Mains · GS Paper III · 7 questions

Development & extremism

Every question UPSC has set on this line of the GS Paper III syllabus, newest first — with an approach for each.

Asked in 5 of 11 years

UPSC syllabus (verbatim): “Linkages between development and spread of extremism.” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

2026

GS Paper III 2026 · Q10

10 marks · 150 words

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.

The full answer goes on to cover

Civic action by the Army
The demand for the Sixth Schedule
Way forward

With 1 table you can reproduce in the exam.

Read the full model answer (430 words) →

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.

2025

GS Paper III 2025 · Q10

10 marks · 150 words

The Government of India recently stated that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) will be eliminated by 2026. What do you understand by LWE and how are the people affected by it? What measures have been taken by the government to eliminate LWE?

Approach · directive: “what / how”

What it asks · Define LWE, show its human and developmental cost, and review the security-plus-development strategy the government has used to end it.

It asks 2 things — answer each

Explain what LWE is and how people are affected by it
Explain the measures taken by the government to eliminate LWE — security, development and rights

Open with · Left Wing Extremism is the Maoist armed movement, traced to the 1967 Naxalbari uprising, that seeks to overthrow the State by force, feeding on grievances over land, forests and exclusion.

Cover

Meaning: CPI (Maoist)-led insurgency concentrated in forested tribal belts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and Telangana — the ‘Red Corridor’.
Effect on people: killings of civilians branded ‘informers’, IEDs, extortion; destruction of schools, roads and mobile towers; displacement.
Development deficit: welfare, health and education blocked; tribal communities caught between insurgents and security forces.
Security measures: National Policy and Action Plan (2015), SAMADHAN doctrine, CAPF and CoBRA deployment, DRG, fortified police stations, technology-led operations.
Development measures: Special Central Assistance, roads and mobile towers in affected areas, Eklavya schools, bank branches, skill centres.
Trust and rights: Forest Rights Act, PESA, surrender-cum-rehabilitation policies, choking of funding by investigating agencies.
Outcome: affected districts fell steadily, and by August 2026 the government reported no district as LWE-affected; the task now is consolidation.

Close with · Governance must now fill the vacuum — land and forest rights, jobs and dignity for tribal communities — making the Red Corridor part of the peaceful and inclusive societies SDG 16 envisages.

Add value (verified)

A PIB backgrounder of 1 August 2026 records that no district in the country remains LWE-affected.PIB Backgrounder — Naxal-Free India: Integrated Strategies Defeated Left-Wing Extremism (1 August 2026) ↗“India has achieved the historic milestone of becoming effectively free from Left Wing Extremism (LWE), with no district in the country remaining LWE-affected.”
The same PIB backgrounder records that the Naxal-free target of 31 March 2026 was set on 24 August 2024 and met on schedule, with LWE-affected districts down from 126 in 2014 to zero by March–April 2026.PIB Backgrounder — Naxal-Free India: Integrated Strategies Defeated Left-Wing Extremism (1 August 2026) ↗“the Government of India set a target to make the country Naxal-free by 31 March 2026. The target was achieved on schedule through intensified security operations, stronger coordination, infrastructure expansion, and accelerated development outreach.”
MHA backgrounder: 663 fortified police stations built against 66 before 2014, and 408 new CAPF camps in the past seven years.PIB backgrounder, 1 August 2026 — India effectively free from Left Wing Extremism ↗“663 fortified police stations were constructed, compared to just 66 before 2014 . Additionally, over the past seven years , 408 new CAPF security camps were established”
The same backgrounder: more than 3,240 km of roads and 889 mobile towers in the Bastar region.PIB backgrounder, 1 August 2026 — India effectively free from Left Wing Extremism ↗“More than 3,240 kilometres of roads were constructed across the Bastar region, covering Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Narayanpur, Kanker, and Kondagaon districts. Also 889 mobile towers were installed”
The same backgrounder: the CPI (Maoist) was formed by a 2004 merger; 2004–14 recorded 5,019 civilian deaths, with violence peaking in 2010 at 1,936 incidents.PIB backgrounder, 1 August 2026 — India effectively free from Left Wing Extremism ↗“merged under CPI (Maoist) in 2004, making it India's biggest internal security challenge. The decade from 2004 to 2014 was among the most violent in LWE history. Violence peaked in 2010 with 1,936 incidents and 720 civilian deaths in a single year. The full decade recorded 17,542 violent incidents, 1,913 security force deaths, and 5,019 civilian deaths”
Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister framed the State's Bastar strategy as moving 'from bloodbath to Niyad Nellanar' (national newspaper interview).Deccan Herald, 26 February 2024 — interview with Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai (newspaper report) ↗“Will transform the region from bloodbath to 'Niyad Nellanar': Chhattisgarh CM Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai speaks to DH about his government to tackle left-wing extremism-related violence in the Bastar region.”
SDG 16 in the UN's official wording.United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals — Goal 16 ↗“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2025, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 220words · Minimalist IAS

Left Wing Extremism is the Maoist armed movement, traced to the 1967 Naxalbari uprising, that seeks to overthrow the State by force, feeding on grievances over land, forests and exclusion.

What LWE is and how it affects people

The movement: the CPI (Maoist), formed by a 2004 merger, operates across the forested tribal 'Red Corridor' of central and eastern India.
Violence: villagers killed as 'informers', IEDs and extortion; 1,936 incidents in 2010, 5,019 civilian deaths in 2004–14.
Development denied: schools, roads and mobile towers destroyed; welfare blocked.

The full answer goes on to cover

Measures taken to eliminate LWE

Read the full model answer (220 words) →

Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.

2023

GS Paper III 2023 · Q9

10 marks · 150 words X-Ray · Core #54

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.

It asks 2 things — 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 counter-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has long paired force with a 'hearts and minds' effort to restore the population's trust in the state; the measures run from the ballot to the balance sheet.

Cover

Why it matters: an alienated population shelters militants and supplies recruits; a trusting one supplies intelligence and denies sanctuary.
Political voice: after Article 370 was read down (August 2019), the first District Development Council elections (2020) completed three-tier panchayati raj.
Development: PMDP 2015, 63 projects worth ₹80,068 crore (announced 7 November 2015); the ₹28,400 crore Industrial Development Scheme (2021) for about 4.5 lakh jobs.
Youth and outreach: Himayat, Udaan, PM's Special Scholarship Scheme; Army's Operation Sadbhavana schools and medical camps; surrender and rehabilitation policy.
Limits: CAG's 2021 audit found PMDP projects delayed or unfruitful; internet shutdowns, AFSPA grievances, unemployment and online radicalisation erode trust.
Way forward: time-bound PMDP completion, jobs through the industrial scheme, empowered DDCs, rights-sensitive policing.

Close with · Security operations create the space; consistent governance, jobs and respect for rights fill it with trust, the only ground on which peace in the Valley can be permanent.

Add value (verified)

CAG Report No. 2 of 2021: the PMDP, announced on 7 November 2015, included 63 projects with a total outlay of ₹80,068 crore under five pillars.CAG, Report No. 2 of 2021: Performance Audit of the Prime Minister's Development Package for J&K, Executive Summary ↗“A comprehensive reconstruction plan for the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), was announced by the Prime Minister of India on 07 November 2015. The Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), included 63 projects with a total outlay of 80,068 crore”
CAG (2021): PMDP girls' hostels due in eight months from February 2018 were still incomplete in October 2020.CAG, Report No. 2 of 2021: Performance Audit of the Prime Minister's Development Package for J&K, Executive Summary ↗“The construction of hostels which was scheduled to be completed within eight months from the date of award (February 2018) was yet to be completed (October 2020), depriving hostel facilities to girl students of selected Colleges.”
MHA/PIB (7 January 2021): CCEA approved the ₹28,400 crore Central Sector Scheme for the Industrial Development of Jammu and Kashmir.Ministry of Home Affairs press release (7 January 2021): Union Home Minister hails CCEA approval to the Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Jammu & Kashmir ↗“The approval of the Rs. 28,400 crore central Sector Scheme for the industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir by the Cabinet”
MHA/PIB (7 January 2021): the scheme is expected to provide employment to about 4.5 lakh people.Ministry of Home Affairs press release (7 January 2021): Union Home Minister hails CCEA approval to the Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development of Jammu & Kashmir ↗“It will attract unprecedented investment and will provide employment to about 4.5 lakh people”
PIB (Rajya Sabha reply, 28 November 2001): under Operation Sadbhavana the Army built 15 schools and revived 21 in 2000-01, with 6,630 students.PIB archive: Operations Sadbhavana by Defence Services, Rajya Sabha reply (28 November 2001) ↗“Army has been undertaking civic action projects in Jammu and Kashmir, under Operations SADBHAVANA. During 2000 – 2001, 15 schools were newly constructed, 21 schools were revived. A total of 6630 students are studying in these schools.”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2023, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 221words · Minimalist IAS

Militancy survives on alienation, so counter-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir pairs force with a 'hearts and minds' effort to restore trust in the state, from the ballot to the balance sheet.

Why hearts and minds matter

Trust dries the pond: an alienated population shelters militants; a trusting one gives intelligence and denies sanctuary.

The full answer goes on to cover

Measures adopted
Limits
Way forward

With 1 diagram you can reproduce in the exam.

Read the full model answer (221 words) →

2022

GS Paper III 2022 · Q20

15 marks · 250 words

Naxalism is a social, economic and developmental issue manifesting as a violent internal security threat. In this context, discuss the emerging issues and suggest a multilayered strategy to tackle the menace of Naxalism.

Approach · directive: “discuss / suggest”

What it asks · Discuss the new issues in tackling Left-wing extremism and propose a multilayered strategy across security, development, rights and outreach.

It asks 2 things — answer each

Discuss the emerging issues in tackling Naxalism, seen as a social, economic and developmental problem with a violent security face
Suggest a multilayered strategy to tackle it: security, development, rights and governance, outreach

Open with · Naxalism thrives where poverty, land and forest grievances and weak governance meet; LWE-affected districts fell from 126 to 38 by April 2024 and incidents by 77% over 2009-2021 (MHA), yet the grievance remains the disease.

Cover

Root causes: tribal alienation, displacement for mines and dams, unimplemented forest and land rights, poor services and exploitation by contractors and officials.
Emerging issues: a shrinking but entrenched core in areas such as Dandakaranya and Jharkhand, use of IEDs and forest terrain, extortion funding, urban support networks and human-rights concerns in operations.
Security layer: intelligence-led operations with State and central forces working together, better-trained State police, fortified posts and the SAMADHAN principles, including actionable intelligence, technology and cutting access to finance.
Development layer: roads, mobile connectivity, schools, health and banking in affected districts, with the Aspirational Districts programme and central assistance for LWE areas.
Rights and governance layer: implement the Forest Rights Act and PESA, fair land acquisition and rehabilitation, accountable local administration and quick redress of tribal grievances.
Outreach layer: dialogue, surrender and rehabilitation policy, community policing and counter-narrative, and stopping the flow of funds and arms.

Close with · Security pressure, visible development, rights delivery and community trust can end the movement's appeal; the test of the March 2026 deadline is whether schools, roads and PESA gram sabhas hold the ground after it.

Add value (verified)

MHA (Rajya Sabha reply, 9 February 2022): only 46 districts reported LWE-related violence in 2021 against 96 in 2010, and incidents fell 77% from 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021.Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 81 on Left Wing Extremism — Ministry of Home Affairs, 9 February 2022 ↗“The geographical spread of the violence has also been reduced and only 46 districts reported LWE related violence in 2021 as compared to 96 districts in 2010.”
MHA/PIB (May 2025): LWE-affected districts fell from 126 to 90 (April 2018), 70 (July 2021) and 38 (April 2024); the most-affected districts fell from 12 to 6: Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Sukma, West Singhbhum and Gadchiroli.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs (May 2025): Left Wing Extremism: status, districts and development schemes ↗“The number of LWE affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and further to 38 in April-2024. Out of total Naxalism-affected districts, number of most affected districts has been reduced from 12 to 6, which include four districts from Chhattisgarh (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma), one from Jharkhand (West Singhbhum), and one from Maharashtra (Gadchiroli).”
MHA/PIB (May 2025): the six 'Districts of Concern' are Alluri Sitarama Raju (Andhra Pradesh), Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Malkangiri (Odisha) and Bhadradri-Kothagudem (Telangana).PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs (May 2025): Left Wing Extremism: status, districts and development schemes ↗“These 6 districts are: Andhra Pradesh (Alluri Sitarama Raju), Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat), Odisha (Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Malkangiri), and Telangana (Bhadradri-Kothagudem).”
MHA/PIB (May 2025): the Government is committed to eliminating Naxalism completely by 31 March 2026.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs (May 2025): Left Wing Extremism: status, districts and development schemes ↗“The government of India is committed to completely eliminate Naxalism by 31st March 2026, since Naxalism is seen as the biggest obstacle in the development of remote areas and tribal villages”
MHA/PIB (May 2025): 17,589 km of roads sanctioned under the two LWE road schemes, of which 14,618 km have been built.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs (May 2025): Left Wing Extremism: status, districts and development schemes ↗“17,589 km of roads have been sanctioned under these two schemes. Of these, 14,618 km have been constructed.”
MHA/PIB (May 2025): 48 ITIs, 61 Skill Development Centres and 178 Eklavya Model Residential Schools are functional in LWE-affected districts.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs (May 2025): Left Wing Extremism: status, districts and development schemes ↗“For Skill development 48 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 61 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have been made functional in LWE affected districts. For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 178 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) have been made functional”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2022, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 370words · Minimalist IAS

Naxalism thrives where poverty, land and forest grievances and weak governance meet. LWE-affected districts fell from 126 to 38 by April 2024 and incidents by 77% over 2009-2021 (MHA), yet violence is only the symptom; the grievance is the disease, so the response must go beyond policing.

The emerging issues

Root causes persist: tribal alienation, displacement for mines and dams, unimplemented forest and land rights, poor services and exploitation by contractors and officials.
Shrinking but entrenched: six most-affected districts were left by April 2024, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur and Sukma in Chhattisgarh, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra (MHA, 2024), where a hard core still uses forest terrain and IEDs.
Finance and support: extortion from contractors and mining interests funds the movement, and urban networks supply ideology and logistics.
Rights concerns: operations that harm civilians or misuse the law deepen alienation and feed the insurgents' narrative.
The deadline test: the Government's target of ending Naxalism by 31 March 2026 raised the stakes for due process in the final phase.

✏️ Map to sketch in the exam · LWE-affected districts, April 2024

districts: Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), Kanker (Chhattisgarh), Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh), Sukma (Chhattisgarh), West Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) = most-affected (MHA 2024)
districts: Alluri Sitarama Raju (Andhra Pradesh), Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Kalahandi (Odisha), Kandhamal (Odisha), Malkangiri (Odisha), Bhadradri-Kothagudem (Telangana) = districts of concern (MHA 2024)

Draw on India's official outline (Survey of India boundary).

The full answer goes on to cover

A multilayered strategy to tackle the menace

Read the full model answer (370 words) →

2020

GS Paper III 2020 · Q19

15 marks · 250 words

What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in Eastern part of India? What strategy should Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas?

Approach · directive: “what / what strategy”

What it asks · Explain why left-wing extremism persists in eastern India (land, forest and livelihood grievances, governance gaps, terrain) and set out a coordinated strategy for the Centre, the civil administration and the forces.

It asks 2 things — answer each

Explain the determinants of left-wing extremism in eastern India
Set out the strategy that the Government of India, the civil administration and the security forces should adopt in the affected areas

Open with · Left-wing extremism (LWE) incidents, 1,936 at their 2010 peak, have since fallen to 374 in 2024 and affected districts from 126 to 38 (MHA); yet its core endures in the forested, mineral-rich tribal belt of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal, where the State arrived late and grievances found an armed outlet.

Cover

Determinants: land and forest alienation, displacement without rehabilitation, weak PESA 1996 and FRA 2006 enforcement; poverty and missing services; governance vacuum; forest terrain and extortion money.
CPI (Maoist), formed in 2004 by merging the People's War and the MCCI, is the main outfit, banned under UAPA (MHA).
Government of India: SAMADHAN (2017), SRE and Special Infrastructure schemes, Special Central Assistance of Rs 30 crore per most-affected district; 17,589 km roads sanctioned, 10,505 mobile towers planned (PIB 2025).
Civil administration: FRA titles, PESA gram sabhas, fair rehabilitation; 178 Eklavya schools, 48 ITIs and 61 skill centres already functioning; grievance redress.
Security forces: joint CAPF-State police operations, intelligence, fortified police stations, surrender and rehabilitation, strict respect for rights; goal of an LWE-free India by 31 March 2026.

Close with · Security creates the space; land and forest rights, roads, schools and responsive panchayats fill it, the path to the Government's declared goal of an LWE-free India by 31 March 2026.

Add value (verified)

MHA (PIB backgrounder, May 2025): LWE incidents fell from 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024; most-affected districts get Rs 30 crore and districts of concern Rs 10 crore under Special Central Assistance.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs, May 2025: Left Wing Extremism ↗“given financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore and Rs. 10 crore, respectively, by the Government of India under a special scheme, Special Central Assistance (SCA), to fill the gaps in public infrastructure. Apart from this, special projects are also provided for these districts as per the need. Incidents of violence by LWE which reached its highest level of 1936 in 2010 have reduced to 374 in 2024”
The same backgrounder: LWE-affected districts fell from 126 to 38 (April 2024); the six most-affected are Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Sukma, West Singhbhum and Gadchiroli; the Government aims to eliminate Naxalism by 31 March 2026.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs, May 2025: Left Wing Extremism ↗“The government of India is committed to completely eliminate Naxalism by 31st March 2026, since Naxalism is seen as the biggest obstacle in the development of remote areas and tribal villages, as it prevents education, healthcare, connectivity, banking, and postal services from reaching these villages. The number of LWE affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and further to 38 in April-2024.”
The same backgrounder: 17,589 km of roads sanctioned under the two LWE road schemes, 14,618 km built; 10,505 mobile towers planned (7,768 commissioned).PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs, May 2025: Left Wing Extremism ↗“17,589 km of roads have been sanctioned under these two schemes. Of these, 14,618 km have been constructed. • Telecom Connectivity: 3 telecom projects, namely, Mobile Connectivity Project Phase-I & Phase-II, Provision of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages of Aspirational Districts and Saturation of 4G mobile services, are being implemented in LWE affected areas to improve telecom connectivity. A total of 10,505 mobile towers have been planned”
The same backgrounder: 48 ITIs, 61 Skill Development Centres and 178 Eklavya Model Residential Schools are functional in LWE-affected districts.PIB backgrounder, Ministry of Home Affairs, May 2025: Left Wing Extremism ↗“For Skill development 48 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 61 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have been made functional in LWE affected districts. For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 178 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) have been made functional in LWE affected districts.”
MHA: in 2004 the People's War (Andhra Pradesh) and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (Bihar) merged to form the CPI (Maoist), the main LWE outfit, banned under the UAPA, 1967.Ministry of Home Affairs: Left Wing Extremism Division (Background) ↗“In a significant development in 2004, the People’s War (PW), then operating in Andhra Pradesh, and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI), then operating in Bihar and adjoining areas, merged to form the CPI (Maoist) Party. The CPI (Maoist) Party, is the major Left Wing Extremist outfit responsible for a majority of incidents of violence and killing of civilians and security forces”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2020, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 377words · Minimalist IAS

Left-wing extremism (LWE) incidents, 1,936 at their 2010 peak, have since fallen to 374 in 2024 and affected districts from 126 to 38 (MHA, May 2025). Yet its core endures in the forested, mineral-rich tribal belt of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal, where the State arrived late and grievances found an armed outlet.

Determinants in eastern India

Land and forest alienation: displacement by mines, dams and industry with poor rehabilitation, tribal land lost to outsiders, and weak enforcement of PESA, 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
Development deficit: poverty, thin schools, health care, roads and telecom, jobless youth, and exploitation by contractors and moneylenders.
Governance vacuum: absent or corrupt local administration and weak policing let the CPI (Maoist), formed in 2004 by merging the People's War and the MCCI, pose as a parallel authority.
Terrain and money: dense forest and hills straddling State borders give cover; extortion from mines and contractors funds the insurgency.

✏️ Map to sketch in the exam · Left-wing extremism in eastern India

Shade: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal = LWE-affected eastern states
districts: Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), Kanker (Chhattisgarh), Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh), Sukma (Chhattisgarh), West Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) = most-affected districts (MHA 2025)

Draw on India's official outline (Survey of India boundary).

The full answer goes on to cover

Strategy for the Government of India
Strategy for the civil administration
Strategy for the security forces

Read the full model answer (377 words) →

2018

GS Paper III 2018 · Q10

10 marks · 150 words

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.

Approach · directive: “briefly explain”

What it asks · Explain in brief the Government of India's multi-pronged approach to LWE: security, development, rights and entitlements, and community outreach.

It asks 2 things — answer each

Note the context: LWE declined from 126 affected districts in 2014 to 11 in 2025, and India became effectively free from LWE on 31 March 2026
Briefly explain the Government of India's multi-pronged approach: security, development, rights and entitlements, and outreach, with the remaining challenges

Open with · LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to 11 in 2025 (MHA), and on 31 March 2026 India became effectively free from Left Wing Extremism (PIB); the approach behind this merits explanation.

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Context: LWE-affected districts 126 (2014) to 11 (2025), most affected 36 to 3 (MHA, December 2025); India effectively free from LWE on 31 March 2026 (PIB, June 2026).
Policy frame: police is a State subject; National Policy and Action Plan 2015 joins security, development, rights and entitlements.
Security: CAPFs, Security Related Expenditure scheme, fortified police stations 66 to 586, helicopters, intelligence-sharing; SAMADHAN doctrine 2017.
Development: over 12,000 km roads, 8,500-plus mobile towers, Special Central Assistance to worst districts, Aspirational Districts.
Rights: Forest Rights Act 2006, PESA 1996, MGNREGA, PDS and schooling to remove grievances; surrender and rehabilitation, nearly 2,000 surrenders in 2025.
Challenges: land alienation and displacement, uneven governance, weak inter-State coordination; the vacuum must be filled by governance.

Close with · Security cleared the space; development and rights must now fill it, so the end of violence becomes Scheduled Area governance in letter and spirit, through PESA gram sabhas, forest titles and roads that stay open.

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The Home Ministry describes the approach as integrated and holistic, addressing security and development while promoting good governance, under its National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism.Annual Report 2023-24, Chapter 2 (Internal Security: Left Wing Extremism, para 2.18), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India ↗“The Government of India (GoI) has adopted an integrated and holistic approach to deal with the LWE by addressing the areas of Security and Development and simultaneously promoting good governance.”
PIB (13 December 2025): LWE-affected districts fell from 126 (2014) to 11 (2025) and most-affected districts from 36 to 3; over 12,000 km of roads, 586 fortified police stations and 8,500-plus mobile towers were built.PIB backgrounder: From Red Corridor to Naxal-Free Bharat: A Decade of Decisive Gains (2014-2025), 13 December 2025 ↗“Naxal-affected districts slashed from 126 (2014) to only 11 (2025), with most-affected districts down from 36 to just 3, marking the near-collapse of the Red Corridor.”
The same PIB backgrounder lists over 12,000 km of roads, 586 fortified police stations, 361 new camps and 8,500-plus mobile towers, and notes fortified police stations rose from 66 until 2014 to 586.PIB backgrounder, 13 December 2025: key takeaways and infrastructure ↗“Over 12,000 km roads, 586 fortified police stations, 361 new camps, 8,500+ mobile towers operational”
PIB, December 2025: in 2025 nearly 2,000 Naxals surrendered, with the Government targeting a Naxal-free India by March 2026.PIB backgrounder, 13 December 2025: operational achievements 2025 ↗“800+ arrested, and nearly 2,000 surrendered, driving the highest-ever attrition and demonstrating irreversible momentum toward a Naxal-free India by March 2026.”
PIB's June 2026 backgrounder says that on 31 March 2026 the country 'became effectively free from Left-Wing Extremism' after nearly six decades of violence; this is the Government's own claim, not an independent audit.PIB backgrounder: Naxal-Free India: Integrated Strategies Defeated Left-Wing Extremism (June 2026) ↗“On 31 March 2026, India achieved a historic milestone. After nearly six decades of violence, the country became effectively free from Left-Wing Extremism.”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2018, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 226words · Minimalist IAS

LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to 11 in 2025 (PIB, December 2025); the target was a Naxal-free India by 31 March 2026, when PIB (June 2026) says the country "became effectively free from Left-Wing Extremism".

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The Government of India's approach to counter LWE
Remaining challenges

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2017

GS Paper III 2017 · Q19

15 marks · 250 words

Mob violence is emerging as a serious law and order problem in India. By giving suitable examples, analyze the causes and consequences of such violence.

Approach · directive: “analyse”

What it asks · Analyse why mob violence is rising and what it does to society and the State, citing examples.

It asks 2 things — answer each

Analyse the causes of mob violence, with suitable examples
Analyse the consequences of mob violence, with suitable examples

Open with · 'Lynching is an affront to the rule of law and to the exalted values of the Constitution itself,' the Supreme Court held in Tehseen Poonawalla (2018); mob violence is a crowd's unlawful force on rumour or suspicion, substituting its verdict for the courts and police.

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Rumours and social media: false messages on child-lifting and cattle smuggling spread quickly; child-lifting rumours led to killings in Jharkhand in 2017.
Identity and vigilantism: self-styled cow protection groups, as in Dadri (2015) and Alwar (2017), target minorities and Dalits.
Weak law enforcement: slow trials, low conviction, police inaction and political patronage produce a sense of impunity.
Social factors: distrust of the police, prejudice, unemployment and frustration among youth, and a mob's anonymity reduce individual guilt.
Consequences: loss of life, fear among targeted groups, communal polarisation and damage to the State's monopoly over force.
Consequences: harm to the rule of law, livelihoods such as cattle trade, India's image and investment climate.
Response: quick FIRs and fast-track trials, accountable district officials, curbs on rumours online and fresh law; the Supreme Court gave directions in Tehseen Poonawalla (2018).

Close with · A mob is the failure of the State to be visibly present; swift, impartial policing, the Poonawalla directions and certain punishment under BNS Section 103(2) restore the constitutional promise that no citizen is judged by a crowd.

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Supreme Court, Tehseen S. Poonawalla v Union of India (17 July 2018): 'Lynching is an affront to the rule of law and to the exalted values of the Constitution itself.'Tehseen S. Poonawalla v Union of India, W.P. (C) 754 of 2016, judgment of 17 July 2018 — Supreme Court of India ↗“Lynching is an affront to the rule of law and to the exalted values of the Constitution itself.”
Poonawalla (2018), preventive measure: States to nominate a senior police officer as Nodal Officer in each district to ensure vigilantes do not take the law into their own hands.Tehseen S. Poonawalla v Union of India, judgment of 17 July 2018 — Supreme Court of India ↗“will nominate a senior police officer of the Police Department as the Nodal Officer in each District, who shall ensure that these vigilantes do not take law unto themselves”
Poonawalla (2018), punitive measure: lynching and mob violence cases to be tried by designated fast-track courts in each district on a day-to-day basis.Tehseen S. Poonawalla v Union of India, judgment of 17 July 2018 — Supreme Court of India ↗“The cases of lynching and mob violence shall be specifically tried by designated court/Fast Track Courts earmarked for that purpose in each district. Such courts shall hold trial of the case on a day to day basis.”
Poonawalla (2018): the Court recommended that Parliament create a separate offence for lynching, as a special law 'would instill a sense of fear for law'.Tehseen S. Poonawalla v Union of India, judgment of 17 July 2018 — Supreme Court of India ↗“the Parliament, to create a separate offence for lynching and provide adequate punishment for the same. We have said so as a special law in this field would instill a sense of fear for law amongst the people who involve themselves in such kinds of activities.”
BNS 2023, Section 103(2): murder by a group of five or more persons acting in concert on grounds of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or similar ground is punishable with death or life imprisonment and fine.PIB: Mob lynching and snatching related provisions in new criminal laws (Ministry of Home Affairs, December 2024) ↗“Section 103(2) of BNS provides that when a group of five or more persons acting in concert commits murder on the ground of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or any other simil”

Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2017, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·

Model answer· 373words · Minimalist IAS

'Lynching is an affront to the rule of law and to the exalted values of the Constitution itself,' the Supreme Court held in Tehseen Poonawalla (2018). Mob violence is a crowd's unlawful use of force on rumour or suspicion, substituting its verdict for the courts and the police.

Causes of mob violence, with examples

Rumour on social media: WhatsApp messages about child-lifters led to beatings to death in Jharkhand in May 2017; forwarding outruns any police response.
Identity vigilantism: self-styled cow protectors killed Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri (2015) and Pehlu Khan in Alwar (2017) and flogged Dalits in Una (2016).
Impunity: slow trials, low conviction, police delay or complicity and political patronage teach crowds that violence carries no cost.
Distrust of justice: crowds seek 'instant justice' against suspected thieves and witches, as when a rape accused was dragged from Dimapur jail and lynched (2015).
Crowd psychology: anonymity dissolves individual guilt; prejudice, unemployment and frustration among young men supply the tinder.

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Consequences of mob violence, with examples
Way forward

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The Syllabus X-Ray of this syllabus line

1 of its 5 sub-topics is High

0 Core · 1 High · 3 Steady · 1 Rare

HighDevelopment deficits & tribal alienation · 3 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 78 Mains Core sub-topics are behind 66% of Mains questions.

See the whole X-Ray →

More of GS Paper III

Quick answers

How many UPSC Mains questions have been asked on Development & extremism?

7 questions in GS Paper III from 2016 to 2026, asked in 5 of 11 years, most recently in 2025. Each is above, newest first, with the demand, an approach and a model answer.

What does the UPSC syllabus say on Development & extremism?

The GS Paper III syllabus line reads, in UPSC's words: “Linkages between development and spread of extremism.”

Where are the GS Paper III PYQs topic-wise as a free PDF?

The GS Paper III syllabus-wise PDF — every question since 2016 under its syllabus line, with an approach — is a free download on the Vault's downloads page (one sign-up, no cost).

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