UGC NET Political Science General Paper 1 Syllabus

General Paper 1 syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Paper 1 in UGC NET Political Science, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Teaching

   4 topics

   • Concept
   • Objectives
   • Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective)
   • Characteristics and basic requirements
2. 2

   Research Aptitude

   6 topics

   • Research
     • Meaning
     • Types
     • Characteristics
     • Positivism and Post-positivistic approach to research
   • Methods of Research
     • Experimental
     • Descriptive
     • Historical
     • Qualitative
     • Quantitative
   • Steps of Research
   • Thesis and Article writing
     • Format and styles of referencing
   • Application of ICT in research
   • Research ethics
3. 3

   Comprehension

   1 topic

   • Reading Comprehension
4. 4

   Communication

   4 topics

   • Communication
     • Meaning
     • Types
     • Characteristics of communication
   • Effective communication
     • Verbal and Non-verbal
     • Inter-Cultural and group communications
     • Classroom communication
   • Barriers to effective communication
   • Mass-Media and Society
5. 5

   Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude

   3 topics

   • Types of reasoning
   • Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships
   • Mathematical Aptitude
     • Fraction
     • Time & Distance
     • Ratio
     • Proportion and Percentage
     • Profit and Loss
     • Interest and Discounting
     • Averages etc.
6. 6

   Logical Reasoning

   7 topics

   • Understanding the structure of arguments
     • Argument forms
     • Structure of categorical propositions
     • Mood and Figure
     • Formal and Informal fallacies
     • Uses of language
     • Connotations and denotations of terms
     • Classical square of opposition
   • Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning
   • Analogies
   • Venn diagram
     • Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments
   • Indian Logic: Means of knowledge
   • Pramanas
     • Pratyaksha (Perception)
     • Anumana (Inference)
     • Upamana (Comparison)
     • Shabda (Verbal testimony)
     • Arthapatti (Implication)
     • Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension)
   • Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference)
     • Vyapti (invariable relation)
     • Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference)
7. 7

   Data Interpretation

   4 topics

   • Sources, acquisition and classification of Data
   • Quantitative and Qualitative Data
   • Graphical representation and mapping of Data
     • Bar-chart
     • Histograms
     • Pie-chart
     • Table-chart
     • Line-chart
   • Data and Governance
8. 8

   ICT: General abbreviations and terminology

   3 topics

   • Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing
   • Digital initiatives in higher education
   • ICT and Governance
9. 9

   People, Development and Environment

   14 topics

   • Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals.
   • Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment.
   • Environmental issues
     • Air pollution
     • Water pollution
     • Soil pollution
     • Noise pollution
     • Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic)
     • Climate change and its Socio-Economic and Political dimensions
   • Impacts of pollutants on human health.
   • Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
     • Solar
     • Wind
     • Soil
     • Hydro
     • Geothermal
     • Biomass
     • Nuclear
     • Forests
   • Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies.
   • Environmental Protection Act (1986)
   • National Action Plan on Climate Change
   • Montreal Protocol
   • Rio Summit
   • Convention on Biodiversity
   • Kyoto Protocol
   • Paris Agreement
   • International Solar Alliance.
10. 10

    Higher Education System

    6 topics

    • Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India
    • Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India
    • Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India
    • Professional, Technical and Skill Based education
    • Value education and environmental education
    • Policies, Governance, and Administration

General Paper 1 flashcards for UGC NET Political Science

24 of 50 cards from the General Paper 1 deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In the context of teaching, what is the difference between the 'teaching' and 'instruction' concepts?

   Teaching is a broad, interactive process aimed at the all-round development of the learner (cognitive, affective, psychomotor), whereas instruction is a narrower, one-way process focused mainly on imparting information/knowledge.

2. What are the three levels of teaching according to the Morrison/Bigge classification?

   Memory level (thoughtless, rote learning), Understanding level (insight and generalization), and Reflective level (problem-solving and critical thinking). Reflective is the highest level.

3. At which level of teaching is Herbart considered the chief proponent, and what is its key feature?

   Memory level of teaching; its key feature is cramming/rote memorization of facts with little understanding.

4. Which level of teaching, associated with Hunt, requires both memory and understanding levels as a background and is highly thoughtful and problem-centered?

   The Reflective level of teaching.

5. List four basic requirements/characteristics of effective teaching.

   Clear objectives, mastery of subject matter, good communication skills, and the ability to motivate and adapt to learner needs (plus proper planning and feedback).

6. What are the main objectives of teaching as per Bloom's three domains?

   Cognitive domain (knowledge/intellectual skills), Affective domain (attitudes/values/emotions), and Psychomotor domain (physical/motor skills).

7. Define 'research' in the academic sense.

   Research is a systematic, objective and logical process of inquiry to discover new facts, verify existing knowledge, or solve problems through the collection and analysis of data.

8. What are the four broad types of research based on objective/approach?

   Descriptive vs. Analytical, Applied vs. Fundamental (basic), Quantitative vs. Qualitative, and Conceptual vs. Empirical.

9. Differentiate fundamental (basic) research from applied research.

   Fundamental research aims to generate new theory/knowledge for its own sake, while applied research aims to solve specific, immediate practical problems.

10. Name the major methods of research used in social sciences.

    Experimental, Survey, Case study, Historical, Descriptive, Ex-post-facto, and Observation methods.

11. List the main steps of the research process in order.

    1) Identify/formulate the problem, 2) Review of literature, 3) Formulate hypothesis, 4) Research design, 5) Data collection, 6) Data analysis, 7) Interpretation, 8) Report/thesis writing.

12. What is a hypothesis in research?

    A hypothesis is a tentative, testable assumption or proposition about the relationship between two or more variables, formulated to be confirmed or refuted by evidence.

13. What is the key difference between a thesis and a research article?

    A thesis is a long, comprehensive document submitted for a degree presenting original research in full detail; a research article is a short, focused publication of findings in a journal for the academic community.

14. What does ICT stand for, and give two applications of ICT in research.

    Information and Communication Technology. Applications: online literature search/databases, data analysis software (e.g., SPSS), plagiarism detection, and online surveys.

15. Define research ethics and name two key ethical principles.

    Research ethics are moral norms guiding research conduct. Key principles: honesty/integrity, informed consent, confidentiality/anonymity, avoidance of plagiarism, and avoidance of fabrication or falsification of data.

16. What is plagiarism in research?

    Plagiarism is the use of another person's ideas, words, or work as one's own without proper acknowledgement or citation.

17. What is reading comprehension?

    Reading comprehension is the ability to read a passage and understand, interpret, and derive meaning, inferences, and the central idea from the text.

18. Define communication and list its essential elements.

    Communication is the process of exchanging information/ideas between sender and receiver. Elements: sender, message, encoding, channel/medium, decoding, receiver, and feedback.

19. What are the characteristics of effective communication (the 7 Cs)?

    Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous.

20. Name the four major types of barriers to effective communication.

    Physical, Psychological (emotional), Semantic (language), and Organizational/Cultural barriers.

21. Distinguish verbal from non-verbal communication.

    Verbal communication uses spoken or written words; non-verbal communication conveys meaning through body language, gestures, facial expressions, tone, and posture.

22. State two key functions of mass media in society.

    Information dissemination, education, entertainment, surveillance, agenda-setting, and shaping public opinion.

23. What are the two main types of reasoning?

    Deductive reasoning (general to specific) and Inductive reasoning (specific to general).

24. Distinguish deductive from inductive reasoning with respect to conclusions.

    Deductive reasoning gives logically certain conclusions if premises are true (general→specific); inductive reasoning gives probable conclusions generalized from specific observations (specific→general).

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