Studyadda:: IIT-JEE ENTRANCE EXAM

NSCE -> NCSE Political Science Syllabus

Class 6

Themes	Objectives
Diversity In this unit we focus on various aspects of diversity. The first section begins by having the child recognise diversity as a fact of being human and understanding diversity as different ways of doing the same thing. The second section builds on this by having the child interrogate societal prejudices against diversity, recognising that the self can be made up of multiple identities and that the Constitution compels us to respect diversity. Section 1 • Diversity as a fact of being human. • What diversity adds to our lives. • Diversity in India. Section 2 • Prejudice and discrimination. • Inequality and discrimination. • Recognition of multiple identities in oneself. • The Constitution and respect for diversity.	To enable students to: • understand and appreciate various forms of diversity in their everyday environments, • develop a sensitivity towards pluralism and interdependence, • understand how prejudice can lead to discrimination, • understand the difference between diversity and inequality, • recognise that there are multiple identities within ourselves that we use in different contexts and that these can come into conflict with each other, • understand that the Constitution compels us to respect diversity.
Government This unit introduces the student to the idea of government. The first section focuses on the need for it, the history of adult franchise, the various types of governments that exist at present. The second section discusses the key elements that influence the functioning of democractic government. Section 1 • The need for government. • Decision-making and participation. • The quest for universal adult franchise through examples of the sufferagate movement and the antiapartheid struggle. • Various forms of government and absence of collective sanction. Section 2 Key elements that influence the functioning of democratic government: • Participation and accountability. • Resolution of Conflict. • Concerns for Equality and Justice	To enable students to: • gain a sense of why government is required, • recognise the need for universal adult franchise, • appreciate need to make decisions with collective sanction, • understand key elements that influence the functioning of democracy.
Local Government This unit familiarises the student with both rural and urban local government. It covers the Panchayati Raj, rural administration and urban government and administration. The effort is to have the child draw contrasts and comparisons between the ways in which urban and rural local government function. Section 1 Panchayati Raj • Description of panchayat including electoral process, decision making, implementation of decisions • Role of a gram sabha • Women and the panchayat Section 2 Urban Local Government • Municipal corporation elections, decision making structures • The provision of water and the work of the municipal corporation • Citizens protests to get their grievances addressed Section 3 Rural Administration • Focus on a land dispute and show the role of local police and patwari. • On land records and role of patwari. • On the new inheritance law.	To enable children to • understand local level of government functioning, • understand the workings of the pnchayati raj and appreciate its importance, • gain a sense of who performs what role within the local administration, • understand how the various levels of administration at the local level are interconnected, • understand the intricacies involved in the local administration’s provision of water.
Making a Living This unit focuses on individuals earn a livelihood both in the rural and the urban context. The rural context focuses on various types of farmers and the urban one on various types of occupations people engage in to earn an income. The student should be able to compare and contrast the urban and the rural context. Section 1 Rural Livelihoods • Various types of livelihoods prevalent in a village. • Different types of farmers: middle farmer, landless labourers and large farmers. Section 2 Urban Livelihoods • Difference between primary, secondary and tertiary occupations. • Descriptions of various types of lievelihoods including vegetable vendor, domestic servant, garment worker and bank employee. • Differences between self-employed, regular employment and wage employment. • The interlinkage between rural and urban lives through a discussion of migration.	To enable students to: • understand conditions that underline and impact life strategies of various groups of people, • understand that these conditions and opportunities for making a living are not equally available to all.

Class 7

Themes	Objectives
Democracy This unit will focus on the historical as well as the key elements that structure a democracy. The structures in place to make people’s representation a reality will be discussed with reference to its actual functioning. Section 1 Why Democracy Two main thrusts • Historical What were some of the key junctures and transformations in the emergence of democracy in modern societies. • Key Features – The different systems of power that exist in the world today. – Significant Elements that continue to make Democracy popular in the contemporary world: • Formal Equality. • Decision Making mechanisms. • Accommodation of differences. • Enhancing human dignity. Section 2 Institutional Representation of Democracy • Universal Adult Franchise. • Elections. • Political parties. • Coalition Governments.	To enable students to: • develop an understanding of the rule of Law and our involvement with the law, • understand the Constitution as the primary source of all laws, • develop the ability to distinguish between different systems of power, • understand the importance of the idea of equality and dignity in democracy, • develop links between the values/ideas of democracy and the institutional forms and processes associated with it, • understand democracy as representative government, • understand the vision and the values of the Constitution.
State Government This unit will focus on the legislative, executive and administrative aspects of state government. It will discuss processes involved in choosing MLAs, passing a bill and discuss how state governments function through taking up one issue. This unit might also contain a section on the nation-state. Section 1: Its working • Main functionaries-broad outline of the role of the Chief minister and the council of ministers Section 2: Its functioning Through one example: land reform/irrigation/education/water/health discuss • The nature of the role played by the government – regarding resources and services. • Factors involved in distribution of resources/ services. • Access of localities and communities to resources/ services.	To enable students to: • gain a sense of the nature of decision-making within State government. • understand the domain of power and authority exercised by the state government over people’s lives. • gain a critical sense of the politics underlying the provision of services or the distribution of resources.
Understanding Media In this unit the various aspects of the role of a media in a democracy will be highlighted. This unit will also include a discussion on advertising as well as on the right to information bill. Section 1 : Media and Democracy Media’s role in providing the following: • providing information, • providing forum for discussion/debate creating public opinion. Media ethics and accountability. Relationship between Government and Information A case-study of the popular struggle that brought about the enactment of this legislation. Section 2 : On Advertising • Commercial Advertising and consumerism, • Social advertising.	To enable students to: • understand the role of the media in facilitating interaction between the government and citizens, • gain a sense that government is accountable to its citizens, • understand the link between information and power, • gain a critical sense of the impact of media on people’s lives and choices, • appreciate the significance of people’s movements in gaining this right.
Unpacking Gender This unit is to understand the role gender plays in ordering our social and economic lives. Secton 1 : Social Aspects Norms, values that determine roles expected from boys and girls in the: • family, • community, • schools, • public spaces, • understanding Inequality: The role of gender in creating unequal and hierarchical relations in society. Section 2 : Economic Aspects • gender division of labour within family, • value placed on women’s work within and outside the home, • the invisibilisation of women’s labour.	To enable students to: • understand that gender is a social construct and not determined by biological difference, • learn to interrogate gender constructions in different social and economic context, • to link everyday practices with the creation of inequality and question it.
Markets Around Us This unit is focussed on discussing various types of markets, how people access these and to examine the workings of an actual market. Secton 1 • On retail markets and our everyday needs • On role and impact of wholesale markets how are these linked to the above • People’s access to markets depends upon many factors such as availability , convenience , credit, quality , price, income cycle etc. Secton 2 Examine the role of an observable wholesale market such as grain, fruit, or vegetable to understand the chain of activities , the role of intermediaries and its impact on farmer -producers.	To enable students to: • understand markets and their relation to everyday life, • understand markets and their function to link scattered producers and consumers, • gain a sense of inequity in market operations.

Class 8

Themes	Objectives
The Constitution This unit focuses on the Constitution through first highlighting why there is a need for laws and then showing how the Constitution is the framework that determines the making of laws in this country. Aspects of secularism as well as economic justice are highlighted with respect to the Constitution. Section 1 The Role of the Constitution and the Need for Laws • On need for laws discussed through an example like dowry, • Role of Constitution in determining the authority/ legitimacy of the law, • Laws and Dissent: Salt Satyagraha and a post-1947 example such as anti-liquor agitation. Section 2 • Vision set forth in the Indian Constitution with a focus on secularism. • On how an ideal of the Constitution translates into a law • On how ideals of secularism got translated into fundamental rights. • On Fundamental rights as human rights. • On Fundamental Duties. • On whether the fact that a law exists to secure certain rights mean that in effect these rights have been realised for all. This will be discussed wit examples from current efforts of various marginalised communities to realise their rights.	To enable students to: • develop an understanding of the rule of law and our involvement with the law, • understand the Constitution as the primary source of all our laws, • understand laws as evolving and subject to change. • understand the vision and the values of the Constitution, • develop an appreciation of human rights guaranteed in the Constitution • appreciate our continuous involvement with the constitution as a living document
Parliamentary Government In this unit the functioning of parliamentary government and the roles and responsibilities of the various individuals involved in explained in context. In addition the workings of the central government are explained through the steps involved in passing a new law that arose out of people’s struggles. Section 1 • Reasons why parliamentary form chosen in India. • Main features of composition of parliament and its role in debating a bill. • Accountability of the government to the parliament. • Role of President, PM and the Council of Ministers. Case Study: Debate between Nehru and Rajendra Prasad on the real powers of the President. Section 2 Understand central government through issue of minimum wages or other struggles keeping following in mind: - Translation of felt need into law and the critical features of the legislation. - Implication of law.	To enable students to: • understand why India chose a parliamentary form of govt, • gain a sense\rationale of the essential elements of the parliamentary form of government, • analyse the role of people’s agency in placing demands for legislation, • understand the ways in which the government and other groups respond to such issues.
The Judiciary This unit focuses on understanding the judiciary through tracing a case from the lower to the higher courts. It also examines the difference between civil and criminal cases and the difference between the police and the courts as well as provides information on an FIR. Section 1 • The structure and process followed by the judiciary: Trace a case from lower to higher courts. • Distinguish between civil and criminal cases. • Indicate the rationale of the process Section 2 Difference between the roles of the police and that of the courts. • Role of the Public Prosecutor. • On an FIR: filing one, on the illegality of the police not accepting an FIR and the Supreme Court’s directive on this.	To enable students to: • understand the main elements of our judicial structure, • appreciate the need for the processes followed, • understand what an FIR is and how to file one.
Social Justice and the Marginalised This unit focuses on issues of social justice and the marginalised. It first provides an understanding of what is meant by ‘marginalised’ groups. It then discusses indepth the issue of untouchability and reservations. Section 1 A brief explanation of what is meant by marginalised. Include how various communities (SC, ST, OBC, minorities) fit in. • Forms of social inequality – Constitutional provisions relating to social justice. • Effect of social inequalities on economic inequalities. • On Reservations. Section 2 Different forms of untouchability that continue to exist • The law on manual scavenging with reference to existing realities in rural and urban areas.	To enable students to: • understand what is meant by marginalised, • gain a critical understanding of social and economic injustices, • develop skills to analyse an argument from the margianlised point of view.
Economic Presence of the Government Introduction of various ways by which government is engaged in developmental activities, especially in infrastructure and social sectors. Explain with an example from this area why we need the government, how is the provision done, how does it impact upon people.	To enable students to: • think about the role of government in the economic sphere, • see some links between people’s aspirations\ needs and role of government.

Class 9

Themes	Objectives
1. Democracy in contemporary world How has democracy expanded in the world in recent times? In which ways has this expansion changed the world? Is this expansion changing democracy itself ? Are we moving towards global democracy?	• Develop a comparative historical sense of the spread of democracy. • Analyse the functioning of global institutions such as UN. • Skills of comparison and evaluation.
2. What is democracy? Why democracy? What are the different ways of defining democracy? Why has democracy become the most prevalent form of government in our times? What are the alternatives to democracy? Is democracy superior to its available alternatives? Must every democracy have the same institutions and values?	• Develop conceptual skills of defining democracy. • Understand how different historical processes and forces have promoted democracy. • Developing a sophisticated defence of democracy against common prejudices.
3. Designing of democracy in India How and why did India become a democracy? How was the Indian constitution framed? What are the salient features of the Constitution? How is democracy being constantly designed and redesigned in India?	• Develop a historical sense of the choice and nature of democracy in India. • Introduction to the process of Constitution making. • Develop respect for the Constitution and appreciation for Constitutional values. • Recognise that constitution is a living document that undergoes changes.
4. Electoral politics in democracy Why and how do we elect representatives? Why do we have a system of competition among political parties? How has the citizens’ participation in electoral politics changed? What are the ways to ensure free and fair elections?	• Introduce the idea of representative democracy via competitive party politics. • Familiarise with our electoral system and reasons for choosing this. • Develop an appreciation of citizen’s increased participation in electoral politics. • Recognise the significance of the Election Commission.
5. Institutions of parliamentary democracy How is the country governed? What does Parliament do in our democracy? What is the role of the President of India, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers? How do these relate to one another?	• Provide an overview of central governmental structures. • Sensitise to the key role of the Parliament and its procedures. • Distinguish between nominal and real executive authorities and functions. • Understand the parliamentary system of executive’s accountability to the legislature.
6. Citizens’ rights in democracy Why do we need rights in a Constitution? What are the Fundamental Rights enjoyed by the citizen under the Indian Constitution? How does the judiciary protect the Fundamental Rights of the citizen? How is the independence of the judiciary ensured?	• Develop a citizens’ awareness of their rights. • Introduction to and appreciation of the Fundamental Rights. • Recognition of the ways in which these rights are exercised and denied in real life situations. • Introduction to judicial system and key institutions like the Supreme Court, High Courts and National Human Rights Commission.

Class 10

Themes	Objectives
1. Working of democracy Are divisions inherent to the working of democracy? What has been the effect of caste on politics and of politics on caste? How has the gender division shaped politics? How do communal divisions affect democracy?	• Analyse the relationship between social cleavages and political competition with reference to Indian situation. • Understand and analyse the challenges posed by communalism to Indian democracy. • Understand the enabling and disabling effects of caste and ethnicity in politics. • Develop a gender perspective on politics.
2. Power sharing mechanisms in democracy Why and how is power shared in democracies? How has federal division of power in India helped national unity? To what extent has decentralisation achieved this objective? How does democracy accommodate different social groups?	• Introduce students to the centrality of power sharing in democracies. • Understand the working of spatial and social power sharing mechanisms. • Analyse federal provisions and institutions. • Understand the new Panchayati Raj institutions in rural and urban areas.
3. Competition and contestations in democracy How do struggles shape democracy in favour of ordinary people? What role do political parties play in competition and contestation? Which are the major national and regional parties in India? Why have social movements come to occupy larger role in politics?	• Understand the vital role of struggles in the expansion of democracy. • Analyse party systems in democracies. • Introduction to major political parties in the country. • Analyse the role of social movements and non-party political formations.
4. Outcomes of democracy Can or should democracy be judged by its outcomes? What outcomes can one reasonably expect of democracies? Does democracy in India meet these expectations? Has democracy led to development, security and dignity for the people? What sustains democracy in India?	• Introduction to the difficult question of evaluating the functioning of democracies. • Develop the skills of evaluating Indian democracy on some key dimensions: development, security and dignity for the people. • Understand the causes for continuation of democracy in India.
5. Challenges to democracy Is the idea of democracy shrinking? What are the major challenges to democracy in India? How can democracy be reformed and deepened? What role can an ordinary citizen play in deepening democracy?	• Distinguish between sources of strength and weaknesses of Indian democracy. • Reflect on the different kinds of measures possible to deepen democracy. • Promote an active and participatory citizenship.