CUET 2026 Syllabus Political Science (Code 323)

For the Year 2026
Political Science –
323 Syllabus for
CUET(UG)

Political in India Since Independence.

1. Era of One-Party Dominance: First three general elections, nature of Congress dominance at the
National level, uneven dominance at the state level, coalitional nature of Congress. Major opposition
parties.

2. Nation - Building and Its Problems: Nehru’s approach to nation-building: Legacy of partition: challenge
of ‘refugee’ resettlement, the Kashmir problem. Organisation and reorgansation of states; Political
conflicts over language.

3. Politics of Planned Development: Five year plans, expansion of state sector and the rise of new
economic interest.

4. India's External Relation: Nehru’s foreign policy. Sino-Indian war of 1962, Indo-Pak war of 1965
and 1971. India’s nuclear programme and shifting alliance in world politics.

5. Challenge to and Restoration of Congress System: Political succession after Nehru. NonCongressism
and electoral upset of 1967, Congress split and reconstitution, Congress’ victory in 1971 elections, politics
of ‘garibi hatao’.

6. Crises of the Constitutional Order: Search for ‘committed’ bureaucracy and judiciary. Navnirman
movement in Gujarat and the Bihar movement. Emergency: context, constitutional and extra-
constitutional dimensions, resistance to emergency. 1977 elections and the formation of Janata Party.
Rise of civil liberties organisations.

7. Regional Aspiration and Conflicts: Rise of regional parties. Punjab crisis and the anti-Sikh riots of
1984. The Kashmir situation. Challenges and responses in the North East.

8. Democratic Upsurge and Coalition Politics: Participatory upsurge in 1990s. Rise of the JD and the
BJP. Increasing role of regional parties and coalition politics. UF and NDA governments. Elections
2004-2019 and UPA government with addition of NDA government.

9. Recent Issues and Challenges: Challenge of and responses to globalization: new economic policy
and its opposition. Rise of OBCs in North Indian politics. Dalit politics in electoral and non-electoral
arena. Challenge of communalism: Ayodhya issue.

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Contemporary World Politics.

1. Disintegration of the ‘Second World’ and the Collapse of Bipolarity: New entities in world politics:
Russia, Balkan states and, Central Asian states, Introduction of democratic politics and capitalism in post-
communist regimes. India’s relations with Russia and other post-communist countries.

2. Alternative Centers of Economic and Political Power: Rise of China as an economic power in post-
Mao era, creation and expansion of European Union, ASEAN. India’s changing relations with China,
Japan and South Korea.

3. South Asia in the Post Cold War Era: Democratisation and its reversals in Pakistan and Nepal.
Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Impact of economic globalization on the region. Conflicts and efforts for
peace in South Asia. India’s relation with its neighbours.

4. International Organisations in a Unipolar World: Restructuring and the future of the UN. India’s
position in the restructured UN. Rise of new international actors: new international economic
organisations, NGOs. How democratic and accountable are the new institution of global governance?

5. Security in Contemporary World: Traditional concerns of security and politics of disarmament.
Non-traditional of human security: global poverty, health and education. Issues of human rights and
migration.

6. Environment and Natural Resources in Global Politics: Environment movement and evolution of
global environmental norms. Conflicts over traditional and common property resources. Right of
indigenous people. India’s stand in global environmental debates.

7. Globalisation and its critics: Economic, cultural and political manifestations. Debates on the nature
of consequences of globalization. Anti-globalisation movements. India as an arena of globalization and
struggles against it.

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