Subject details

Description

Trend Analysis of Indian Polity

The Civil Services (Main) Examination Syllabus is mentioned as: 

•  Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

•  Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States

•  Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

•  Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

•  Separation of powers between various organs 

•  Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.

•  Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries

•  Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

•  Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary 

•  Ministries and Departments of the Government

•  Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.

•  Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

•  Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

But the above topics are defined broadly and students sometimes fail to understand the sub-topics need to be read while preparing for the subject. 

Hence, hereby providing the list of sub-topics:

Constitution of India - An introduction

•  What is constitution?

•  Functions of Constitution

•  Classification of Constitutions

•  Constitutionalism

•  Salient features of Indian Constitution

•  Parliamentary and Presidential form of Government

•  The evolution of Indian Constitution

Territory of the Union & creation of States 

•  Article 1

•  Reorganization of States

•  Chronology of formation of States of India

•  Division of J&K and its implications

Citizenship

•  Introduction

•  Constitutional Provisions

•  Difference between a citizen by birth and a naturalized citizen

•  Dual citizenship to overseas Indians

Fundamental Rights

•  Introduction

•  Amendments to fundamental rights

•  Article wise explanation of fundamental rights

•  Various writs 

Directive Principle of State Policy

•  Fundamental Rights vs. Directive principles of State policy

•  Categorization of Directive Principles of State Policy

•  Directive Principles of State Policy explained

•  Conclusion

Fundamental Duties

•  List of duties

•  Rationale behind the incorporation of Fundamental Duties

•  Significance of Fundamental Duties

Amendment Provisions and debate

•  Procedure for Constitution Amendment in India

•  Majorities as discussed in Constitution

•  Private member bill for Amendment

•  Parliament’s power to Amend the Constitution

Basic structure doctrine

•  Evolution of Basic Structure doctrine

•  Aftermath of Kesavananda Bharti case

•  What Constitutes the Basic Structure

President

•  Election for the President of India

•  Procedure for impeachment of the President

•  Powers and functions of the President of India

•  Analysis of position & role of President of India

Vice-President

•  Election of the Vice-president

•  Qualifications

•  Term of office

•  Functions

•  Vacancy

Prime Minister

•  Introduction

•  Appointment

•  Emoluments

•  Role of the prime minister

•  Position of the Prime Minister

•  Relationship between President, prime Minister and the parliament

•  Relationship between Prime Minister and his party

•  Prime minister and Foreign Policy

Union Council of Ministers

•  Constitutional provisions for cabinet of ministers

•  Comparison of Parliamentary and presidential forms of government

•  Formation of the Union Council of Ministers

•  Principles of working

•  Powers of the Union Council of Ministers

•  Cabinet Committees

•  Group of Ministers and empowered group of Ministers

•  Attorney general of India

Indian Parliament

•  Functions of parliament

•  Membership of Indian Parliament

•  Vacation of seats

•  Electoral process

•  Sessions of parliament

•  End of session

•  Presiding officer of parliament

•  Composition of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

•  Legislative procedure in Parliament

•  Powers, privileges and immunities of the members

•  Comparison of powers and functions of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

•  Financial matters in Parliament

•  Committees of Parliament

•  Motions and resolutions

•  Delegated legislation

•  Anti defection law

Anti-defection law

•  Introduction

•  Disqualification under 10th schedule

•  The law

•  Critique of the law

The Governor

•  Appointment

•  Removal

•  Powers

•  Views expressed on discretionary powers of the governor

•  Article 356 and the role of the governor

Chief Minister

•  Constitutional provisions

•  Powers and functions of the Chief Minister

•  Chief Minister and the Foreign Policy

State Council of Ministers

•  Powers and functions of the Council of Ministers

•  Relationship between the governor and his Council of Ministers

•  Advocate general for the State

State legislature

•  Legislative assembly

•  Legislative Councils

•  Legislative procedure

•  Comparison of the two houses of the State legislature

Union Territories

•  Administration of UT’s (Article 239)

•  Legislature and Council of Ministers in UT’s (Article 239 A)

•  Special provisions for Delhi

The federal system

•  Essential features of a federation

•  Unitary features of Indian federalism

Relation between the Union and the States

•  Legislative relations

•  Administrative relations

•  Financial relations 

•  Interstate Council

•  Zonal council

•  National integration Council

•  Finance Commission

•  Conclusion

Services under the Union and the State

•  Introduction

•  All India service

•  Doctrine of pleasure

•  Constitutional safeguards

•  Public Service Commissions

•  Independence of UPSC and PSC members

Centre State relations – Tension Areas

•  Introduction

•  Role of governor

•  Misuse of article 356

•  Article 200 and 201

•  Revenue

•  Demand for autonomy

•  Sarkaria Commission

•  Punchhi Commission

Separation of powers

•  Meaning

•  Montesquieu doctrine

•  Constitutional status of separation of power in USA

•  Constitutional status of separation of power in India

•  Conclusion and observation

Judicial system of India

•  Introduction

•  The Supreme Court of India

•  The High Courts

•  The Subordinate Courts

•  Administrative Tribunals

•  Lok Adalat

•  Consumer forum

•  Fast Track Courts

•  Concept of Plea Bargaining

•  Judicial Accountability

•  Judicial Review

•  Judicial reforms

Democratic decentralization in India

•  Development of PRI’s is pre-independence days

•  Indian Constitution and the local bodies

•  Urban local bodies

•  Assessment of Panchayati Raj System in India

•  PESA 

Representation of people act 1950 and 1951

•  Salient features of the representation of people act, 1950

•  Salient features of representation of peoples act, 1951

•  Disputes regarding elections

•  Amendments

•  Electoral reform

Constitutional bodies

•  Election Commission

•  Finance Commission

•  CAG

•  UPSC

Statutory bodies

•  RBI

•  SEBI

•  Competition Commission of India(CCI)

•  Press Council of India

Quasi Judicial bodies

•  Human Rights Commission

•  Central Information Commission and State Information Commission

•  Consumer dispute redressed agencies

Ministries and Departments

•  Structure of Ministries/departments

•  Secretariat system

•  Separation of secretariat and executive organization: Analysis

Comparison of the Constitution

•  With UK

•  With USA

•  With France

Trend Analysis of Indian Polity

How to Prepare:

For the preparation of this topic, apart from referring to the traditional sources (which you have read for prelims examination), students need to refer the government reports, blogs, etc.

Traditional Sources are:

1.  India Polity by M. Lakshmikanth

2.  Our Constitution by Subhash C. Kashyap

3.  Constitution of India by D.D Basu

Some of such reports are:

1.  2nd ARC report on State and District Administration

2.  2nd ARC report on Local Governance

3.  2nd ARC Report on Organisational structure of the government

Alongwith the reports, student should refer to the sources such as:

•  Editorials from Newspapers 

•  Videos of government sources as Rajya Sabha TV

•  PIB, blogs of PRS, etc

Note: In IASHELPDESK we are providing the books, reports, videos, editorials and questions at one stop so that a student may concentrate in the attainment of knowledge rather than busy in accessing the different sources.