UPSC Mains 2023 GS3 Q19 — Security Agencies
What are the internal security challenges being faced by India? Give out the role of Central Intelligence and Investigative Agencies tasked to counter such threats. (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What areGive out
- Scope keywords
- internal security challengesCentral Intelligence and Investigative Agenciescounter such threats
- Implicit sub-parts
- Categorization of threats into traditional (Naxalism, Insurgency) and non-traditional (Cyber-warfare, Radicalization).
- Mapping specific agencies to specific threats (e.g., NIA for terror, NCB for drug-trafficking, CERT-In for cyber).
- Assessment of the collaborative framework between intelligence (collection) and investigative (prosecution) wings.
- Brief mention of emerging challenges like the nexus between organized crime and terrorism.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too much on external threats like border disputes with China/Pakistan instead of 'Internal Security'.
- Treating Intelligence and Investigative agencies as a single unit without distinguishing their functional roles.
- Writing a generic list of agencies like CBI or IB without linking them to the specific security challenges mentioned in the first part.
- Ignoring the 'central' aspect by over-discussing state police roles.
- Dimensions required
- Geographical (Left Wing Extremism, Northeast, J&K)Technological (Cyber threats and Social Media)Institutional (Legal mandates of agencies like UAPA/NIA Act)Socio-Political (Radicalization and Communalism)Economic (Money laundering and Narco-terror)
- Marks allocation hint
Spend approximately 100 words identifying 4-5 diverse internal security challenges. Devote the remaining 150 words to identifying specific agencies like IB, RAW, NIA, and ED, explicitly linking each to how they mitigate the threats identified in the first section. Ensure a crisp conclusion on the need for inter-agency coordination (NATGRID/MAC).
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