GS4 · UPSC Mains
You are the District Magistrate (DM) of a region where the government has approved a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) aimed at promoting industrial development. While the project promises jobs and infrastructure, it has faced resistance from several farming communities, particularly those alleging inadequate compensation, lack of consultation, and exclusion of tenant farmers. Your administration has conducted multiple outreach sessions and compensation drives. Still, around 200 small and marginal farmers have refused to give consent, citing unfair valuation and procedural opacity. In an effort to defuse tensions, you personally visit a key village known for resistance. As you begin speaking to the assembled crowd, slogans erupt. Farmers accuse the administration of "selling them out." Midway through the dialogue, tempers flare. Stones are thrown—one hits your vehicle. Your security detail urges you to evacuate. Later, some officers argue for lodging FIRs against the perpetrators. Local media circulates footage with headlines like "DM forced to flee by angry farmers." You’re torn. You understand the emotion behind the outrage, but you also worry that leaving without dialogue may be seen as retreat. Filing FIRs might reinforce authority, but could permanently erode community trust and stall the project. Your staff is shaken and morale is low. The state leadership provides no direct instruction, only urging that the matter be handled "sensitively, without derailing the investment process." You must now take a quick call before the issue escalates. Questions: (a) What emotional and ethical challenges does this situation present for a public servant in a leadership role? (b) How can emotional intelligence guide your response to the farmers’ anger and your team’s fear and frustration? (c) What would be your approach to rebuilding trust, maintaining order, and advancing the negotiation process? (Answer in 250 words)
GS4 · Emotional intelligence — concepts, utilities & application in administration & governance
| Topper | Rank | Source | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aman Jhanwar | — | NextIAS | p.55 |
| Sugandha Gupta | — | NextIAS | p.55 |