UPSC Optional Paper Syllabus for Political Science – Paper I (Political Theory and Indian Politics) Political Science and International Relations syllabus majorly covers topics related to the Constitution of India, social justice, international organizations, the international economic system and trade, India’s foreign policy, and peacekeeping among others.
A. Political Theory and Thinkers
Political theory Meaning, Definition, and approaches Theories of the state Pluralist, Liberal, Neoliberal, Marxist, Post-colonial Feminist. Justice Concept of justice with reference to Rawl’s theory of justice Equality Relationship between freedom and equality and; Political, Social, and economic; Affirmative action. Rights Meaning and theories; the concept of Human Rights Democracy different models of democracy – deliberative, participatory and representative, Contemporary and Classical theories Concept of power hegemony, Ideology legitimacy. Political Ideologies Marxism, Liberalism, Fascism, Gandhism, Feminism, Socialism. Indian Political Thought Dharamshastra, Arthashastra, and Buddhist traditions; Sri Aurobindo, B.R. Ambedkar, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, M.K. Gandhi, M.N. Roy. Western Political Thought Plato, John S. Mill, Machiavelli, Aristotle, Locke, Hobbes, Gramsci Marx, Hannah Arendt. UPSC IAS Mains 2020: Optional Subject Syllabus for Sociology
B. Indian Government and Politics
Indian Nationalism Political Strategies of India’s Freedom Struggle: Civil Disobedience, Non-cooperation; Constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Peasant and workers’ movements, Revolutionary movements. Making of the Indian Constitution Different political and social perspectives, Legacies of the British rule Salient Features of the Indian Constitution Fundamental Rights and Duties, Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine, The Preamble, Directive Principles, Parliamentary System, Amendment Procedures. Principal Organs of the Union Government Executive, Envisaged role and actual working of the Legislature, and Supreme Court. Principal Organs of the State Government Executive, Envisaged role and actual working of the Legislature, and High Courts. Statutory Institutions/ Commissions Election Commission, Comptroller, and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, National Backward Classes Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Women; National Commission for Minorities.
Federalism Changing nature of center-state relations; Constitutional provisions; and regional aspirations; integrationist tendencies, inter-state disputes. Planning and Economic Development The role of planning and public sector; land reforms and agrarian relations; liberalization, Green Revolution, economic reforms. Party System National and regional political parties, Ideological and social bases of parties; trends in electoral behaviour; patterns of coalition politics; Pressure groups, changing the socio-economic profile of Legislators. Social Movements Civil liberties, women’s movements; environmentalist movements UPSC Optional Paper Syllabus for Political Science – Paper I (Comparative Politics and International Relations) A. Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics
Comparative Politics Political economy, Nature and major approaches; limitations of the comparative method. Globalisation Responses from developing and developed societies. Approaches to the Study of International Relations Idealist, Functionalist, Realist, Marxist, and Systems theory. Key concepts in International Relations Security, World capitalist economy and globalization; Balance of power and deterrence; National interest, and power; Transnational actors, and collective security. Changing International Political Order The arms race and Cold War; Rise of superpowers; strategic and ideological Bipolarity, nuclear threat; Non-aligned movement: Achievements and Aims; Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; Relevance of non-alignment in the contemporary world. Evolution of the International Economic System From Brettonwoods to WTO; Globalisation of the world economy; Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new international economic order. United Nations Envisaged role and actual record; Specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; the need for UN reforms. Regionalization of World Politics ASEAN, SAARC, APEC, EU, NAFTA. Contemporary Global Concerns Human rights, Gender justice, nuclear proliferation, Democracy, environment, terrorism. Indian Foreign Policy Continuity and change: Institutions of policy-making, Determinants of foreign policy India and South Asia South Asia as a Free Trade Area Regional Co-operation: SAARC –past performance and future prospects Impediments to regional co-operation: ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; river water disputes; illegal cross-border migration; border disputes. India’s “Look East” policy India and the Global South Relations with Latin America and Africa, Leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations India and the Global Centres of Power USA, China, EU, Japan, and Russia. India and the UN System Role in United Nation Peace-keeping India and the Nuclear Questions Perceptions and Changing policy Recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy India’s position on the recent crisis in West Asia, Growing relations with US and Israel; Afghanistan and Iraq, the vision of new world order
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