The UPSC CSE exam is India’s most popular examination that students have dreamed of cracking since their school and college days. It is attempted by lakhs of students although only a handful qualify for it. Cracking UPSC exams also means choosing the right optional subjects (UPSC Political Science Optional Syllabus) that will make you eligible for the interview. Political Science is one such optional subject that will be to your advantage.

Why should you opt for Political science as an optional subject?

Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) is the best choice if you are an aspiring bureaucrat who wishes to enter the civil service field ahead. The subject is crisp and concise in nature, which can help you gain direct marks.

Pros and Cons

Every subject has its own pros and cons, based on which an individual can make the right choices.

Pros of PSIR

Common Subject: Political Science is a subject that overlaps significantly with other subjects, especially General Studies.

Non-tech nature: PSIR is slightly non-tech in nature. If you are someone who likes catching up with social affairs in the newspaper, picking up this subject can come naturally to you.

Common Topic: Many topics in PSIR are common in Paper I and Paper II like Liberalism, Ideas of Marxism, Human Rights, Feminism, etc.

Interview Preparation: PSIR topics and contents are asked in the final interview phase, therefore subject knowledge is highly beneficial for cracking the UPSC exams.

Cons of PSIR

Dynamic: The dynamic nature of this subject involves keeping abreast of the constantly changing international relations. This requires constant attention to the current changing affairs.

Competent: Because PSIR is a popular subject, a common choice amongst candidates including the toppers, it includes a high level of competition.

Resource Scarcity: The subject includes vast theory-based concepts that can be difficult to grasp. It can be difficult for students to find good summary notes for tough or lengthy topics.

The average passing % of PSIR optional subjects in UPSC is between 8%-9%.

PSIR Syllabus – Paper 1

Political Theory and Indian Politics:

• Political Theory: meaning and approaches
• Theories of state: Liberal, Neo-liberal, Marxist, Pluralist, Post-colonial, and Feminist
• Justice: Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
• Equality: Social, political, and economic, the relationship between equality and freedom, Affirmative action.
• Rights: Meaning and theories, different kinds of rights, Concept of Human Rights
• Democracy: Classical and contemporary theories, different models of democracy—representative, participatory and deliberative
• Concept of power: hegemony, ideology, and legitimacy
• Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism, and Feminism
• Indian Political Thought: Dharmashastra, Arthashastra, and Buddhist Traditions, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M. K. Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar, M. N. Roy
• Western Political Thought: Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt

 

Indian Government and Politics

• Indian Government and Politics

1. Political Strategies of India’s Freedom Struggle: Constitutionalism to Mass Satyagraha, Noncooperation, Civil Disobedience, Militant and Revolutionary Movements, Peasant and Workers Movements.
2. Perspectives on Indian National Movement; Liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Radical Humanist, and Dalit.

• Making of the Indian Constitution: Legacies of the British rule, different social and political perspectives.
• 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.
• 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.
• Grassroots Democracy: Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government, Significance of 73rd and 74th Amendments, Grassroots movements.
• Statutory Institutions/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.
• Federalism: Constitutional provisions, changing nature of center-state relations, integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations, inter-state disputes.
• 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.
• Caste, Religion, and Ethnicity in Indian Politics
• 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.
• Social Movement: Civil liberties and human rights movements, women’s movements, environmentalist movements.

PSIR Syllabus – Paper 2

Comparative Politics and International Relations

Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics:

• Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches; Political economy and political sociology perspectives; Limitations of the comparative method.
• State in Comparative Perspective: Characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and advanced industrial and developing societies.
• Politics of Representation and Participation: Political parties, pressure groups, and social movements in advanced industrial and developing societies.
• Globalization: Responses from developed and developing societies.
• Approaches to the Study of International Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and Systems theory.
• Key Concepts in International Relations: National interest, security, and power; Balance of power and deterrence; Transitional actors and collective security; World capitalist economy and globalization.
• Changing International Political Order:

1. Rise of superpowers, Strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and cold war, Nuclear threat
2. Non-aligned movement: Aims and achievements
3. Collapse of the Soviet Union, Unipolarity and American hegemony, Relevance of non-alignment in the contemporary world.

• Evolution of the International Economic System: From Bretton Woods to WTO, Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance), Third World demand for new international economic order, Globalization of the world economy.
• United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record, Specialized UN agencies—aims and functioning, the need for UN reforms.
• Regionalization of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, AARC, NAFTA.
• Contemporary Global Concerns: Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice terrorism, nuclear proliferation.

India and the World

• Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants of foreign policy; the institutions of policy-making; continuity and change.
• India’s Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement Different phases, current role.
• India and South Asia:

1. Regional Co-operation: SAARC-past performance and future prospects
2. South Asia as a Free Trade Area
3. India’s Look East Policy
4. Impediments to regional co-operation: River water disputes, illegal cross-border migration, Ethnic conflicts and insurgencies, Border disputes.

• India and the Global South: Relations with Africa and Latin America, Leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations.
• India and the Global Centers of Power: USA, EU, Japan, China and Russia.
• India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping, Demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
• India and the Nuclear Question: Changing perceptions and policy.
• Recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy: India’s position on the recent crises in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West Asia, growing relations with the US and Israel, and Vision of a new world order.

Books Recommended for PSIR

• A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx- by Subrata Mukherjee & Sushila Ramaswamy
• Western Political Thought- by OP Gauba
• Political Ideologies- by Andrew Heywood
• Political Theory – An Introduction to Political Science- by Rajeev Bhargav & Ashok Acharya
• Foundation of Indian Political Thought – by VR Mehta
• India’s Struggle for Independence- by Bipan Chandra
• Indian Government and Politics- by BL Fadia
• The Oxford Companion to Politics in India- by Pratap Bhanu Mehta
• Comparative Politics- by J.C. Johari
• Global Politics- by Andrew Heywood
• Globalization of World Politics- by John Baylis, Steve Smith, Patricia Owens
• The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy- by David M. Malone, C. Raja Mohan, and Srinath Raghavan

Conclusion

UPSC is a highly-valued examination in India. Cracking this exam involves multiple hurdles in the form of various phases and a vast syllabus. By tactically choosing the right optional subject, you can turn the choice-making ability into your advantage.