GS Paper IV — Q9
With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments specially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been…
With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments specially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been resolved to a large extent in the affected states of the country. However, there are a few pockets in certain states where naxalite problem still persists, mainly due to involvement of foreign countries. Rohit is posted as SP (Special Operations) for the last one year, in one of the districts which is still affected by the naxalite problem. The district administration has taken a lot of developmental works in the recent past in the naxalite affected areas to win the hearts and minds of the people. Over a period of time, Rohit has established an excellent intelligence network to get the real time information regarding the movement of naxalite cadre. To instill confidence in the public and have moral ascendancy over the naxalites, a number of cordons and search operations are being conducted by the police. Rohit, who himself was leading one of the contingents got a message though his intelligence source that about ten hard core naxalites were hiding in a particular village with sophisticated weapons. Without wasting any time, Rohit reached the target village with his team and laid out a foolproof cordon and started carrying out a systematic search. During the search, his team managed to overpower all the naxalites along with their automatic weapons. However, in the meantime, more than five hundred tribal women surrounded the village and started marching towards the target house. They were shouting and demanding the immediate release of insurgents since they are their protectors and saviours. The situation on the ground was becoming very critical as the tribal women were extremely agitated and aggressive. Rohit tried to contact his superior officer, IG (Special Operations) of the state on the radio set and on mobile phone, but failed to do so due to poor connectivity. Rohit was in great dilemma since out of the naxalites apprehended, two were not only hard core top insurgents with prize money of ₹ ten lakhs on their heads, but were also involved in a recent ambush on the security forces. However, if he did not release the naxalites, the situation could get out of control since the tribal women were aggressively charging towards them. In that case, to control the situation Rohit might have to resort to firing which may lead to valuable loss of lives of civilians and would further complicate the situation.
What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation?
What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit?
Which of the options, do you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why?
In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters?
(Answer in 250 words)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
पिछले कुछ वर्षों में, विशेष रूप से, केंद्र और राज्य सरकारों की बहुआयामी रणनीति के चलते देश के प्रभावित राज्यों में नक्सली समस्या का काफी हद तक निराकरण हुआ है। हालांकि, कुछ राज्यों में कई इलाके ऐसे हैं जहाँ नक्सली समस्या अभी भी मुख्य रूप से विदेशी देशों की दखलअंदाजी के कारण बनी हुई है। रोहित पिछले एक साल से किसी जिले में एसपी (स्पेशल ऑपरेशन) के पद पर तैनात हैं, जो अभी भी नक्सली समस्या से प्रभावित है। जिला प्रशासन ने लोगों का दिल और दिमाग जीतने के लिए हाल के दिनों में नक्सल प्रभावित इलाकों में कई विकासमूलक कार्य अपनाए हैं। पिछले कुछ समय से, रोहित ने नक्सली कैडर की गतिविधियों के बारे में वास्तविक समय की जानकारी प्राप्त करने के लिए एक उत्कृष्ट खुफिया नेटवर्क स्थापित किया है। जनता में विश्वास जगाने और नक्सलियों पर नैतिक प्रभुत्व जताने के लिए पुलिस द्वारा कई जगह घेराबंदी और तलाशी अभियान चलाया जा रहा है। रोहित स्वयं एक टुकड़ी का नेतृत्व कर रहे थे। उन्हें अपने खुफिया सूत्र के माध्यम से संदेश मिला कि लगभग दस कट्टर नक्सली अत्याधुनिक हथियारों के साथ विशेष गाँव में छिपे हुए थे। बिना कोई समय गँवाए, रोहित ने अपनी टीम के साथ उस खास गाँव में पहुँच कर पूर्ण सुरक्षा का घेरा बनाया तथा व्यवस्थित तलाशी लेना शुरू कर दिया। तलाशी के दौरान, उनकी टीम सभी नक्सलियों पर स्वचालित हथियारों के साथ काबू पाने में कामयाब रही। हालांकि, इस बीच पाँच सौ से अधिक आदिवासी महिलाओं ने गाँव को घेर लिया और लक्ष्य घर की ओर मार्च करना शुरू कर दिया। वे चिल्ला रही थीं और उपद्रवियों की तत्काल रिहाई की माँग कर रही थीं क्योंकि वे उनके संरक्षक और उद्धारक हैं। जमीनी हालात बहुत गंभीर होते जा रहे थे क्योंकि आदिवासी महिलाएँ अत्यंत उत्तेजित और आक्रामक थीं। रोहित ने अपने उच्च अधिकारी, राज्य के आईजी (स्पेशल ऑपरेशंस) से रेडियो सेट और मोबाइल फोन से संपर्क स्थापित करना चाहा, लेकिन कमजोर कनेक्टिविटी के कारण वैसा कर पाने में वे असफल रहे। रोहित की बड़ी दुविधा थी कि पकड़े गए नक्सलियों में दो न केवल चोटी के कट्टर उग्रपंथी थे, जिनके सिर पर दस लाख रुपयों का इनाम था, बल्कि वे हाल ही में सुरक्षा बलों पर घात लगाकर किए गए हमले में भी शामिल थे। हालाँकि, अगर नक्सलियों को नहीं छोड़ा गया तो स्थिति नियंत्रण से बाहर हो सकती थी। यह इसलिए कि आदिवासी महिलाएँ आक्रामक रूप से उनकी ओर बढ़ रही थीं। उस स्थिति में, हालात को नियंत्रित करने के लिए रोहित को गोलीबारी का सहारा लेना पड़ सकता है, जिससे नागरिकों की बेशकीमती जान जा सकती है एवं स्थिति और भी गंभीर हो जाएगी।
इस स्थिति से निपटने के लिए रोहित के पास कौन-से विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं?
रोहित को किन नैतिक दुविधाओं का सामना करना पड़ रहा है?
आपके अनुसार रोहित के लिए कौन-सा विकल्प अपनाना अधिक उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों?
मौजूदा स्थिति में, महिला प्रदर्शनकारियों के साथ पुलिस द्वारा क्या अतिरिक्त एहतियाती कदम उठाए जाने चाहिए?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)
Model answer
Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.
(a) Options Available
- Release all the apprehended cadres to pacify the crowd.
- Retain all of them, hold the cordon and use force, including firing, if the crowd advances.
- Retain all of them but de-escalate: talk to the women through local leaders while a small team evacuates the detainees by an alternative route, and summon reinforcements, including women police.
- Withdraw temporarily with the detainees, avoiding confrontation, and return later.
(b) Ethical Dilemmas
- Rule of law, and duty to the security personnel killed in the ambush, versus the lives and safety of unarmed tribal women.
- Short-term tactical success versus the long-term 'hearts and minds' trust built through development.
- Acting on his own judgement versus waiting for orders he cannot obtain.
- Utilitarian avoidance of immediate bloodshed versus the deontological duty not to free armed offenders.
(c) Most Appropriate Option Option 3. Releasing armed hard-core cadres—two of them accused in an ambush—would be illegal, demoralise the force and embolden the insurgents; firing on unarmed women would be disproportionate, could cost many lives and would destroy the goodwill the district has built. Rohit should keep the detainees in custody and have part of the team move them out swiftly under escort, engage respected women and elders to explain that the arrests follow due process and that the detainees will not be harmed, and keep trying to reach the IG through alternative channels. Force, if unavoidable, must be minimal, graduated and lawful under Sections 148–149 of the BNSS.
(d) Precautions with Women Protesters
- Put women personnel at the front; male personnel must avoid physical contact.
- Use loudspeaker warnings, dialogue and barricades before any non-lethal measure such as tear smoke or water cannon; firearms only as a last resort.
- Video-record the operation, provide medical aid and follow NHRC guidelines, so that no allegation of excess can arise.
- After the operation, reach out to the community through the district administration to rebuild trust.
How this answer will be evaluated
Framework: GS4 Ethical Dilemma & Decision Making
What earns full marks: Balanced, actionable, and legally sound decision with specific crowd control measures.
Evaluation rubric
Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.
- (a) List the options available to Rohit.
enumerate— list the items in order → one line each → no commentary
Must cover
- Release the apprehended cadres to pacify the crowd (with consequences)
- Hold them and use force, including firing, if the crowd advances (with consequences)
- Hold them but de-escalate: dialogue via local leaders/women, evacuate detainees by alternative route, call reinforcements incl. women police
- Temporary tactical withdrawal with detainees; other variants (partial negotiation) with pros and cons
Loses marks
- Only one option
- Options without consequences
- Illegal options presented as acceptable
Earns more
- Use of alternative communication to reach superiors
- Documenting the situation
- Role of district administration
Extra mark
- Clear evaluation criteria (legality, lives, trust)
- (b) Identify the ethical dilemmas faced by Rohit.
analyse— intro → causes → effects → stakeholders/linkages → way forward
Must cover
- Rule of law and duty to fallen colleagues vs lives of unarmed women
- Short-term operational success vs long-term trust ('hearts and minds')
- Autonomy/initiative vs hierarchy (no contact with superiors)
- Utilitarian vs deontological reasoning; proportionality of force
Loses marks
- Listing facts not dilemmas
- One-sided framing
- No ethical vocabulary
Earns more
- Emotional intelligence and courage under pressure
- Accountability for outcomes
- Tribal rights and alienation
Extra mark
- Reference to a relevant principle (e.g., Gandhian non-violence, just force)
- (c) Choose the most appropriate option and justify it.
justify— claim → 3-4 reasons → evidence → conclusion
Must cover
- Chooses a clear option (retain detainees while de-escalating) with reasons
- Rejects release (illegal, demoralising) and firing on unarmed women (disproportionate) with reasons
- Operational details: evacuation under escort, dialogue with elders/women, keep trying superiors
- Force only as last resort, minimal and lawful (BNSS ss.148–149)
Loses marks
- No choice made
- Choosing firing or release without strong justification
- Ignoring legality
Earns more
- Contingency plans if de-escalation fails
- Post-incident reporting
- Consistency with SOPs
Extra mark
- Reference to precedents or SOPs in LWE areas
- (d) State extra precautions for police dealing with women protesters.
suggest— the problem in one line → implementable measures → who acts → conclusion
Must cover
- Women personnel in front; no physical contact by men
- Graduated measures: warnings, dialogue, barricades before non-lethal means; firearms last resort
- Video recording, medical aid, NHRC guidelines, legal safeguards on arresting women (e.g., no arrest after sunset except by order, woman officer present)
- Post-operation community outreach and grievance redress
Loses marks
- Generic crowd-control steps without gender sensitivity
- Endorsing excessive force
- No accountability measures
Earns more
- Avoiding use of provocative language
- Protecting children/elderly in crowd
- Media handling
Extra mark
- Relevant BNSS provisions on women
What "Evaluate" is asking you to do
Judge how well something has performed against the standard it set for itself — its stated aim, mandate or promise — and commit to a verdict. Name the yardstick before you judge; an unanchored judgement reads as opinion.
Structure that answers it
Name the yardstick — stated aim, mandate or benchmark → performance against it → shortfall against it → why the gap exists → verdict
Where marks are lost
Presenting both sides and then declining to decide, or delivering a verdict against a standard you never stated, which makes it look arbitrary.
Practice this exact question
Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.
Evaluate my answer →More from General Studies 2024 GS Paper IV
- Q6 (a) "In Indian culture and value system, an equal opportunity has been provided irrespect…
- Q7 There is a technological company named ABC Incorporated which is the second largest world…
- Q8 Raman is a senior IPS officer and has recently been posted as D.G. of a state. Among the…
- Q9 With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments specially in the last few…
- Q10 Sneha is a Senior Manager working for a big reputed hospital chain in a mid-sized city. S…
- Q11 With the summer heat being exceptionally severe this year, the district has been facing s…
- Q12 Dr. Srinivasan is a senior scientist working for a reputed biotechnology company known fo…