IAS Main (Written) Exam consists of four General Studies papers. IAS Main (Written) Exam General Studies Paper II is concerned with the topics related to the governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations. Syllabus for IAS Main (Written) Exam General Studies Paper II is exhaustive and extensive.
Governance, constitution and Polity have acquired more importance owing to its overall weightage in General Studies Paper II. Candidates must stick to the Syllabus notified by the UPSC for General Studies Paper II. Questions asked in IAS Main 2013 were direct but analytical. So students must have analytical grasp over the subject.
IAS Main (Written) General Studies Paper II was lengthy and the candidate had to answer 25 questions within the stipulated time limit. Candidate must undertake extensive study only after having studied prescribed syllabus intensively. So students can adopt the intensive and extensive study accordingly. Syllabus of IAS Main General Studies Paper II is as follows:-
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
• Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Sub Topics are as follows
Different provisions and acts introduced by the British Government to unite whole country. Act of 1919 and Government of Indian Act 1935 are important acts in historical underpinnings of Indian constitution.
Features include Federal but unitary in spirit, independent judiciary, secular, relatively combination of flexible and rigid constitution etc.
Amendments include the Procedure to amend the constitution and provisions related to amendments.
• 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.
Sub topics are as follows:-
Functions and responsibilities of Union and States Government
Constitutional provision related to the federal structure
Issues of conflict between state and union governments
Constitutional provision related to local bodies
Devolution of power and finance to local bodies
Various problems plaguing local bodies
Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
Separation of power amongst the legislative, executive and Judiciary
Increasing importance of Judiciary and issues related to overreaching the power conferred by the constitution.
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
Comparison with constitutions of England, United State of America, Canada, Australia etc.
• Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
• 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.
Various Pressure Groups such Industry groups, Labor Groups, Student Groups etc.
• Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.
It includes various features like ground on which candidates are elected and also grounds on which candidate can be debarred from contesting the election etc.
• Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
Provision related to Finance Commission, Election Commission, etc.
• Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
It Includes bodies CVC, National Development Council etc.
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
• Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
• 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.
MNREGA can be taken as an example
• Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
NRHM, NUHM, SSA can be taken as an example
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
Food Security Bill, Public Distribution system, food subsidies etc
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
• Role of civil services in a democracy.
• India and its neighborhood- relations.
Relation with China , Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri lanka, etc
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests
Various trade agreements and regional agreements such as SAARC etc.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.
Various developments at international level that affect interests of India.
• Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
UNO, IMF, WTO, WHO, etc