Maharashtra PSC: Political Science And International Relation  : Revised Syllabus for State Services (Main) Examination (Optional)

Political Science and International Relations (Code No : 210) Paper - I
Political Theory and Indian Politics
Standard : Degree

Total Marks : 200
Nature of Paper : Conventional Type
Duration : 3 Hours

Note:
1) Answers to this paper must be written either in English or in Marathi.
2) This paper will test the candidate’s ability to comprehend, to analyse, to interpret, to criticise and to appraise the subject matter related to the topics/sub topics mentioned below.
3) It is expected from candidates to study the latest and recent developments and happenings pertaining to the topics/sub topics mentioned below.
 

Section – A (Marks : 50)
1) Political Science - A Discipline :
    1) Political Science as a discipline: Nature and Scope and its relations with other Social Sciences.
    2) Approaches to the study of Political Science : Historical, Normative, Empirical and Behavioral.

2) State :
    1) Theories of Origin of State : Divine, Social Contract, Evolutionary.
    2) Theories of State : Liberal, Neo-liberal, Welfare state, Marxist.

3) Political Concepts :
    1) Law, Sovereignty : Monistic and Pluralistic.
    2) Liberty, Equality, Justice.
    3) Authority, Legitimacy and Political Obligation.
 

Section - B (Marks : 50)
4) Political Ideologies :
    1) Liberalism and Democracy.
    2) Marxism and Neo-Marxism.
    3) Fascism.
    4) Environmentalism.
    5) Feminism.

5) Western Political Thought :
    1)  Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli.
    2) Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau.
    3) Hegel, Marx, Lenin, Mao.
    4) J.S.Mill, I.Berlin, John Rawls.

6) Indian Political Thought with special reference to Maharashtra :
    1) Kautilya.
    2) Ranade, Agarkar, Tilak, Aurobindo.
    3) Jyotiba Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Ambedkar.
    4) Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave, Nehru and A.K.Azad.
    5) Sawarkar, M.A.Jinnah.

Section - C (Marks : 50)
7) Background and Structure of Indian Constitution :
    1) Impact of British Rule on Constitutional development in India; Constituent Assembly.
    2) Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy, Citizenship.
    3) Constitutional Provisions for the upliftment of the weaker sections of society.
    4) Federalism; Center - State Relations.

8) Union Government :
    1) Legislature : Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Committees.
    2) Executive : President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers.
    3) Judiciary : Supreme Court and Judicial Review and Activism.
    4) Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Planning Commission and National Human Rights Commission.

9) State Government :
    1) Legislature : Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad; Legislative Committees.
    2) Executive : Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers.
    3) Judiciary : High Court and Subordinate courts.

10) Political Parties and Pressure Groups in India :
    1) Political Parties : Ideologies and Programmes.
    2) Political Parties : National and Regional; Politics of Coalition.
    3) Pressure Groups and Interest Groups.

Section -D (Marks : 50)
11) Democratic Decentralisation : (With reference to Maharashtra)
    1) Balwant Rai Mehta Committee and constitutional provisions.
    2) Local Self-Government (Rural) : Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad.
    3) Local Self-Government (Urban) : Nagar Palikas, Municipalities and Municipal Corporations, Cantonment Boards.
    4) Importance of 73rd and 74th Amendments in Indian Constitution; Empowerment of Women and Backward Classes.

12) Issues in Indian Politics :
    1) Caste, Class, Religion, Language.
    2) Peasant and Dalit Movements with reference to Maharashtra.
    3) Regionalism, Sub-regionalism, Demand for State Autonomy; Border and river disputes with special reference to Maharashtra.
    4) Terrorism, Insurgency and Naxalite Movement.

13) Politics in Maharashtra :
    1) Formation of Maharashtra; Politics of Development.
    2) Regional Imbalances and Role of Statutory Development Boards.
    3) Co-operative Movement : Problems and Prospects.
    4) Political Parties and Leadership.

Paper - II
Comparative Politics and International Relations.
Standard : Degree

Total Marks : 200
Nature of Paper : Conventional Type
Duration : 3 Hours

Note:
1) Answers to this paper must be written either in English or in Marathi.
2) This paper will test the candidate’s ability to comprehend, to analyse, to interpret, to criticise and to appraise the subject matter related to the topics/sub topics mentioned below.
3) It is expected from candidates to study the latest and recent developments and happenings pertaining to the topics/sub topics mentioned below.
 

Section - A (Marks : 50)
1) Comparative Politics and Government :
    1) Definition, Nature and Scope of Comparative Politics.
    2) Approaches to the Study of Comparative Politics : Traditional, Systems, Structural-functional and World System theory approach.

2) Political Development, Modernisation and Culture :
    1) Political Development and Modernisation.
    2) Political Socialisation.
    3) Political Culture and Communication.

3) Constitutionalism and Federalism :
    1) Constitutionalism in USA, UK, France and Switzerland.
    2) Federalism in USA, UK, France and Switzerland.
    3) Challenges before Federalism in modern times.

4) Comparative Government With reference to USA, UK, France and Switzerland :
    1) Executive – Composition, Powers and Functions.
    2) Legislature - Composition, Powers and Functions.
    3) Judiciary - Composition, Powers and Functions; Judicial Review.

Section - B (Marks : 50)
5) International Politics :
    1) Meaning, Nature and Scope.
    2) Theories and Approaches : Idealist, Realist, Systems, Game Theory, Decision-Making approach.

6) Key Concepts of International Politics :
    1) National Interest, National Security, Collective Security .
    2) Balance of Power, Cold War, Post-Cold war and Unipolar World.
    3) Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution.
    4) Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, International Law.

7) Contemporary Issues in World Politics :
    1) Arab-Israel dispute, Oil Crisis and Gulf War.
    2) Disintegration of Soviet Union, Civil War in Afghanistan, Nuclear Proliferation in Asia.
    3) Terrorism : State Sponsored, Cross Border and International Terrorism.
    4) Humanitarian Interventions, Environment, Human Rights, Gender Justice, Globalisation.

8) International and Regional Organisations :
    1) United Nations and its specialised agencies - ICJ, ILO, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNCHR.
    2) Regional Organisations : EU, APEC, ASEAN, OPEC, OAU, SAARC.

Section - C (Marks : 50)
9) Foreign Policy of India :
    1) Evolution, Philosophy and Determinants of India’s Foreign Policy.
    2) Foreign Policy making Institutions : Legislature, Executive and Bureaucracy
    3) Foreign Policy making Process : Political Parties, Pressure Groups, Media and Public opinion.

10) India and South Asia :
    1) Bilateral relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
    2) India and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

11) India and South East Asia :
    1) Bilateral Relations with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Phillipines and Indonesia.
    2) India and ASEAN ( Association of South East Asian Nations).

Section - D (Marks : 50)
12) India in World Affairs :
    1) India’s Relations with USA and Russia.
    2) India’s Relations with China and Japan.
    3) India and Indian Ocean.

13) India’s Nuclear Policy :
    1) Determinants of Nuclear Policy.
    2) Importance of Pokharan I and II.
    3) India’s stand on NPT and CTBT.

14) India and International Organisations :
    1) India’s participation in the UN Activities.
    2) India and EU (European Union).
    3) India and WTO (World Trade Orgnisation).