UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations Syllabus

General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations in UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Indian Constitution and its Framework

   5 topics

   • Historical Underpinnings and Evolution
     • Government of India Acts and Constituent Assembly
     • Sources and borrowed features
   • Salient Features and the Preamble
   • Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Fundamental Duties
     • Scope and judicial interpretation of rights
     • Directive Principles vs Fundamental Rights
   • Significant Constitutional Amendments and Basic Structure
   • Comparison with Other Constitutional Schemes
2. 2

   Structure and Functioning of Government

   5 topics

   • Union and State Executive
     • President, Governor, Council of Ministers
     • Prime Minister and Chief Minister
   • Parliament and State Legislatures
     • Powers, privileges and procedures
     • Parliamentary committees
   • Judiciary
     • Supreme Court, High Courts and judicial review
     • Judicial activism and PILs
   • Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
   • Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions
3. 3

   Federalism, Devolution and Constitutional Bodies

   4 topics

   • Centre-State Relations
     • Legislative, administrative and financial relations
     • Inter-state councils and disputes
   • Local Self-Government
     • 73rd and 74th Amendments
     • Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies
   • Constitutional Bodies
     • Election Commission, UPSC, CAG, Finance Commission
   • Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi-Judicial Bodies
4. 4

   Governance, Transparency and Accountability

   4 topics

   • Citizens' Charters, Transparency and e-Governance
     • Right to Information
     • Digital governance models and applications
   • Role of Civil Services in a Democracy
   • Government Policies and Interventions for Development
   • Role of NGOs, SHGs, Pressure Groups and Associations
5. 5

   Social Justice and Welfare

   4 topics

   • Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections
     • SCs, STs, minorities and other weaker sections
     • Constitutional and statutory provisions
   • Mechanisms and Institutions for Protection of Vulnerable Sections
   • Health, Education and Human Resources
     • Issues in development and management of these sectors
   • Poverty and Hunger Issues
6. 6

   International Relations

   4 topics

   • India and its Neighbourhood
     • Bilateral relations with neighbours
     • Neighbourhood First policy
   • Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings
     • Groupings and agreements involving India
     • Effect of policies of developed and developing countries
   • Indian Diaspora
   • Important International Institutions and Agencies
     • UN and its agencies, WTO, IMF, World Bank
     • Structure, mandate and reform debates

General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations flashcards for UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)

24 of 50 cards from the General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Which Act is described as the 'first step towards a representative and responsible government' and what major constitutional development did it introduce?

   The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms). It introduced 'dyarchy' in the provinces, dividing subjects into Reserved (administered by Governor) and Transferred (administered by Governor with responsible ministers).

2. What system of government did the Government of India Act, 1935 propose, and which of its features were never implemented?

   It proposed an All-India Federation and provincial autonomy (replacing dyarchy in provinces with dyarchy at the Centre). The Federation never came into being; provincial autonomy operated from 1937. It served as a key source for the Indian Constitution.

3. On whose plan was the Constituent Assembly constituted, and how were its members chosen?

   It was constituted (1946) under the Cabinet Mission Plan. Members were indirectly elected by members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies (proportional representation by single transferable vote), with seats allotted to provinces and princely states.

4. When was the Constitution adopted, when did it come into force, and how long did the Constituent Assembly take to frame it?

   Adopted 26 November 1949; came into force 26 January 1950 (Republic Day). The Constituent Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days.

5. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly and who chaired the Drafting Committee?

   Dr. Rajendra Prasad was President of the Constituent Assembly; Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee. The Objectives Resolution was moved by Jawaharlal Nehru.

6. List the keywords describing India in the Preamble (post-42nd Amendment) and what each broadly signifies.

   Sovereign (free from external control), Socialist (social/economic equality), Secular (no state religion), Democratic (government by the people), Republic (elected head of state). 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' were added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.

7. Is the Preamble part of the Constitution and is it enforceable in court?

   Yes, the Preamble is part of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973, overruling Berubari, 1960), but it is non-justiciable — it cannot be enforced in a court of law and is not a source of power or limitation.

8. From which countries did the Indian Constitution borrow: Fundamental Rights, DPSP, and the parliamentary system?

   Fundamental Rights — from the USA (Bill of Rights); Directive Principles of State Policy — from Ireland; the parliamentary form of government / cabinet system — from the UK (Britain).

9. Which Fundamental Rights are available only to citizens and not to foreigners?

   Articles 15, 16, 19, 29 and 30. (Equality of public employment, no discrimination on religion/race/caste/sex/birthplace, six freedoms, cultural and educational rights of minorities.) Articles 14 and 21, by contrast, are available to all persons including foreigners.

10. Name the six freedoms guaranteed under Article 19(1).

    (a) Freedom of speech and expression, (b) to assemble peaceably and without arms, (c) to form associations/unions, (d) to move freely throughout India, (e) to reside and settle in any part of India, (f) to practise any profession or carry on any occupation/trade/business.

11. What does Article 21 guarantee, and how was its scope expanded in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978)?

    Article 21 guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, depriving which requires 'procedure established by law.' Maneka Gandhi held that the procedure must be fair, just and reasonable (not arbitrary), reading in the 'due process' standard.

12. Which Article guarantees the Right to Constitutional Remedies, and what did Dr. Ambedkar call it?

    Article 32. Dr. Ambedkar called it the 'heart and soul of the Constitution.' It empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs to enforce Fundamental Rights and is itself a Fundamental Right.

13. Name the five writs and the purpose of each.

    Habeas Corpus (produce a detained person/check unlawful detention); Mandamus (command a public authority to perform its duty); Prohibition (stop a lower court/tribunal from exceeding jurisdiction); Certiorari (quash an order of a lower court); Quo-Warranto (question a person's right to hold a public office).

14. How are Directive Principles of State Policy classified, and are they enforceable?

    DPSPs (Part IV) are broadly classified as Socialistic, Gandhian and Liberal-Intellectual principles. They are non-justiciable (Article 37) — not enforceable by courts — but are fundamental in the governance of the country.

15. When were Fundamental Duties added, on whose recommendation, and how many are there now?

    Added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. Originally 10; an 11th duty (provide education to children aged 6-14) was added by the 86th Amendment (2002). They are in Part IV-A, Article 51A.

16. What is the basic structure doctrine and in which case was it propounded?

    Propounded in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973): Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution under Article 368 but cannot alter or destroy its 'basic structure' (e.g., supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, judicial review, federalism, secularism, separation of powers).

17. What were the key provisions of the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, often called the 'Mini-Constitution'?

    Added Socialist, Secular, Integrity to the Preamble; added Fundamental Duties (Part IV-A); made DPSPs prevail over certain FRs; curtailed judicial review; extended Lok Sabha/Assembly terms to 6 years; added subjects to Concurrent List.

18. What did the 44th Amendment Act, 1978 do regarding the right to property and Article 19/21 during Emergency?

    It removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights (made it a legal right under Article 300A); restored Lok Sabha/Assembly terms to 5 years; and provided that Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended even during a National Emergency.

19. What did the 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts (1992) establish?

    The 73rd Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (rural local government, Part IX, Eleventh Schedule); the 74th Amendment gave constitutional status to Municipalities/urban local bodies (Part IX-A, Twelfth Schedule).

20. Contrast the amendment process of the Indian Constitution with that of the USA and UK.

    India: partly rigid, partly flexible — some provisions amended by simple majority, some by special majority, some by special majority + ratification by half the states. USA: very rigid (requires ratification by 3/4 of states). UK: fully flexible (no special procedure; ordinary law-making).

21. Compare the Indian and US models on federalism and head of state powers.

    India: quasi-federal with a strong unitary bias and single citizenship; nominal (figurehead) President in a parliamentary system. USA: rigidly federal with dual citizenship; an executive President who is both head of state and government in a presidential system.

22. How is the President of India elected and what is the term of office?

    Elected indirectly by an electoral college (elected MPs of both Houses + elected MLAs of states and Delhi/Puducherry) by proportional representation with single transferable vote. Term: 5 years; eligible for re-election.

23. Distinguish the President's three types of veto power.

    Absolute veto (withholds assent entirely); Suspensive veto (returns a bill for reconsideration — can be overridden by re-passage); Pocket veto (takes no action, neither assenting nor returning). The President has NO veto over Constitutional Amendment Bills (must assent).

24. What is the constitutional position of the Prime Minister in relation to the Council of Ministers and the President?

    The PM is the head of government, appointed by the President; the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (Article 75). The President exercises functions on the aid and advice of the Council headed by the PM (Article 74).

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