(Paper) CSAT: Problem Solving and Decision Making

As a civil servant you are expected to make quick, reasoned, logical and welfare oriented decisions. Once the decision is taken you should stick to your stand and should not bow down before political or industry pressure. The questions based on this will test your decision making skills, something, which the prelims never did. You will also be tested on your sincerity, honesty, and integrity towards the civil services values. Till now candidates feigned these qualities in the IAS interview and got through. This will be possible any more.

This part of the examination measures your ability to use logic and common sense in solving of problems confronted in modern day today administration. The questions will generally relate to situations that require you either to take some action, to explain why an action has or would be taken or to interpret what the action implies. In Problem Solving and Decision Making there is a classic five step approach which would enable you to solve most the questions easily. The steps are:

• Indentify the problem
• Indentify the possible solutions
• Select the best solution
• Eliminate other solutions
• Make the decision

Now let us look at these steps in greater detail-

1. Identify the problem : Read the question carefully, and clearly identify what is being asked. What is special problem or point of the question? Is there any specific order you must follow? Are there any special instructions you must follow?
2. Indentify the possible solutions : Read all the choices carefully to identify one that best solves the problem.
3. Select the best solution and then defend it : Answer the question why does this solve the problem? Does it solve the problem with least risk, danger or damage. Always keep in mind that the consequences could be physical or mental. Will it solve the problem within the reasonable time? Have you answered all the parts of the question? Are they in correct order?
4. Eliminate other choices that :

• Are contradictory to what is required
• Call for unnecessary actions or risk
• Require that an instruction be disobeyed
• Insult, disregard or interfere with the basic values of our constitution
• Benefit only specific person or group
• Only partially solve the problem
• Procrastinate the real problem
• Call for an action you are unauthorised to take are not in a position to implement

5. Make the decision and record it.

Sample Question

Q. You are the District Collector of XYZ district of India. One morning you reach the office and while you were going through some files, you hear some noise of conflict from out side. You call the assistant and enquire about the issue. The assistant tells you that a communal riot has broken out in the city. What would be your immediate course of action?

Analyses the following options and choose your answer using the codes given below-

(a) You will rush to the scene of the conflict immediately and call the leaders of the both the communities to calm the mob.
(b) You will instruct the SP of the district to look into the matter.
(c) You will inform the Divisional Commissioner and wait for his instructions.
(d) You will summon the SP and other senior officials for conference to take the stock of situation and to take necessary action.