ESP Syllabus Notes
1. ECONOMICS
i) Basic Concepts of Economics
- Economy: System of production, distribution, and consumption.
- Scarcity: Limited resources, unlimited wants.
- Opportunity Cost: Next best alternative foregone.
- Types of Economy:
- Capitalist (e.g. USA): Private ownership.
- Socialist (e.g. Cuba): Government control.
- Mixed (e.g. India): Both public & private sectors.
- Microeconomics: Individual units (households, firms).
- Macroeconomics: Overall economy (inflation, GDP).
ii) National Income
- Definition: Total income earned by a country in one year.
- Methods of Calculation:
- Production Method
- Income Method
- Expenditure Method
- GDP: Gross Domestic Product (value of goods/services within country).
- GNP: Gross National Product (GDP + income from abroad).
- NDP: GDP - depreciation.
- NNP: GNP - depreciation.
iii) Unemployment & Poverty
- Unemployment:
- Types:
- Seasonal (agriculture)
- Structural (skills mismatch)
- Frictional (job-switching)
- Cyclical (economic downturn)
- Poverty:
- Types:
- Absolute: Income below basic needs.
- Relative: Income less compared to others.
- Causes: Unemployment, population growth, low education.
- Poverty Line: Defined by income/expenditure (₹ per month).
2. GEOGRAPHY
i) Political Division of India
- India is a Union of States under a federal structure.
- 28 States and 8 Union Territories (as of 2025).
- States have their own governments; UTs are governed by the Central Government (some
UTs like Delhi have partial autonomy).
- Reorganization of States: Done on linguistic, cultural, administrative, and political basis.
- States Reorganisation Act, 1956 was a key law.
- Examples: Telangana (2014), Jammu & Kashmir reorganization (2019).
ii) Physiographic Divisions of India
India is divided into 6 major physical divisions:
1. Northern Mountains (Himalayas, climatic barrier, river sources).
2. Northern Plains (fertile, densely populated, formed by river deposits).
3. Peninsular Plateau (Deccan Plateau, Central Highlands, hard rock).
4. Indian Desert (Thar Desert, low rainfall, sandy soil).
5. Coastal Plains (Eastern & Western Ghats, important for trade/agriculture).
6. Islands (Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep).
3. HISTORY
i) Sources of Indian History
- Archaeological Sources: Monuments, inscriptions, coins, artifacts.
- Literary Sources: Vedic texts, Arthashastra, foreign accounts (e.g. Fa-Hien, Al-Biruni).
- Foreign Accounts: Accounts by Megasthenes, Hiuen Tsang.
ii) Indus Valley Civilization
- One of the world’s oldest urban civilizations.
- Major Sites: Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira.
- Features: Planned cities, drainage system, Great Bath, Granaries.
- Decline due to climate change, river drying, invasions.
iii) Vedic Age
- Early Vedic Period: Nomadic, tribal society.
- Later Vedic Period: Agricultural society, kingdoms.
- Texts: Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva).
- Society: Patriarchal, Varna system, Sabha, Samiti.
- Religion: Nature worship, later rituals and priestly dominance.
4. POLITY
i) Making of the Indian Constitution
- Constituent Assembly formed in 1946 to draft the Constitution.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chief Architect.
- Adopted on 26th November 1949, came into effect on 26th January 1950.
ii) Preamble
- Introduction to the Constitution, stating objectives.
- Key Words: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.
- Goals: Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
iii) Fundamental Rights
- Part III of the Constitution guarantees basic rights.
- Rights: Right to Equality, Right to Freedom, Right against Exploitation, Right to Freedom
of Religion, Cultural & Educational Rights, Constitutional Remedies.
iv) Fundamental Duties
- Part IV-A lists duties of Indian citizens.
- Duties: Respect Constitution, Promote harmony, Protect public property, Safeguard the
environment.
