UPSC Mains 2018 GS Paper 3 Q10: model answer
Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still affects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the Government of India’s approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE.
What the question wants
Briefly explain how the Government of India has tackled Left Wing Extremism, given that it is declining but still present.
How to structure it
Trend and approach.
- Decline in numbers
- The 2015 policy
- Security pillar
- Development pillar
- Rights and governance
How to think it through
National Policy and Action Plan 2015: multi-pronged (security, development, rights of local communities, perception management). SAMADHAN 2017 (Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard KPIs, Harnessing technology, Action plan for each theatre, No access to financing). Schemes: SRE, SIS, Special Central Assistance, RRP roads, mobile towers, Eklavya schools, ITIs, banks/post offices, Aspirational Districts. Surrender policy. Now (2026 update) MHA says no district LWE-affected.
Model answer
When this question was set in 2018, Maoist violence had already fallen sharply from its 2010 peak. By 8 April 2026, the Home Ministry told nine states that no district remained in the 'LWE-affected' category; 37 became 'Legacy and Thrust' districts and one, West Singhbhum, a 'District of Concern'. The approach behind this was multi-pronged.
The 2015 National Policy and Action Plan
- Security: CAPF deployment, new fortified police stations, and the SAMADHAN doctrine (2017) of smart leadership,
actionable intelligence and denying finance.
- Development: roads under the Road Requirement Plan, mobile towers, banks, post offices and Eklavya schools.
- Rights: forest rights titles and PESA.
- Perception management: outreach and surrender policies.
Schemes
- Security Related Expenditure and Special Infrastructure schemes.
- Special Central Assistance to the worst-hit districts.
- Aspirational Districts programme.
- Skill and loans through ITIs, skill centres and SHGs for local youth.
Results and the unfinished task
- Top leaders were neutralised or surrendered; the core of Abujhmarh was opened up.
- The task now is to keep services running so the 38 watch-list districts do not slide back.
Force opened the door; services kept it open.
Draw: A four-pillar temple: security, development, rights, perception, with the 2015 policy as the roof.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
National Policy and Action Plan 2015, SAMADHAN 2017, SRE, SIS, SCA, Road Requirement Plan, mobile towers, Eklavya schools, FRA, surrender policy, MHA 8 April 2026, Legacy and Thrust districts.
Where most answers lose marks
- Writing only about security operations; the question asks for the overall approach.
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23 Sep 2026Learn the concept
Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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