Ethical Frameworks — Theory | GS4 Ethics Trainer | GHP Raju — IPS (Retd.)
GHP RajuIPS (Retd.)

GS4 — Theory

Ethical Frameworks

Consequentialism · Deontology · Virtue Ethics · Gandhian Trusteeship

Back to Ethics
What is an ethical framework?
A lens — not a rulebook. Each framework asks a different fundamental question.
"What outcomes does this produce?"
Consequentialism
Judge the action by its results. The right act maximises welfare. Associated with Bentham and Mill.
"What is my duty here?"
Deontology
Judge the action by whether it conforms to a rule or duty. Associated with Kant. Some acts are intrinsically wrong.
"What would a virtuous person do?"
Virtue Ethics
Judge by the character of the actor, not the act alone. Associated with Aristotle. Character is cultivated over time.
"Am I a good trustee?"
Gandhian Trusteeship
Power and resources are not possessed — they are held in trust. The officer is a steward of the public good.
Four frameworks — one decision
Each framework illuminates a different dimension of the same ethical situation
Four ethical frameworks applied to one decisionEthicalSituationConsequentialismWhat outcomes does this produce?Virtue EthicsWhat would a good person do?DeontologyWhat is my duty here?Gandhian TrusteeshipAm I a faithful trustee?
💡 In GS4 answers, apply at least two frameworks to every case study. Where they converge, the decision is stronger. Where they diverge, your reasoning shows depth.
How to use frameworks in UPSC answers
Name the framework
Explicitly identify which lens you are applying. "From a consequentialist perspective..." earns marks that implicit reasoning does not.
Show the tension
Frameworks often conflict. Naming the conflict — and resolving it with a reasoned choice — demonstrates genuine ethical thinking.
Anchor in Indian context
Gandhian Trusteeship, the Nishkama Karma concept from the Gita, Kautilya's Arthashastra — examiners reward India-specific ethical reasoning alongside Western frameworks.