Important Indian Polity Topics for UPSC
Indian Polity encapsulates the entire constitutional framework and how our political system works. We’ve broken down the Indian Polity topics mentioned in the UPSC notification into smaller sub-topics that will ease your preparation further. Go through each of these topics in detail from standard sources such as NCERTs and Laxmikanth’s book to prepare Indian Polity for UPSC.
Constitutional Framework
Historical Background
Constitutional Development
Making of the Constitution
Features of the Constitution
Preamble
The Union & Its Territories
Citizenship
Fundamental Rights
Directive Principles of State Policy
Fundamental Duties
Amendment of the Constitution
Basic Structure
System of Government
Parliamentary System
Federal System
Center-state Relations
Inter-state Relations
Central Government
President
Vice-President
Prime Minister
Central Council of Ministers
Cabinet Committee
Parliament
Parliamentary Committee & Forums
Supreme Court
State Government
Governor
Chief Minister
State Council of Ministers
State Legislature
High Courts
Subordinate Courts
Special Provisions for Some States
Union Territories & Local Government
Union Territories
Scheduled & Tribal Areas
Panchayati Raj
Municipalities
Constitutional Bodies
Election Commission
UPSC
State PCS
Finance Commission
National Commission for SCs
National Commission for STs
Comptroller & Auditor General of India
Attorney General of India
Advocate General of State
Non-Constitutional Bodies
Planning Commission
National Development Council
National Human Rights Commission
State Human Rights Commission
Central Information Commission
Central Vigilance Commission
Central Bureau of Investigation
Lokpal & Lokayukta
NITI Aayog
Miscellaneous
Cooperative Societies
Tribunals
Official Language
Emergency Provisions
National Emergency
President’s Rule or State Emergency
Financial Emergency
The 44th Amendment Act
Effects and Implications of Emergency
Role of President in the Time of Emergency
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
Revoking Emergency
Current Affairs
Important Schemes (both Central & State)
Recent Bills and Acts Passed in Parliament
Tips for Prepare Indian Polity
The Constitution of India is the foundation of Indian polity, as it lays down the entire working framework. Hence, from the demand for a constituent assembly to the development of the constitution, you need to study everything in depth. Lately, questions based on analytical skills are being asked in the UPSC CSE. Hence, you should prepare each of the above-mentioned topics thoroughly to attempt the questions asked from the polity syllabus for UPSC. Here are some tips for the preparation of Indian polity for UPSC:
- Read NCERTs: Read the NCERTs of Political Science for Classes XI and XII to make your fundamental concepts strong. You can also enrol in Career Launcher’s NCERT program that focuses on building a strong foundation for all the subjects covered in UPSC CSE.
- Read basic books: Glance through the basic books for Polity including Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth and Introduction to Indian Constitution by D.D Basu to develop a deep understanding of the subject.
- Solve past years’ papers: This will give you a fair idea about the type of questions being asked in recent years. It will also help you in revising effectively and efficiently.
- Give mock tests: Schedule at least 2 mock tests per week. Not only will this enable you to evaluate the level of your preparation, but will also aid in assessing your preparation strategy. Consequently, you will be able to make the necessary rectifications.
- Read newspapers: Since a lot of questions are asked about the recently announced schemes, it is important to read newspapers such as ‘The Hindu’ to stay updated about the recent happenings. Make short notes on important topics that can help you supplement your answers for UPSC Main.
Recommended Books for Indian Polity
- Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations by M Laxmikanth
- Introduction to the Constitution of India by Durga Das Basu
- Our Parliament by Subhash Kashyap
- Important Acts that Transformed India by Alex Andrews George
- Governance in India: Basic and Beyond by M Karthikeyan
- Important Judgments that Transformed India by Alex Andrews George
