Ethics & Civics MCQs With Answers: CSS MPT and PPSC Practice

Ethics & Civics is tested as an alternative to Islamic Studies in the CSS MPT for non-Muslim candidates, and it is a staple of PPSC and other public-service tests. Here is a sample of MCQs with answers and one-line explanations, drawn from our banks.

Sample Ethics & Civics MCQs

1. Which ethical theory emphasizes the importance of acting in accordance with a set of moral rules or duties?

• A) Utilitarianism
• B) Deontological ethics ✅
• C) Virtue ethics
• D) Contractualism

Deontological ethics judges actions by adherence to moral rules and duties.

2. When it is necessary to engage in a good amount of deception to conduct a scientifically valid study, what procedure should a researcher follow?

• A) Debriefing ✅
• B) Duplicate publication
• C) Deception
• D) Full publication

When deception is unavoidable in research, participants must be debriefed afterwards.

3. The crucial step in understanding business ethics is:

• A) Establishing codes of ethics
• B) Learning to recognize ethical issues ✅
• C) Having efficient operations
• D) Implementing a strategic plan

The first step in understanding business ethics is learning to recognise ethical issues.

4. Which of the following is a problem presented by ethics audits?

• A) They may be used to reallocate resources
• B) They identify practices that need improvement
• C) Selecting auditors may be difficult ✅
• D) They may pinpoint problems with stakeholder relationships

A real difficulty with ethics audits is selecting suitable auditors.

5. Which of the following is not a core principle of the Society for Human Resource Management's Code of Ethics?

• A) To Create an Ethical Workplace
• B) To evaluate the ethical components of the proposed actions of the employees
• C) To improve the public image of the company
• D) To enhance the profits of the business continuously ✅

Enhancing profits continuously is not an ethical principle of the SHRM code.

6. Managerial ethics can be characterized by all of the following levels except:

• A) Immoral Management
• B) Amoral Management
• C) Demoral Management ✅
• D) Moral Management

Carroll's levels are immoral, amoral and moral management; "demoral" is not one.

7. Which ethical theory emphasizes the importance of following universal moral rules?

• A) Deontological ✅
• B) Utilitarian
• C) Virtue ethics
• D) Egalitarian

Deontological ethics follows universal moral rules.

8. The feature that is NOT present in business ethics is:

• A) It has universal application.
• B) It is absolute in nature. ✅
• C) It depends from business to business.
• D) It cannot be enforced by law.

Business ethics is relative to the business, not absolute in nature.

9. An empirical inquiry into the actual rules or standards of a particular group is:

• A) Code of ethics
• B) Word of ethics
• C) Ethical dilemma
• D) Descriptive ethics ✅

Descriptive ethics is the empirical study of the actual rules of a group.

10. Which intervention resulted from the Enron scandal?

• A) The Hampel Committee
• B) The Sarbannes-Oxley Act ✅
• C) The Greenbury Committee
• D) The Cadbury Committee

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act followed the Enron scandal.

11. Which of the following is an example of a moral dilemma?

• A) Maximizing happiness
• B) Conflicting moral obligations ✅
• C) Virtue and character
• D) Acting out of duty

A moral dilemma arises when moral obligations conflict.

12. Ethics deals with the correctness of:

• A) Conduct ✅
• B) Thought
• C) Perception
• D) Intuition

Ethics deals with the correctness of conduct.

How to Prepare

• Learn the major ethical theories as pairs: deontology with duty and rules, utilitarianism with consequences, virtue ethics with character.
• Know the key names: Kant, Mill, Bentham, Aristotle, Herzberg, Fayol, Taylor.
• Revise management and business-ethics basics: codes of ethics, CSR, whistle-blowing, authority and responsibility.

More practice is in the CSS MPT QBank (Ethics & Civics group) and the CSS Main MCQs QBank. See the MPT syllabus for the official scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who takes Ethics & Civics in the CSS MPT?

It is the alternative paper for non-Muslim candidates in place of Islamic Studies.

Is there negative marking?

No. The MPT has no negative marking, so attempt every question.