The UPSC offers PSIR as optional subject in the main test. It is a popular optional subject, and several toppers in the IAS Exam have chosen it. Many IAS applicants have complained that the syllabus for this optional topic is too wide, and thus have decided not to take Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as an optional subject. UPSC allows students to select their preferred optional subjects from a list of 48 options in the UPSC Mains examinations. Among these, Political Science and International Relations are the most popular optional subjects among students. This article will help you decide whether PSIR is the perfect choice option for you or not.
Political science is one of the most useful and important subjects for anyone preparing for the civil service test and hoping to work for the government as a civil servant. Any civil servant who aspires to be a bureaucrat must be well-versed in the foundations of political science and be cognizant of the political environment in which he or she operates.
Most previous UPSC toppers had also chosen Political Science as an optional subject. This subject encourages neatness and directness due to its crisp and concise nature. This optional subject is well-known among students for a variety of reasons. This subject is even more well-known and popular among IAS aspirants.
The Advantages of Political Science in UPSC Mains
- The UPSC Prelims Syllabus includes a section on Indian politics. If aspirants choose Political Science and International Relations as their UPSC Mains Optional subject, they will have to study this in addition to the prelims section, which will free up time for other topics. This allows them to integrate their preparation for the UPSC Prelims and Mains.
- Political science is one such subject that has a lot of overlap with other subjects like General Studies. There is significant overlap between the two subjects in both preliminary and main papers. The majority of the General Studies 2 paper is similar to that of Political Science. This is one of the most significant benefits of studying Political Science and International Relations. You can incorporate this knowledge, which will save you time and effort.
- As a slightly non-technical subject, aspirants can easily comprehend and study this subject even if they do not have a background in political science. The concepts are broad, and anyone who reads newspapers on a regular basis would be able to comprehend and research the topic.
- The impression that political science has a large syllabus is only partially correct. In fact, many of the topics are repeated, such as Marxism, Marx, Marxist notions of state, Gramsci, and so on.
- The fact that Political Science is an optional UPSC subject means that you won’t have to worry about it too much. It is not overly technical or exhaustive. It is a well-organized collection of facts and events. It improves your daily skills and assists you in gathering basic information as a citizen. You don’t even need prior knowledge or expertise in this subject to do well on it. All you need are some good books and a thorough understanding of this optional subject. It is critical that students obtain the best books available in order to gain authentic and legitimate knowledge.
- Certain topics will be covered in both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of Political Science and International Relations. Liberalism, for example. Feminism Marxist ideas of Democracy concern human Rights, the Environment, and so on.
- The impression that political science has a large syllabus is only partially correct. In fact, many of the topics are repeated, such as Marxism, Marx, Marxist notions of state, Gramsci, and so on.
- Many topics, such as Mill’s, Bentham’s, and Liberal notions of state, justice, and democracy, are inextricably linked.
Exam Pattern for UPSC PSIR Optional Subject
In the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination, the optional paper PSIR exam pattern consists of two papers: Paper 1 and Paper 2. Each paper is worth a total of 250 points. It is critical to understand the UPSC PSIR syllabus for every topic before beginning your preparation.
| MAINS PAPER | SUBJECT | MARKS |
| PAPER VI | Optional Subject Paper 1 | 250 |
| PAPER VII | Optional Subject Paper 2 | 250 |
TOTAL MARKS: 500, TIME DURATION: 3 HOURS (180 MINUTES)
Political Science Syllabus for UPSC
Syllabus for PSIR Paper 1
Political Theory and Indian Politics, and Indian Government and Politics, are the two key components of this study.
Indian Politics and Political Theory
Political Theory, State Theories, Justice, Equality, Rights, Democracy, and other topics are covered in the PSIR optional syllabus. The topics and subtopics are listed in depth in the table below.
| Political Theory | Approaches, Definitions, and Meanings |
| State Theories | Pluralist, Neoliberal, Marxist, Feminist, Post colonialist, and Liberal |
| Justice | Justice as a concept, with particular reference to Rawls’ theory of justice and its communitarian critiques |
| Equality | Social, political, and economic considerations, the relationship between equality and liberty. Positive action. |
| Rights | Theories and meaning There are various types of rights. Human Rights Concept |
| Democracy | Theories from the past and present. Models of democracy include participatory, representative, and deliberative. |
| Concept of Power | Ideology, hegemony, and legitimacy |
| Political Ideologies | Liberalism, Marxism, Socialism, Fascism, Gandhism, and other ideologies. |
| Indian Political Thought | Buddhist Traditions and Dharmashastra Arthashastra Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sir Aurobindo, MK Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, and MN Roy are among those honored. |
| Western Political Thought | Plato, Machiavelli, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Aristotle, Gramsci, Hobbes, and Hannah Arendt are examples of philosophers. |
Indian Government and Politics
The syllabus of the PSIR optional Indian Government and Politics component consists primarily of Indian Nationalism, Indian Constitution, Federalism, Party System, and so on.
| Indian Nationalism | India’s Freedom Struggle Political Strategies like mass Satyagraha, civil disobedience, Non-cooperation movements, revolutionary and militant movements, peasant movements, and worker movements. Indian National Movement Perspectives: Liberal, Marxist, Socialist and Radical, and Humanist |
| Making of the Indian Constitution | Legacies of British rule. Different social and political perspectives. |
| Features of the Indian Constitution | Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, DPSPs, Parliamentary System, Judicial Review, Amendment Procedure, and Basic Structure. |
| Organs of Union Government | Role and actual working of Executive, Legislature, and Supreme Court. |
| Organs of State Government | Role and actual working of Executive, Legislature, and High Court. |
| Grassroots Democracy | Panchayati Raj Institutions. Municipal Government. Significance of 73rd and 74th Amendments. Movements at the Grassroots level. |
| Statutory Institutions/Commissions | Election Commission of India. Comptroller and Auditor General. Finance Commission, UPSC. National Commission for Scheduled Castes. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. National Commission for Women. National Human Rights Commission. National Commission for Minorities. National Backward Classes Commission. |
| Federalism | changing nature of center-state relations, regional aspirations, and inter-state disputes. |
| Planning and Economic Development | Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives. Role of planning and public sector. Green revolution. Land reforms. Agrarian relations. Liberalization and economic reforms. |
| Party System | National and regional political parties. Ideological and social bases of parties. Patterns of coalition politics. Pressure groups. Trends in electoral behavior. Changing the socio-economic profile of legislators. |
| Social Movement | Civil liberties and human rights movements. Women’s movements. Environmentalist movements. |
PSIR Paper 2 Syllabus
The subject of Political Science Optional Paper 2 is divided into two parts: Comparative Politics and International Relations, and India and the World.
International Relations and Comparative Politics
The UPSC Mains syllabus for the Comparative Politics and International Relations component of the PSIR optional consists primarily of Comparative Politics, Participation and Representation, Globalization, and International Relations, among other things. The specific topics are listed in the table below.
| 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 State in capitalist, socialist, advanced industrial and developing societies. |
| Politics of Representation and Participation | Political organizations. Groups of influence. Social movements in developed and developing societies. |
| Globalization | 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 Globalization and the world capitalist economy |
| Changing International Political Order | The rise of superpowers, strategic and ideological bipolarity, the arms race, the Cold War, and the nuclear threat Non-aligned movement; Aims and achievements. The collapse of Soviet Union: Unipolarity. American hegemony. Relevance of NAM in the contemporary world. |
| Evolution of the International Economic System | Bretton Woods to WTO Socialist Economies and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance Third-world demand for a new international economic order The globalization of the world economy. |
| United Nations | Envisaged role and actual record. Specialized UN agencies – aims and functioning. Need for UN reforms. |
| World Politics Regionalization | European Union, NAFTA, ASEAN, and APEC, etc. |
| Contemporary Global Concerns | Democracy, Human Rights, Environment, Gender Justice terrorism, and nuclear proliferation. |
India and The World
Foreign Policy, India and Southeast Asia, India’s Contribution to NAM, UN System Global Centres of Power, and other topics are covered in the India and World component of PSIR optional. Given below are the topics as well as subtopics:
| Indian Foreign Policy | Determinants of foreign policy. Institutions of policymaking. Continuity and change. |
| India’s Contribution to Non-Alignment Movement | Different phases. Current role |
| India and South Asia | Regional Cooperation: SAARC past performance and prospects. South Asia as a Free Trade Area India’s Look East Policy Impediments to Regional Cooperation: River water disputes, Illegal cross-border migration, Ethnic conflicts and insurgencies, Border disputes. Etc. |
| India and Global Centres of Power | USA, EU, Japan, China, and Russia |
| India and the UN system | Role of India in UN Peace Keeping. Demand for Permanent Seat in Security Council |
| India and Nuclear Question | Changing perceptions and policy |
| Recent developments in the Foreign Policy of India | India’s position on crises in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West Asia, etc. Growing relations with the US and Israel. A vision of a new world order. |
Optional Books for PSIR
Civil service aspirants who have chosen Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as their optional subject must read the assigned books and plan their main strategies in order to score higher marks in the subject.
Paper 1 Textbooks
- OP Gauba’s An Introduction to Political Theory
- VR Mehta’s Foundations of Indian Political Thought
- DD Basu’s Introduction to the Constitution
- BL Fadia’s Indian Government and Politics, for example.
- Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy’s A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx
- BL Grover and Alka Mehta’s A New Look at Modern Indian History
- Bipin Chandra’s India’s Independence Struggle
Paper 2 Textbooks
- VP Dutt’s India’s foreign policy.
- Andrew Heywood’s Global Politics, for example.
- Rajiv Sikri’s Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy
- Khanna’s International Relations
- David M. Malone’s Does Elephant Dance: Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy
Drawbacks of Studying Political Science
There is no doubt about how beneficial it is to take Political Science as an elective. However, in order to get a complete picture of the subject’s role, we must also consider the other side of the coin.
You may face the following difficulties:
- A huge number of theory-based concepts.
- Finding the appropriate concise notes for lengthy events.
- There is always a need for good writing and answer-framing skills.
- At all times, research and accuracy are required.
Conclusion
UPSC exams are the highest level of examination in India. It comes with competent hurdles when valued at such a high level. To score well in the UPSC, the candidate must be smart and employ the proper strategies. One such clever approach is to select the most prominent optional subject that will yield the best results with the least amount of effort.
Political science and international relations are examples of optional subjects because they have a lot of overlapping content to practice and also set a good way to prepare for current events.
PSIR is a popular optional subject chosen by the majority of UPSC IAS exam toppers. Aspirants are advised to review the syllabus of the paper before selecting it as an optional paper in the main exam. PSIR is a non-technical optional paper that aspirants can study even if they do not have a background in political science. The concepts are broad, and anyone who reads newspapers on a regular basis will be able to grasp them. Even if their optional is not Political Science, any civil service aspirant must have a firm grasp on the fundamentals of political science.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. FAQ: Why should I choose Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as an optional subject for the civil services exam?
Answer: PSIR is a versatile and comprehensive subject that covers a wide range of topics, providing a holistic understanding of political systems, governance, and international relations. It helps in developing analytical and critical thinking skills, which are crucial for the UPSC exam. Additionally, the subject has a well-defined syllabus, making it easier for aspirants to strategize and prepare effectively.
2. FAQ: Is it true that PSIR has a vast syllabus, making it difficult to cover within the limited time frame for UPSC preparation?
Answer: While PSIR does cover a broad spectrum of topics, the myth of its vastness is often exaggerated. The key lies in smart and focused preparation. By understanding the core concepts and strategically approaching the syllabus, aspirants can cover the material efficiently. Moreover, the overlap with general studies makes PSIR a rewarding choice as it aids in concurrent preparation for both the optional and GS papers.
3. FAQ: Are there ample study materials and resources available for PSIR, or will I struggle to find relevant materials for my preparation?
Answer: Contrary to the myth that PSIR lacks study materials, there are abundant resources available. Numerous books, online platforms, and coaching institutes offer comprehensive study materials, making it easier for aspirants to access relevant content. Additionally, the evolving nature of international relations ensures a constant influx of contemporary resources, keeping the study material dynamic and up-to-date.
4. FAQ: Is PSIR suitable for candidates with a non-political science background, or is it exclusively for those with a political science academic background?
Answer: PSIR is designed to be inclusive and accessible to candidates from diverse educational backgrounds. While a political science background may offer some familiarity with certain concepts, it is by no means a prerequisite. Many successful candidates with backgrounds in engineering, science, and humanities have excelled in PSIR by dedicating focused and consistent effort to understanding the subject matter.
5. FAQ: Is the study of PSIR limited to theoretical concepts, or does it have practical applications in real-world scenarios?
Answer: PSIR is not confined to theoretical concepts; it has immense practical relevance. The subject equips aspirants with a deep understanding of political and international dynamics, allowing them to analyze real-world situations critically. The knowledge gained from PSIR is instrumental in forming informed opinions on contemporary issues, a crucial skill for a civil servant dealing with complex governance challenges.
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