PART I
Political Theory and Indian Politics
1.Political theory meaning and approaches
2.Theories of the state: Liberal, Neoliberal, Marxist, Pluralist, Post-colonial and feminist.
3.Justice: Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
4.Equality: Social, political and economic;relationship between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
5.Rights: Meaning and theories; different kinds of rights; concept of Human Rights.
6.Democracy: Classical and contemporary theories; different models of democracy – representative, participatory and deliberative.
7.Concept of power, hegemony, ideology and legitimacy.
8.Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism.
9.Indian Political Thought:Dharamshastra, Arthashastra and Buddhist traditions ; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, S r i Aurobindo, M.K. Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, M.N. Roy .
10.Western Political Thought :Plato ,Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John,S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt.
Indian Government and politics
1.Indian Nationalism: Political Strategies of India’s Freedom struggle : constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience ; militant and revolutionary movements, Peasant and workers’ movements. Perspectives on Indian National Movement: Liberal, Socialist and Marxist; Radical humanist and Dalit.
2.Making of the Indian Constitution: Legacies of the British rule; different social and political perspectives.
3.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.
4. Principal Organs of the Union Government: Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and Supreme Court. Principal Organs of the State Government: Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and High Courts.
5.Grassroots Democracy: Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government; significance of 73rd and 74th Amendments; Grassroot movements.
6.Statutory Inst i tut ions/Commissions: Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Comission for scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Women; National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Minorities, National Backward Classes Commission.
7.Federalism: Constitutional provisions; changing nature of centre-state relations; integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state disputes.
8.Planning and Economic Development : Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives; role of planning and public sector; Green Revolution, land reforms and agrarian relations; liberalilzation and economic reforms.
9.Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics.
10.Party System: National and regional political parties, ideological and social bases of parties; patterns of coalition politics; Pressure groups, trends in electoral behaviour; changing socio- economic profile of Legislators.
11.Social Movements: Civil liberties and human rights movements; women’s movements; environmentalist movements
PART II
Comparative Politics and International Relations
1. Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches; political economy and political sociology perspectives; limitations of the comparative method.
2.State in comparative perspective: Characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and, advanced industrial and developing societies.
3. Politics of Representation and Participation: Political parties, pressure groups and social movements in advanced industrial and developing societies.
4. Globalisation: Responses from developed and developing societies.
5. Approaches to the Study of International Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and Systems theory.
6. Key concepts in International Relations: National interest, Security and power; Balance of power and deterrence; Transnational actors and collective security; World capitalist economy and globalisation.
7. Changing International Political Order: Rise of super powers; strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and Cold War; nuclear threat; Non-al igned movement : Aims and achievements; Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; relevance of non-alignment in the contemporary world.
8.Evolution of the International Economic System: From Brettonwoods to WTO; Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new international economic order; Globalisation of the world economy.
9.United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record; specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
10.Regionalisation of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, NAFTA.
11. Contemporary Global Concerns: Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism, nuclear proliferation.
Strategy
UPSC move of revision of syllabus of political science has generated golden opportunity to score especially high marks in the subject. In fact as of now, even those students who don’t have the background of political science have fared better in many respects. Provided one becomes dynamic and innovative enough to evolve new scientific strategy being in conformity with the changed requirement of the new syllabus.
Since almost all purely factual aspects of the syllabus have been deleted. On the other hand, certain current topical themes have been added under new syllabus thereby making study more relevant. For instance, after revision major highlights of the syllabus are feminism, globalization, terrorism, environment, nuclear threat/nuclear proliferation, recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy etc. The purpose of this write- up, however, is to make you warmed about the subject in the context of revised syllabus.
Political Science even prior to revision of the syllabus too was a bit scientific nature but under new syllabus exceptionally great deals of current topical applied themes have been included. In the light of the revised syllabus, certain amount of exposure to the relevant contemporary emerging issues (such as globalization, environment etc.) EMERGING TRENDS IN INDIAN GOVT & POLITICS SECTION
(a) All Indian nationalists (such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Tilak, Saverkar,Jayprakash Narain,Subhash Chandra Bose,Ambedkar,Ram Manohar Lohia) except Gandhi and Nehru have been deleted (from paper 1 section B topic no 1 of the previous syllabus)
(b) Factual themes from topic no.4 paper 1 section B of previous syllabus have been completely deleted without any addition.
c) Major area of focus under new syllabus is on applied dimensions. For instance actual working of principal organs of the Union Government and those of the state government (paper 1 topic no 4(a) & (b). Changing nature of centre- state relations, inter-state disputes (paper 1 topic -7) (ii) certain themes purely related to Indian Economy (i.e. G.S.) have been incorporated under new syllabus. For instance planning and economic development-Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives, role of planning and public sector, green revolution, land reforms and agrarian relations, liberalization and economic reforms. iii) Similarly certain emerging issues/trends too have been added. iv)Subaltern themes/movements such as civil liberties and human rights movements, women’s movements, environmentalist movement (paper 1, topic no.11) are the major highlights of the new syllabus These new social movements( (i.e. G.S) constitute major part of G.S. & essay paper as well interview plan.
Emerging Trends in Paper –I Political Theory section Under new syllabus of political science paper I, political theory section has been made to be exceptionally easier and simpler wherein specialized background of the subject. For instance following topics have been completely deleted from paper I, political theory.
State sovereignty- Marxist and pluralistic theories, globalization and the state (topic no 3). Theories of political culture – Culture and politics in third world countries (topic no 5) Theories of political economy – classical and contemporary (topic no 6)
ii) Similarly from topic no 8 almost all theorists (such as pareto,mosca,mitchels,C.wright mills,weber) except two scholars gramsci & Hannah arendt have been deleted from the syllabus without any addition at all.
iii) Moreover, from topic no 10 out of four Marxian theorists (in the old syllabus),exept Karl Marx all three Marxian scholars such as Lenin, Mao and Rosa Luxemberg have been deleted without any addition
iv)Contemporary theme like feminism has been added (under topic no 2 & topic no 8) which is otherwise relevant for the purpose of G.S.,essay as well as interview
v)Instead of theories of human rights (paper 1,section A topic no 4 of previous syllabus),now under new syllabus merely “concept of human rights is to be studied
vi) Further exceptionally easier and simpler conception of justice under new syllabus is supposed to be studied with specific focus on John Rawls and communitarian critiques.
vii) Meanwhile under paper I topic no 9 (i.e. Indian political thought) few scholars have been added by replacing few ither less important scholars.
Under paper II change of syllabus constitutes following major emerging themes Applied dimensions of state (paper II,topic no 2),Politicl parties,pressure group and social movements (paper II,topic no 3) are supposed to be studied under new syllabus ii) operational dynamics of globalization (paper II,topic no 4,topic no 6) is another major highlight iii) Infact more current topical themes related to G.S. and essay paper have been incorporated under new syllabus topic no 7 (a) & (c) iv) Similarly fair amount of assessment of role of the UN in practice is desirable under new syllabus with due focus on the Need for UN-reforms (topic no 9) v)Finally a new topic under the broad headline of 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 (paper II),topic no 8) has been added with is otherwise purely a part of current affairs (i.eG.S.)
Political Science is a dynamic and ever-changing subject. Candidates aspiring to opt for it should be more aware of the shift in focus than the skeletal changes in the revised syllabus. Opting for Aristotle’s Master science, the aspirant should master the techniques to make best use of these changes like a crafty politician. The advantages of picking political science as a favourite optional are manifold. It helps candidates in updating their knowledge of the current events and provides a fresh perspective on the burning domestic and foreign policy issues. About half of the general studies paper is vitally related to the two papers of political science for the main examination. Besides, that is the best subject to ensure a sound sleep during the interview days simply because you have readymade answer for virtually all the question being asked by the board members.
Section (B) of the prelims has also registered a few additions signifying both structural and spiritual shift. Approaches to the study of governments; classification of political systems; the constituent assembly, the party system in India, the interaction of government and the local-self governments; bureaucracy and development, and the challenges to the Indian Democracy are major additions. The students should specifically focus on the themes like 73rd constitutional amendment, the political parties and the bureaucracy. It would be advisable to tell about the clarity of concepts and the grasp of knowledge both in vertical and horizontal dimensions to qualify the prelims. More you have read, more facts will strike your memory while searching for the right answer through the process of examination. That is why, a serious and hard working student proves better in answering the objective type test questions than an ill-organised and poor in knowledge candidate.
Paper I Section A
1. A History of Political thought -Subrata Mukherjee, Susheela Ramaswamy
2. A History of Political thought -J.P. Suda
3. For Manu & Kautilya : Foundations of Indian Political thought- V.R. Mehta
4. Political Theory -O.P. Gauba
5.Modern Political Theory -S.P. Verma
6. Modern Political Theory -Madan Gandhi
7.Political Theory -Eddy Ashirvatham
8. Political Theory -J.C. Johri
9. Political Theory -Ray & Bhattacharya
10. Political Theory -O.P. Gauba
Paper I Section B
1.Comparative Govt. & Politics -J.C. Johri
2.Comparative Govt. & Politics -Ronald Chilkote
3.Modern Indian Political Thinkers -V.P. Verma
4.Foundations of Indian Political Thought -V.R. Mehta
5.Indian Govt. and Politics -A.S. Narang
6.Indian Govt. and Politics -J.R. Siwach
7.Indian Govt and Politics -M.P. Singh, Himanshu Roy
8.Politics in India -Rajani Kothari
9.Govt. and Politics of India -W.H. Morris Jones
Paper II Section A
1.Theoretical aspects of International Politics -Mahendra Kumar
2.Politics among Nations -Morganthu
3.International Politics -Schuman
Paper II Section B
1.International Politics -Bookhives
2.Regular issues of Frontline & World Focus (magazine) Others IIPA Journal, The Hindu, Frontline
Topic Wise Books For Pol. Science – Political Theory and Indian Politics
1.George H. Sabine ( Western political theory)
2.Eddy Ashrivatham (Political theory)
3.C.L. Wayper (Political thought)
4.O.P. Gauba (An introduction to political thought)
5.R.M. Bhagat (Western political thought)
6.Amal Roy and Mohit Bhattacharya (political theory, ideas and institutions)
7.S.P. Varma (Modern political theory)
8.J.C. Jauhary (Comparative politics)
9.Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations – M. Laxmikanth.
10.A.S. Sandhu (Political theory)
11.Pukharaj Jain (Political thought)