UPSC Mains 2024 GS2 Q19 — Global Counter-Terrorism
‘Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security.’ Evaluate the effectivencess of the United Nations Security Council's Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level. (Answer in 250 words) 15
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Evaluate
- Scope keywords
- global peace and securityUnited Nations Security Council's Counter Terrorism CommitteeCTCassociated bodiesaddressing and mitigating this threat
- Implicit sub-parts
- The evolution and mandate of the CTC post-9/11 (Resolution 1373).
- Successes in standardizing global legal frameworks and technical capacity building.
- Structural and political limitations of the CTC (e.g., lack of a universal definition of terrorism).
- The role of associated bodies like the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
- Recent shifts towards addressing emerging threats like drone tech and terror financing.
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too much space on general definitions of terrorism instead of focusing on the CTC mechanism.
- Ignoring the 'associated bodies' part of the prompt, such as CTED or the 1267 Sanctions Committee.
- Failing to mention the 'veto' power or geopolitical friction within the UNSC that hampers CTC effectiveness.
- Neglecting India's specific role or the Delhi Declaration (2022) which adds contemporary relevance.
- Dimensions required
- Institutional/StructuralLegal/RegulatoryGeopoliticalTechnologicalOperational/Security
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 40-50 words to the context of the CTC's formation and its core mandate. Devote the bulk (150 words) to a balanced evaluation of its achievements versus its constraints (political deadlocks, implementation gaps). Use the final 50 words to suggest reforms or mention the impact of emerging technologies on its future relevance.
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