🔵 UPSC Prelims – Polity Syllabus
(From official syllabus: “Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political
System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.”)
1. Constitution of India
Historical Background
Making of the Constitution
Salient Features
Preamble
Union and its Territory
Citizenship
Fundamental Rights
Directive Principles of State Policy
Fundamental Duties
Amendment of the Constitution
Basic Structure Doctrine
2. System of Government
Parliamentary System
Federal System
Centre-State Relations
Inter-State Relations
Emergency Provisions
3. Union Government
President
Vice-President
Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
Cabinet Committees
Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha)
Parliamentary Procedures
Legislative Process
Budget
Attorney General
CAG
4. State Government
Governor
Chief Minister & State Council of Ministers
State Legislature
State Judiciary
5. Judiciary
Supreme Court
High Courts
Subordinate Courts
Judicial Review
Judicial Activism
PIL
6. Local Government
Panchayati Raj Institutions (73rd Amendment)
Urban Local Bodies (74th Amendment)
Devolution and Governance
7. Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Election Commission
UPSC
Finance Commission
NITI Aayog (Planning Commission legacy)
CVC, CIC, CBI (statutory/non-constitutional)
8. Other Topics
Schedules and Parts of the Constitution
Important Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies
Pressure Groups, Political Parties, and Elections
Governance and Transparency
RTI Act
Citizen Charters, E-Governance
🟢 UPSC Mains – Polity Syllabus (GS Paper II)
(From official syllabus: “Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution,
features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure…”)
I. Indian Constitution
Historical Underpinnings
Evolution and Making
Features and Philosophy
Amendments and Types
Significant Provisions and Doctrine of Basic Structure
II. Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies
Election Commission of India
UPSC
State PSCs
Finance Commission
NITI Aayog
CAG, CIC, NHRC, SHRC, etc.
III. Separation of Powers
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review & Activism
IV. Centre-State Relations
Legislative, Administrative, and Financial Relations
Inter-State Council
Role of Governors
Issues in Federalism
V. Parliament and State Legislatures
Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business
Powers & Privileges
Legislative Accountability
Issues Arising out of Legislative Functioning
VI. Executive and Judiciary
Structure, Organization and Functioning
Ministries and Departments
Dispute Redressal Mechanisms
Tribunals
VII. Local Governance
73rd and 74th Amendments
Devolution of Powers and Finances
Panchayati Raj & Urban Bodies
Role of NGOs, SHGs, and Civil Society
VIII. Salient Features of the Representation of People's Act
IX. Appointment to Various Constitutional Posts
Powers, Functions and Responsibilities
X. Important Aspects of Governance
Transparency and Accountability
RTI Act
Citizen Charter
E-Governance and Digital Initiatives
Role of Civil Services in Democracy
1. Governance – Concept and Application
Meaning and dimensions of governance
Good governance: Characteristics and importance
Ethical and accountable administration
Challenges to governance in India
2. Role of Civil Services in a Democracy
Structure and functions of civil services
Civil services reforms
Issues of neutrality, political interference
Lateral entry and its implications
3. Government Policies and Interventions for Development
Policy formulation and implementation
Evaluation of development programmes
Flagship schemes and missions (e.g., PMAY, Ujjwala, Ayushman Bharat)
Impact assessment and feedback mechanisms
4. Development Processes and Role of Stakeholders
Role of NGOs, SHGs, and Civil Society
Pressure groups and informal associations
Public-private partnerships in service delivery
Community-based governance and participatory models
5. E-Governance
Definition, scope, and evolution in India
E-Governance models and applications (UMANG, DigiLocker, CoWIN, etc.)
Advantages and limitations
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), Digital India
Cybersecurity and digital literacy issues
6. Transparency and Accountability
Importance and mechanisms
Social audit and performance audit
Use of ICT for accountability
Whistle-blower protection
7. Right to Information (RTI) Act
Evolution and features of the RTI Act
Role and powers of CIC and SICs
RTI vs Official Secrets Act
Challenges in implementation
8. Citizen Charters and Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
Citizen charters: Concept and limitations
Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)
Role of institutions like Lokpal, Lokayuktas, Vigilance Commissions
Sevottam model for public service delivery
✅ ETHICS IN GOVERNANCE — GS Paper II + GS Paper IV
🔷 PART A: Ethics in Governance — GS Paper II (Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice)
Ethics in governance ensures that governance processes are transparent,
accountable, just, and citizen-centric, rooted in moral values.
1. Core Ethical Principles in Governance
Integrity in public administration
Impartiality and Non-partisanship
Accountability and Transparency
Responsiveness to Citizens
Rule of Law and Justice
Empathy and Compassion in public service
Participative Governance
2. Issues and Challenges
Corruption in administration
Political interference in civil services
Lack of citizen-centricity
Bureaucratic inefficiency and red-tapism
Nepotism and favoritism
Weak grievance redress mechanisms
3. Institutional Mechanisms
RTI Act, 2005
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)
Lokpal and Lokayuktas
Citizen Charters
E-Governance tools (CPGRAMS, MyGov, etc.)
Social Audit and Public Accountability Mechanisms
4. Recent Reforms and Initiatives
Lateral entry in civil services
Digital India and governance transparency
Mission Karmayogi – ethics training for civil servants
Ethics Committees in Parliament
🔷 PART B: Ethics in Governance — GS Paper IV (Ethics, Integrity and
Aptitude)
From the perspective of public servants' moral compass, personal integrity, and
ethical behavior in official duties.
1. Dimensions of Ethics in Public Administration
Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is watching
Objectivity: Basing decisions on facts and evidence
Dedication to Public Service: Serving citizens selflessly
Empathy: Understanding and valuing citizens’ needs
Probity: Uprightness and honesty in the use of public resources
2. Ethical Dilemmas in Governance
Conflict between public duty and political loyalty
Law vs morality
Whistle-blowing vs institutional loyalty
Secrecy vs transparency
3. Code of Ethics and Conduct
Code of Conduct: Set of rules — externally enforced
Code of Ethics: Set of principles — internally guided
Second ARC Recommendations: Code for civil servants
4. Tools for Ethical Governance
Training in ethics and integrity
Institutional ethics frameworks
Ethical audits and vigilance
Use of technology for transparency
🔷 Sample Linkages Between GS II and GS IV
GS Paper II
GS Paper IV (Ethics)
(Governance)
RTI Act and
Transparency as an ethical value
transparency
Lokpal/Lokayuktas Integrity and accountability
Ethical competence in civil
Mission Karmayogi
servants
Responsive and fair public
E-Governance
service
Values of neutrality, impartiality,
Civil Services Reforms
integrity
