General Studies 2

📘 General Studies – Paper II

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)
Marks: 250 | Time: 3 hours

1. Indian Constitution & Polity

  • Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic 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.
  • Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
  • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
  • 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.
  • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
  • Appointment to various constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various constitutional bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

2. Governance

  • 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.
  • Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
  • Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
  • Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance—applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens’ charters, transparency & accountability, and institutional and other measures.

3. International Relations

  • India and its neighborhood- relations.
  • Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
  • Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
  • Important international institutions, agencies and fora—their structure, mandate.

👉 In short, GS-2 tests your grasp of Polity, Governance, Social Justice, and IR (International Relations). It’s both static (Constitution, Polity) and dynamic (current affairs + international developments).

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