Nuclear Suppliers Group — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

For Prelims, focus on memorizing key facts: NSG formation in 1975 after India's 1974 test, 48 current members, consensus-based decision making, two-part guidelines structure. Remember specific details about the 2008 waiver - it was unprecedented, required civilian-military separation, and enabled the India-US nuclear deal.

Know the difference between NSG and other export control regimes (MTCR, Australia Group, Wassenaar). Pay attention to China's stated reasons for opposing India's membership (non-NPT status, precedent concerns) versus India's supporters (US, France, Russia).

Common traps include confusing NSG with NPT, assuming the waiver allows unlimited trade (it's only with NSG members), and mixing up the reasons for China's opposition. Use elimination techniques by understanding that NSG is about supply-side controls, not demand-side obligations like NPT.

Also build Paper II skills

Dense constitutional and IR passages mirror CSAT-style comprehension and argument evaluation—build those skills in parallel. CSAT hub.

• Valid & invalid arguments
• Syllogisms
• Critical reasoning