CUET UG Political Science Syllabus

Political Science syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Political Science in CUET UG, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Contemporary World Politics

   4 topics

   • Cold War Era
     • Emergence of two power blocs
     • Non-Aligned Movement
   • End of Bipolarity
     • Disintegration of the USSR
     • Shock therapy and its consequences
   • US Hegemony and Alternative Centres
     • Nature of US hegemony
     • European Union and ASEAN
     • Rise of China
   • Globalisation
     • Causes and impact of globalisation
     • Resistance to globalisation
2. 2

   Politics in India Since Independence

   4 topics

   • Nation-Building and Its Problems
     • Partition and integration of princely states
     • Reorganisation of states
   • Era of One-Party Dominance
     • Congress system
     • Early Opposition parties
   • Crisis of Democratic Order
     • The Emergency (1975-77)
     • Restoration of democracy
   • Recent Developments in Indian Politics
     • Era of coalitions
     • Rise of regional aspirations
3. 3

   International Organisations and Security

   3 topics

   • International Organisations
     • United Nations and its reform
     • IMF, World Bank and WTO
   • Security in the Contemporary World
     • Traditional and non-traditional security
     • Terrorism and human security
   • Environment and Natural Resources
     • Global environmental concerns
     • Resource geopolitics

Political Science flashcards for CUET UG

25 of 52 cards from the Political Science deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What event is generally considered the beginning of the Cold War?

   The period of tension after World War II (around 1945-47) between the US-led Western bloc and the USSR-led Eastern bloc, marked by the division of Europe and the Truman Doctrine (1947).

2. Define the Cold War.

   A state of intense political, ideological, and military rivalry (without direct large-scale war) between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies from the late 1940s to 1991.

3. What was the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) and why was it significant?

   A 13-day confrontation when the USSR placed nuclear missiles in Cuba; the US (Kennedy) blockaded Cuba and the USSR (Khrushchev) withdrew the missiles. It was the closest the Cold War came to nuclear war.

4. What were the two rival military alliances of the Cold War?

   NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1949) led by the US, and the Warsaw Pact (1955) led by the USSR.

5. What is the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)?

   A movement of states that chose not to join either the US or Soviet bloc during the Cold War, promoting independence in foreign policy, decolonization, and peace. Formally launched at the Belgrade Conference, 1961.

6. Name the founding leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement.

   Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia), Sukarno (Indonesia), and Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana).

7. What was the New International Economic Order (NIEO)?

   A 1970s demand by developing (Third World) countries through UNCTAD for a fairer global economic system, including control over natural resources, better trade terms, and reduced dependence on developed nations.

8. What does 'bipolarity' mean in international politics?

   A world order dominated by two superpowers (the US and USSR) and their two competing alliance systems during the Cold War.

9. In what year did the Soviet Union disintegrate, and into how many independent countries?

   The USSR disintegrated in 1991, breaking into 15 independent republics (including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc.).

10. What was Mikhail Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War? Name his two key reforms.

    As Soviet leader, he initiated reforms to liberalise the system: Perestroika (economic 'restructuring') and Glasnost ('openness' in politics and media).

11. What was 'Shock Therapy' after the collapse of communism?

    The painful, rapid model of transition from a planned (socialist) economy to capitalism in former USSR/Eastern bloc states in the 1990s, involving sudden privatisation, free trade, and currency convertibility.

12. List two consequences of Shock Therapy in former Soviet states.

    Collapse of the old welfare/industrial system, mass impoverishment, rise of the 'mafia', rampant inflation, and a widening gap between rich and poor.

13. What is meant by a 'unipolar' world after 1991?

    A world order with a single dominant superpower (the United States), unchallenged by any rival of comparable power, following the disintegration of the USSR.

14. What are the three forms of US hegemony described in NCERT?

    (1) Hegemony as hard power (military dominance), (2) Hegemony as structural power (control of the global economy, e.g., WTO, IMF), and (3) Hegemony as soft power (cultural and ideological dominance).

15. What was Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003)?

    The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 (without explicit UN authorisation) to overthrow Saddam Hussein, justified by the claim of weapons of mass destruction—an example of US hard-power hegemony.

16. What was Operation Enduring Freedom?

    The US-led global military response after the 9/11 attacks (2001), primarily targeting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

17. Name the 'alternative centres of power' challenging US dominance.

    The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with the rise of China, India, and Russia.

18. When was the European Union established and by which treaty?

    The EU was established by the Maastricht Treaty, which was signed in 1992 and came into force in 1993.

19. What is ASEAN, when was it founded, and what is its objective?

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, founded in 1967 by the Bangkok Declaration (originally 5 members) to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and regional peace/stability.

20. What are the three pillars (communities) of ASEAN?

    The ASEAN Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

21. What economic reform turned China into a major power, and when did it begin?

    China's economic reforms (open-door policy) initiated by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, gradually opening the economy and privatising agriculture and industry.

22. Define Globalisation.

    A multidimensional process involving the worldwide flows of ideas, capital, goods, services, and people, leading to greater interconnectedness and interdependence across the globe.

23. What are the main causes/drivers of globalisation?

    Technological advances (especially in communications, transport, and microelectronics) and the worldwide flow of capital, goods, and people; technology is the key cause.

24. Distinguish economic, political, and cultural globalisation.

    Economic: flows of capital, goods, trade, and labour. Political: changing role of the state and rise of international institutions. Cultural: spread of ideas, lifestyles, and homogenisation/heterogenisation of culture.

25. What is 'cultural homogenisation' vs 'cultural heterogenisation'?

    Homogenisation: the world becoming culturally similar (often dominated by Western/American culture). Heterogenisation: cultures absorbing outside influences while remaining distinct, producing greater diversity.

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