SSC CGL 2025 PYQ — Question 10

SSC CGL - 19 Sep 2025 - Shift 1 • English • Q10

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage :

The relationship between morality and legality is neither linear nor synonymous. Though often conflated in everyday discourse, they belong to distinct conceptual realms. Legality refers to conformity with codified rules enforced by the state, whereas morality is guided by principles of right and wrong, which are often subjective and culturally contingent. The divergence between what is legal and what is moral forms one of the most enduring dilemmas in jurisprudence and civil ethics. Laws, by their very nature, are prescriptive and institutionalized, grounded in the need for order, predictability, and enforceability. Yet, legal codes are ultimately constructed within specific historical, political, and social contexts, and thus may reflect prevailing power structures more than universal justice. For instance, colonial laws legalizing racial segregation or past statutes criminalizing homosexuality demonstrate how legality can institutionalize what many later recognize as moral failures. Conversely, acts of civil disobedience—illegal by definition—often draw moral legitimacy from a higher ethical calling. Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March or Rosa Parks' defiance on a segregated bus were technically unlawful, yet they served as moral catalysts for transformative legal reform. This underscores a vital point: legality does not always equate to justice, and at times, morality must challenge the law to realign it with evolving human values. However, conflating morality with legality can be equally dangerous. In pluralistic societies, what constitutes "moral" varies widely across cultures, religions, and ideologies. If law were to enforce a singular moral worldview, it would risk descending into authoritarianism or theocracy. Hence, modern democratic legal systems are designed to be procedurally neutral, relying on constitutional frameworks that protect individual rights while accommodating moral diversity. The tension between morality and legality is also palpable in emerging debates around technology, bioethics, and freedom of expression. Laws often lag behind technological advances, creating grey zones where ethical concerns arise before legal clarity is established. Consider data privacy or artificial intelligence—practices that may be legal today but pose moral quandaries about consent, autonomy, and manipulation. Ultimately, an ideal legal system should neither operate in a moral vacuum nor serve as a mere extension of moral absolutism. Instead, it must strike a delicate balance—upholding constitutional values while remaining responsive to the ethical pulse of the time. Citizens, too, bear a responsibility: to not only obey the law but to question it when it stagnates or strays from principles of justice.

Why does the author mention acts like Gandhi’s Salt March and Rosa Parks’ defiance?

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B

Explanation

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. To illustrate when legal disobedience is morally valid.

It is clearly mentioned in the passage that these acts were “technically unlawful, yet they served as moral catalysts for transformative legal reform.”

Line to refer: “...yet they served as moral catalysts for transformative legal reform.”

Hence, the chosen option will be correct.