Winning of ‘Hearts and Minds’ in terrorism-affected areas is an essential step in restoring the trust of the population. Discuss the measures adopted by the Government in this respect as part of the conflict resolution in Jammu and Kashmir.
Approach · directive: “discuss”
What it asks · Explain why public trust matters in counter-insurgency and discuss the political, developmental, security and outreach measures taken in J&K.
The question has 2 parts — answer each
- Establish why winning hearts and minds matters for restoring trust in terrorism-affected areas
- Discuss the Government's measures in Jammu and Kashmir: political, developmental, youth, security-outreach and governance, with their limits
Open with · Militancy survives on alienation, so lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir depends on trust as much as on force.
Cover
- Political and administrative: Article 370 read down in August 2019, and the first District Development Council elections in 2020 completing the three-tier panchayat system.
- Development: the PM's Development Package (2015), the Industrial Development Scheme (2021), infrastructure, tourism and jobs for youth.
- Youth and education: Himayat skilling and placement, Udaan, the PM's Special Scholarship Scheme, Army Goodwill schools, sports and cultural exchanges.
- Security with outreach: the Army's Operation Sadbhavana (schools, medical camps, women's skilling), community policing, and surrender and rehabilitation policy.
- Governance: welfare delivery and DBT, grievance redress, and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits and border-area residents.
- Limits: internet shutdowns and AFSPA-related grievances, youth unemployment and online radicalisation can erode trust; outreach must be sustained and rights-sensitive.
Close with · Trust is built by consistent governance, jobs and respect for rights; security operations only create the space for it.
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2023, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer · 191 words (UPSC limit 150) · Minimalist IAS
Militancy feeds on alienation, so lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir depends on trust as much as on force.
Why hearts and minds matter
- An alienated population shelters militants and supplies recruits; trust in the state dries up both and turns residents into sources of intelligence.
Measures adopted
- Political and administrative: after Article 370 was read down in August 2019, the first District Development Council elections in 2020 completed the three-tier panchayat system and brought decisions closer to villages.
- Development: the Prime Minister's Development Package (2015), the Industrial Development Scheme (2021), road and rail infrastructure, and a tourism revival that creates local jobs.
- Youth: Himayat for skilling and placement, Udaan, the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme, Army Goodwill Schools, sports and cultural exchanges.
- Security with outreach: the Army's Operation Sadbhavana (schools, medical camps, women's skilling), community policing, and a surrender and rehabilitation policy.
- Governance: DBT-based welfare, grievance redress, and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits and border villagers.
Limits
- Internet shutdowns, AFSPA-related grievances, youth unemployment and online radicalisation erode trust; outreach must be sustained and rights-sensitive.
Security operations create the space; consistent governance, jobs and respect for rights fill it with trust.
Written by Minimalist IAS from facts checked at source (how we verify) — a little fuller than exam length, so every part of the question is covered; in the hall, keep the structure and trim the detail. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.