Indian Polity And Governance GS Paper - II (Important Topics: Dhyeya IAS)

                            Indian Polity GS Paper - II

Topic One: Indian Constitution

Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

1.     Preamble debate: regarding secularism

2.     Basic Structure

3.     Uniform civil code

4.    Freedom of speech: Murugan issue and Supreme court, criminal Defamation, Aadhaar bill

5.     Capital punishment and right to life and Right to die( Jain Santhara )

6.     Religious freedom: beef eating and increasing intolerance AND Women’s temple entry movement

7.     Autonomy of educational institutions

8.     Minority status of AMU & Jamia

9.    Consumer protection bill,2015

10.                         Child labor prohibition bill

11.                        Juvenile Justice Act,2015

12.                        Citizenship bill

Topic Two: Federal Structure

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.

1.     Cooperative-Competitive federalism

2.     Role of NITI Ayog

3.     Inter State Council

4.     Arunachal-Uttarakhand Crisis and SC’s stand on it

5.     Role of governor in center-state relation

6.     Role of Art. 356

7.     Emerging new Constraints in center-state relation

8.    Art. 370: Integration and Autonomy of J&K

9.    Inter-state Water dispute: SYC

10.                         Development of North East: Manipur and AFSPA, Naga Accord

Topic Three : Separation of Powers :

Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions

1.    Judiciary v/s executive  

a.     Njac debate

b.     Collegiums system

c.      MOP: memoranda of process 

d.     Judicial  Activism

e.     Judicial expansionism  

f.       National court of appeal

2.    Executive v/s legislatives

a.     Role of the President  and right to return the bill for reconsideration

b.     Rajyapal v/s Speaker:  Context Arunachal crisis and SC’s Judgement: Ref.

c.      Anti-defection law and role of speaker

d.     Ordinance debate

Topic Four : Comparative Study of Constitutions :

Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries

1.     American presidential election

2.     Nepal’s New constitution vis a vis Indian constitution

Topic Five :various Organs of Government:

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

1.     Debate related to parliamentary System.

2.     Parliamentary Degeneration

3.      Rajyasabha Reform: Loksabha-Rajyasabha deadlock

4.      Money bill debate: Aadhar bill  

5.      Debate related to Joint Session

6.      Role of Speaker and recent debate

7.      Office of Profit

Topic Six: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

1.     Election reform:

2.     Role of money power and recent stand of EC on TN episode

3.     Rajyasabha election reform

4.       joint LokSabha-Assembly polls

5.     Utility of Panchayati raj system( Funds reduced severly)

6.       Representation of women in  democratic institution

Topic Seven: Organisations and other Things

Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

1.     Governor: appointment and removal, functioning

2.      SEBI(Willful  defaulter);  SEBI-FMC merger, TRAI(Net Neutrality); NHRC(Toothless tiger); Lokpal act Amended;  Benami Transaction Act amended; PCA;

Topic Eight: Public policy

Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

1.     Draft of national policy on education

2.     Draft of national policy on Health

3.     Draft of National Policy for Women

4.     National  IPR  Policy

5.     Draft Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2015

6.     PCPNDT   Act, MTPA  Act

7.     New Mental Health bill

Topic Nine: 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.

Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

1.     NGO Debate

2.     Reservation(Jat, Patel) in Private Sector

3.     Revamping MCI,NEET,  UGC

4.     Stand up ; Start Up; Rurban Mission,  and other such big schemes

5.     National Commission for Minorities

6.     National Commission for SC’s: Dalit’s Exploitation.

7.     NADA and its Credibility: Doping Episode

Topic Ten:  Governance:

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.

1.     Time bound public  grievance redressal

2.     Restructuring BCCI; Issues with various Sports body

3.     Defence procurement policy(Agusta wasteland deal)

Misc:

1.     Criminal defamation upheld (Sec 499 and 500)

2.     Privacy and security debate:  Aadhaar as well as Sec 69 of IT Act

3.     Sec 377- Homosexuality

4.     Sec 124A- Sedition

5.     Sec 436 Under trial Prisoners