UGC NET Political Science: Syllabus & Preparation Guide
All ten units of the UGC NET Political Science syllabus (Code 02) in one place, with a clear way to study each unit and links to our notes.
- The UGC NET Bureau syllabus for Political Science has ten units. Paper-I is a separate General Paper common to all subjects, see our Research Aptitude guide.
- Shaded topics link to our notes. Plain topics are on the syllabus but do not have a note on this site yet.
- Check the official NTA / UGC NET notification for the exam pattern, dates and any syllabus change. We are not affiliated with UGC or NTA.
Ten units, three groups
It is easier to study the syllabus when you see how its units connect. They fall into three broad groups.
Ideas (Units 1–3). Political theory, Western and non-Western thinkers, and Indian political thought. These units give you the vocabulary and the arguments.
Comparison and the world (Units 4–6). Comparative politics, international relations and India’s foreign policy. These ask you to compare systems and explain events.
India at work (Units 7–10). Institutions, political processes, public administration, and governance and public policy. These reward detailed, up-to-date knowledge.
Work through the units in this order if you are starting fresh, and return to Unit 1 often, because concepts such as justice, power and democracy appear in every other unit.
Unit-wise topics and notes
Topic names follow the official syllabus. Select a shaded topic to open its note.
Political Theory
The concepts and ideologies on which the rest of the paper rests. Define each concept in your own words, then learn who argued for what.
Concepts
Political traditions
Political Thought (Western and Beyond)
Sixteen thinkers from Confucius to Rawls. Make a one-page card for each: key text, central idea and one critic.
Ancient and early modern
Modern and contemporary
Indian Political Thought
From ancient texts to modern nation-builders. Link each thinker to the context in which he or she wrote.
Classical and medieval
Reform and nationalism
- Pandita Ramabai
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- Swami Vivekananda
- Rabindranath Tagore
- M. K. Gandhi
- Sri Aurobindo
- Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
- Muhammad Iqbal
Modern thinkers
- M. N. Roy
- V. D. Savarkar
- B. R. Ambedkar
- J. L. Nehru
- Ram Manohar Lohia
- Jayaprakash Narayan
- Deendayal Upadhyaya
Comparative Political Analysis
The widest unit by topic count. Learn the approaches first, because they organise everything else.
Approaches and methods
- Institutional
- Political culture
- Political economy
- New institutionalism
- Comparative methods
Colonialism, nationalism and the state
- Forms of colonialism and decolonization
- European and non-European nationalism
- State in capitalist and socialist societies
- Post-colonial state
- Welfare state
- Globalization and nation-states
Regimes and constitutions
- Democratic regimes: electoral, liberal, majoritarian, participatory
- Non-democratic regimes: patrimonialism, bureaucratic authoritarianism, military dictatorship, totalitarianism, fascism
- Constitutionalism and rule of law
- Judicial independence
- Emergency powers
- Democratic transition and consolidation
Development, power and actors
- Underdevelopment, dependency, modernization, world systems theory
- Ruling class, power elites, democratic elitism
- Electoral systems
- Parties and party systems
- Interest groups
- Social movements and NGOs
- Revolutions
International Relations
Theories, concepts, institutions and current challenges. Pair every theory with an event it explains well.
Approaches
- Idealism
- Realism
- Structural Marxism
- Neoliberalism
- Neorealism
- Social constructivism
- Critical international theory
- Feminism
- Postmodernism
Concepts, conflict and peace
- State and non-state actors
- Power and sovereignty
- Traditional and non-traditional security
- Changing nature of warfare
- Weapons of mass destruction
- Deterrence
- Conflict resolution and transformation
Institutions and economy
- United Nations
- Humanitarian intervention
- International law and ICC
- Globalisation
- Bretton Woods system
- North–South dialogue
- WTO, G-20, BRICS
Regional organisations
- European Union
- African Union
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
- ASEAN
Contemporary challenges
- International terrorism
- Climate change
- Human rights
- Migration and refugees
- Poverty and development
- Religion, culture and identity politics
Related reading on this site
India’s Foreign Policy
Principles, partners and negotiating strategies. Keep a timeline of key decisions and doctrines.
Perspectives and continuity
- Postcolonial, development, rising power and emerging political economy
- Principles and determinants
- Non-Alignment: background and relevance
- India’s nuclear policy
Relations
- USA
- USSR/Russia
- China
- European Union
- BRICS, ASEAN, SCO
- African Union, SADC, GCC
- SAARC
- Gujral Doctrine
- Look East / Act East, Look West
Regimes and challenges
- UN, WTO, IMF, IPCC
- Maritime, energy and environmental security
- Migrants and refugees
- Water resources
- International terrorism
- Cyber security
Political Institutions in India
The Constitution at work. Link every institution to the article or case that shapes it.
Making and philosophy
- Colonial heritage and the national movement
- Constituent Assembly
- Preamble
- Fundamental Rights
- Directive Principles
- Basic structure debate
- Constitutional amendments
Union and state institutions
- President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers
- Parliament and committees
- Supreme Court and High Courts
- Judicial review and activism
- Governor, Chief Minister, State Legislature
- Local government
Federalism
- Federalism: meaning and characteristics
- Indian federalism: federal in form, unitary in spirit
- Strong Centre framework
- Asymmetrical federalism
- Centre–State relations
- Areas of conflict
- Cooperative federalism
- Competitive federalism
- Collaborative federalism
- Fiscal federalism
- Digital federalism
- Environmental and climate federalism
- Contemporary federalism
Elections and statutory bodies
- Election Commission of India
- Representation of the People Act, 1951
- Electoral reforms
- CAG
- NCSC and NCST
- NHRC
- National Commissions for Women and Minorities
Political Processes in India
Society, parties and elections. Use current examples and recent election data.
State, economy and society
- Nature of the Indian state
- Development planning and New Economic Policy
- Growth and human development
- Globalisation: social and economic effects
- Religion, tribe, caste, region, language
- Dalit, tribal, women, farmers’ and labour movements
- Civil society and NGOs
- Regionalisation and demand for new states
- Gender and politics
Parties and elections
Public Administration
Theories of organisation and management. Learn each theorist with his or her key idea.
Foundations
- Meaning and evolution
- Public and private administration
- Systems, decision-making and ecological approaches
- Scientific management
- Rational choice
- New Public Administration
- Development administration
- Comparative public administration
- New Public Management
Organisation and management
- Bureaucratic theory
- Human relations theory
- Leadership and motivation
- Organisational communication; Chester Barnard
- Information management
- Managing conflict; Mary Parker Follett
- Management by Objectives; Peter Drucker
Governance and Public Policy in India
Accountability, institutions and policy. Prepare with real schemes and recent reforms.
Governance and accountability
- Good and democratic governance
- Checks and balances
- Legislative, administrative and budgetary control
- Parliamentary committees
- Judicial control
- Corruption and administrative reforms
Good-governance tools
- Right to Information
- Consumer Protection Act
- Citizen’s Charter
- Ombudsman, Lokpal, Lokayukta
- Panchayati Raj Institutions
- Decentralised planning
- E-governance
- NITI Aayog
Public policy
- Housing, health, drinking water
- Food security
- MGNREGA, NHM, RTE
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Jan Sunwai and social audit
A practical way to prepare
- Read the syllabus line by line. Tick each topic only when you can explain it without notes.
- Build thinker cards. For Units 2 and 3 write the main text, the central idea, one key term and one criticism.
- Compare, do not memorise. In Units 4 and 5, put theories and regimes side by side in a table.
- Keep India current. For Units 6–10, follow reliable news on foreign policy, Parliament, courts, elections and welfare schemes.
- Practise with questions. Solve previous-year papers and topic-wise MCQs, then return to weak units.
- Revise in cycles. Cover all ten units once, then repeat in shorter rounds.
Common questions
Which units does the Political Science syllabus include?
Political Theory; Political Thought; Indian Political Thought; Comparative Political Analysis; International Relations; India’s Foreign Policy; Political Institutions in India; Political Processes in India; Public Administration; and Governance and Public Policy in India.
Do I also need to study Paper-I?
Yes. Paper-I is the General Paper on Teaching & Research Aptitude and is common to all subjects. Start with our Research Aptitude guide.
Where can I find the official syllabus and exam pattern?
On the official UGC NET and NTA websites. This page follows the UGC NET Bureau syllabus for Political Science (Code 02), but the official notification is final.
Some topics are not linked. Why?
We are adding notes unit by unit. A plain topic is on the syllabus but does not have a note yet. You can ask us which note you would like next.
Does PoliPrepHub guarantee selection?
No. We offer study material only, and results depend on your own preparation. Please read our Disclaimer.
Source: UGC NET Bureau, Syllabus for Political Science (Code No. 02). PoliPrepHub is an independent resource and is not affiliated with UGC, NTA or any university.
Start with the basics
Begin with Unit 1, or finish Paper-I first.