Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Civil Service Exam Syllabus (Preliminary) - Political Science

Civil Service Exam Syllabus (Preliminary) - Political Science

Section-A

1.

Political Science: Nature & scope of the discipline, relationship with allied disciplines like History, Economics, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology.
2.

>Meaning of Politics: Approaches to the study of Politics.
3.

Key Concepts: State, Soceity, Sovereignty, Power, Citizenship, Nation, Global order and Imperialism.
4.

Political Ideas: Rights, Liberty, Equality, Justice, Rule of Law. Civil Soceity Swaraj, Revolution, Democratic Participation.
5.

Democracy: Meaning and Theories of Democracy, Electoral system, Forms of Representation & Participation, Political accountability.
6.

Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Neoliberalism, Marxism, Socialism, Fascism, Gandhism.



7.

Party System and Political Process: Therories of Party System, National and regional parties, Political Parties in the Third World. Patterns of coalition politics, interest and pressure groups.
8.

Forms of Government: Parliamentary and Presidential. Federal & unitary Modes of decentralisation.
9.

Bureaucracy Concep: Theories, Weber and critiques of Bureaucracy.
10.

Theories of Developmen: Meaning and various approaches. Concept and Theories of underdevelopment Debates in the Third World.
11.

Social Movements: Meaning, Theories & Forms, Role of Environmental Feminist Peasant & workers movements, Role of Non Government organisation.
12.

Nationalism and Internationalism:
13.

Major theories of International relations: Realist Marxist, Systems & Decision making & Game theory.
14.

State & the Global order: Neo-Liberalism, globalisation, structural adjustment, regional economic integration, Nature and Impact of globalisation.

Section-B

Indian Government and politics

1.

Approaches to the study of Governments: Comparative historical, legal institutional, political economy and political sociology, approaches.
2.

Classification of Political systems: Democratic and Authoritarian, characteristics of Political systems in the third world.
3.

Typologies of constitutions; Basic features of these constitutions & governments : including U.K., USA. France, Germany, China, and South Africa.
4.

Constitutional development: in India during British Rule-A historical perspective.
5.

Constituent Assembly: philosophical and socio-economic dimensions. Salient features of the Indian Constitution.
6.

Nature of Indian federalism: Centre-state relations, legislative, administrative, financial and political; politics of regional move and National Integration.
7.

Fundamental Rights: Constitutional provisions and political dynamics. Judicial Interpretations and socio political realities; Fundamental Duties.
8.

The Union Executive: President, Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Constitutional provisions & framework and political trends.
9.

Parliament: Powers and functions of the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha; Parliamentary Committees; Functioning of the Parliamentary system in India.
10.

The Judiciary The Supreme Court , Judicial Review Judicial Activism, Public Intrest Litigation; Judicial Reforms.
11.

The State Executive: Governor, Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers; Constitutional Provisions and Political trends.
12.

Indian Party System: Evolution and Contemporay trends; coalition government at the Centre and States, pressure groups in Indian politics.
13.

The interaction of Government & Scientific & Technology business : Previous and now their inter relationship and changing roles in Society, Elites, Role of Pressure groups class and voluntary associations in society.
14.

Local Government & Politics : Panchayti Raj and Municipal Government, structure power & functions. Political realities, significance of 73rd and 74th Amendements, role of women in Panchayats.
15.

Bureaucracy and Development : Post-colonial India; its changing role in the context of liberatis after, bureauratic Accountability.
16.

Challenges to Indian Democracy :
1.

Communalism Regionalism violence, criminalisation and corruption.
2.

Regional disparities, environmental degradation, illiteracy, Mass Poverty, Population, growth, caste oppressions and socio economic inequalities among backward classes.

Civil Service Exam Syllabus (Preliminary) - Political Science

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Indian History Optional Syllabus - Prelims Exam

History Syllabus for Preliminary Examination

Section-A
1. Prehistoric cultures in India
2. Indus Civilization. Origins. The Mature Phase: extent, society, economy and culture. Contacts with other cultures.Problems of decline.
3. Geographical distribution and characteristics of pastoral and farming communities outside the Indus region, from the neolithic to early iron phases.
4. Vedic society. The Vedic texts; changefrom Rigvedic to later Vedic phases. Religion; Upanishadic thought. Political and social organisation; evolutuion of monarchy and varna system.
5. State formation and urbanization, from the mahajanapadas to the Nandas. Jainism and Buddhism. Factors for the spread of Buddhism.
6. The Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta; Megasthenes. Asoka and his inscriptions; his dhamma, administration, culture and art. The Arthasastra.
7. Post-Mauryan India, BC 200- AD 300. Society: Evolution of jatis. The Satavahanas and state formation in Peninsula. Sangam texts and society. Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Parthians, Kushanas; Kanishka. Contacts with the outside world. Religion : Saivism, Bhagavatism, Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism; Jainism; Culture and art.
8. The Guptas and their successors (to c. 750 AD). Changes in political organisation of empire. Economy and society. Literature and science. Arts.

Section-B
9. Early Medieval India. Major dynasties; the Chola Empire. Agrarian and political structures. The Rajaputras. Extent of social mobility. Postition of women. The Arabs in Sind and the Ghaznavides.
10. Cultural trends, 750-1200, Religious conditions : importance of temples and monastic institutions; Sankaracharya; Islam; Sufism. Literature and Science. Alberuni’s "India". Art and architecture.
11-12. Thirteenth and fourteenth Centuries: Ghorian invasions causes and consequences. Delhi Sultanate under the "Slave" Rulers. Alauddin Khalji : Conquests; administrative, agrarian and economic measures. Muhammad Tughlug's innovations. Firuz Tughluq and the decline of the Delhi Sultanate. Growth of commerce and urbanization. Mystic movements in Hinduism and Islam. Literature. Architecture, Technological changes.
13. The fifteenth and early 16th Century : major Provinicial dynasties; Vijaya-nagara Empire. The Lodis, First phase of the Mughal Empire: Babur, Humayun. The Sur empire and administration. The Portuguese.
Montheistic movements: Kabir; Guru Nanak and Sikhism; Bhakti. Growth of regional literatures. Art and Culture.
14-15. The Mughal Empire , 1556-1707. Akbar: conquests, administrative measures, jagir and mansab systems; policy of sulh-i-kul. Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb : expansion in the Deccan; religious policies. Shivaji.
Culture: Persian and regional literatures. Religious thought: Abul Fazl; Maharashtra dharma. Painting. Architecture.
Economy: conditions of peasants and artisans, growth in trade; commerce with Europe. Social stratification and status of women.
16. Decline of Mughal Empire, 1707-61. Causes behind decline. Maratha power under the Peshwas. Regional states. The Afghans. Major elements of composite culture. Sawai Jai Singh, astronomer. Rise of Urdu language.

Section-C
17. British expansion : The Carnatic Wars, Conquest of Bengal. Mysore and its resitance to British expansion: The three Anglo-Maratha Wars. Early structure of British raj: Regulating and Pitt's India Acts.
18. Economic Impact of the British Raj : Drain of Wealth (Tribute); land revenue settlements (zamindari, ryotwari, mahalwari); Deindustrialisation; Railways and commercialisation of agriculture; Growth of landless labour.
19. Cultural encounter and social changes: Introduction of western education and modern ideas. Indian Renaissance, social and religious reform movements; growth of Indian middle class; The press and its impact: rise of modern literature in Indian languages. Social reforms measures before 1857.
20. Resistance to British rule : Early uprisings; The 1857 Revolt- causes, nature, course and consequences.
21. Indian Freedom struggle-the first phase: Growth of national consciousness; Formation of Associations; Establishment of the Indian National Congress and its Moderate phase;- Economic Nationalism; Swadeshi Movement; The growth of "Extremism" and the 1907 split in Congress; The Act of 1909 - the policy of Divide and Rule; Congress-League Pact of 1916.
22. Gandhi and his thought; Gandhian techniques of mass mobilisation- Khilafat and Non Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movement; Other strands in the National Movement-Revolutionaries, the Left, Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army.
23. Separatist Trends in Indian nationalist politics- the Muslim League and the Hindu Mahasabha; The post -1945 developments; Partition and Independence.
24. India independent to 1964. A parliamentary, secular, democratic (republic the 1950 Constitution). Jawaharlal Nehru's vision of a developed, socialist society. Planning and state-controlled industrialization. Agrarian reforms. Foreign policy of Non-alignment. Border conflict with China and Chinese aggression.

General Studies Syllabus - Prelims Exam

General Studies >> Preliminary Syllabus

General Science.
Current events of national and international importance
History of India and Indian National Movement
Indian and World Geography
Indian Polity and Economy
General Mental Ability

Questions on General Science will cover general appreciation and understanding of science including matters of everyday observation and experience, as may be expected of a well educated person who has not made a special study of any particular scientific discipline. In current events, knowledge of significant national and international events will be tested. In History of India, emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. Questions on the Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the nineteenth century resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of Independence.

In Geography, emphasis will be on Geography of India. Questions on the Geography of India will relate to physical, social and economic Geography of the country, including the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources. Questions on Indian Polity and Economy will test knowledge of the country’s political system and Constitution of India, Panchayati Raj, Social Systems and economic developments in India. On general mental ability, the candidates will be tested on reasoning and analytical abilities.

Preliminary Examination Syllabus











Paper
- I
General
Studies
150
Marks
Paper
- II
One
of the optional subjects to be selected from the
prescribed optional subjects
300 Marks