Best Indian Polity Books for Competitive Exams

Part I: Constitutional Framework

1. Historical Background
2. Making of the Constitution
3. Concept of the Constitution
4. Salient Features of the Constitution
5. Preamble of the Constitution
6. Union and Its Territory
7. Citizenship
8. Fundamental Rights
9. Directive Principles of State Policy
10. Fundamental Duties
11. Amendment of the Constitution
12. Basic Structure of the Constitution

Part II: System of Government

13. Parliamentary System
14. Federal System
15. Centre-State Relations
16. Inter-State Relations
17. Emergency Provisions

Part III: Central Government

18. President
19. Vice-President
20. Prime Minister
21. Central Council of Ministers
22. Cabinet Committees
23. Parliament
24. Parliamentary Committees
25. Indian Parliamentary Group
26. Supreme Court
27. Judicial Review
28. Judicial Activism
29. Public Interest Litigation

Part IV: State Government

30. Governor
31. Chief Minister
32. State Council of Ministers
33. State Legislature
34. High Court
35. Subordinate Courts
36. Tribunals
37. Consumer Commissions
38. Lok Adalats and Other Courts

Part V: Local Government

39. Panchayati Raj
40. Municipalities

Part VI: Union Territories and Special Areas

41. Union Territories
42. Scheduled and Tribal Areas

Part VII: Constitutional Bodies

43. Election Commission
44. Union Public Service Commission
45. State Public Service Commission
46. Finance Commission
47. Goods and Services Tax Council
48. National Commission for SCs
49. National Commission for STs
50. National Commission for BCs
51. Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities
52. Comptroller and Auditor General of India
53. Attorney General of India
54. Advocate General of the State
55. Constitutional Prescriptions

Part VIII: Non-Constitutional Bodies

56. NITI Aayog
57. National Human Rights Commission
58. State Human Rights Commission
59. National Commission for Women
60. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
61. National Commission for Minorities
62. Central Information Commission
63. State Information Commission
64. Central Vigilance Commission
65. Central Bureau of Investigation
66. Lokpal and Lokayuktas
67. National Investigation Agency
68. National Disaster Management Authority
69. Bar Council of India
70. Law Commission of India
71. Delimitation Commission of India

Part IX: Other Constitutional Dimensions

72. Co-operative Societies
73. Official Language
74. Public Services
75. Rights and Liabilities of the Government
76. Special Provisions Relating to Certain Classes
77. Special Provisions for Some States

Part X: Political Dynamics

78. Political Parties
79. Role of Regional Parties
80. Elections
81. Election Laws
82. Electoral Reforms
83. Voting Behaviour
84. Coalition Government
85. Anti-Defection Law
86. Pressure Groups
87. National Integration
88. Foreign Policy

Part XI: Working of the Constitution

89. National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution

Part XII: Judgements & Doctrines

90. Landmark Judgements and Their Impact
91. Important Doctrines of Constitutional Interpretation

Part XIII: Comparison of the Constitutions

92. World Constitutions

Appendices

• Appendix I: Articles of the Constitution (1-395)
• Appendix II: Subjects of Union, State and Concurrent Lists
• Appendix III: Table of Precedence
• Appendix IV: Constitutional Amendments at a Glance
• Appendix V: Constitutional Amendments with Reference to Articles
• Appendix VI: Flag Code of India
• Appendix VII: Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Prime Ministers, etc.
• Appendix VIII: Chairpersons of the National Commissions

Questions

• Question Set I: UPSC Questions on Indian Polity (General Studies – Prelims 2013-2023)
• Question Set II: Practice Questions on Indian Polity (General Studies – Prelims)
• Question Set III: UPSC Questions on Indian Polity (General Studies – Mains 2013-2022)
• Question Set IV: Practice Questions on Indian Polity (General Studies – Mains)

Chapter 1: Constitutional Development in India

• Important Landmarks in Indian Constitutional Development

Chapter 2: Making of the Indian Constitution

• Constitution
• Development of the Indian Constitution
• Drafting Committee

Chapter 3: Indian Constitution – Preamble and Its Features

• Preamble of the Indian Constitution
• Salient Features of the Indian Constitution

Chapter 4: Indian Federation and Reorganisation of States

• India, Union of States
• State’s Reorganisation

Chapter 5: Citizenship

• Essence of Citizenship
• Acquisition and Determination of Indian Citizenship

Chapter 6: Fundamental Rights

• Rights
• Classification of Fundamental Rights

Chapter 7: Directive Principles of State Policy

• Directive Principles
• Conflict between Directive Principles and Fundamental Rights

Chapter 8: Fundamental Duties

• Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution
• Relation Between Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties

Chapter 9: Union Executive

• Executive
• President
• Vice-President
• Prime Minister
• Deputy Prime Minister
• Council of Ministers
• Attorney-General
• Central Administration: Structure and Working

Chapter 10: Union Legislature

• Legislature
• Structure of Parliament
• Sessions of Parliament
• Legislative Procedure in Parliament
• Budget in Parliament and Financial Process
• Parliamentary Committees

Chapter 11: State Executive

• Constitutional Provisions for the State Executive
• State Council of Ministers

Chapter 12: State Legislature

• Constitutional Provisions Regarding State Legislature
• Composition of the State Legislature
• Legislative Procedure in State Legislature

Chapter 13: Judiciary

• Structure of the Judiciary
• Supreme Court of India
• High Courts
• Subordinate Courts

Chapter 14: Federalism and Centre-State Relations

• Federalism in India
• Centre-State Relations

Chapter 15: Emergency Provisions

• Constitutional Provisions for Emergency
• Punchhi Commission on Emergency Provisions

Chapter 16: Public Services

• Public Services
• Level of Administration in Civil Services
• Bureaucracy

Chapter 17: Official Language

• History of Official Language
• Important Articles Related to Languages

Chapter 18: Special Provisions for Marginalised Sections

• Scheduled Castes
• Scheduled Tribes
• Other Backward Classes
• Women
• Children
• Persons with Disabilities

Chapter 19: Local Self-Government

• Panchayati Raj System
• Rural Local Government Institutions
• Urban Local Government Institutions
• Committees Associated with Local Self-Government

Chapter 20: Elections and Party System in India

• Election
• Election Commission of India
• Electoral Reform
• Political Parties

Chapter 21: Special Provisions for Some States

• Special Provisions for North-East India
• Special Provisions for Other States

Chapter 22: Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies

• Constitutional Bodies
• Non-Constitutional Bodies

Chapter 23: Constitutional Amendments

• Meaning of Constitutional Amendment
• List of Important Amendments to Indian Constitution

Chapter 24: Political Theories and Ideologies

• Political Theory: An Introduction

Chapter 25: India’s Foreign Policy, Neighbouring Countries, and National Symbols

• Foreign Policy of India
• India and Its Neighbouring Countries
• National Symbols

Appendix

Chapter 1: Introduction to Political Science

• Key Areas of Study Within Political Science
• Origin of Political Science
• Nature of Political Science
• India’s Contribution to Political Science
• Concept of State
• Government
• Other Key Concepts of Political Science
• Constitution
• Concept of Equality
• Concept of Liberty
• Concept of Positive Liberty
• The Concept of Justice
• Democracy
• Organs of Government
• Separation of Powers
• Check and Balance
• Constitutionalism
• Practice Questions

Chapter 2: Development of Indian Constitution

• Arrival of Europeans in India
• Development Under the Company’s Rule (1773 – 1858)
  • The Regulating Act of 1773
  • The Amending Act of 1781
  • Pitt’s India Act of 1784
  • The Act of 1786
  • The Charter Act of 1793
  • The Charter Act of 1813
  • The Charter Act of 1833
  • The Charter Act of 1853
• Development During 1858 to 1947
  • The Act for the Better Government of India, 1858
  • The Indian Councils Act, 1861
  • Indian Councils Act, 1892
  • Indian Councils Act, 1909 (The Morley-Minto Reform)
  • Government of India Act, 1919 (The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms)
  • Government of India Act, 1935
  • August Offer, 1940
  • The Cripps Mission, 1942
  • The Quit India Movement / August Resolution, 1942
  • Wavell Plan, 1945
  • The Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946
  • Formation of Interim Government, 1946
  • Attlee’s Announcement of February 20, 1947
  • Mountbatten Plan, June 3, 1947
  • Indian Independence Act, 1947
• Important Provisions w.r.t Constituent Assembly
  • Objective Resolution
  • Constitution Enacted
  • Constitution Enforced
  • Basic Facts related to the Indian Constitution and the Constituent Assembly
  • Facts related to the Indian Constitution
  • Facts related to the Constituent Assembly
  • Criticism of the Constituent Assembly and the Indian Constitution
  • Basic Features of the Constitution
  • Practice Questions

Chapter 3: Preamble

• Text of the Preamble
• Objectives of the Constitution
• Keywords in the Preamble
• Preamble as a Philosophy of the Indian Constitution
• Contemporary Relevance of the Keywords
• Preamble as a Part of the Constitution
• Amendment of the Preamble
• Practice Questions

Chapter 4: Part I—Union and its Territory (Art 1-4)

• Article 1
• Article 2
• Article 3
• Article 4
• How India’s Map Evolved Since 1947
• Practice Questions

Chapter 5: Citizenship

• PART II: Citizenship
• Benefits for OCI Cardholders
• Rights Denied to OCI Cardholders
• Cancellation of OCI Status
• Practice Questions

Chapter 6: Fundamental Rights

• Fundamental Rights
• Reservation Debate
• The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955
• The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe
• Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989

1. Constitutional Framework and Citizenship

   • What is Constitution?
   • Why do we need a Constitution?
   • The Philosophy of the Indian Constitution
   • History of the Constitution of India
   • Interim Government (1946)
   • The Making of the Indian Constitution
   • Important Facts on Constituent Assembly
   • Salient Features of the Indian Constitution
   • Difference between Western and Indian Secularism
   • Parts of the Constitution
   • Formation of States after 1950s
   • Citizenship
   • Key Terms

2. Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy

   • Fundamental Rights
   • Fundamental Duties
   • Directive Principles of State Policy
   • Key Terms

3. Union Government

   • The President
   • The Vice President
   • The Prime Minister
   • PM’s Relationship with the President
   • Council of Ministers
   • Attorney General and Solicitor General of India
   • Comptroller and Auditor-General of India
   • The Parliament
   • Parliamentary Terms
   • Funds for Central Government
   • Parliamentary Committees
   • Key Terms

4. Judiciary

   • Union Judiciary
   • State Judiciary
   • Jurisdiction of High Court
   • Courts under High Court
   • Key Terms

5. State Government

   • State Executive
   • Chief Minister
   • Council of Ministers (COM)
   • Advocate General (Article 165)
   • State Legislature (Part VI, Art. 168-212)
   • Utility of the Second Chamber (Legislative Council)
   • Key Terms

6. Administration of Union Territories, Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas

   • The Union Territories
   • The Scheduled and Tribal Areas
   • Key Terms

7. Local Government

   • History of Local Self-Government in India
   • Panchayati Raj
   • Evolution of Urban Local Government in India
   • Key Terms

8. Centre-State Relations

   • Federalism
   • Centre-State Relations
   • Key Terms

9. Services Under the Union and States

   • Evolution of the Civil Services in India
   • Constitutional Safeguards to Civil Servants
   • Public Service Commissions
   • Functions of Public Service Commissions
   • State Public Service Commission
   • Central Vigilance Commission
   • Central Information Commission

10. Elections

• Election System in India
• Polling and Vote Counting Process
• Election Commission
• Powers and Functions
• 18th Lok Sabha Elections
• Electoral Reforms
• Reliability of EVMs
• Political Parties
• Category of Political Parties in India
• Key Terms

11. Constitutional, Statutory and Non-Statutory Bodies

• Constitutional Bodies
• Statutory Bodies
• Non-statutory Bodies (or Executive Bodies)
• Important Constitutional, Statutory & Non-statutory Bodies
• NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)
• Key Terms

12. Amendments, Schedules & Articles of the Indian Constitution

• Amendment Procedures under the Indian Constitution
• Schedules
• Parts of the Constitution
• Articles of the Indian Constitution
• Key Terms