UPSC Mains Previous Year Questions 2020: GS3 Internal Security & Disaster Management | UPSC Mains: Internal Security & Disaster Management PDF Download

Q1: Discuss different types of cyber crimes and measures required to be taken to fight the menace (Internal Security)
Ans: 
Cyber Crime Overview: Cyber crime constitutes criminal activities involving computers or any network devices with the aim of targeting individuals, companies, and governments for direct financial gain or to sabotage and disrupt operations. It poses a significant threat to sectors identified under Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), including financial systems, air traffic control, and telecommunications.

Different Types of Cyber Crimes:

• Malware: Refers to any software designed to cause damage, encompassing ransomware, spyware, worms, viruses, and Trojans.
• Phishing: Involves attempting to gather personal information through deceptive emails and websites.
• Denial of Service Attacks: Attacks intended to shut down a machine or network by overwhelming it with traffic or triggering a crash.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: Occur when attackers insert themselves into a two-party transaction, intercepting and stealing data.
• Social Engineering: An attack relying on human interaction to trick users into breaking security procedures and gaining sensitive information.

Measures to Be Taken:

• Real-time Intelligence: Essential for preventing and containing cyber-attacks.
• Periodical Backup of Data: A solution to ransomware threats.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Utilized for predicting and accurately identifying cyber attacks.
• Learning from Actual Attacks: Employing knowledge gained from previous attacks to build effective and pragmatic defense strategies.
• Digital Literacy: Increasing awareness about cyber threats through enhanced digital literacy.

Q2: For effective border area management, discuss the steps required to be taken to deny local support to militants and also suggest ways to manage favourable perception among locals.(Internal Security) 
Ans:
Border Management Challenges: India shares its border with seven countries, holding a crucial strategic position in Southern Asia. Effective border management is essential, and despite significant government investments and support, it remains a global challenge.

Steps for Improvement:

• Employment Opportunities: Create job opportunities for the youth to discourage militancy. Providing employment can shift their support away from militants towards opposing them.
• Grassroot Democracy: Conduct local body elections to re-establish grassroots-level democracy, gaining extended community support in development processes.
• Media Facilitation Centers: Establish Media Facilitation Centers to reduce trust deficits by offering internet services to reporters and freelancers.
• Intelligence Grid: Strengthen the technical intelligence grid to track terror suspects, prevent terrorist attacks using real-time data, and enhance human intelligence networking.

Way Forward:

• Development Process: Address the causes of discontent and unrest through the development process.
• Social Empowerment: Empower communities through skills, education, employment opportunities, human rights, and the rule of law to tackle unfavorable perceptions among locals.
• Controlling Misinterpretation: Control misinterpretation of culture, hate speeches, and ignorance to enhance persuasion and cognitive change.

Q3: What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (Internal Security)
Ans: 
Left Wing Extremism (LWE): LWE organizations are entities that aim to bring about change through violent revolution, opposing democratic institutions and resorting to violence to subvert democratic processes at the grassroots level.

Determinants of Left-Wing Extremism in Eastern India:

• India’s Land Reform Policy: Post-independence, unsuccessful land reform policies in some parts of India led to the growth of Maoists and Naxals.
• Tribal Issues: Exploitation and harassment of tribals by government and corporate entities for resource extraction, particularly in the resource-rich eastern region.
• Development Deficit and Forced Displacement: Dependence on the primary sector, coupled with exploitation of natural resources for economic progress, has led to forced displacement of tribes and their alienation.
• Government Deficit: Inadequate provision of education, basic healthcare, employment, law and order, and grievance redressal in the eastern part of India.

Strategies to Counter LWE:

• IED Prevention: Innovative measures are needed to prevent Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incidents, which have caused significant casualties recently.
• Capacity-building of Local Police: Emphasis on modernizing and enhancing the capacity of local police forces, as they play a crucial role in maintaining law and order.
• Rationalization of Surrender Policy: States should rationalize surrender policies to reintegrate innocent individuals trapped in LWE activities into mainstream society.
• Rehabilitation of Surrendered Naxalites: Implementation of rehabilitation plans for individuals who have surrendered from Naxalite groups.
• National Policy and Action Plan: A comprehensive national policy and action plan to address LWE.

Conclusion:
For the holistic development of "New India," eliminating the menace of radicalized groups like LWE is crucial. Synergized efforts between the Centre and States are essential to achieve this goal.

Q4: Analyze internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard. (Internal Security)
Ans: 

India's Border Challenges: India possesses an extensive and intricate border stretching approximately 15,106.7 km, shared with Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, and a small portion with Afghanistan.

Challenges in Effective Border Management:

• India-Myanmar Border: Northeastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram) share the border with Myanmar. Insurgent groups like NSCN and ULFA operate from Myanmar, posing security threats. The porous border facilitates illegal activities like human trafficking, arms dealing, and drug smuggling.
• India-Bangladesh Border: Stretching 4,096 km through West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, this border, with its diverse terrain, makes illegal migration easy. It poses security threats and allows organizations like Pakistan's ISI to infiltrate, leading to arms and drug smuggling.
• India-Pakistan Border: Running 3,323 km through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, this border faces cross-border terrorism. Direct accessibility and technological advancements have changed the security dynamics, exacerbating terrorism due to non-recognition of boundaries by terrorist groups.

Role of Security Forces:

• Assam Rifles: Known as the right arm of civil and left arm of military, Assam Rifles played a vital role in opening the region to administration and commerce.
• Border Security Force (BSF): With air and marine wings, an artillery regiment, and commando units, BSF is the world's largest border guarding force. It serves as India's primary border guarding organization on borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): Aiming for 'total security preparedness' in remote border areas, SSB operates in Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Strategic Approach: India should engage meaningfully with Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, seeking cooperation to resolve outstanding issues and enhance mutual border management.

Q5: Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach.(Disaster Management)
Ans: 

Disaster Management in India: A disaster, resulting from natural or man-made causes, leads to a sudden disruption of normal life, causing severe damage to life and property. In India, disaster management is governed by the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Recent Shift in Approach: Recent measures in disaster management mark a departure from the reactive approach of the past, which focused solely on responding after a disaster occurred. The current approach not only emphasizes rescue, rehabilitation, and reconstruction but also prioritizes preparedness, mitigation, and adaptation.

Recent Initiatives in Disaster Management:

• National Disaster Management Services (NDMS): Initiated by NDMA during 2015-16, NDMS aims to establish a failsafe communication infrastructure and technical support for Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) operations across the country.
• Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI): NDMA has undertaken an initiative for EDRI in 50 important cities and 1 district in Seismic Zone IV & V areas.
• Upgraded Earthquake Hazard Maps: NDMA, through BMTPC, has prepared enhanced earthquake hazard maps and atlases for the country to improve planning and policies.
• Aapda Mitra Scheme: NDMA's scheme involves training 6000 community volunteers in disaster response in 30 most flood-prone districts across 25 states.
• National Crisis Management Committee and Crisis Management Group: The government has established these bodies for effective crisis response.
• State Crisis Management Groups: State governments have set up groups headed by chief secretaries, relief commissioners, and state/district contingency plans.
• Disaster Management Policy: The government's policy emphasizes forecasting, warning technologies, contingency agricultural planning, and specific programs for preparedness and mitigation.
• Mobile Radiation Detection Systems (MRDS): A project for handling radiological hazards in metros/capital cities/big cities in India, aimed at detecting unclaimed radioactive materials/substances.
• COVID-19 Response: The Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005 was invoked to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Challenges and Recommendations: Despite these efforts, disaster management needs to be integral to development planning in India. Preparedness at various levels must be people-oriented, and a scientifically planned adaptation, supported by the government, is essential given India's size and population.