SSB SRT - Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical Dilemmas in the Situation Reaction Test (SRT) evaluate how candidates handle morally challenging scenarios. These situations test your integrity, honesty, fairness, and ability to make the right choices even in difficult circumstances. The focus is on demonstrating moral responsibility and leadership.

Below is a comprehensive list of 50 ethical dilemma situations with suggested responses to help you prepare.

50 Situations and Suggested Responses

1. Situation: Your best friend cheats during an exam and asks you to keep it a secret.
   Response: "Advise them to admit their mistake and promise not to repeat it."
2. Situation: You find a wallet with cash but no identification.
   Response: "Report it to the nearest police station and hand over the wallet."
3. Situation: Your colleague takes credit for your idea in a meeting.
   Response: "Politely clarify your contribution and focus on maintaining team harmony."
4. Situation: You witness a senior officer being unfair to a junior.
   Response: "Speak to the senior respectfully, suggest fairness, and support the junior if needed."
5. Situation: A shopkeeper accidentally gives you extra change.
   Response: "Return the extra money and inform them of the mistake."
6. Situation: Your manager asks you to manipulate data for a report.
   Response: "Decline politely and explain the importance of maintaining accuracy and ethics."
7. Situation: Your friend asks you to lie to their parents about their whereabouts.
   Response: "Advise them to be honest and refrain from lying to their parents."
8. Situation: You see someone littering in a public place.
   Response: "Politely request them to dispose of the waste properly and set an example by doing so yourself."
9. Situation: Your team is offered a bribe to complete a task quickly.
   Response: "Decline the bribe firmly and report the incident to the authorities."
10. Situation: You notice a friend using unfair means to get a promotion.
    Response: "Advise them against it and encourage them to earn success through merit."
11. Situation: You are asked to manipulate facts to win a business deal.
    Response: "Explain the risks of dishonesty and suggest presenting the truth positively."
12. Situation: A colleague refuses to work on a shared project.
    Response: "Discuss the issue openly, address their concerns, and encourage cooperation."
13. Situation: A junior asks you for unfair favoritism.
    Response: "Explain the importance of fairness and evaluate everyone on merit."
14. Situation: Your friend offers you an illegal shortcut to complete a task.
    Response: "Decline the shortcut and encourage completing the task through proper means."
15. Situation: You see someone damaging public property.
    Response: "Confront them respectfully, discourage their actions, and report if necessary."
16. Situation: Your superior makes an inappropriate comment about a colleague.
    Response: "Politely express your discomfort and suggest maintaining professionalism."
17. Situation: You discover your organization is involved in unethical practices.
    Response: "Report the matter to a higher authority and suggest corrective measures."
18. Situation: Your teammate plagiarizes work for a presentation.
    Response: "Advise them to use original content and ensure proper credit is given."
19. Situation: You accidentally overhear sensitive information about a colleague.
    Response: "Respect their privacy and avoid sharing or acting on the information."
20. Situation: Your friend asks you to sign their attendance in their absence.
    Response: "Refuse politely and suggest they avoid such practices."
21. Situation: A senior instructs you to ignore safety protocols to save time.
    Response: "Explain the risks involved and insist on following the protocols."
22. Situation: You find confidential documents left unattended.
    Response: "Secure the documents and return them to the concerned person."
23. Situation: A stranger offers you money to ignore a wrongdoing.
    Response: "Refuse firmly and report the wrongdoing to the authorities."
24. Situation: You notice an error in a report submitted by your senior.
    Response: "Inform them respectfully and offer to assist in correcting it."
25. Situation: A family member suggests using dishonest means to secure a job.
    Response: "Decline and explain the importance of earning opportunities honestly."
26. Situation: You witness a friend shoplifting.
    Response: "Confront them, discourage their action, and advise them to return the item."
27. Situation: A teacher mistakenly gives you higher marks than you deserve.
    Response: "Inform the teacher about the mistake and request a correction."
28. Situation: Your teammate suggests sharing false excuses for missing a deadline.
    Response: "Encourage honesty and propose explaining the real reasons for the delay."
29. Situation: A colleague takes home office supplies without permission.
    Response: "Advise them against it and suggest using office resources responsibly."
30. Situation: You are offered a job by a competitor in exchange for insider information.
    Response: "Refuse the offer and maintain the confidentiality of your current organization."
31. Situation: A friend suggests cheating during a group task.
    Response: "Refuse and encourage the group to complete the task ethically."
32. Situation: Your sibling is involved in unfair practices at school.
    Response: "Advise them to stop and help them understand the consequences of their actions."
33. Situation: You find a bag of valuables with no identification nearby.
    Response: "Take it to the nearest police station and report the find."
34. Situation: Your team leader makes a decision you know is unethical.
    Response: "Discuss the issue with them privately and suggest an ethical alternative."
35. Situation: A junior seeks your help to bypass a company policy.
    Response: "Explain the importance of adhering to policies and offer legitimate alternatives."
36. Situation: You witness someone falsifying records in your office.
    Response: "Report the incident to the concerned authority and suggest stricter checks."
37. Situation: A close friend is caught stealing but asks you to cover for them.
    Response: "Encourage them to admit their mistake and face the consequences."
38. Situation: You find a phone in a public restroom.
    Response: "Secure it, check for identification, and hand it over to the authorities."
39. Situation: Your senior gives preferential treatment to a colleague.
    Response: "Focus on your work and highlight your performance through actions."
40. Situation: You accidentally damage someone else’s property.
    Response: "Take responsibility, apologize, and offer to repair or replace it."
41. Situation: A friend offers you counterfeit goods at a lower price.
    Response: "Decline and explain the importance of using authentic products."
42. Situation: A stranger falsely accuses someone of a crime in your presence.
    Response: "Speak up for the truth and ensure the accused is treated fairly."
43. Situation: Your teammate is being unfairly blamed for a group failure.
    Response: "Clarify the facts and ensure fair distribution of responsibility."
44. Situation: A vendor asks for extra money without justification.
    Response: "Request an explanation and pay only the justified amount."
45. Situation: Your superior asks you to work on a personal task during office hours.
    Response: "Politely decline and focus on official work responsibilities."
46. Situation: You find a junior tampering with exam results.
    Response: "Confront them, stop the tampering, and report the incident."
47. Situation: You are asked to share a friend’s private information with a third party.
    Response: "Respect their privacy and refuse to share without their consent."
48. Situation: A senior demands a share of your legitimate credit for a task.
    Response: "Politely clarify your contribution and assert the importance of fairness."
49. Situation: Your colleague proposes unethical means to secure a contract.
    Response: "Refuse and suggest ethical strategies to secure the contract."
50. Situation: A close friend admits to cheating during a critical exam.
    Response: "Advise them to confess and work harder for future opportunities."

Conclusion

Handling ethical dilemmas effectively demonstrates your integrity, maturity, and ability to make fair decisions. Practicing these scenarios will help you respond confidently during the SSB Interview and showcase your commitment to moral values.