CBSE Board Political Science Syllabus for Class 11

 Strengthen their capacity for political analysis by thinking of contemporary developments
in a historical perspective.
POLITICS IN INDIA AFTER INDEPENDENCE
Enable students to be familiar with some of the key political events and figures in the postindependence
period.
Develop skills of political analysis through events and processes of recent history.
Develop their capacity to link macro processes with micro situations and their own life.
Encourage the students to take a historical perspective of making sense of the contemporary
India.
Class XI
One Paper Time 3hrs. Marks 100
Units Periods Marks
Part A: Indian Constitution at work
1. Constitution : Why & How? 12 10
2. Rights in the Indian Constitution 12
3. Election and Representation 10 10
4. Executive 10
5. Legislature 10 10
6. Judiciary 10
7. Federalism 10 10
8. Local Governments 10
9. Constitution as a living document. 10
10. The Philosophy of the 10 10
constitution
104 50
Part B: Political Theory
11. Political Theory : An Introduction 10 10
12. Freedom 10
13. Equality 10 10
14. Social Justice 12
15. Rights 10 10
16. Citizenship 10
17. Nationalism 10 10
18. Secularism 10
19. Peace 10 10
20. Development 10
102 50
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Course Content:
Part A: Indian Constitution at work
1. The Constitution : Why and How? 12 Periods
Why do we need a constitution?
The authority of a Constitution
2. Rights in the Indian Constitution 12 Periods
The Importance of Rights, Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution, Directive
Principles of State Policy, Relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
3. Election and Representation 10 Periods
Elections and Democracy, Election System in India, Reservation of Constituencies, Free
and Fair Elections, Electoral Reforms
4. Executive 10 Periods
What is an Executive? Different Types of Executive. Parliamentary Executive in India,
Prime Ministers and Council of Ministers. Permanent Executive : Bureaucracy,
5. Legislature 10 Periods
Why do we need a Parliament? Two Houses of Parliament. Functions and Power of the
Parliament, Legistative functions, control over executive. Parliamentary committees.
Self-regulation.
6. Judiciary 10 Periods
Why do we need an Independent Judiciary? Structure of the Judiciary, Judicial Activism,
Judiciary and Rights, Judiciary and Parliament
7. Federalism 10 Periods
What is Federalism? Federalism in the Indian Constitution, Federalism with a strong Central
Government, conflicts in India's federal system, Special Provisions.
8. Local Governments 10 Periods
Why do we need Local Governments? Growth of Local Government in India, 73rd and
74th Amendments, implementation of 73rd and 74th Amendments
9. Constitution as a Living Document 10 Periods
Are Constitutions static? The procedure to amend the Constitution. Why have there been
so many amendments? Basic Structure and Evolution of the Constitution. Constitution as
a Living Document
10. The Philosophy of the Constitution 10 Periods
What is meant by Philosophy of the Constitution? The Political philosophy of our
Constitution, Procedural Achievements, Criticisms
Part B: Political Theory
11. Political Theory: An Introduction 10 Periods
What is Politics? What do we study in Political Theory? Putting Political Theory to practice.
Why should we study Politial Theory?
12. Freedom 10 Periods
The Ideal of Freedom. What is Freedom? Why do we need constraints? Harm principle.
Negative and Positive Liberty
13. Equality 10 Periods
Significance of Equality. What is Equality? Various dimensions of Equality. How can we
promote Equality?
14. Social Justice 12 Periods
What is Justice? Just Distribution. Justice as fairness. Pursuing Social Justice
15. Rights 10 Periods
What are Rights? Where do Rights come from? Legal Rights and the State. Kinds of
Rights. Rights and Responsibilities
16. Citizenship 10 Periods
What is citizenship? Citizen and Nation, Universal Citizenship, Global Citizenship
17. Nationalism 10 Periods
Nations and Nationalism, National Self-determination, Nationalism and Pluralism
18. Secularism 10 Periods
What is Secularism? What is Secular State? The Western and the Indian approaches to
Secularism. Criticisms and Rationale of Indian Secularism.
19. Peace 10 Periods
What is Peace? Can violence ever promote peace? Peace and the State. Different
Approaches to the pursuit of peace. Contemporary challenges to peace.
20. Development 10 Periods
What is development? Criticism of the dominant. Development Model. Alternative
conceptions of development.