[UPSC Mains GS2] Paper II : GS2: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

Paper II : GS2: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

Important Books

New Arrival: IAS Mains General Studies - Governance Constitution, Polity Social Justice & International Relations (Paper 2) - Arihant

  1. Introduction to the Constitution of India 20 Edition D.D. Basu / Here (Polity and Constitution – GS2)
  2. Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations – Laxmikanth (Polity and Constitution – GS2)
  3. Select Constitutions: 16th Edition – S Chand / Here (Constitutions – GS2)
  4. Our Parliament - S. Kashyap / Here  (Polity and Constitution – GS2)
  5. Challenge And Strategy : Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy – Rajiv Sikri  / Here (Foreign Policy – GS2)
  6. Public Institutions in India: Performance and Design - Pratap Bhanu Mehta / Here  (Social Justice – GS2)
  7.  D.D. Basu’s Classic on the Indian Constitution – Shorter Constitution Of India  (Polity and Constitution – GS2)
  8. Development & Developmental Processes (Social Justice – GS2)
  9. Issues Relating to Social Development (Social Justice – GS2)
  10. Pax Indica – Shashi Tharoor. (Foreign Policy – GS2)
  11. India’s Foreign Policy -Muchkund Dubey. (Foreign Policy – GS2) 
  12. India YearBook 2014.  (Polity and Social Justice – GS2)
  13. Economic Survey (2013-2104) (Indian Economy – GS3) 
  14. IAS Mains Civil Services Main Examination: General Studies Chapter-wise Solved Papers. [Question Papers]


Also Read:

Paper 3 : GS3 Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
Paper 4 : GS4 Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude



Essential NCERT Books

  1. NCERT Class XI – India Constitution At Work
  2. NCERT Class XII –  Political Science II
  3. NCERT Class X –  Democratic Politics

Detailed Studyplan and Booklist:

Topic 1 : Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.


 Useful both for Prelims and Mains. Best book to study this section is D.D. Basu’s Introduction To The Constitution Of India

For Basic Structure,
1) Basic Structure of the constitution revisited - The Hindu (PDF)
2) The Basic Structure of the constitution (PDF)

Topic 2 : Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Report of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission - Organizational Structure Of Government of India (13th Report)

 Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges

Laxmikant’s Indian Polity  4th edition.  (Chapters 12, 13 14 and 30).

 Topic 3 : Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.


7th report of 2nd ARC Capacity Building for Conflict Resolution
Concepts can be studied either from D.D. Basu or Laxmikat..

Topic 4 : Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries

  Select Constitutions: 16th Edition – S Chand / Here. This Book covers this topic comprehensively.
 D.D. Basu’s Classic on the Indian Constitution – Shorter Constitution Of India not only covers all above topics, it also covers the present topic.

 Topic 5 : Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Our Parliament - S. Kashyap / Here

Topic 6 : Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; Pressure Groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
 Laxmikant is enough for this topic. 

Topic 7 : Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. 

 Article by Yogendra Yadav.
Electoral reforms bill
Representation of People’s Act.


Topic 8: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

 Laxmikant  Part VII,VIII and IX

Public Institutions in India: Performance and Design - Pratap Bhanu Mehta / Here  immensely useful.

 As its back cover says, “This volume analytically assesses the design, performance, and adaptability of the principal institutions of governance in India and their critical role in a democratic polity.”

Topic 9 : Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

Laxmikant

Topic 10 : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Public Institutions in India: Performance and Design - Pratap Bhanu Mehta / Here 
Also Economic Survey (2013-2104) for government policies and PIB site regularly.

Topic 11 : Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders

 Report gives critical account of success and failure of SHG’s in India. 
NGO – their evolution and role.

 Topic 12 : Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.


 List Of Government Schemes – India – Wikipedia link.
List of All state and central scheme – Govt. of India Website


Topic 13 :  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

 Food security bill, PDS reform, Poverty reduction schemes, Poverty-line controversy, Malnutrition figures, report on malnutrition 

Topic 14 : Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

Topic 15 : Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures


2nd ARC This introductory article
2nd ARC report on Promoting e-Governance: The SMART Way Forward


Topic 16 : Role of civil services in a democracy

 2nd ARC report (10th report) – Refurbishing of Personnel Administration 
Chapter (ch-4)


International Relations

Topic 17 : India and its neighborhood- relations.

 Two sources for this topic:
Challenge And Strategy : Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy – Rajiv Sikri  / Here  is must for reading this part of the syllabus.


Topic 18 : Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

 For India’s relations with the other countries, click here. (read only important counries – USA, UK, EU, SA, Brazil, Japan, Russia,  Australia etc)
Topic 19 : Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora

 Newspaper is Best Source.

 Effects of globalization, WTO policies, domestic policies of developed countries and their effect on other countries.
Indian diaspora – their contribution to India, India’s contribution to them, Their contribution to the world etc. Their problems in the residing countries, their rights in India – constitutional/statutory provisions if any, their participation in track two diplomacy, their role in Indian economy etc.
Topic 20 : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

UNO and its various bodies,
Organizations: click here.
Some articles from Yojana magazines and Kuruksherta
GS Manuals :
  1. Tata Macgrawill General Studies Manual [English]
  2. Tata Macgrawill General Studies  Manual [Hindi]
  3. General Studies Manual Paper - I  Publisher: Arihant
  4. The Pearson General Studies Paper I Publisher: Pearson
  5. General Studies - 2014 (Paper 1) 35th Edition Publisher: Unique
  6. Spectrum's Handbook for General Studies 24th Edition


Useful IAS Books and Magazines [ Download ]

     
     UPSC Books at Online Stores!


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