🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

📍 The Question:

With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements:

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

✅ Correct Answer: (b)

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🔎 Curiosity Raiser (UPSC intent)

UPSC is checking whether you can correctly identify:

• Who raises the force (Centre vs State), and
• Operational roles vs legal control.

Uniforms and national presence often create a false impression of central control.

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🧠 Core Concept Tested

Home Guards: Legal status, control, and functional role

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🔍 Classroom Explanation (UPSC Prelims Focused)

Statement 1 ❌

• Home Guards are a voluntary force.
• They are raised and administered by State Governments under State Acts and Rules.
• The Central Government only issues broad policy guidelines.

👉 Statement 1 is incorrect.

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Statement 2 ✅

• Home Guards function as an auxiliary force to the police.
• Their duties include:
  • internal security,
  • disaster response,
  • maintenance of essential services,
  • civil defence and community assistance.

👉 Statement 2 is correct.

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Statement 3 ✅

• Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions have been raised in select States.
• Their role includes:
  • preventing infiltration along international borders/coastal areas,
  • assisting the Border Security Force (BSF),
  • guarding vulnerable installations during external aggression.

👉 Statement 3 is correct.

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❌ Why the final answer is (b)

• Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
• Statement 1 is incorrect.
• Hence, Only two statements are correct.

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📘 Enrich Notes (Prelims Value Add)

• Nature → Voluntary, auxiliary force
• Control → State Governments
• Origin → 1946; reorganised post-1962
• Border Wing Home Guards → Support BSF in border States

📌 Prelims Recall Line
Home Guards serve the nation, but are raised by the States.

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🧘‍♂️ IAS Monk Whisper

Not every uniform answers to the Centre;
in federalism, service often begins in the States.