Indian Polity Syllabus for UPSC Mains 2026

👤 Mentor - ⏱ Last Update: 02/08/2025 - ⏱ 5 min read

Table of Contents

Indian Polity in UPSC Mains (GS Paper 2)

The General Studies Paper 2 of the UPSC Civil Services (Mains) Examination covers Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance, and related issues. A deep conceptual understanding of the Constitution, its institutions, and democratic processes is crucial for aspirants.

📂 Indian Polity syllabus for UPSC Mains

Indian Polity Syllabus Given in the General Studies paper-2 of UPSC Mains.

  • Indian Constitution – historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues, and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein
  • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
  • Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
  • Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, the conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies
  • Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary

🧩 Micro-Topic Wise Breakdown for Effective Mains Preparation

📜 Indian Constitution

🔹 Historical Underpinnings & Evolution

  • Constitution: Why and How?
  • Regulating Act (1773) to Independence Act (1947)
  • Constituent Assembly, Objective Resolution, Drafting Committees
  • Enactment and Enforcement (1949–1950)

🔹 Features

  • Written, Lengthiest, Blend of Rigidity & Flexibility
  • Federal Structure with Unitary Bias
  • Parliamentary Form of Government
  • Integrated Judiciary, Single Citizenship, Universal Adult Franchise

🔹 Amendments

  • Procedure (Article 368)
  • Major Amendments: 1st, 42nd, 44th, 73rd, 86th, 101st, 103rd, 104th

🔹 Significant Provisions

  • Fundamental Rights (Part III), DPSPs (Part IV), Fundamental Duties (Part IVA)
  • Judicial Review, Separation of Powers, Emergency Provisions

🔹 Basic Structure Doctrine

  • Origin: Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973)
  • Core Elements: Rule of Law, Secularism, Democracy, Judicial Review, Federalism

🏛️ Union-State Relations & Federalism

🔹 7th Schedule – Distribution of Powers

  • Union, State, and Concurrent Lists

🔹 Legislative, Administrative, and Financial Relations

  • Articles 245–263, 280
  • Sarkaria, Punchhi, 2nd ARC Reports

🔹 Inter-State Relations

  • Water Disputes, Inter-State Councils, Zonal Councils
  • Trade, Commerce (Article 301–307)

🔹 Emergency Provisions (Articles 352–360)

  • National, State, Financial Emergencies
  • Role of Governor

🔹 Local Governance & Devolution

  • 73rd & 74th Amendments – PRI & Urban Local Bodies
  • Role of State Finance Commissions
  • Panchayat Devolution Index, NITI Aayog Observations

⚖️ Separation of Powers & Dispute Resolution

  • Federal Structure in India – Is India truly Federal?
  • Cooperative & Competitive Federalism
  • Centre-State Relations
    • Legislative Relations
    • Administrative Relations
    • Financial Relations
    • Trends in Centre-State Relations
  • Reports of Various Commissions – 2nd ARC, Punchhi, Sarkaria, etc.
  • Doctrine of Separation of Powers
  • Checks and Balances in Indian context
  • Important Cases: Golaknath, Kesavananda Bharati, Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain
  • Judicial Activism, PILs, RTI, Tribunals

🏛️ Devolution of Powers

  • Role of State Government
  • Role of State Finance Commission
  • 11th & 12th Schedule
  • Reasons for Ineffective Performance
  • Panchayat Devolution Index ( NITI Aayog)
  • Steps That Can Be Taken to Improve Their Performance

Separation of Powers Between Various Organs

  • Doctrine of Separation of Power
  • Separation of Power in Indian Constitution
  • Doctrine of Checks & Balances
  • Provisions for Checks & Balances in Indian Constitution
  • Related Judgments – Golaknath case, Kesavananda Bharati, Indira Gandhi Vs Raj Narain, Ram Jawaya vs Punjab

Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions

  • RTI
  • PIL
  • Tribunals, etc.

🌐 IV. Comparative Constitutional Studies

  • Comparison with Constitutions of USA, UK, France, Australia, South Africa
  • Presidential vs. Parliamentary System
  • Federalism vs. Unitary System
  • Due Process (USA) vs. Procedure Established by Law (India)

🏛️ V. Parliament and State Legislatures

  • Composition, Powers, and Privileges of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislatures
  • Sessions, Procedures, Devices (Zero Hour, Question Hour, Adjournment Motion)
  • Law-making Process: Ordinary, Money, Financial, and Constitutional Bills
  • Budget Process, Committees (PAC, Estimates, JPC)
  • Parliamentary Privileges and their misuse

👥 VI. Executive and Judiciary

🔹 Union Executive

  • President: Election, Powers (Executive, Ordinance, Pardoning)
  • Vice President
  • Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
  • Cabinet Secretariat, PMO

🔹 State Executive

  • Governor: Powers, Controversies
  • Chief Minister and State CoM

🔹 Judiciary

  • Structure: SC, HCs, Subordinate Courts
  • Jurisdiction of SC and HCs
  • Appointment, Independence, Collegium System
  • Judicial Reforms, Lok Adalats, Gram Nyayalayas, NALSA

🏢 VII. Ministries, Departments, Pressure Groups

  • Cabinet Ministries and Key Departments
  • Roles of Parliamentary Secretaries, Coordination
  • Pressure Groups: Types, Techniques, Importance
  • Role in Policy-Making and Governance
  • Linkages with Political Parties and Civil Society

🗳️ VIII. Representation of People’s Act (RPA)

  • Salient Features of RPA 1950 & RPA 1951
  • Electoral Reforms and Issues
  • Criminalization of Politics, Election Funding, NOTA
  • Role of ECI, Model Code of Conduct
  • Anti-Defection Law, Voter Awareness Measures

🏛️ IX. Constitutional Bodies

BodyKey Responsibilities
Election CommissionConduct of free and fair elections
UPSC & SPSCRecruitment to civil services
Finance CommissionFiscal distribution between Centre and States
CAGAudit of government accounts
Attorney General/Advocate GeneralLegal advice to governments
National Commissions for SCs, STs, BCs, Minorities, WomenProtection of rights

🏛️ X. Statutory, Regulatory & Quasi-Judicial Bodies

  • NITI Aayog, RBI, NHRC, SHRC, CIC, SIC
  • CVC, CBI, Lokpal, Lokayukta
  • SEBI, IRDAI, TRAI, FSSAI, UGC, AICTE
  • NGT, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Cyber Tribunal
  • Medical Council of India, Bar Council, NCLT, NCW, NCBC, etc.

🧠 UPSC Mains Preparation Tips for Polity – GS II

The best book for Indian polity is “Indian Polity” by “M. Laxmikanth”. It is also considered as Bible book for UPSC GS Paper-2 preparation by toppers.

  • Study M. Laxmikanth for concepts and static clarity
  • Use ARC Reports, PRSIndia, PIB, and Supreme Court case summaries
  • Practice answer writing: use constitutional provisions + recent developments
  • Link Polity with current events (e.g., Governor controversies, local body elections, electoral reforms)
  • NCERT textbook on civics, political science, and sociology because verbatim questions have come in Prelims 2018.
  • For Current bills and acts, you may follow- prsindia.org
  • SC Judgement, Government schemes, Policies
  • 2nd ARC reports (summary)
  • Newspaper for current affairs
  • Budget and Economic survey (summaries)
  • NITI Aayog’s three-year action agenda
  • Current Affairs Magazine (of any coaching)
  • And obeviously our Notes, PYQ, Test series and Course.