Mains GS Paper IIIInternal SecurityHigh-yield

Terrorism, Drugs & Organized Crime Linkages

आतंकवाद, नशीले पदार्थ और संगठित अपराध के संबंध

Terrorism, Drugs & Organized Crime Linkages is part of the UPSC Mains GS Paper III syllabus, under Internal Security. It appeared in Mains GS Paper III question papers in 4 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023). It is marked high-yield: a topic worth revising more than once.

What should you study in Terrorism, Drugs & Organized Crime Linkages?

  • Terrorism financing — hawala, cryptocurrencies, shell companies
  • Cross-border terrorism — Pakistan-based groups; FATF grey listing
  • Radicalisation — online recruitment; CVE (countering violent extremism)
  • Organised crime nexus — drugs-terror link; D-Company

How often is Terrorism, Drugs & Organized Crime Linkages asked in UPSC Mains?

Asked in 4 of 10 years, including 2 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

  1. 2016: not asked
  2. 2017: asked
  3. 2018: not asked
  4. 2019: asked
  5. 2020: not asked
  6. 2021: asked
  7. 2022: not asked
  8. 2023: asked
  9. 2024: not asked
  10. 2025: not asked

About the Mains GS Paper III paper

GS Paper III is a 250-mark descriptive Mains paper covering technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management. See all 50 Mains GS Paper III topics.

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