CBSE Class-11 Syllabus 2019-20 (Political Science)

Rationale :

At the senior secondary level students who opt Political Science are given an opportunity to get introduced to the diverse concerns of a Political Scientist. At this level there is a need to enable students to engage with political processes that surround them and provide them with an understanding of the historical context that has shaped the present. The different courses introduce the students to the various streams of the discipline of Political Science: Political Theory, Indian Politics and International Politics. Concerns of the other two streams - Comparative Politics and Public Administration- are accommodated at different places in these courses. In introducing these streams, special care has been taken not to burden the students with the current jargon of the discipline. The basic idea here is to lay the foundations for a serious engagement with the discipline at the under graduation stage.

Objectives:

Indian Constitution at Work

• Enable students to understand the historical processes and the circumstances in which the Constitution was drafted.
• Provide opportunity for students to become familiar with the diverse visions that guided the makers of the Indian Constitution.
• Enable students to identify certain key features of the Constitution and compare these to other constitutions in the world.
• Analyse the ways in which the provisions of the Constitution have worked in real political life. 

Political Theory

• Develop the skills for logical reasoning and abstraction.
• Inculcate attention to and respect for viewpoints other than one's own.
• Introduce students to the different political thinkers in relation to a concept and in everyday social life.
• Enable students to meaningfully participate in and develop internal concerns of the political life that surrounds them.
• Encourage the students to analyse any unexamined prejudices that one may have inherited. Contemporary World Politics
• Enable the students to expand their horizons beyond India and make sense of the political map of contemporary world.
• Familiarise the students with some of the key political events and processes in the post cold war era.
• Equip students to be conscious of the way in which global events and processes shape our everyday lives.
• Strengthen their capacity for political analysis by thinking of contemporary developments in a historical perspective. Politics in India after Independence
• Enable students to become familiar with some of the key political events and figures in the postindependence period.
• Develop skills of political analysis through an understanding of events and processes of recent history.
• Develop their capacity to link macro processes with micro situations and their own life.
• Encourage the students to take a historical perspective of making sense of contemporary India. 
• Develop the skills for logical reasoning and abstraction.
• Inculcate attention to and respect for viewpoints other than one's own.
• Introduce students to the different political thinkers in relation to a concept and in everyday social life.
• Enable students to meaningfully participate in and develop internal concerns of the political life that surrounds them.
• Encourage the students to analyse any unexamined prejudices that one may have inherited.Contemporary World Politics
• Enable the students to expand their horizons beyond India and make sense of the political map of contemporary world.
• Familiarise the students with some of the key political events and processes in the post cold war era.
• Equip students to be conscious of the way in which global events and processes shape our everyday lives.
• Strengthen their capacity for political analysis by thinking of contemporary developments in a historical perspective. Politics in India after Independence
• Enable students to become familiar with some of the key political events and figures in the postindependence period.
• Develop skills of political analysis through an understanding of events and processes of recent history.
• Develop their capacity to link macro processes with micro situations and their own life.
• Encourage the students to take a historical perspective of making sense of contemporary India. 

Cource Structure :

COURSE CONTENT

Part A: Indian Constitution at Work
1. Constitution Why and How and Philosophy of the Constitution 17 Periods Consitution: Why and How, The making of the Constitution, the Constituent Assembly, Procedural achievements and Philosophy of the Constitution.

2. Rights in the Indian Constitution 16 Periods
The importance of Rights, Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution, Directive Principles of State Policy, Relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles

3. Election and Representation 11 Periods
Elections and Democracy, Election System in India, Reservation of Constituencies, Free and Fair Elections, Electoral Reforms

4. Legislature 11 Periods
Why do we need a Parliament? Two Houses of Parliament. Functions and Power of the Parliament, Legislative functions, control over Executive. Parliamentary committees. Self-regulation.

5. Executive 11 Periods
What is an Executive? Different Types of Executive. Parliamentary Executive in India, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Permanent Executive: Bureaucracy.

6. Judiciary 11 Periods
Why do we need an Independent Judiciary? Structure of the Judiciary, Judicial Activism, Judiciary and Rights, Judiciary and Parliament.

7. Federalism 11 Periods
What is Federalism? Federalism in the Indian Constitution, Federalism with a strong Central Government, conflicts in India's federal system, Special Provisions.

8. Local Governments 11 Periods
Why do we need Local Governments? Growth of Local Government in India, 73rd and 74th Amendments, implementation of 73rd and 74th Amendments.

9. Constitution as a Living Document 11 Periods
Are Constitutions static? The procedure to amend the Constitution. Why have there been so many amendments? Basic Structure and Evolution of the Constitution. Constitution as a Living Document.

Part B: Political Theory

10. Political Theory: An Introduction 10 Periods
What is Politics? What do we study in Political Theory? Putting Political Theory to practice. Why should we study Politial Theory?

11. Freedom 11 Periods 
The Ideal of Freedom. What is Freedom? Why do we need constraints? Harm principle. Negative and Positive Liberty.

12. Equality 11 Periods
Significance of Equality. What is Equality? Various dimensions of Equality. How can we promote Equality?

13. Social Justice 12 Periods
What is Justice? Just Distribution. Justice as fairness. Pursuing Social Justice. 

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Courtesy: CBSE

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