (EthicsVillae) offers you to learn the basics of ethics and offers consistent feedback for your answers and writeups.
• It eliminates the preconceived notions, prejudices and stereotypes that you have about the subject and your capabilities. And empowers you to be confident and competent in handling the subject.
• The prime objective of this program is to empower you to score 130+ in Ethics Paper, and for that purpose, the program redirects your thoughts and channelizes your energy and time towards the goal.
• You need not spend 3-4 hour for this activity in your routine study hours.
• By the end of phase-1, you will be a master of 4*50=200 concepts related to ethics and examples based on those concepts. And you have written answers for 50 quotes or definitions. And this is entirely your work.
• By this exercise of self-learning, your thinking process would have been channelized in the right direction. So, you will be disburdened from the stress involved in one of the important subject of Mains (Ethics).

Features of the Program

• It is the two-phase program. Phase-1 is before prelims and Phase-2 is after Prelims.
• Phase-1 starts on 9^th December 2019 and ends on 14^th February 2020.
• Phase-2 will start after Prelims.
• The phase-1 is exclusively designed for 1st-time aspirants and the other aspirants can also join if they had not received proper guidance.

Main features and framework of the Phase-1 programs are as follows.

• The whole syllabus is micro-planned for 50 days. Each day syllabus is mentioned in the schedule.
• Each day we will provide the ethics-related key terminologies, ethical words, values and quotes or statements based on the syllabus.
• You should read the topics from the books of your choice (refer any of the one book like lexicon, Ethics by D K Balaji, Ethics by D. Subba Rao or coaching notes of your choice etc).
• Then you have to think about the keywords, terminologies given. And finally write the definitions and one example, picking real-life incidents from your life or from the lives of great leaders, personalities, administrators etc based on the terminologies given in about 50-70 words for each of the concept/terminologies.
• You can also create a fictitious story based on the topics in simple words.
• Then each day one quote/statement will be provided based on the syllabus. You have to write about 150 words.
• In this phase, we do not provide any case studies. This phase exclusively dedicated to mastering the very basics of ethics.
• In this phase, we will be consistently giving feedbacks, suggestions for your answers and write-ups.
• The model answer or synopsis will not be provided in this phase as because there won’t be any standard answer for the questions. But we will actively evaluate your answers and will suggest improvements.

What do we expect from you?

• Active participation in the program.
• Following the approach and consistent association with the platform (EthicsVillae).
• Writing the answers and posting them in the comment box.
• Asking doubts and question if you have any.
• Valuable feedback and constructive criticism.