Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) remains one of the most popular optional subjects in the UPSC Syllabus 2026. The subject’s relevance in both Prelims (Indian Polity) and GS Mains (GS Paper 2, and to some extent GS Paper 4 and Essay) makes it a strategic choice for many aspirants. This article provides the complete UPSC Syllabus 2026 for Political Science and Internation Relations (PSIR), a recommended booklist, and a detailed preparation strategy to approach this optional effectively.
UPSC Syllabus 2026 for PSIR
Political Science and Internation Relations (PSIR) Syllabus for Paper 1
Political Theory and Indian Politics :
1. Political Theory: meaning and approaches.
2. Theories of state : Liberal, Neo-liberal, Marxist, Pluiralist, post-colonial and Feminist.
3. Justice : Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
4. Equality : Social, political and economic; relationship between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
5. Rights : Meaning and theories; different kinds of rights; Concept of Human Rights.
6. Democracy : Classical and contemporary theories; different models of democracy—representative, participatory and deliberative.
7. Concept of power : hegemony, ideology and legitimacy.
8. Political Ideologies : Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism.
9. Indian Political Thought: Dharamshastra, Arthashastra and Buddhist Traditions; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M. K. Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar, M. N. Roy.
10. Western Political Thought : Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt.
Indian Government and Politics
1. Indian Nationalism :
(a) Political Strategies of India’s Freedom Struggle : Constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Noncooperation, Civil Disobedience; Militant and Revolutionary Movements, Peasant and Workers Movements.
(b) Perspectives on Indian National Movement; Liberal, Socialist and Marxist; Radical Humanist and Dalit.
2. Making of the Indian Constitution : Legacies of the British rule; different social and political perspectives.
3. Salient Features of the Indian Constitution : The Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles; Parliamentary System and Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine.
4. (a) Principal Organs of the Union Government : Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and Supreme Court.
(b) Principal Organs of the State Government : Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and High Courts.
5. Grassroots Democracy : Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government; Significance of 73rd and 74th Amendments; Grassroot movements.
6. Statutory Institutions/Commissions : Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, 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.
7. Federalism : Constitutional provisions; changing nature of centre-state relations; integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state disputes.
8. Planning and Economic development : Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives; Role of planning and public sector; Green Revolution, land reforms and agrarian relations; liberalization and economic reforms.
9. Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics.
10. Party System : National and regional political parties, ideological and social bases of parties; Patterns of coalition politics; Pressure groups, trends in electoral behaviour; changing socio-economic profile of Legislators.
11. Social Movement : Civil liberties and human rights movements; women’s movements; environmentalist movements.
Political Science and Internation Relations (PSIR) Syllabus for Paper 2
Comparative Politics and International Relations Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics :
1. Comparative Politics : Nature and major approaches; Political economy and political sociology perspectives; Limitations of the comparative method.
2. State in Comparative Perspective : Characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and advanced industrial and developing societies.
3. Politics of Representation and Participation : Political parties, pressure groups and social movements in advanced industrial and developing societies.
4. Globalisation : Responses from developed and developing societies.
5. Approaches to the Study of International Relations : Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and Systems theory.
6. Key Concepts in International Relations : National interest, security and power; Balance of power and deterrence; Transational actors and collective security; World capitalist economy and globalisation.
7. Changing International Political Order :
(a) Rise of super powers; Strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and cold war; Nuclear threat;
(b) Non-aligned Movement : Aims and achievements.
(c) Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; Relevance of non-alignment in the contemporary world.
8. Evolution of the International Economic System : From Brettonwoods to WTO; Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new international economic order; Globalisation of the world economy.
9. United Nations : Envisaged role and actual record; Specialized UN agencies—aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
10. Regionalisation of World Politics : EU, ASEAN, APEC, AARC, NAFTA. 11. Contemporary Global Concerns : Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice terrorism, nuclear proliferation.
India and the World
1. Indian Foreign Policy : Determinants of foreign policy; the institutions of policy-making; Continuity and change.
2. India’s Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement Different phases; Current role.
3. India and South Asia :
(a) Regional Co-operation : SAARC-past performance and future prospects.
(b) South Asia as a Free Trade Area.
(c) India’s “Look East” policy.
(d) Impediments to regional co-operation : River water disputes; illegal cross border migration; Ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; Border disputes.
4. India and the Global South : Relations with Africa and Latin America; Leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations.
5. India and the Global Centres of Power : USA, EU, Japan, China and Russia.
6. India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping; Demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
7. India and the Nuclear Question : Changing perceptions and policy.
8. Recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy : India’s position on the recent crises in Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia, growing relations with US and Isreal; Vision of a new world order.
PSIR Optional: The Roadmap to Excel in UPSC Civil Services Exam
This comprehensive guide outlines a strategic approach for excelling in the Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the subject's scope, thoroughly navigating the syllabus and previous year's questions, and selecting appropriate study materials. The document also provides detailed strategies for note-making and answer writing, highlighting the need for conceptual clarity, a scholarly approach by citing various thinkers, and incorporating current affairs, examples, and data. Finally, it underscores the crucial role of mock tests for self-assessment and refining exam performance.
PSIR Value Addition for PSIR 2024/25
Book List for PSIR Optional
Paper 1
Section A: Political Theory and Indian Politics
- Modern Indian Political Thought and Indian Government and Politics by Bidyut Chakraborty
- Political Theory: An Introduction by Andrew Heywood and Clayton Chin
- Political Ideologies by Andrew Heywood
- An Introduction to Political Theory by OP Gauba
- Political Theory: An Introduction by Rajiv Bhargava
- Western Political Thought: From Socrates to the Age of Ideologies by Brian R. Nelson
- Indian Political Thought by VR Mehta
Section B: Indian Government and Politics
- Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu
- From Plassey to Partition by Shekhar Bandopadhyay
- India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
- The Oxford Companion to Politics in India edited by Neerja Gopal Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehta
- Democracy and Its Discontents: India’s Growing Crisis of Governmentality by Atul Kohli
- Rethinking Public Institutions in India edited by Devesh Kapur, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, and Milan Vaishnav
Paper 2
Section A: Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics
- Global Politics by Andrew Heywood
- The Globalisation of World Politics by John Baylis, Patricia Owens, and Steve Smith
- Comparative Politics by JC Johari
- Comparative Politics by Tapan Biswal
- Governing Globalisation: Issues and Institutions by Deepak Nayyar
Section B: India and the World
- Challenges and Strategies: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri
- Oxford Handbook of India’s Foreign Policy edited by David Malone, C. Raja Mohan, and Srinath Raghavan
- Indian Foreign Policy: An Overview by Harsh V. Pant
- The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World by S. Jaishankar
Notes on Usage
These books are curated to build a strong foundation and offer comprehensive insights into the subject. When using them:
- Read selectively. Focus on specific topics or thinkers relevant to the syllabus rather than attempting to read each book end-to-end.
- Diversify your sources. Use a mix of textbooks, scholarly analyses, and primary thinkers to deepen your understanding.
- Prioritize clarity and relevance. Some books may overlap; choose the one that explains a topic best for you.
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