Political Science and Mains General Studies Exam

POLITICAL SCIENCE AND MAINS GENERAL STUDIES EXAM In the newly revised General Studies Mains syllabus nearly 60 Percentage of Political Science Syllabus topics is covered. Let us see the comparison of the two syllabus in the below table.

S.NO

01.

GS SYLLABUS

POLITICAL SCIENCE SYLLABUS

PAPER 1 – Modern Indian history from PAPER I – SEC B - Indian Nationalism: about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, a. Political Strategies of India’s personalities, issues.

Freedom struggle: constitutionalism to mass The Freedom Struggle - its various stages Satyagraha, Non-cooperation, Civil and important contributors or Disobedience; militant and contributions from different parts of the revolutionary movements, Peasant country. and workers movements. b. Perspectives on Indian National Movement: Liberal, Socialist and Marxist; Radical humanist and Dalit Planning and Economic Development: Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives PAPER I – SEC A – Indian Political Thought: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M.K. Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, and M.N.Roy PAPER I – SEC A – Political Ideologies: Gandhism

02.

PAPER 1 – Post-independence PAPER I – SEC B – Federalism: consolidation and reorganization within Constitutional provisions; changing nature of centre-state relations; integrationist the country. tendencies and regional aspirations; interstate disputes.

03.

PAPER 1 – History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc their forms and effect on the society.

PAPER I – SEC A – Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism (Communism), Fascism.

PAPER II – SEC A - Approaches to the Study of International Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist (Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism)

PAPER II – SEC A - Changing International Political Order: a. Rise of super powers; strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and Cold War; nuclear threat; b. Non-aligned movement : Aims and achievements c. Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; relevance of nonalignment in the contemporary world

04.

PAPER 1 – Role of women and women’s PAPER 1 – SEC B – Social Movements: women’s movements organization

05.

PAPER 1 – Social empowerment, PAPER 1 – SEC B – Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics communalism, regionalism & secularism

06.

PAPER 2 – Indian Constitution - historical PAPER I – SEC B – Making of the Indian underpinnings, evolution, features, Constitution: Legacies of the British rule; amendments, significant provisions and different social and political perspectives basic structure.

Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: The Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles; Parliamentary System and Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine

07.

PAPER 2 – Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

PAPER I – SEC B – Federalism: Constitutional provisions; changing nature of centre-state relations; integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state disputes

Grassroots Democracy: Panchayati Raj Separation of powers between various and Municipal Government; significance of organs; dispute redressal mechanisms and 73rd and 74th Amendments; Grassroot institutions movements

08.

PAPER 2 – Parliament and State PAPER I – SEC B – Legislatures - structure, functioning, a. Principal Organs of the Union conduct of business, powers & Government: Envisaged role and privileges and issues arising out of these actual working of the Executive, Structure, organization and functioning of Legislature and Supreme Court the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries b. Principal Organs of the State

and Departments of the Government

Government: Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and High Courts

09.

PAPER 2 – Pressure groups and PAPER I – SEC B – formal/informal associations and their role Party System: National and regional in the Polity. political parties, ideological and social bases of parties; patterns of coalition politics; Pressure groups, trends in electoral behaviour; Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics

10.

PAPER 2 – Salient features of the PAPER I – SEC B – Representation of People’s Act Changing socio-economic Legislators

profile

of

11

PAPER 2 – Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies

12.

PAPER 2 – Statutory and various quasi- PAPER I – SEC B – judicial bodies.

National Commission for Women; National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Minorities, National Backward Classes Commission

13.

Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, egovernanceapplications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

14.

PAPER 2 – India and its neighbourhood- PAPER II – SEC B – relations India and South Asia: a. Regional Co-operation: SAARC – past performance and future prospects. b. South Asia as a Free Trade Area. c. India’s “Look East” policy. d. Impediments to regional co-

PAPER I – SEC B – Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for scheduled Tribes

Even though the Syllabus doesn’t mention this topic explicitly, a Political Science student can never neglect these topics for PAPER I - SEC B – INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

operation: river water disputes; illegal cross-border migration; ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; border disputes

15.

PAPER 2 – Bilateral, regional and global PAPER II – SEC A – groupings and agreements involving India Regionalisation of World Politics: EU, and/or affecting India’s interests ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, NAFTA PAPER II – SEC B – India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping; demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.

PAPER II – SEC B – India’s leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations

16.

PAPER 2 – Effect of policies and politics of PAPER II – SEC B – developed and developing countries on India and the Global South: Relations India’s interests with Africa and Latin America; India and the Global Centres of Power: USA, EU, Japan, China and Russia.

India and the Nuclear Question: Changing perceptions and policy India’s Contribution to the NonAlignment Movement: Different phases; current role

17.

PAPER 2 – Important International PAPER II – SEC A – institutions, agencies and fora - their Evolution of the International structure, mandate Economic System: From Brettonwoods to WTO United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record; specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; need for UN reforms

18.

PAPER 2 – Even though the GS Syllabus does not mention these topics explicitly, any GS Student is mandated to prepare on these topics

PAPER II – SEC B – Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants of foreign policy; institutions of policymaking; continuity and change.

Recent developments in Indian Foreign policy: India’s position on the recent crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia,

growing relations with US and Israel; vision of a new world order

19.

PAPER 3 - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment

PAPER I – SEC B – Planning and Economic Development: Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives; role of planning and public sector; Green Revolution

Inclusive growth and issues arising from it

20.

PAPER 3 - Land reforms in India

21.

PAPER 3 - Effects of liberalization on the PAPER I – SEC B – economy, changes in industrial policy and Liberalization and economic reforms their effects on industrial growth

22.

PAPER 3 - Conservation, environmental PAPER I – SEC B – pollution and degradation, environmental Environmentalist movements impact assessment, Disaster and disaster management

23.

PAPER 4 - Contributions of moral thinkers PAPER I – SEC A – Indian Political and philosophers from India and world Thought: Dharamshastra, Arthashastra and Buddhist traditions; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M.K. Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, M.N. Roy

PAPER I – SEC B – Land reforms and agrarian relations

Western Political Thought: Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci and Hannah Arendt

Hereby the aspirants who wishes to take Political Science as optional paper are advised to download the mains question papers of the same and make a comparison with the General Studies previous year mains question papers.