CUET UG 2025 Political Science Syllabus Breakdown

The CUET (Common University Entrance Test) Political Science syllabus for 2025 covers significant themes and developments in Indian and global political contexts. It includes two main sections: Politics in India Since Independence and Contemporary World Politics. This breakdown will highlight each topic’s core focus areas and how they can be approached for exam preparation.

Section 1: Politics in India Since Independence

This section explores India’s political evolution post-independence, covering pivotal events, policies, and movements that have shaped the nation.

The Era of One-Party Dominance

• Focus: The dominance of the Congress Party in early elections, its control at national and regional levels, and the coalition dynamics within the Congress Party.
• Key Topics: Congress’s electoral victories, regional opposition parties, and the impact of single-party rule.

Nation-Building and Its Problems

• Focus: The partition’s legacy, refugee issues, and the Kashmir conflict.
• Key Topics: Nehru’s approach to unifying India, language-based state reorganization, and political disputes over language policies.

Politics of Planned Development

• Focus: India’s Five-Year Plans, economic policies, and the emergence of new economic interests.
• Key Topics: State sector growth, economic crises, and the Green Revolution’s political implications.

India’s External Relations

• Focus: Nehru’s foreign policy and significant wars with neighboring nations.
• Key Topics: India’s conflicts with China and Pakistan, nuclear policy, and foreign alliances.

Challenge to and Restoration of Congress System

• Focus: The political dynamics post-Nehru, opposition movements, and Congress’s electoral strategies.
• Key Topics: The rise of non-Congress parties, Congress split, and Garibi Hatao campaign.

Crisis of the Constitutional Order

• Focus: Political turmoil during the Emergency, and constitutional crises.
• Key Topics: Navnirman and Bihar movements, civil liberties, and Janata Party’s rise.

Regional Aspirations and Conflicts

• Focus: Regional issues and the emergence of regional political forces.
• Key Topics: The Punjab crisis, North-East conflicts, and regional party influence.

Rise of New Social Movements

• Focus: The growth of social movements in response to economic and political changes.
• Key Topics: Farmers, women’s, and environmental movements, and the impact of the Mandal Commission.

Democratic Upsurge and Coalition Politics

• Focus: The increase in regional parties and coalition governments.
• Key Topics: Rise of BJP and Janata Dal, coalition governments, and UPA governance.

Recent Issues and Challenges

• Focus: Effects of globalization, rise of Dalit and OBC politics, and communal tensions.
• Key Topics: Economic reforms, Ayodhya dispute, and Gujarat riots.

Section 2: Contemporary World Politics

This section explores international relations and global political dynamics from the Cold War era to the present, including shifts in power and new global challenges.
Cold War Era in World Politics
Focus: The bi-polar world order, the Non-Aligned Movement, and economic demands of developing countries.
Key Topics: Power blocs, India’s non-alignment, and international economic reforms.
Disintegration of the ‘Second World’ and Collapse of Bipolarity
Focus: The end of the Soviet Union and new global political landscapes.
Key Topics: Emergence of Russia and Central Asian states, democratic transitions, and India’s foreign relations.
US Dominance in World Politics
Focus: US foreign policy’s global reach and challenges to its supremacy.
Key Topics: Gulf Wars, post-9/11 policies, and India-US relations.
Alternative Centers of Economic and Political Power
Focus: New economic powers and regional political alliances.
Key Topics: China’s rise, European Union, ASEAN, and India’s position.
South Asia in the Post-Cold War Era
Focus: Political changes and ethnic conflicts in South Asia.
Key Topics: Democratisation in Pakistan and Nepal, Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, and India’s South Asian relations.
International Organizations in a Unipolar World
Focus: The UN’s restructuring, global economic organizations, and NGOs.
Key Topics: UN reforms, India’s position, and democratic accountability in global governance.
Security in Contemporary World
Focus: Traditional and human security concerns.
Key Topics: Disarmament, human rights, global health, and education issues.
Environment and Natural Resources in Global Politics
Focus: Environmental movements and global norms.
Key Topics: Environmental conflicts, indigenous rights, and India’s role in climate debates.
Globalization and Its Critics
Focus: Cultural, economic, and political impacts of globalization.
Key Topics: Anti-globalization movements, economic impacts on India, and cultural exchanges.

Examination Pattern

The CUET Political Science question paper consists of 50 questions, of which students must answer 40. Preparing effectively for each topic, with an understanding of both Indian and global political landscapes, will be essential for success.

To download pdf of the syllabus please click the link https://exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-UG/images/political-science.pdf