UPSC Polity Syllabus: Indian Polity Syllabus for UPSC Prelims and Mains
By Balaji
Updated on: March 3rd, 2023
UPSC Polity Syllabus must be thoroughly analyzed by the UPSC aspirants as polity is an integral part of the Civil Services Exam. Indian polity is a part of both UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. In UPSC Prelims 2020, 16 questions were directly asked from the polity syllabus for UPSC. Questions related to polity were asked in all three stages of the Civil Services Examination.
In this article, we have covered the polity syllabus for UPSC, which you need to cover properly for the upcoming UPSC exam. In addition, we will cover the best strategy to cover the syllabus of Indian polity for UPSC. candidates can also download the UPSC polity syllabus PDF and kickstart their preparation.
Table of content
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1. UPSC Polity Syllabus
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2. UPSC Polity Syllabus PDF
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3. Topic-Wise Polity Syllabus for UPSC
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4. Polity Syllabus for UPSC Prelims
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5. UPSC Polity Syllabus for Mains
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6. Strategy to Prepare for UPSC Polity Syllabus
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7. Best Books for UPSC Polity Syllabus
UPSC Polity Syllabus
The system of government is called polity, and it is midway between democracy and oligarchy. Polity deals with the government functioning in the country.
It gives an understanding of the country’s executive, legislative, various constitutional authorities, judicial systems, etc. The UPSC Polity Syllabus covers a wide range of topics, namely:
- Constitutional Framework
- System of Government
- State Government
- Central Government
- Constitutional Bodies
- Union Territories of India & Local Government
- Non-Constitutional Bodies
- Emergency Provisions
- Miscellaneous
- Current Affairs
Below, we will provide the Indian Polity Syllabus for UPSC in a more detailed manner.
UPSC Polity Syllabus PDF
Candidates must keep a copy of the Indian polity syllabus for UPSC to ensure they don’t miss out on crucial topics. To get a good score under this section, it is suggested to analyze the entire syllabus and have a thorough understanding of the important topics.
UPSC Polity Syllabus PDF
That is why below we have provided the Indian polity syllabus for UPSC PDF, which the candidates can take a printout and start their preparation for the upcoming UPSC exam.
Topic-Wise Polity Syllabus for UPSC
Indian Polity sums up the entire constitutional framework and function of the political system. Below we have broken down the UPSC Polity Syllabus into smaller sub-topic, which would make your preparation easier.
Make sure you go through all these topics in detail with the help of the best Polity Books for UPSC and other NCERT Books for UPSC.
Topic Wise UPSC Polity Syllabus | |
Topic | Sub-topic |
Constitutional Framework | Historical Background
Amendment of the Constitution Basic Structure Constitutional Development Making of the Constitution Features of the Constitution The Union & Its Territories Citizenship |
System of Government | Parliamentary System
Inter-state Relations Federal System Center-state Relations |
State Government | Governor of India
State Council of Ministers State Legislature Chief Minister Subordinate Courts Special Provisions for Some States |
Central Government | President of India
Vice-President Parliament Central Council of Ministers Cabinet Committee Parliamentary Committee & Forums Prime Minister |
Constitutional Bodies | Election Commission
UPSC Comptroller & Auditor General of India National Commission for SCs National Commission for STs Attorney General of India Advocate General of State State PCS Finance Commission |
Union Territories & Local Government | Union Territories
Municipalities Scheduled & Tribal Areas |
Non-Constitutional Bodies | Planning Commission
National Development Council Lokpal & Lokayukta Central Information Commission Central Vigilance Commission National Human Rights Commission State Human Rights Commission Central Bureau of Investigation |
Emergency Provisions | National Emergency
Role of President in the Time of Emergency Financial Emergency Effects and Implications of Emergency Revoking Emergency President’s Rule or State Emergency |
Miscellaneous | Cooperative Societies
Official Language |
Current Affairs | Important Schemes (both Central & State) |
Polity Syllabus for UPSC Prelims
The UPSC CSE general studies-paper-I Indian polity and governance syllabus is very precise. But it covers a wide range of important concepts and issues to understand.
Indian polity is also a part of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus, and below, we have provided the Prelims Polity syllabus for UPSC.
- Indian polity and governance – Constitution
- Political system
- Panchayati Raj Public Policy, Rights Issues etc. The syllabus for the preliminary examination is epigrammatic.
UPSC Polity Syllabus for Mains
The General Studie Paper-II of the UPSC Mains Syllabus includes the Indian Polity section. Candidates must go through the UPSC Polity Syllabus for Mains before starting their preparation.
- Indian Constitution
- Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States
- comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
- Parliament and State Legislatures
- Appointment to various Constitutional posts
- Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive
- Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
- Government policies and interventions
- Health, Education, Human Resources
- Development processes and the development industry
- Issues relating to poverty and hunger
- Role of civil services in a democracy
- Important aspects of governance
Strategy to Prepare for UPSC Polity Syllabus
Polity is an important subject for the competitive examination, especially for UPSC CSE. That’s why candidates must follow a strategic approach when it comes to the preparation of the Polity syllabus for UPSC.
Below we have mentioned some effective tips that would help the candidates covering the Indian Polity syllabus for UPSC in an efficient manner.
- Make sure to read NCERTs of Political Sciences for Classes XI and XII to strengthen your foundation of the Polity UPSC syllabus.
- Read the basic Polity books, including M. Laxmikanth and Introduction to Indian Constitution by D.D Basu, to develop a deep understanding of the subject.
- Prepare short notes highlighting the important points which would be helpful during the revision period.
- Go through the Previous Year’s Question Papers to get an idea about the types of questions asked from the syllabus of polity for UPSC in recent years.
- Give as many mock tests as possible, which would help to make necessary rectifications.
- Lastly, read the newspapers as many questions are asked from the recent scheme.
Best Books for UPSC Polity Syllabus
UPSC Books are a must for the UPSC Exam preparation. Below we have added the best books for the Polity syllabus for UPSC that you must have.
- Indian Constitution at Work- Class 11
- Political Theory- Class 11
- Contemporary World Politics- Class 12
- Politics in India Since Independence- Class 12
- Indian Polity book for UPSC- M Laxmikanth
- Introduction to Constitution of India- Durga Das Basu
- Important Acts that Transformed India- Alex Andrews George
- Important judgments that Transformed India- Alex Andrews George.