How to Prepare UPSC Mains Political Science & International Relations Optional subject 2024 – IAS Mains

UPSC Mains Political Science & International Relations Optional subject 2024 : Check out How to Prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Optional subject 2024 – Study Strategy. UPSC Mains Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional subject Preparation Tips are provided here. UPSC Notification 2022 has released. Today we’ve provided a Preparation strategy for UPSC Political Science & International Relations Optional Paper (यूपीएससी राजनीति विज्ञान और अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंध बनाती है). UPSC has already announced the IAS / Civil Services Exam Dates. Before going to start the preparation strategy for UPSC, know UPSC Mains Syllabus. You can check Suggested Strategy for Political Science & International Relations optional for the UPSC IAS mains exam.

How to Prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Optional Subject

UPSC Mains Political Science: UPSC Mains Political science is a social science which deals with systems of government, and the analysis of political activities, political thoughts, and political behavior. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics which is commonly thought of as determining the distribution of power and resources. International relations is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of the interaction of the actors in international politics, including states and non-state actors, such as the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and Amnesty International. With the right approach, it is possible to clear this exam in the first attempt but don’t get depressed if you fail.

• know your UPSC Civil Services Exam syllabus
• Select Best Reference Books
• Prepare a Study plan
• Prepare own Preparation Notes
• Practice Previous Question Papers
• Practice few Mock Test Papers

Why Political Science & International Relations optional?

Political Science & International Relations is a popular choice among aspirants. The subject is interesting and dynamic. One can study it and can score good marks even without any prior background. It is easy to understand and many topics are related to our daily happenings. Heavy linkage with GS Papers. Studying History portion of GS paper I help in political science too. The dynamic nature of the subject makes it easier for a candidate who is abreast of the latest happenings.

UPSC Preparation Tips

UPSC Aspirants should follow exam tips to write the exam. Preparation tips are needed for any exam. UPSC exam should be conducted once in every year. Planning and hard work are very important to face any competitive exam. Below are some of the tips for preparation. The Paper I of Political Science & International Relations Optional paper is which is like Political theory and Indian Politics. But Paper-II of Political Science & International Relations optional deals with Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics.

Step 1: Know UPSC Political Science & International Relations syllabus

In the previous article, we’ve provided UPSC Mains Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Syllabus. You can check and find what are the applicable topics and chapter for UPSC IAS Mains Exam.

Check– UPSC Political Science & International Relations Syllabus – IAS Mains Optional Subjects

Step 2: Select Best Reference Books for UPSC Political Science & International Relations

To prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Optional Subject, UPSC aspirants should prepare some reference books. We’ve already provided UPSC Reference Books for All optional papers. You can check our best-recommended books for the IAS exam at the given link below. The suggested books are included in optional and language Subjects.

Check – UPSC Mains Political Science & International Relations Reference Books

Recommended books for Political Science & International Relations:

• An introduction to Constitution- DD Basu
• An introduction to political theory-  O.P Gauba
• Fifty major political thinkers- Ian Adams and R W Dyson
• A History Of Political Thought: Plato To Marx – Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy
• An Oxford companion to politics in India-Niraja Gopal Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehta
• International organizations- Spectrum Books Publication
• International Relations -Khanna
• Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy- Rajiv Sikri

Step 3: Prepare a Study Plan

The study plan is very important for every exam preparation. It plays a key role in the success of getting a good score in the UPSC exam.  Prepare a study plan for the UPSC exam. Make a monthly plan, weekly plan and daily schedule to prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations, Optional Paper. Allot the time for exam preparation and set the time for playing, eating, watching TV, and studying.

Daily prepare a few hours and spend at least 8 hours for IAS exam preparation.

UPSC Political Science & International Relations Preparation Plan for 3 months

If you have 3 months of preparation time for the UPSC Mains exam, you can prepare 8-9 hours per day.

Step 4: Prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Important Topics

Political Science & International Relations Paper I Important Topics

• Political Theory: Meaning and approaches.
• Theories of the State: Liberal, Neoliberal, Marxist, Pluralist, Post-colonial and feminist.
• Justice: Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
• Equality: Social, political and economic; the relationship between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
• Rights: Meaning and theories; different kinds of rights; the concept of Human Rights.
• Democracy: Classical and contemporary theories; different models of democracy – representative, participatory and deliberative.
• Concept of power, hegemony, ideology, and legitimacy.
• Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism.
• Indian Political Thought: Dharamshastra, Arthashastra, and Buddhist traditions; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M.K. Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, M.N. Roy.
• Western Political Thought: Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci, and Hannah Arendt.

Political Science & International Relations Paper-II Important Topics

This is mostly a dynamic section and deals with India’s foreign policies.

• Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches; political economy and political sociology perspectives; limitations of the comparative method.
• State in comparative perspective: Characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and, advanced industrial and developing societies.
• Politics of Representation and Participation: Political parties, pressure groups, and social movements in advanced industrial and developing societies.
• Globalization: Responses from developed and developing societies.
• Approaches to the Study of International Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and Systems theory.
• Key concepts in International Relations

UPSC Mains Political Science: As you know the marks of the optional paper are crucial to deciding your ranking in the final list, you to have to perform exceptionally well in the paper of your choice. Since the rest of the papers are compulsory for all, its only the optional paper that can make or break your fortune. So don’t try to do selective reading and gamble, as there is only one optional paper now.

Final Step: Prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Previous Question Papers & Practice papers

Download UPSC Mains Political Science & International Relations Question Papers. We’ve provided UPSC mains Political Science & International Relations Previous Question papers for download in PDF format.

Click Here: UPSC Mains Political Science & International Relations Question Papers 2020 Download in pdf

Who should opt for Political Science & International Relations?

Political Science requires focused preparation as the syllabus for the same is very vast and comprehensive but the subject is very interesting and one can score good marks with sincere preparation. The choice of taking up Political science and International Relations as an optional should solely be based on interest as if an aspirant is interested in a subject. Indian polity is a crucial segment of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. If you take political science as your optional subject, you will study for this optional along with the prelims section thus saving time for other topics. This way you can integrate the UPSC prelims and mains preparation.

How much time does it take to prepare?

UPSC Mains Political Science: 4-5 months, if you study Political Science & International Relations 12-15 hours per week. This should be enough. Also, it depends on how much can you recall your graduation concepts.

Ideally, aspirants need 4-5 months to complete the optional subject solely. Here we are giving the best suitable strategies for Political Science & International Relations optional for the UPSC IAS Mains Exam.

• Aspirants should have an exhaustive knowledge about the syllabus of Political Science & International Relations optional.
• Candidates should know the basic concept of Political Science & International Relations to tackle Paper II.
• Make short notes, flowchart and diagram will preparing. These short notes will help in revision time.
• Aspirants should guarantee that they are emphasizing sustainability and economic dimensions also.
• Aspirants opting Political Science & International Relations as their option should update the up-to-date data taken from Government reports annual report regarding Political Science & International Relations.
• The essential part of UPSC IAS Exam preparation is solving the previous year’s UPSC Mains questions papers. For Political Science & International Relations also aspirants should go through the Previous year question paper to extract an idea about exam patterns, trends, etc.

This article titled “How to Prepare UPSC Political Science & International Relations Optional subject 2024 – Study Strategy – Suggested by Toppers ” gives the detailed information about the tips for the preparation of the UPSC 2024 exam for all optional papers (यूपीएससी राजनीति विज्ञान में प्रवेश करता है). Additional information like Reference books for UPSC Mains, IAS Previous question papers are also given above. Students should follow those tips and prepare well for the exam and download the links for more information about UPSC.