Generic reading:
1. NCERT Class X — India Constitution At Work
2. NCERT Class XII — Political Science II
3. NCERT Class IX — Democratic Politics
4. NCERT Class X — Democratic Politics
5. NCERT Class VIII — Social and Political life
State of the Nation — Fali S. Nariman
Before memory fades — Fali S. Nariman
1. Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
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.
3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
4. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
5. Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
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.
7. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act — Lots of articles available. Follow news on this. Articles by Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Yogendra Yadav and others.
8. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
9. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
For Points 1 to 9 listed above, read the following textbooks:
1. DD Basu — Introduction to the Constitution of India
2. M. Laxmikanth — India Polity
Both books are absolutely necessary. You need to everything in these two books. Period.
10. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
Watch the RSTV debates and make your own points. One of the best shows on air today. Selectively watch Barkha Dutt and Arnab Goswami. If you are watching Goswami, concentrate only on his questions and not the answers in the debate. He asks good questions. Try to answer those question as if you were a panel member on the debate.
Follow current affairs and News from this website. Also follow the Notes section in this website.
Read the entire Economic survey and make specific points.
Follow PRS acts, bills and comments.
11. Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
12th FYP — Lot of info on SHG
Newspaper articles on role of NGOs.
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.
Follow economic survey and current affairs
Write ups on acts and bills from PRS India.
Historic view: Ram Guha’s India after Gandhi
13. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
14. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
An Uncertain Glory — Amartya Sen
India’s tryst with destiny — Jagdish Bhagwati
12th FYP
Economic survey
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.
On e-governance — 2nd ARC article. Read summary and recommendations.
Transperancy, Accountability and Institutional — Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s Public Institutions
Citizen charters — M. Laxmikanth
16. Role of civil services in a democracy
Pratap Bhanu Mehata – Public institutions
2nd ARC report with the same name as the topic.
17. India and its neighborhood- relations.
18. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Sumit Ganguly — Foreign Policy
Rajiv Sikri — Challenge and Strategy
References:
David Malone — Does the Elephant dance?
Pax Indica — Shashi Tharoor
19. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora.
Follow newspapers, MEA website, the gatewayhouse, thediplomat.com. Important articles from all of these websites would be available in the News section of this website. Make sure you follow it.
thediplomat.com – An excellent source to understand geopolitics. Read an article everyday.
Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
Use Wikipedia. Best source. You can find enough information about this in any of the GS manuals. Pick the topics with the help of these GS manuals. Use Wikipedia to study.