QUESTION 19
GS3
12.5 marks
‘Terrorism is emerging as a competitive industry over the last few decades.’ Analyse the above statement.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Analyse how terror groups compete like firms for recruits, funds, attention and territory.
AnalyseBreak it into parts, show how the parts connect, and judge which matter most.
Demand-wise check
- 1Competition: groups compete for recruits, donors, media attention and leadership of a cause (ISIS vs al-Qaeda)≈35 words
- 2Business features: diverse revenue (narcotics, extortion, kidnapping, oil), branding and franchises, use of social media marketing≈35 words
- 3Effects: outbidding with more violent attacks; spread across regions≈35 words
- 4Response: choke financing (FATF, UAPA), counter-narratives, international cooperation≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Explain the statementEvidence of competition and business modelConsequencesCounter-strategyConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Writing a general essay on terrorism
- No analysis of the 'competitive' angle
Draw this
- Diagram: terror 'firm' with inputs (funds, recruits) and outputs (attacks, propaganda)
Value addition
- ThinkerMia Bloom's 'outbidding' theory explains how rival groups escalate violence to win support.Dying to Kill, 2005
- ExampleFATF kept Pakistan on its grey list from 2018 to 2022 over terror financing gaps.FATF
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 50 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 9 minutes, then get it checked.