Political Science Foundation 2023
₹ 37000/-
Course Fee
(+GST)
₹ 37000
Course Fee
(+GST)
Execlusive Online
Highlights
Programme Highlights
- 4.5 Months Comprehensive Classes to Cover Complete UPSC Syllabus of PSIR.
- Coverage of New Theories and Commentaries “Special in Paper-1 Section-A, Paper-2 Section-A”
- Discussion of Previous Year UPSC Question Papers & Most Important Areas for Mains 2021
- Innovative methodology of teaching, Application of different approaches mentioned in syllabus
- Explanation of the interlinks between PSIR and GS papers
- Test Series including 12 Tests (8 Sectional & 4 Mock)
- Special lecture series on answer writing practice
- Extended Topics of PSIR optional to be Covered in Political Science Advance Classes
- Crisp and Relevant Material with focus on Current Trend
- Personalised attention for doubt clearing
Approach
Programme Approach
About The Course
This course has been specially designed for those who are
- Interested in opting Political Science as optional without Academic Background of the subjects.
- Having difficulties with the Historiography and its applicability in understanding the subject
- Even for those who have studied the subject but can not apply their information as per the requirements of the UPSC
- Studied the subject by their own and facing problem in writing standard answer.
Study Material
We will provide comprehensive study material. The nature of study material will be two fold, one which will work as supplementary material to class lectures and second basic.
Tests
There will be 12 Tests including 8 Sectional Test and 4 Mock Tests along with Answer Writing and Discussion Sessions.
Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as Optional
The issue of selecting optional subjects for Civil Services Examination is a delicate issue for many aspirants. The foremost criteria to choose an optional subject is based on interest of subject for aspirant and the optional having maximum convergence with GS syllabus so that optional preparation should rather help in GS preparation instead of reducing time for the latter. Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as optional subject in UPSC Mains has emerged to be the most reliable subject to qualify the UPSC with high rank.
Political Science and International Relations or PSIR contains static portions such as Political thought and theories of IR along with very dynamic portions like Indian Government and Politics and International Relations. The International Relations section is playing a very instrumental role in qualifying the exam as aspirants are scoring more than 170 marks in the paper.
PSIR as optional subject in UPSC mains covers the entire syllabus of General Studies Paper 2. Also in General studies Paper 1, it covers crucial topics like Post-Independence Consolidation, Ideologies and social issues. Moreover, topics like internal security and environmental issues in IR from General Studies Paper-3 are already part of PSIR syllabus. Lastly, PSIR is helpful in General Studies Paper-4 since major philosophical thinkers/leaders ranging from Plato, Aristotle, Kautilya, Gandhi and Ambedkar are already covered in PSIR paper-1. Every year essay topics are directly related to political science.
At the interview stage, PSIR is one of the most helpful subjects since it enables candidates to easily answer deep understanding based questions from Polity and International Relations in a short span of time.
Highlights of Political Science and International Science Optional Classes:
- Detailed coverage of both political science paper I & II for UPSC mains exam
- Explanation of the interlinks between PSIR and GS papers
- Personalised attention
- Comprehensively updated classroom lectures
- Special lecture series on answer writing practice
- Printed and class notes
- Extensive answer writing practice
- Mock tests
Syllabus
PSIR Syllabus to be Covered
PART I
- Political Theory meaning and ap-proaches
- Theories of the State: Liberal, Neoliberal, 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;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: Dharamshastra, 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 Nationalism: Political Strategies of India's Freedom struggle: constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience; millitant and revolutionary movements, Peasant and workers' movements.
- Perspectives on Indian National Movement: Liberal, Socialist and 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; Grassroot movements.
- Statutory Institutions/Commissions: Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Comission 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 centre-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; liberalilzation 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 behaviour; changing socio- economic profile of Legislators.
- Social Movements: Civil liberties and human rights movements; women's movements; environmentalist movements.
PART II
- 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.
- Globalisation: 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; Transnational actors and collective security; World capitalist economy and globalisation.
- Changing International Political Order: Rise of super powers; strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and Cold War; nuclear threat; Non-al igned movement: Aims and achievements; 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; Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new international economic order; Globalisation of the world economy.
- United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record; specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
- Regionalisation of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, NAFTA.
- 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.
- United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record; specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
- Regionalisation of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, NAFTA.
- Contemporary Global Concerns: Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism, nuclear proliferation.
- Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants of foreign policy; institutions of policy-making; continuity and change.
- India's Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement: Different phases; current role
- India and South Asia:
- Regional Co-operation: SAARC past performance and future prospects.
- South Asia as a Free Trade Area.
- India’s “Look East” policy.
- 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 Centres 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 crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia, growing relations with US and Israel; vision of a new world order.
Extended Topics Covered
- Post-colonial and feminist state
- Marxist, ‘Neo Marxist State’ and ‘Post Marxist and Social Pluralism’
- Authority and legitimacy dynamics, Joseph Raz on Political authority
- Contemporary theories of legitimacy with special reference to ‘Habermass legitimation crisis’ and David Beetham’s views on Political legitimacy
- Concepts of Communitarianism, ‘Conception of self; Encumbered Vs Unencumbered’, ‘Universalism Vs Particularism’, ‘Priority of Right over the Good’ Vs ‘Priority of Good over the Right’, ‘State Neutrality Vs Non-Neutrality of State’
- Rawls theory of justice, Justice as entitlement –Robert Nozick, Communi-tarian perspective on Justice- Michael Walzer, Susan moller Okin conception of justice
- Idea of Global Justice with special reference to Thomas Pogge
- Debates on equality with special reference to contemporary thinks (Scheffler, Derek parfit and others), Debates on liberty with special reference to Quentin skinner
- Contemporary theories of rights with special reference to Dworkin, Robert Nozik and HLA hart
- Multiculturalism and Cultural rights with special reference to will Kymlicka and Robert E Goodin, Group rights and Joseph Raz and critical evaluation of Amy Gutmann
- Impact of Globalization on Democracies and Democratic theories, Cosmopolitan Democratic Governance
- Approaches to study Indian Government and Politics.
- Social and New Social Movements: Meaning, Scope and Application
- The four great debates in International relations
- The Globalization of Human Rights, “Globalization, Human rights and State”, “Globalization, transnational Corporations and Human Rights”
- Realist, Subaltern realism and Peripheral realism, Functionalist and Systems theory.
- Feminism in International relations, Feminist criticism of rationality, feminist understanding of ‘Power and State’
- Social Constructivism
- Marxism and post-positivism; Critical theories
- Security and Economic Regimes in International Relations
- Third World Security studies
- Evolution of Indian Foreign Policy
- Discussion on few themes:
- Water disputes at regional level
- Illegal cross border immigration regional and global level
- Terrorism at regional and global level
- Ethinic conflicts and insurgeries
- Bilateral Relations with South Asian and West Asian Countries
- Comparative Study of co-operation and conflict of India China on different regional such as: Africa, Central Asia, Indian Ocean
Procedure
Procedure
Online Classes
- To enroll student has to register on the website using Registration Form or Google Login or Facebook Login.
- If already registered login with your username and password which you have used for registration.
- Account for Online Classes will be activated within one working day of Enrollment or before batch Starts.
- Classes will be conducted online as per the class schedule.
- Weekly Class Schedule will be uploaded into students account with session plan and doubt clearing sessions schedule.
- Study Material is into two formats i.e. printed and pdf.
- Printed Study Material, if any will be dispatched by courier within a week of enrollment.
- Soft Copy notes will be uploaded in PDF format into your account.
Doubt Clearing
- One on one doubt clearing session will be conducted with concern faculties on Google Meet as per schedule.
- Students can put their doubts in chat box given into their account with each session.
- Students can also interact with faculty though phone or whatsApp for doubt clearing.
- After evaluation of mains test copy, one on one discussion with respective faculty will be done on phone.
Political Science Test Series
- Tests will be uploaded in PDF format in your account.
- To write the test students have to download the PDF of test paper booklet or write the test in A4 sheet with proper spacing as per UPSC pattern. After writing the test send us back scanned copy in pdf format for evaluation.
- Further evaluated test copy will be sent back to the students within 15 days after receiving the answer sheet.
- Test discussion video will be uploaded into your account on the scheduled test date.
- Once student will receive evaluated copy, one to one discussion with concerned faculty/experts will be arranged via phone call or live interaction.
Sample Question, Model Answer & Discussion Video
Questions
FAQs
Verifying, please be patient.
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