Polity Revision - CSE Prelims 2015: Don't Miss the Important Topics

Mahinder Meena

Guys please give your inputs for the important topics and other useful analysis for Polity
** Note: Will create a separate thread for other subject.


Polity (expected questions 10-15)

Important Topics (based on past CSE Exam)
a. Central Government (especially the President, Parliament and Parliament committee)
b. Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Fundamental Duties
c. Judiciary (especially the supreme court)
d. State Government (governor, State Legislature)
f. Constitutional Development, Feature and Philosophy
e. Constitutional & Non constitutional Bodies (especially NDC, PC (changed to NITI Ayog), FC)
f. Local Government (especially PRI)
g. Amendment of constitution and emergency provision
h. Right Issue

Additional topic that are likely to be seen in exam due to recent development and happenings across the country
a. Center - State Relation (14th FC recommendation )
b. Indian Federalism (Cooperative federalism)
c. NJAC (Judicial reform)
d. Union Territory and their administration (Delhi LG and CM conflict)
e. RTI (Political Parties not disclosing the source of funding)
g. Civil Society
h. Good Governance and e-Governance

Source of study:
a. Laxmikanth - Indian Polity and Governance
b. Roman Saini Polity Videos on unacademy (good for quick revision)
c. Current Notes

entropy

AFSPA
Armed forces tribunal
Citizenship PIO/OCI
Emergency provisions
Paramilatery forces
EC
HRC
NCSC NCBC etc.
Parliamentry provisions/powers
Land acquisition bill
Schedules of Constitution
@Mahinder Meena

Mahinder Meena

@entropy : is AFSPA, Paramilitary force, Land Acquisition Bill really so important from polity prelims point of view? I believe these are discussion/debatable topics and more likely to be focused for mains. (driving analogy from past CSE Prelims papers)

Yes following topics are important for prelims:
a. Citizenship/PIO/OCI (in news during pravasi bharatiya divas and merging of PIO and OCI)
c. Constitutional Bodies (FC, NCSC, Attorney General)
d. Non Constituional (NITI Ayog, NDC, NHRC, CIC, CVC, Lokpal, Lokayutus)
e. Tribunals (NGT and AFT)

** Though the direct question is less likely to be asked on the article, schedules, amendment and landmark judgments. But it's a good practice to keep a list on these handy and use while reading any topic on polity.

Bureau_crazy

In previous papers of last two-three years (the period I started following current affairs) I did not find any correlation between contemporary current affairs and the question asked in prelims for polity. Upsc has grown much beyond where one could anticipate qs from it based on current affairs.

Mahinder Meena

@Bureau_crazy : Yes you are right, there won't be a direct questions on current affairs but there might be questions which are back traced to its root. For Example NGT and AFT are in news so the question might come on the Tribunals which is very much part of basic polity.

The problem is while revising the topics we go fast and skip things in between without knowing the importance of it. So the whole focus is where to slow down and read carefully.

The first list in the post covers the popular topic which UPSC has asked in last 5-6 years and the second list covers the additional topic based on current happening.

Mahinder Meena

@Bureau_crazy: if you have a better strategy to revise, please do share with us.