How to prepare for Political Science subject in UGC NET Exam

UGC NET Overview

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been entrusted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) with the task of conducting UGC-NET Exam, which is a Test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for ‘Assistant Professor’ as well as ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor’ in Indian Universities and Colleges.

The UGC-NET is being conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode w.e.f. December 2018 onwards.

Awarding of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and/ or Eligibility for Assistant Professorship depends on the aggregate performance of the candidate in Paper-I and Paper-II of UGC-NET. The candidates qualifying only for Assistant Professorship are not eligible to be considered for the award of JRF. Candidates who qualify the eligibility test for Assistant Professorship are governed by the rules and regulations of the concerned Universities/Colleges/State Governments, as the case may be for recruitment of Assistant Professor.

UGC-NET is conducted twice every year (June & December). Due to the outbreak of COVID- 19 pandemic in 2020 & 2021, the cycles of UGC NET were merged and conducted together.

In order to regularize the UGC-NET examination cycle, the National Testing Agency (NTA), with the concurrence of UGC is conducting UGC NET December 2022 in the month of February & March 2023 in 83 subjects, at selected cities across the country.

Going a step further and to regularise the exam cycle, the NTA has released exam dates for the later half of the year and the exam will be held from 13th to 22nd June 2023.

As NTA gears up to conduct the exam in a proper manner, students also need to prepare themselves for the exam in a dedicated manner. For students who are preparing for UGC Net with political science as a subject, here are a few pointers to guide you in the right direction.

Our JRF team is the best in the business and almost all of them have already been selected as JRF. So, in your preparation journey we will be the best guide for you and our experienced team will prove to be a vital cog in your preparation journey.

How to prepare for UGC NET Political Science Paper II

Go through the syllabus to gauge your strengths and weaknesses

Unit 1: Political Theory

Concepts

• Liberalism
• Conservatism
• Socialism
• Marxism
• Feminism
• Ecologism
• Multiculturalism
• Postmodernism

Unit 2: Political Thought

• Confucius
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Machiavelli
• Hobbes
• Locke
• Rousseau
• Hegel
• Mary Wollstonecraft
• John Stuart Mill
• Karl Marx
• Gramsci
• Hannah Arendt
• Frantz Fanon
• Mao Zedong
• John Rawls

Unit 3: Indian Political Thought

• Dharamshastra
• Kautilya
• Aggannasutta
• Barani
• Kabir
• Pandita Ramabai
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Swami Vivekanand
• Rabindranath Tagore
• M.K Gandhi
• Sri Aurobindo
• Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
• Muhammad Iqbal
• M.N.Roy
• V D Savarkar
• Dr.B.R.Ambedkar
• J L Nehru
• Ram Manohar Lohia
• Jaya Prakash Narayan
• Deendayal Upadhyaya

Unit 4: Comparative Political Analysis

• Approaches: Institutional, Political Culture, Political Economy and New Institutionalism; Comparative Methods
• Colonialism and decolonization: forms of colonialism, anti-colonial struggles, and decolonization Nationalism: European and non-European
• State theory: Debate over the nature of the state in capitalist and socialist societies; post-colonial state; welfare state; globalization and nation-states
• Political regimes: democratic (Electoral, Liberal, Majoritarian and Participatory) and non-democratic regimes (Patrimonialism, Bureaucratic authoritarianism, Military dictatorship, Totalitarianism, and fascist)
• Constitutions and Constitutionalism: forms of constitutions, rule of law, judicial independence and liberal constitutionalism; emergency powers and the crisis of constitutionalism. Democratization: democratic transition and consolidation
• Development: Underdevelopment, Dependency, Modernization, World Systems Theory, development and democracy
• Structures of Power: Ruling class, power elites, democratic elitism
• Actor and Processes: Electoral Systems, Political Parties and Party System, Interest groups, Social movements, new social movements, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society campaigns; Revolutions.

Unit 5: International Relations

• Approaches to the study of International Relations: Idealism, Realism, Structural Marxism, Neoliberalism, Neorealism, Social Constructivism, Critical International Theory, Feminism, Postmodernism
• Concepts: State, state system and non-state actors, Power, Sovereignty, Security: traditional and non-traditional
• Conflict and Peace: Changing Nature of Warfare; Weapons of mass destruction; deterrence; conflict resolution, conflict transformation
• United Nations: Aims, Objectives, Structure, and Evaluation of the Working of UN; Peace and Development perspectives; Humanitarian intervention. International law; International Criminal Court
• Political Economy of IR; Globalisation; Global governance and 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, and Environmental Concerns, Human Rights, Migration and Refugees; Poverty and Development; Role of Religion, Culture, and Identity Politics

Unit 6: India& Foreign Policy

• Perspectives on India’s Foreign Policy: India’s Identity as postcolonial, development, rising power and as emerging political economy
• Continuity and change in India’s Foreign Policy: Principles and determinants; Non-Alignment movement: historical background and relevance of Non Aligned Movement; India’s Nuclear Policy
• India’s relations with major powers: USA, USSR/Russia, People’s Republic of China
• India’s Engagement with the multipolar world: India’s relations with European Union, BRICS, ASEAN, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, African Union, Southern African Development Community, Gulf Cooperation Council
• India’s relations with the neighbourhood: SAARC, Gujaral doctrine, Look East/ Act East, Look West
• India’s Negotiation Strategies in International Regimes: The United Nations, World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Contemporary challenges: maritime security, energy security, environmental security, migrants and refugees, water resources, international terrorism, cyber security

Unit 7: Political Institutions in India

• Making of the Indian Constitution: Colonialism heritage and the contribution of Indian National Movement to the making of the Indian Constitution
• Constituent Assembly: Composition, Ideological Moorings, Constitutional Debates
• Philosophy of the Constitution: Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles
• Constitutionalism in India: Democracy, Social Change, National Unity, Checks and Balances, Basic Structure Debate, Constitutional Amendments
• Union Executive: President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
• Union Parliament: Structure, Role and Functioning, Parliamentary Committees
• Judiciary: Supreme Court, High Court, Judicial Review, Judicial Activism, Judicial Reform.
• Executive and Legislature in the States: Governor, Chief Minister, State Legislature
• Federalism in India: Strong Centre Framework, Asymmetrical Federal Provisions and Adaption, Role of Intergovernmental Coordination Mechanisms, Inter-State Council, Emerging Trends.
• Electoral Process and Election Commission of India: Conduct of Elections, Rules, Electoral Reforms
• Local Government Institutions: Functioning and reforms
• Constitutional and Statutory Bodies: Comptroller and Auditor General, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Human Rights, National Commission for Women, National Commission for Minorities.

Unit 8: Political Processes in India

• State, Economy and Development: Nature of Indian State, Development Planning model, New Economic Policy, Growth and Human Development
• Process of globalisation: social and economic implications
• Identity Politics: Religion, Tribe, Caste, Region, Language
• Social Movements: Dalit, Tribal, Women, Farmers, labour
• Civil Society Groups: Non-Party Social Formations, Non-Governmental Organisations, Social Action Groups
• Regionalisation of Indian Politics: Reorganisation of Indian States, States as Political and Economic Units, Sub-State Regions, Regional disparities, Demand for the New States
• Gender and Politics in India: Issues of Equality and Representation
• Ideology and Social basis of Political Parties: National Parties, State Parties
• Electoral Politics: Participation, Contestation, Representation, Emerging trends

Unit 9: Public Administration

• Public Administration: meaning and evolution; public and private administration Approaches: System Theory, Decision Making, Ecological Approach
• Public administration theories and concepts: Scientific Management Theory, Rational Choice theory, New Public Administration, Development Administration, Comparative Public Administration, New Public Management, changing nature of Public Administration in the era of liberalisation and Globalisation
• Theories and Principles of Organization: Scientific Management Theory, Bureaucratic Theory, Human Relations Theory
• Managing the organization: Theories of leadership and motivation
• Organisational Communication: Theories and Principles, Chester Bernard Principles of Communication, Information Management in the organization
• Managing Conflict in the Organization: Mary Parker Follett
• Management by Objectives- Peter Drucker

Unit 10: Governance and Public Policy in India

• Governance, good governance and democratic governance, role of state, civil society and individuals
• Accountability and Control: Institutional mechanism for checks and balances, legislative control over executive, administrative and budgetary control, control through parliamentary committees, judicial control over legislature and executive, administrative culture, corruption and administrative reforms
• Institutional mechanisms for good governance: Right to Information, Consumer Protection Act, Citizen Charter; Grievance redress system: Ombudsman, Lokpal, Lokayukta
• Grassroots Governance: Panchayati Raj Institutions and their functioning
• Planning and Development: Decentralised planning, planning for development, sustainable development, participatory development, e-governance; NITI Aayog
• Public policy as an instrument of socio-economic development: public policies with special reference to housing, health, drinking water, food security, MNREGA, NHRM, RTE
• Monitoring and evaluation of public policy; mechanisms of making governance process accountable: jansunwai, social audit.

A few tips

• Start your preparation for UGC NET political science by understanding the exam pattern and the syllabus for the UGC NET political science exam. This will help you know what to expect on the day of the exam and will also help you plan your study schedule.
• Make a study plan for your UGC NET political science preparation and stick to it. Try to devote a certain amount of time each day to studying for the exam, and cover all the essential topics in the syllabus.
• Use study materials such as books, notes, and online resources to help you prepare for the exam. Make sure to use materials that are relevant and up-to-date.
• Practice as many mock tests as possible to help you get used to the exam format and to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• Take care of your physical and mental health. Make sure to get enough sleep, exercise, and eat well during the exam preparation. This will help you stay focused and energized.
• Don't panic or get stressed out. Instead, try to stay calm and focused on your studies. Remember that hard work and dedication can go a long way in helping you succeed in the exam.

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