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APSC Answer Writing (Daily) based on Assam Tribune – 20/05/2025

For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, practicing Daily Answer Writing is vital. This blog covers the most important Main question and its model Answer from the Assam Tribune today (20-05-2025).

📝 Mains Question:

Q. Witch-hunting continues to plague parts of Assam despite legal safeguards. Analyze the social roots of this practice and suggest measures to eliminate it effectively.
*(GS Paper 1 – Indian Society | APSC GS Paper 5 – Assam-Specific Social Issues)
Word Limit: 250

✅ Model Answer:

🔹 Introduction

Witch-hunting in Assam remains a brutal manifestation of superstition, gendered violence, and community fear, particularly in tribal and rural belts. Despite the enactment of the Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2015, several incidents persist, including the recent life sentence to 23 people in Charaideo for a 2012 case.

🔍 Social Roots of Witch-Hunting in Assam

Factor	Explanation
Lack of Scientific Awareness	Illness, crop failure, or death often attributed to “witches.”
Patriarchy & Misogyny	Elderly women and widows are frequent targets.
Land Grabbing Motives	Witch-branding used to evict or dispossess vulnerable individuals.
Healthcare Gaps	Inaccessibility leads people to consult local “ojhas” or witch doctors.
Weak Policing & Delayed Justice	Community silence and slow legal proceedings embolden culprits.

⚠️ Challenges in Elimination

Deep-rooted belief systems resist legal deterrence.
Survivors and victims’ families face social ostracism.
Underreporting due to fear or community complicity.
Limited legal aid and poor forensic investigation in rural areas.

🛠️ Way Forward

Grassroots Awareness Campaigns: Involve ASHAs, teachers, and SHGs in spreading rationality.
Health Outreach: Mobile medical units in high-incidence districts to reduce superstition.
Fast-Track Courts & Legal Aid: Ensure quick and victim-sensitive judicial processes.
Rehabilitation & Compensation: Victims’ families need psychological and livelihood support.
Curriculum Integration: Include scientific temper and human rights in school syllabi.

🧩 Conclusion

Witch-hunting is not just a crime—it is a failure of social conscience and state capacity. Combating it requires a multi-pronged approach of legal enforcement, cultural change, and welfare measures to end the violence driven by fear and ignorance.y, and economic leadership in the region. With prudent diplomacy and strategic investment, it can serve as India’s gateway to Eurasia.

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