Polity Syllabus

Polity Syllabus for UPSC 2021

1.   Preamble

• Terms in the Preamble
• 42nd Amendment
• Swaran Singh committee

2. Constitution of India

• Historical Background
• Drafting committee and making scheme of the Constitution
• Influence of other constitutions
• Its salient features
• Union and its Territory (Basic idea about Article 1-4, Federal nature, State reorganization and different Commissions, Recent issues)

3. Citizenship

• Basic idea about Article 5-11
• PIO, NRI, OCI, and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
• Citizenship Amendment Act of 2016
• Schemes, new policies, and recent changes in voting.

4. Fundamental Rights

• Basic idea about Article 12-35
• 44th amendment act
• Different types of Writs
• Enforcement and Exceptional cases with regard to FR’s
• Recent issues related to FR

5. Fundamental Duties

• Article 51A
• Difference between FR and FD
• Significance and Criticism
• Enforcement of FD’s
• Recent issues about FD

6. Parliament

• Basic idea about Articles related to Role and functions of the Parliament
• Motions, Sessions, Parliamentary procedure – Zero Hour, Summoning, Prorogation, and Joint sitting.
• Parliamentary proceedings like Adjournment Motion, and Question Hour etc.
• Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,
• Special powers of Rajya Sabha
• Anti-defection law and 10th schedule
• Parliamentary Privileges
• Bill and law-making procedure
• Budget, funds and it is summary
• Parliamentary Committees

7. Judiciary

• Basic idea about the judiciary.
• Powers of High Court and Supreme court
• Qualification and appointment
• Removal procedure
• Recent controversy, verdicts, and constitutional provisions.

8. Constitutional Bodies

• Election Commission
• UPSC
• SPSC
• JPSC
• Finance Commission
• National Commission for SCs and ST’s,
• Composition, Powers and Functions, Removal of the Constitutional bodies

9. Union

• Basic idea about Article 52-73
• Qualification and Election of President and vice-president
• Function and Powers of the president- (Executive, Legislative, Financial, Judicial, Diplomatic, Military and Emergency Powers)
• Prime minister and council of minister
• Resignation and impeachment of the president
• Role and responsibilities of Prime minister, Cabinet ministers, Council of Minister.
• Resignation and Removal of vice president
• Powers and Functions of Council of ministers
• Attorney general

10. Directive Principles of State Policy

• Article 36-51 and Article 368
• Sources and key features of DPSP
• Classification of DPSP
• Comparison or conflicts between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
• Keshavananda Bharathi, Golaknath Case, Minerva Mills, Maneka Gandhi case.
• Important Amendments- 42nd Amendment, 44th Amendment, and 97th amendment

11. Emergency Provisions

• National emergency- Article 352
• President’s rule or State emergency- Article 356
• Financial emergency- Article 360
• 44th amendment act
• Effects and implications of emergency
• Role of President in emergency time
• The State of FR, Lok sabha, and Rajya sabha
• Revoking emergency

12. State Government- State Executive

• Governor- appointment, and special powers.
• Executive, Legislative, Financial, Judicial powers and discretionary powers of the governor
• 7th constitutional amendment
• Chief Minister and the council of ministers
• Power of chief minister

13. State Legislature

• State legislature compared to the Parliament with regard to powers, composition, and functions.
• Bicameral legislature
• Creation and abolition of the Legislative councils