UPSC Mains 2025 GS3 Q19 — Internal security, North-East
What are the major challenges to internal security and peace process in the North-Eastern States? Map the various peace accords and agreements initiated by the government in the past decade. (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What areMap
- Scope keywords
- major challenges to internal securitypeace processNorth-Eastern Statespeace accords and agreementspast decade
- Implicit sub-parts
- Classification of security threats into external (cross-border) and internal (ethnic/insurgent) factors.
- Analysis of why peace processes are fragile (e.g., trust deficit, factionalism).
- Chronological or thematic mapping of specific accords since 2014.
- Critical assessment of the impact of these recent accords on ground-level stability.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too heavily on old history (1950s-90s) instead of the 'past decade' constraint.
- Generalizing the entire Northeast instead of differentiating state-specific issues like Manipur ethnic violence vs. Nagaland political deadlock.
- Forgetting the 'external' dimension such as the impact of the Myanmar coup and porous borders on internal security.
- Listing accords without mentioning the specific insurgent groups or state involved.
- Dimensions required
- GeopoliticalEthnic-SociologicalHistoricalAdministrative/GovernanceSecurity-Military
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate approximately 100 words to the 'challenges' section, covering both traditional insurgency and modern threats like drug trafficking. Spend the remaining 150 words mapping the decade's accords (e.g., Bodo, Karbi Anglong, NLFT, and Naga Framework) while briefly concluding on the need for sustained political dialogue.
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