UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024, Check Prelims and Mains Syllabus

UPSC offers candidates the freedom to select their optional subjects from a pool of 48 different subjects. Among these options, some subjects share significant content with the General Studies syllabus. The IAS Exam comprises three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. The UPSC Mains Examination consists of nine papers, including two papers dedicated to the optional subject chosen by the candidate. One of the subjects available in the list of optional subjects is UPSC Polity Syllabus and International Relations.

UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024

The subject of UPSC Polity and International Relations (PSIR), commonly referred to as PSIR, offers a vast array of study material. The UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024 covers diverse topics, including India’s freedom struggle and political landscape, the Constitution of India, international economic systems and trade, international organizations, India’s foreign policy, and peacekeeping efforts, among others. It is worth noting that many of these topics also form a part of the General Studies syllabus.

UPSC Polity Syllabus for Prelims

Individuals preparing for the UPSC Preliminary exam must focus on studying the Polity syllabus for Paper 1 (General Studies I). This section constitutes 100 questions carrying a total of 200 marks. Around 15-20 questions from the UPSC Prelims syllabus are dedicated to the Indian Polity. These questions are objective, specifically focusing on Polity topics for UPSC Prelims. Topic asked in UPSC prelims from Polity Subject mentioned below-

• Constitution
• Political System
• Panchayati Raj
• Public Policy
• Parliamentary Rights & Issues, etc.

Polity Syllabus for UPSC Mains Exam

Aspirants are required to study the Indian polity syllabus for UPSC Mains in General Studies Paper 2. This paper carries 250 marks, and many topics covered in the UPSC Mains Syllabus on Polity are similar to those in the Prelims GS-I paper. Below, candidates can find a comprehensive Polity Syllabus for UPSC Mains.

UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024 for Optional Paper I

Candidates can check out the Topic-wise UPSC Polity Science Syllabus for Mains Optional paper I.

Political Theory and Indian Politics:

1. Political theory: meaning and approaches.
2. Theories of the state: Liberal, Neo-liberal, 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; the 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, Sri 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:
   a) Political Strategies of India’s Freedom struggle: constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience; militant and revolutionary movements, Peasant and workers’ movements.
   b) 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. a. Principal Organs of the Union Government: Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature, and Supreme Court.
   b. 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 Commission 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 center-state relations; integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state disputes.
8. Planning and Economic Development: Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives; the role of planning and public sector; Green Revolution, land reforms and agrarian relations; liberalization 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 behavior; changing socio-economic profile of Legislators.
11. Social Movements: Civil liberties and human rights movements; women’s movements; environmentalist movements

UPSC Polity Science Syllabus 2024 for Optional Paper II

Candidates can check out the Topic-wise UPSC Polity Syllabus for Mains Optional paper II.

A) Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics

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. Globalization: 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 globalization.
7. 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 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. Regionalization of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, NAFTA.
11. Contemporary Global Concerns: Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism, nuclear proliferation.

B) India and the World

1. Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants of foreign policy; institutions of policy-making; continuity and change.
2. India’s Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement: Different phases; current role.
3. India and South Asia:
   (a) Regional Co-operation: SAARC-past performance and prospects.
   (b) South Asia as a Free Trade Area.
   (c) India’s “Look East” policy.
   (d) Impediments to regional co-operation: river water disputes; illegal cross-border migration; ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; border disputes.
4. India and the Global South: Relations with Africa and Latin America; leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations.
5. India and the Global Centres of Power: USA, EU, Japan, China, and Russia.
6. India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping; Demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
7. India and the Nuclear Question: Changing perceptions and policy.
8. Recent developments in Indian Foreign policy: India’s position on the recent crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West Asia, growing relations with the US and Israel; a vision of a new world order.

UPSC Political Science Syllabus 2024

Selecting UPSC Polity as an optional subject for the UPSC Mains exam is best suited for candidates who demonstrate exceptional proficiency and a true passion for the subject. The UPSC Mains exam features the IAS Political Science Optional Subject, which comprises two papers: Paper I and Paper II. Aspirants can refer to the detailed syllabus for Paper I and Paper II to prepare thoroughly.

UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024 PDF

Candidates who are appearing in the UPSC Polity mains Exam can download the UPSC Political Science Syllabus PDF Here. Click on the link below to Download the UPSC Polity Syllabus 2024.

 Click Here to Download UPSC Political Science Syllabus 2024 PDF

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