Political Science Syllabus 2026: Check Semester-wise Subjects & Syllabus

Akansha BishtSenior Executive
Political science as a discipline focuses on studying and analysing power and politics from varied perspectives such as domestic, international, and comparative. Through this, any student who wishes to understand anything related to politics; process, structure, behaviour, institutions, ideas, ideologies, war, law, diplomacy, strategy, groups, classes, and the government, can fulfil their wish.
- It can be pursued as an undergraduate course or a postgraduate course, i.e. either a Bachelor's or a Master's.
- The course should be pursued by people interested in and aspiring to make a career in the political domain.
- This discipline is offered by many top colleges and universities throughout India and is readily opted for right after the 12th if it interests them.
- The job roles vary from legislative assistant, political advisor, professor, researcher, IAS officer, IFS officer, public relations specialist, policy analyst, political campaigner etc.
Typical Core Subjects for Political Science
|
Subject title |
Subject details |
|---|---|
|
Understanding political theory |
This subject introduces political theory to students. Then it moves on to the traditions and approaches to political theory, explains the critical and contemporary trends, and winds up with political theory practice and its grammar. |
|
Constitutional Government and Democracy in India |
The subject discusses the constitution, assembly, government organs, federalism, and decentralisation. |
|
Political Theory and Concepts |
This subject deals with the importance of freedom, the indispensability of justice, universal rights, and concerns itself with major debates. |
|
Political Process in India |
This subject is a detailed compilation of content on the party system in India, religion, regionalism and politics, caste and politics, and the change in the nature of India along with the times. |
|
Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics |
Through this subject, students understand comparative politics, the historical context of modern government such as capitalism and globalisation, socialism, colonialism and themes of comparative politics. |
|
Introduction to Public Administration |
This subject introduces students to the public administration discipline, classical theories such as scientific management and administration management, neo-classical and contemporary theories such as human relations, ecological approach etc. and public policy and major approaches in public administration. |
|
Perspectives on International Relations |
The subject helps students understand international relations, various related theoretical perspectives, and an overview of the twentieth century. |
|
Political Processes and Institutions in Comparative Perspective |
This subject guides students with various approaches to study comparative politics about the system of election and parties, nation-state and democratisation in post-colonial societies. |
|
Public Policy and Administration in India |
This subject introduces everything about public policy and administration, explains decentralisation, budget and social welfare administration, citizen and Administration interface. |
|
Global Politics |
This subject gives insights on globalisation: concepts and perspectives and contemporary global issues such as terrorism, migration etc. |
|
Western Political Philosophy |
This subject gives an insight to students about the framing of the first political questions and goes back in time to Greek antiquity. This has text and interpretations of Plato, Hobbes, Karl Marx, etc. |
|
Indian Political Thought |
This subject speaks of the emergence and evolution of Indian political thought over different points of time, including traditional pre-colonial Indian political thought, Ved Vyasa and Manu, Kautilya, Barani and Aggannasutta, Kabir and Abul Faza. |
|
Contemporary Political Philosophy |
Political philosophies are introduced with this subject, including those of Lenin, Mao Zedong, Antonio Gramsci, and John Rawls. |
|
Modern Indian Political Thought |
This subject has insights into modern Indian political thought. It includes ideas such as Ram Mohan Roy's liberalism to JP Narayan's total revolution and everything in between. |
Typical Elective Subjects for Political Science
|
Subject title |
Subject details |
|---|---|
|
Introduction to Human Rights |
This subject deals with understanding human rights, i.e. three generations, universal declaration, rights in the national constitution, international refugee law and international humanitarian law. |
|
Development process and social movements in contemporary India. |
This subject explains the development process ever since Independence, development strategy, and its impact on social structure and various social movements. |
|
India Foreign Policy in a Changing world |
This subject describes the bases, determinants, post-colonial perspectives of India's foreign policy. It further explains India's relations with the USA, Russia, China and South Asia and India’s position as a global power. |
|
Women, Power and Politics |
This subject focuses on feminism, issues for women such as patriarchy, violence, women empowerment and development. |
|
Feminism: Theory and Practice |
This subject focuses on making students understand feminism, the various theories surrounding it, the issues and participation of women and families in contemporary India and women 's work and labour. |
|
Governance: Issues and Challenges |
This subject includes government and governance, good governance, local governance and good governance initiative in India. |
|
Gandhi and the Contemporary World |
This subject has key instances of Gandhi and his influence, his initiatives and legacy, for example, Satyagraha, Swaraj etc. |
|
United Nations and Global Conflicts |
This subject has an overview of The United Nations, other organisations such as the Security Council, the International Court of Justice and major conflicts in global space since the second world war. |
Detailed Syllabus for Political Science
|
Semester |
Subject title |
Subject Details |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Principles of Political Science I |
This subject has everything about political science, such as its definitions, nature, scope etc. The state's elements, nature, theories, and sovereignty are also discussed. |
|
1. |
Indian National Movement & Constitutional Development I |
This subject has everything about the history of the Indian National Movement, how the Indian National Congress came into existence, The Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, the Home Rule Movement, the Non-Cooperation movement, the Swaraj Party, the Charter Acts etc. |
|
2. |
Principles of Political Science II |
This subject has everything about political ideas such as socialism, justice, democracy, equality, liberty, nationalism, feminism, fascism and others. |
|
2. |
Indian National Movement & Constitutional Development II |
This subject explains the rise and growth of revolutionary movements in India, such as the Quit India Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and acts such as the Government of India Act, 1935, Indian Independence Act, 1947 etc. |
|
3 |
Comparative Political Institutions I |
This subject describes the nature and approaches of comparative political institutions, constitutionalism and rule of law, federalism and separation of powers, etc. |
|
3 |
Constitution of India |
This subject is comprehensive information about the composition, aims and objectives of the constituent assembly, preamble, parliament, judiciary, citizenship, fundamental rights and duties etc. |
|
4 |
Comparative Political Institutions II |
This subject describes the executive, legislature, and judiciary of countries such as the UK, USA, China, Russia, and the different political parties therein. |
|
4 |
Constitution of India II |
This one has all the information one needs on the governor, chief minister, union-state relations, amendment procedure, election commission and finance commission. |
|
5 |
Political Thought - Indian and Western I |
This subject is a comparative assessment of Indian thinkers such as Manu and Kautilya and Western thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. |
|
5 |
Indian Government and Politics |
This subject describes salient features of the Indian political system, federalism, parliament, Supreme Court, union government, fundamental rights and duties etc. |
|
5 |
Political Sociology I |
This subject has everything about political sociology, such as emergence, nature, scope and approaches. It also includes political socialisation, participation and power. |
|
5 |
Principles of Public Administration I |
This one describes all aspects of public administration such as nature, scope, public and private, etc. It also focuses on the concept of the organisation such as meaning, types, principles, units, and the concept, merits, and demerits of delegated legislation. |
|
5 |
International Relations I |
The different concepts of international business such as meaning, scope, approaches, power and ideology are studied in this subject. It also has national power, interest, Cold War, non-alignment, etc. |
|
6 |
Political thought: Indian and Western II |
This one continues from its predecessor, describing the ideals and studies of Indian thinkers such as Vivekananda Gandhi and Western thinkers such as Rousseau, Machiavelli, etc. |
|
6 |
Indian Government and Politics II |
ThIs one describes the political process and issues in Indian democracy. |
|
6 |
Political Sociology II |
Political culture, parties, pressure groups, public opinion, mass society, modernisation etc., form the content to be studied in this subject. |
|
6 |
Principles of Public Administration II |
This subject describes the types, functions and roles of the Chief Executive, personal administration, administrative corruption, financial administration and administrative improvement. |
|
6 |
International Relations: Concepts and Issues -II |
As a continuation to its first volume, this one describes Cold War politics, regionalism, foreign policy, and the United Nations. |
Specialisations offered in Political Science
-
Specialisation
Specialisation Subjects
Comparative Politics
Political change, comparative politics, party system, political institutions, terrorism, hybrid regimes
Electoral Politics
Parties, party system, voting behaviour, democracy and elections, survey methodology, religion and party politics in the west
Political Communication
Citizen politics, automated text analysis, political communication, social movements
Political Economy
Democracy, globalisation, inequality, devolution, decentralisation, autocracy, state and markets, business, Neoliberalism
Political Research Methodology and Social Analysis
Field research and data analysis, introduction to statistics, applied statistics, multivariate statistics, casualty
Social and Political theory
Political Institutions, populism, popular sovereignty, reinterpreting physical violence, manipulation, power and representation in legislatures.
Post-Communist Politics
Populism, democracy, nationalism, topics, trends and techniques of political research.
Books and Authors Related to Political Science
-
Subject
Book title
Authors
Understanding political theory
Political theory: An Introduction
Bhargava, R. and Ashok Acharya
Political theory
Modern Political theory
Verma, S.P.
The political process in India
Politics in India
Kaviraj, Sudipta
Comparative government and policies
World Constitutions
Bhagwan, Vishnu
Syllabus for Distance Program in Political Science
Students who wish to pursue political science but cannot attend regular college because of financial constraints, distance, eligibility, job, or other reasons, have another option, which is distance learning. The course structure remains the same, the only difference being that students do not have to go to college regularly.
There are options for colleges and universities which allow you to pursue political science in distance mode, such as:
-
Delhi University SOL
-
IGNOU
-
CU
-
University of Mumbai
-
Jaipur National University
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News & Updates
Student Forum
Answered 3 days ago
Hi, you can explore 45+ MA colleges in India for Public Policy, and the admissions are through entrance exams at state-level, held separately by the institute, or merit. Some of the best ranked and highly popular arts colleges that offer this subject are:
- Amity University, Noida - It has the MA in Pu
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Of course, you can. International Relations is a part of Political Science, and if you decide to go for your higher studies in Political Science, there's nothing wrong with it.
But understand this, International Relations means studying international law, global politics, diplomacy, etc. And Politic
N
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
A lot! Geopolitics is a lot more than International Relations. You need to understand that the Geopolitics is like a structure used to understand how the world works. Geopolitics says that the Geography decides what we are and what we'll become.
For instance, if you're born in India and your parents
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The answer is simple! Go for Political Science if you're into Indian Politics, Domestic Governance, etc. If you have an interest in International Law, Diplomacy, and Global Politics, join IR courses.
If you have any plans to go for higher studies like MA, you can also complete a UG degree in Politica
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
It's huge. You can join many private and government sectors. These even include world-level organizations like the UN, the WHO, etc.
Not only that, you can prepare for civil services exams, because the International Relations curriculum is going to help you a lot with the prep.
You can join the educat
S
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
It is about the interactions and relationships between nations across the world. Under this subject, you study a variety of topics, including diplomacy, international law, sovereign entities, MNCs, foreign policy, conflict resolution, and more.
With an International Relations degree, you can become a
I
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
It's completely normal to feel confused when deciding between completely different streams for CUET. The choice should depend on your long-term goals, interests, and career plans rather than pressure or trends. Humanities subjects like Political Science, Fine Arts, or Physiology suit students who ar
A
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a month ago
It's okay if you scored 60% in boards you can still take admission in top colleges by scoring good marks in CUET so you can get into the good college of India
D
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a month ago
A Master's in Public Policy programme costs around CAD 13,500 or INR 8.88 Lakhs per year for students enrolled in the Summer 2026 intake. Students who enroll in the Winter intake had to pay an tuition fees of around CAD 16,500 or INR 10.85 Lakhs.
1 CAD = INR 65.78
Note - The McGill University Canada T
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
You'll find more than 200 colleges abroad for the BA International Relations course. Some of the top options among them are here. Take a look
| BA in International Relations Colleges Abroad | Fees |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto | INR 41.67 Lakh |
| King's College London | INR 32.92 Lakh |
| University of Wroclaw | INR 3.95 Lakh |
| The University of Sydney | INR 30 Lakh |
| The University of British Columbia | INR 32 Lakh |
| University of South Dakota | INR 11.68 Lakh |
Note - The information is taken from the official sites of the colleges.
N
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
No, a valid CUET score is accepted for admissions to both BA (Hons) in Liberal Arts & Humanities and the BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics & Economics at JSLAH.
In the previous year admissions, CUET was only listed as an accepted exam for the BA (Hons) in Liberal Arts & Humanities admission.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy offers a BSc programme to students at the UG level. The college offers this programme for a duration of 4 years. The total tuition fee of BSc at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, OP Jindal University ranges around INR 16 lakh.
V
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
N
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy offers an MA programme to students at PG level in full-time mode. To be eligible for MA at JSGP, candidates must fulfill the eligibility criteria set by the college. Candidates must have a graduation degree in any stream from a reputed university in Indi
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy offers a diverse range of programmes to students. The college offers a BSc (Hons) programme to students at the UG level in full-time mode. It is offered for a duration 4 years and in several specialisations such as Public Finance, Network Economics, Poli
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy offers BSc (Hons) and MA programme to students as its flagship courses. These courses are offered in full-time mode in several specialisations. The college offers these programmes for a duration of 4 and 2 years, respectively.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
International relations are important for you to understand so many things as a UPSC aspirant. You'll get to know about the global dynamics, politics, rules & policies, global affairs, and more.
Know more about -
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy admission 2026 is currently open for various courses. The application process at JSGP is conducted online or offline. Students can check the list of documents required for admission below:
- Past Academic marksheet/transcripts
- Leaving Certificate
- Aadhaar Card
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy application process is conducted in an online mode. Students can check the step-wise application process below:
1: Visit the official website, i.e., jgu.edu.in
2: Click 'Apply Now' on the Home page.
3: Register with basic details such as mobile number, vali
V
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy campus is safe for girls and boys. The college campus is located in center of Bhopal. It has a good connection with roads and public transports. CCTV cameras are installed in the campus to keep a check on students safety
V
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy is a private college. It is located in Sonipat, Haryana and is one of the 12 schools of OP Jindal University. The college is also known as JSGP and offers education to students mainly in Politics and Economics streams.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy infrastructure offers plenty of facilities to its students. They get access to a recreational arena called 'RASA', which has dedicated spaces for chess, table tennis, foosball, yoga, etc.
Students also get access to the state-of-the-art sports facility,
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The faculty at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy is highly educated and has tons of experience in both academic setting and industry-level. Most of the JSGP faculty members are PhD, Masters and Bachelor-level degree holders. The members are deeply passionate about teaching and mentoring
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
There is no mention of an offline mode for personal interview round as all interviews at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy are conducted in online mode. Candidates who wish to appear for an offline mode interview need to confirm the same from the concerned office of JSGPP.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The documents requird at the time of admissions for the MA courses at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy are as follows:
- Passing certificate and marksheet for Class 10 and Class 12
- Passing degree of the undergraduate course
- PPET scorecard
- Two passport sized photograph
Candidates need to ensure
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The MA course fees at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy is INR 4 lakh. Candidates are only required to pay the one-time security deposit and tuition fee for the MA course. Below is the fee breakup:
| Particulars | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition Fee | INR 4 lakh |
| Residential Charges per Year | INR 1.81 lakh per annum |
| Other Allied Service Charges (Other Allied Services, including but not limited to food, Laundry, Security Services, Housekeeping charges, electricity etc., per annum | INR 1.24 lakh per annum |
| Refundable Security Deposit (One time payment) | INR 50,000 |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The tuition fees for the MA course at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy is around INR 4 lakh. Unlike the UG level courses of JSGPP, the MA course tuitionfeesis only charged in a single instalment. A small portion of this tuition fee might be charged from candidates before the commencemen
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
There is no one date on which the PPET is held for JSGPP MA admissions. Instead, candidates who apply for the exam are required to choose one date from a set of dates provided by the institute after registrations. The candidates can choose the date most suitable for them alongside the date for the p
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, according to the official brochure of the JSGPP, the MA admissions for 2026 are open. While the institute has not revealed specific dates for the PPET as of yet, the registrations for the test have begun for 2026 admissions.
Interested candidates can visit the website of Jindal School of Govern
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy offers a four-year BA (Hons) programme at the UG level. Candidates must complete Class 12 to apply for below BA (Hons) courses:
- Economics
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics
N
Guide-Level 15
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What are the colleges for MA in Public Policy and Governance and public administration? What are the admission criteria?