लद्दाख रणनीतिक रूप से चीन और पाकिस्तान के मध्य स्थित है। स्थानीय लोगों का दिल और दिमाग जीतने के लिये, केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा सीमा क्षेत्र विकास कार्यक्रमों (बी ए डी पी) और सेना द्वारा नागरिक कार्यवाही की विवेचना कीजिए। लद्दाख के लिये संविधान की छठी अनुसूची के प्रावधान की घोषणा की मांग की भी विवेचना कीजिए।
Read this question in English
Ladakh is strategically located between China and Pakistan. As a measure to win hearts and minds of locals, discuss the Border Area Development Programmes (BADP) by the Central Government and civic actions by the Army. Also discuss demand of promulgation of provision of the Sixth Schedule of constitution for Ladakh.
🧭 How to think about this question · directive: “discuss”
Decode the demand
- Directive 'discuss', three parts: BADP as a hearts-and-minds measure, the Army's civic action, and the Sixth Schedule demand. Each needs its own heading; the opening line on Ladakh's location is the frame, not a part.
- The link to hold: every point must show how a road, a school or a safeguard buys trust on a frontier facing two adversaries; development here is security.
- The trap: writing a scheme catalogue, or taking sides on the Sixth Schedule. Give the basis, the constitutional difficulty and a middle path.
- Carry data: one BADP figure, one Sadbhavana figure, the NCST's 2019 recommendation, the LAHDC Act, 1997 and the 2025 regulations.
Think in a structure
- Open with why the villager matters to the soldier, then a small map placing Leh against the LAC and Kargil against the LoC.
- BADP and civic action as two short headings, each point a keyword plus the trust it earns, with verified numbers as sub-points.
- The Sixth Schedule as a table (demand versus present position), then points on basis, hurdles and middle path; end with a way forward and the NCST's unrealised advice as the anchor.
Facts checked at source (5)· open
- Under BADP, 38,715 projects worth ₹7,935.05 crore have been completed in 16 States and 2 UTs.PIB — Border Area Development Scheme (11 March 2026) ↗“Under Border Area Development Programme, 38715 projects of estimated cost ₹7935.05 crore have been completed in 16 States and 2 UTs in various sectors including livelihood projects.”
- The Army runs seven Army Goodwill Schools in Ladakh under Operation Sadbhavana (2023 figure).PIB — Operation Sadbhavana in Ladakh (3 February 2023) ↗“Indian Army is presently running seven (07) Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) under ‘Operation SADBHAVANA’ in Ladakh Region.”
- In 2025 the Centre put in place domicile and reservation regulations for Ladakh, framed through the MHA's High-Powered Committee with public representatives; the UT then began its first UPSC recruitment, for 359 gazetted posts.Administration of UT of Ladakh — UT Administration initiates filling vacant posts after formalising domicile and reservation rules (3 July 2025) ↗“Developed in consultation with public representatives through a High-Powered Committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the framework includes robust definitions of domicile, enhanced reservation provisions”
- In September 2019 the NCST recommended that Ladakh be brought under the Sixth Schedule, for democratic devolution, culture and agrarian rights.PIB — NCST conveys its recommendation to include UT of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule (September 2019) ↗“recommends that the Union Territory of Ladakh be brought under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The Commission feels that this will help in: (i) Democratic devolution of powers; (ii)Preserve and promote distinct culture of the region. (iii)Protect agrarian rights including rights on land”
- The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997 extends to the districts of Leh and Kargil.FAOLEX — Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997 (text) ↗“This Act may be called the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997. (2) It extends to the whole of districts of Leh and Kargil in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2026, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Guidance: Minimalist IAS, checked 8 Nov 2026 (how we verify). ·
Model answer· 430words · Minimalist IAS
Wedged between China and Pakistan, Ladakh's security rests as much on a trusting, prosperous population as on troops: border villagers are the Army's eyes and ears, and development, civic action and constitutional safeguards are three ways to keep them so.
✏️ Map to sketch in the exam · Ladakh between two adversaries
- districts: Leh (Ladakh) = Leh: faces China (LAC)
- districts: Kargil (Ladakh) = Kargil: faces Pakistan (LoC)
- Legend: border development blocks
Draw on India's official outline (Survey of India boundary).
BADP as a hearts-and-minds measure
- Saturation near the border: BADP (MHA, since 1986-87) funds roads, schools, health, water and livelihoods in villages closest to the border, where the State is thinnest.
- 38,715 projects worth ₹7,935 crore completed in 16 States and 2 UTs (MHA, March 2026).
- Stemming out-migration: Vibrant Villages Programme (2023) adds connectivity, tourism and livelihoods in Ladakh's border blocks, so villages stay inhabited and watchful.
- Trust dividend: a village with a road and a clinic reports a stray patrol; an abandoned village reports nothing.
Civic action by the Army
- Operation Sadbhavana: schools, medical and veterinary camps and women's vocational centres make the soldier a neighbour.
- Seven Army Goodwill Schools run in Ladakh under Operation Sadbhavana (2023).
- Livelihood and belonging: Ladakh Scouts recruitment, porter work and road-building make the Army an employer, not an outsider.
- First responder: flood and snow rescue and winter evacuation reach where civil services cannot.
The demand for the Sixth Schedule
| Aspect | Demand | Present position |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Tribal majority; land, jobs, culture, ecology | Art. 244(2): Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram only |
| Backing | NCST recommended it (Sept 2019) | Needs a constitutional amendment |
| Safeguards | District Councils with law-making powers | LAHDC Act, 1997 councils; 2025 domicile rules |
- Why the demand: UT status in 2019 came without a legislature; the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance fear loss of land and jobs to outsiders.
- Constitutional case: the NCST saw the Schedule securing democratic devolution, distinct culture and agrarian rights.
- Reservations: a frontier where defence needs unhindered land; Schedule councils elsewhere show patchy finances and accountability.
- Middle path: 2025 domicile and reservation regulations, framed through the MHA's High-Powered Committee, meet part of the demand.
Way forward
- Empower the Hill Councils: statutory land and job safeguards and fiscal devolution to the LAHDCs, short of a full Schedule.
- Keep the dialogue standing: the High-Powered Committee as a permanent forum with LAB and KDA, not an episodic response to protest.
- Converge schemes: BADP, Vibrant Villages and Sadbhavana planned together at block level on council priorities.
Ladakh's people guard a frontier no fence can. Honouring the spirit of the NCST's 2019 advice, through councils that command trust and schemes that reach the last village, keeps them willing sentinels of the nation.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 8 Nov 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
