PRELIMS-POLITY DETAILED SYLLABUS,BOOKS AND ANALYSIS

  • Preamble
    1. Features of preamble
    2. 42nd Amendment
    3. Swaran Singh committee
  • Schedules
    1. The basic idea of 12 schedules
  • Constitution of India
    1. The basic idea of All articles
    2. Historical Background
    3. Drafting committee and the making of the Constitution
    4. Influence of other constitutions
    5. Its salient features
  • Union and its Territory
    1. The basic idea of Articles 1-4
    2. State reorganisation and different Commissions
    3. Federal nature
    4. Recent issues
  • Citizenship
    1. The basic idea of Article 5-11
    2. PIO, NRI, OCI and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
    3. Privileges available for Indian citizens and foreigners
    4. Citizenship Amendment Act of 2016
    5. New policies, schemes and recent changes in voting.
  • Fundamental Rights (FR)
    1. The basic idea of Article 12-35
    2. A thorough understanding of Articles 14- 30 and Art. 32
    3. Rights and privileges are available to citizens of India only and both to citizens and foreigners
    4. 44th amendment act
    5. Different types of Writs
    6. Enforcement and Exceptional cases with regard to FRs
    7. RTE and recent issues related to FR
  • Fundamental Duties(FD)
    1. Article 51A
    2. Difference between FR and FD
    3. Significance and Criticism
    4. Enforcement of FDs
    5. Recent issues with FD
  • Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)
    1. The basic idea about Article and Article 36-51 and Article 368
    2. Sources and key features of DPSP
    3. Classification of DPSP
    4. Comparison/ conflicts between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
    5. Keshavananda Bharathi, Minerva Mills, Golaknath Case, Maneka Gandhi case.
    6. Important Amendments- 42nd Amendment, 44th Amendment, and 97th amendment
  • Union
    1. The basic idea of Articles 52-73
    2. Qualification and Election
    3. Function and Powers- (Executive, Legislative, Financial, Judicial, Diplomatic, Military and Emergency Powers)
    4. Resignation and impeachment
    5. Role and responsibilities and relationship with Prime minister, Council of Minister, Cabinet ministers.
    6. Prime minister and council of ministers- The basic idea of Article 74-75
    7. Powers and Functions
    8. Council of ministers
    9. Resignation and Removal
    10. Attorney general
    11. Parliament
      • The basic idea of the article related
      • Role and functions of the Parliament
      • Sessions, Motions, Parliamentary procedure – Summoning, Prorogation, Joint Sitting
      • Parliamentary proceedings like Question Hour, Zero Hour, Adjournment Motion, etc.
      • Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,
      • Special powers of Rajya Sabha
      • Anti-defection law and 10th schedule
      • Parliamentary Privileges
      • Bill and lawmaking procedure
      • Budget, funds and its summary
      • Parliamentary Committees
  • Judiciary
    1. The basic idea of the article is related to the judiciary.
    2. Powers of the Supreme court and high court
    3. Qualification and appointment
    4. Removal procedure
    5. Recent controversy, verdicts, and constitutional provisions.
  • State Government- State Executive
    1. Governor- appointment, removal and special powers.
    2. Executive, Legislative, Financial, and Judicial powers and discretionary of the governor
    3. 7th constitutional amendment
    4. Chief minister and council of ministers
    5. Power of chief minister
    6. State Legislature
      • State legislature compared to the Parliament with regard to composition, powers, and functions.
      • Bicameral legislatures
      • Creation and abolition of the Legislative councils
    7. Administration of Union Territories (UT)
    8. Special provision for Delhi
    9. Administration and jurisdiction in UT’s
  • Administration of Special Areas
    1. Basic idea about 5thSchedule 6th Schedule
    2. Recent issues related to Administration of Special Areas
    3. Special provision for Jammu and Kashmir-Article 370
    4. Difference between constitutional provisions related to Jammu and Kashmir
  • Emergency Provisions
    1. National emergency- Article 352
    2. President’s rule or State emergency- Article 356
    3. Financial emergency- Article 360
    4. 44th amendment act
    5. Effects and implications of emergency
    6. Role of President in emergency time
    7. The State of FR, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha
    8. Revoking emergency
  • State-centre and interstate relations
    1. The basic idea of Articles 262 and 263
    2. Composition and functions of Interstate council and Zonal council
    3. Inter-State trade and Commerce
    4. Recent disputes between states, controversies etc
    5. New policies or schemes which impact interstate relations
  • Panchayati Raj and municipalities
    1. Elections, auditing, powers and authority of panchayats
    2. 3 tier structure
    3. 73rd Amendment Act and the 74th Amendment Act
    4. Relation with FR and DPSP
    5. Schemes introduced
    6. Metropolitan planning committee and urban development
  • Reservation
  • Constitution Bodies
    1. Election Commission
    2. UPSC
    3. SPSC
    4. JPSC
    5. Finance Commission
    6. National Commission for SCs and STs,
    7. Composition, Powers and functions, Removal of the Constitutional bodies
  • Non-Constitutional Bodies
    1. The basic idea about Composition, Functions, and Working of the Non-Constitutional bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission, Central Information Commission, Central Vigilance Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation, State Human Rights Commission, State Information Commission, etc.
  • Tribunals
    1. The basic idea about Article 323A and tribunals under Article 323B
    2. Recent controversial issues related to tribunals
    3. Different tribunals and their importance
  • Special Provisions for SCs, STs, Backward Classes, Minorities and Anglo-Indians
    1. Privileges and rights issued to SCs, STs, Backward Classes, Minorities and Anglo-Indians
    2. Issues related to vulnerable sections like women, children, SCs, STs, Backward Classes, Minorities and Anglo-Indians
  • Current affairs
    1. Recent issues related to the above-mentioned categories
    2. Important schemes, programs, missions, laws, and policies launched by the government.
    3. Recent Government Bills and Governance- Actions

UPSC Weightage for Polity and Governance

Check the weightage of questions asked from the Polity & Governance section in the IAS exam below in the table:

YearsPolity & Governance
201511
20166
201722
201811
201913
202018
202116
202212

Study Material for Polity and Governance

  • M Laxmikanth – Indian Polity The Latest Edition
  • NCERT XI – Working on the Indian Constitution

Reference Books for Polity and Governance

  • Our Constitution – Shubash Kashyap or Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu,
  • Governance in India by M Laxmikanth

Scroll to Top