Delhi University Political Science Syllabus

April 05, 2026

Delhi University Political Science Syllabus

Delhi University Political Science Syllabus All Semesters

Key: DSC : Core Paper DSE : Discipline Elective GE : Generic Elective SEC : Skill Enhancement

SEM I First Semester Year 1

Units Covered

I What is Politics: Theorizing the 'Political'
II Approaches to Political Theory: Normative, Historical and Empirical
III Traditions of Political Theory: Liberal, Marxist, Anarchist and Conservative
IV Critical Perspectives in Political Theory: Feminist and Postmodern
V The Idea of Political Community: Political Obligation

Units Covered

I Statecraft in Ancient India
II Dharma, Dhamma, Danda
III Nyaya, Niti
IV Sabha, Samiti
V Rajya, Rashtra
VI Varna, Jati

Units Covered

I Colonialism and Nationalism: Perspectives (Liberalism, Marxism, Postcolonialism)
II Colonial Rule in India and its Impact
III Reform and Resistance (1857, Social & Religious Movements)
IV Nationalist Politics and Expansion of its Social Base
V Social Movements: Peasants, Tribals, Workers, Women, Anti-caste

Units Covered

I Dharma and Danda: Kautilya
II Gender: Tarabai Shinde
III Culture and Nationalism: Vivekananda
IV Swaraj: Gandhi
V Nyaya: Ambedkar
VI Hindutva: Savarkar
VII Integral Humanism: Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

SEM II Second Semester — Year 1

Units Covered

I Public Administration as a Discipline
II Mainstream / Traditional Theoretical Perspectives
III New Public Management
IV Gender Perspectives on Public Administration

Units Covered

I Understanding Comparative Politics
II Approaches: Political System, Structural Functional
III Approaches: Traditional and Neo-Institutionalisms
IV Approaches: Political Culture
V Approaches: Political Economy
VI Gendering Comparative Politics

Units Covered

I What is IR and its Contested Origins
II Theories of IR
III Concepts in IR
IV Exploring Future Trajectories

Units Covered

I Constitutional Antecedents and the Making of the Constitution of India
II Basic Features of the Indian Constitution
III Fundamental Rights
IV Obligations of State and Duties of Citizens
V Organs of Constitutional Governance: Legislature, Executive and Judiciary
VI Centre-State Relations and Decentralization

SEM III Third Semester — Year 2

Units Covered

I Freedom (Liberty: Negative and Positive; Swaraj)
II Equality (Egalitarianism; Affirmative Action debate)
III Justice (Rawls and his critics)
IV Rights (Natural, Moral, Legal; Human Rights debate)
V Democracy (Liberal Democracy; Multiculturalism)

Units Covered

I Foundations of Indian Political Thought
II Manu: Social Laws and Conception of Justice
III Brihaspati: Statecraft, Justice, Inter-state Relations
IV Shukra / Usana: Kingship and Statecraft
V Kautilya: Theory of State
VI Aggannasutta (Digha Nikaya): Theory of Kingship
VII Tiruvalluvar: Ethical Life and Politics
VIII Basavanna
IX Adi Shankaracharya: Advaita
X Kabir and Guru Nanak: Syncretism
XI Abu'l Fazl: Monarchy

Units Covered

I The Constituent Assembly and the Constitution
II Organs of Government
III Federalism and Decentralization
IV Constitutional Provisions and National Security Laws

Units Covered

I State Politics in India
II States Reorganisation and Formation of States
III Agrarian Politics
IV Political Economy of Development and Reforms in the States
V Electoral Politics in States

Units Covered

I Citizenship
II Religious Freedom and Minority Rights
III Uniform Civil Code
IV Asymmetrical Federalism
V Emergency Provisions and Preventive Detention Laws
VI Constitutional Amendment
VII Language Question

Units Covered

I Approaches to the Study of Nationalism in India
II Reformism and Anti-Reformism in the 19th Century
III Nationalist Politics and Expansion of its Social Base
IV Social Movements
V Partition, Independence and Integration of States

SEM IV Fourth Semester — Year 2

Units Covered

I Indian Administration
II Decentralization and Local Self Governance
III Budget
IV Technology and Public Administration in India
V Social Welfare Policies
VI Issues and Debates in Indian Administration

Units Covered

I Making Sense of the World
II States, Nations and Markets
III Inequalities
IV Sites of Conflict and Forms of Violence
V Knowing our Virtual and Creative World: The Visual Turn in IR

Units Covered

I Locating Global Politics
II The State and Governance in a Global Context
III Global Political Economy
IV Global Challenges: Climate, Security, Human Rights

Units Covered

I Gandhi's Political Thought: Swaraj, Satyagraha, Non-violence
II Gandhi on Economy, Caste and Religion
III Gandhi's Relevance in Contemporary World
IV Critiques of Gandhi: Ambedkar, Marxists, Feminists

Units Covered

I Concepts and Approaches to Security
II India's Security Environment
III Internal Security Challenges
IV India's Security Policy and Institutions

Units Covered

I India's Foreign Policy: Meaning, Determinants and Evolution
II Changing Relations with Global Powers from Cold War to Post-Cold War
III India and the Neighbourhood: Issues and Challenges
IV India in the Contemporary Multipolar World

SEM V Fifth Semester — Year 3

Units Covered

I Classical Political Philosophy (Plato, Aristotle)
II Renaissance and Modern Political Philosophy (Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau)

Units Covered

I Dharma and Danda: Kautilya
II Gender: Tarabai Shinde
III Culture and Nationalism: Vivekananda
IV Swaraj: Gandhi
V Nyaya: Ambedkar
VI Hindutva: Savarkar
VII Integral Humanism: Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

Units Covered

I Indian Constitution: Basic Features, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles
II State Formation and Nation Building
III Political Institutions: Parliament, Judiciary, Prime Minister, President
IV Social Structure and Political Power: Caste, Class, Gender
V Religion and Politics: Debates on Secularism and Communalism
VI Political Parties and Party Systems
VII Development Strategies: Planned Economy, Neo-liberal Restructuring
VIII Social Movements: Workers, Farmers, Environmental, Women's Movements
IX The Nature of State in India: Developmental, Welfare, Regulatory

Units Covered

I Approaches to International Political Economy
II Bretton Woods System and International Economic Institutions
III Globalization and its Discontents
IV Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South

Units Covered

I Origins of the Idea (Caste, Annihilation of Caste)
II Theory (Democracy, Rights, State)
III Institutions (Constitution Making, Reservations)
IV Contemporary Debates (Ambedkarite Politics Today)

Units Covered

I Government and Governance: Concepts
II Governance and Development
III Environmental Governance
IV Local Governance
V Good Governance Initiatives in India: Best Practices

SEM VI Sixth Semester — Year 3

Units Covered

I Public Policy: Concepts and Characteristics
II Theoretical Approaches to Public Policy
III Process of Public Policy
IV Public Policy: Case Studies

Units Covered

I Comparative Study of Political Systems: Concepts
II Presidential vs. Parliamentary Systems
III Federal and Unitary Systems
IV Electoral Systems and Party Systems in Comparative Perspective

Units Covered

I India's Foreign Policy: Meaning, Determinants and Evolution
II Changing Relations with Global Powers (Cold War to Post-Cold War)
III India and the Neighbourhood: Issues and Challenges
IV India in the Contemporary Multipolar World

Units Covered

I Concepts and Approaches to Security Studies
II Traditional Security: Military Power and State
III Non-Traditional Security: Human, Environmental, Economic
IV Security in South Asia and Global Context

Units Covered

I Savarkar's Life and Context
II Hindutva: Concept and Ideology
III Savarkar on Nation, Race, and Religion
IV Critiques and Legacy of Savarkar

Units Covered

I Introduction to Research in Political Science
II Quantitative Methods: Survey Research, Data Analysis
III Qualitative Methods: Case Studies, Interviews, Ethnography
IV Research Design and Writing

Units Covered

I Conceptualizing Globalisation
II Globalization: A Eurocentric Project?
III Sovereign State in a Globalised World
IV Role of International Institutions: Multi-dimensionality of Globalisation
V Responses and Resistances to Globalization

SEM VII Seventh Semester — Year 4 (Honours)

Units Covered

I The State: Origins, Nature, and Legitimacy
II Liberalism: Mill, Rawls, Nozick
III Marxism and Critical Theory
IV Republicanism, Communitarianism, Multiculturalism

Units Covered

I Democracy and its Discontents in India
II Populism and Electoral Politics
III Caste, Class and Identity Politics
IV Nationalism, Majoritarianism, and Minorities

Units Covered

I What is Political in Indian Thought?
II Subaltern and Marginalized Perspectives
III Anti-colonial and Postcolonial Thought
IV Contemporary Indian Political Thought

Units Covered

I Public Policy: Concepts and Characteristics
II Theoretical Approaches to Public Policy
III Process of Public Policy
IV Public Policy: Case Studies

Units Covered

I Patriarchy and Feminism
II Family and Community
III Law, State and Women
IV History of the Women's Movement in India
V Violence against Women
VI Women and Labour: Unpaid labour, Reproductive and Care Work, Sex Work

Units Covered

I What is Political Economy?
II Capitalism: Varieties and Critiques
III State, Market and Society
IV Labour, Capital and Contemporary Economic Challenges

Units Covered

I Foundations and Philosophy of Human Rights
II International Human Rights Framework
III Human Rights in India: Constitutional Provisions and Challenges
IV Contemporary Human Rights Issues

SEM VIII Eighth Semester — Year 4 (Honours)

Units Covered

I Development: Concepts, Debates and Alternative Visions
II Planning and Development in Post-Independence India
III Social Movements: Theories and Forms
IV Contemporary Social Movements in India (Dalit, Women, Tribal, Environmental)

Units Covered

I Constitutionalism: Origins and Concepts
II Constitutional Design: Rights, Federalism, Separation of Powers
III Constitutional Courts and Judicial Review in Comparative Perspective
IV Contemporary Debates in Constitutionalism

Units Covered

I Sources and Features of Ancient Indian Political Thought
II Vedic and Epic Political Ideas
III Arthashastra and Dharmashastra Traditions
IV Buddhist and Jain Political Ideas

Units Covered

I Democracy: Theories and Debates
II Democratic Institutions and Processes
III Governance: Concepts and Challenges
IV Democracy and Governance in India: Issues and Reforms

Units Covered

I Power: Concepts and Theories in IR
II Balance of Power and Hegemony
III Nuclear Dilemmas and Arms Control
IV New Power Centres: Rise of China, India's Aspirations

Units Covered

I Nature-Society Relations: Perspectives
II Environmental Politics: Movements and Actors
III Global Environmental Governance
IV Environment and Development in India

Units Covered

I Ethics: Foundations and Theories
II Ethics and Political Theory
III Ethics in Governance: Accountability, Transparency, Anti-corruption
IV Ethics and Contemporary Political Challenges

GE Generic Electives — Full Pool (All Semesters)

Units Covered

I Classical Political Philosophy (Plato, Aristotle)
II Renaissance and Modern Political Philosophy (Machiavelli to Rousseau)

Units Covered

I Public Policy: Concepts and Characteristics
II Theoretical Approaches to Public Policy
III Process of Public Policy
IV Public Policy: Case Studies

Units Covered

I Patriarchy and Feminism
II Family and Community
III Law, State and Women
IV History of the Women's Movement in India
V Violence against Women
VI Women and Labour

Units Covered

I Digital Literacy in Social Sciences
II Digital Information and Science of Society
III Biometrics and Identification
IV Access to Technology and the Internet
V Social Media and Public Sphere
VI Labour in Digital Economy
VII Artificial Intelligence and Algorithm

Units Covered

I Election Commission of India: Structure and Functions
II Electoral Process: Registration, Campaigning, Voting
III Electoral Reforms in India
IV Money, Muscle and Media in Elections

Units Covered

I Parliament: Structure, Functions and Powers
II Legislative Procedures: How a Bill becomes Law
III Parliamentary Controls over Executive
IV Parliamentary Conduct: Debates, Questions, Committees

Units Covered

I Philosophy and History of Human Rights
II International Human Rights System
III Human Rights in India
IV Contemporary Human Rights Challenges

Units Covered

I Fundamental Rights: Nature, Scope and Limitations
II Directive Principles of State Policy: Significance and Debates
III Fundamental Duties
IV Relationship between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs

SEC Skill Enhancement Courses — Pool

Topics Covered

I Knowing the Indian Legal System
II Fundamental Rights as Legal Rights
III Consumer Rights, RTI, and Legal Aid
IV Access to Justice: Courts and Procedures

Topics Covered

I Electoral System in India
II Voter Registration and Voter Behaviour
III Candidate Eligibility and Campaign Rules
IV Model Code of Conduct and Election Monitoring

Topics Covered

I Introduction to Policy Research
II Policy Writing: Briefs, Reports, Memos
III Data and Evidence in Policy Analysis
IV Policy Communication and Advocacy

Topics Covered

I Parliamentary Democracy and the Legislature
II Legislative Drafting and Bill Process
III Committee System in Parliament
IV Legislative Oversight and Accountability

Topics Covered

I Concepts of Peace and Conflict
II Sources of Conflict: Ethnic, Religious, Territorial
III Conflict Resolution: Negotiation, Mediation, Reconciliation
IV Peace Building: International and Indian Experiences

Topics Covered

I What is Public Opinion?
II Survey Design: Questionnaire, Sampling
III Data Collection and Field Methods
IV Analysis and Presentation of Survey Data

Search This Blog

Pol Science

Delhi University Political Science Syllabus

Delhi University Political Science Syllabus

Comments

Post a Comment