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UPSC released the official IAS Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2024 online. The IAS Political Science Optional Syllabus PDF can be downloaded on the official website- upsc.gov.in. The UPSC IAS Political Science Optional syllabus describes in detail the topics covered by papers 1 and 2 in the Political Science Optional subject of IAS Exam 2024.
Candidates are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the topics presented in the Political Science IAS optional syllabus to allow for thorough preparation for the IAS 2024 PSIR Exam. This will help candidates know exactly what to prepare and the types of questions they may expect from these papers. The UPSC releases the IAS Syllabus 2024, detailing all the topics covered in both the Prelims and the main exams. The optional subject, IAS PSIR, consists of two papers.
Candidates can go through the material below regarding the Political Science and International Relations syllabus for IAS exam to understand the topics covered by the exam, the benefits of taking Political Science as a subject and get an idea of how to prepare effectively for this subject.
Political Science is an optional subject in the IAS exam. There are two papers in Political Science (Paper 1 & 2). The exam is held in descriptive mode. Both papers are of 250 marks each. IAS Optional Political Science syllabus Paper 1 covers topics such as - political theory, Indian government, Indian politics, etc. Whereas the optional IAS PSIR syllabus for IAS paper 2 has topics like international politics, comparative political analysis, Indian policy, etc. Check the detailed Political Science and International Relations optional syllabus from the table here.
Political Theory and Indian Politics
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Indian Government and Politics
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Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics
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India and the World
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There are a lot of books for Political Science optional subject, from the following table we have shared some of the best books. Candidates who have picked Political Science as their optional subject can choose them.
Books for Paper 1 | Author |
An Introduction To Constitution | Dd Basu |
Fifty Major Political Thinkers | Ian Adams And R W Dyson |
A History Of Political Thought: Plato To Marx | Subrata Mukherjee And Sushila Ramaswamy |
An Introduction To Political Theory | O.P Gauba |
An Oxford Companion To Politics In India | Niraja Gopal Jayal And Pratap Bhanu Mehta |
Books for Paper 2 | Author |
Global Politics | Andrew Heywood |
Challenge And Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy | Rajiv Sikri |
International Relations | V N Khanna |
Does The Elephant Dance?: Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy | David M. Malone |
Candidates planning to choose Political Science as their optional subject in the main IAS exam, must prepare it in a better way especially considering the tight competition, as Political Science is highly preferred by candidates. Here we are sharing some IAS preparation tips that will help candidates score well. Check the tips here.
Refer to NCERT books to prepare for Political Science, this will help in building the foundation.
Make a perfect IAS study plan and stick to it. Download the IAS PSIR Optional Syllabus PDF from the official website and refer to it while drafting your study plan.
IAS Exam Political Science difficulty level is that of a graduation paper, hence candidates must start the preparations as early as possible, and not dive into too many books.
Solve previous year's questions papers of the Political Science mains exam to know about the type of questions asked. Also, look for IAS question papers for Political Science and solve mocks/test series.
Consult the previous year's IAS exam analysis, to know about the difficulty level of the exam and question trends. This has the added benefit of enabling you to work on your weaker subjects.
Often, candidates have a hard time picking out their subjects for the optional papers for the IAS exam. Discussing the pros and cons of each optional paper can provide candidates with some clarity. Below are some of the benefits of picking the Political Science optional paper.
There is a wide range of study material readily available for Political science preparation.
Preparing for the Political Science paper will simultaneously acquaint you with Current Affairs.
The knowledge of many of the topics covered by the Political science syllabus will give you an added advantage during the interview round.
The topics covered in the Political Science optional syllabus for UPSC are relevant to topics covered in other areas of the UPSC exam.
Yes, but only if you have an interest in Political Science as a subject.
The question paper will be of graduation level. Hence the preparation takes a lot of time, aspirants must refer to the best books, and prepare at least 7-8 months in advance to prepare for Political Science.
There is no easy or difficult subject, it all depends on the interest and likeability as well as how candidates can prepare and qualify it.
To apply for UPSC, aspirants must be a graduate.
Others:28 January,2025 - 31 May,2025
Others:18 February,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Date:13 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Others:30 April,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Correction Date:04 May,2025 - 13 May,2025
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
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