how-to-cover-indian-polity-in-an-effective-manner-by-jatin-verma

                                                                                             45 days Strategy to Read Indian Polity Mrunal, M.Laxmikant (5th Edition)

 

Polity is one of the most important subjects in your UPSC preparation. The reason is, every year a significant number of questions comes from this subject and almost every question can be done correctly by putting little effort. We provide tips to prepare Indian Polity Mrunal & Laxmikant for UPSC:

Before moving to the planner the following points should be kept in mind:

  1. You have to simultaneously solve questions and revise the topics otherwise you will keep reading new topics and will forget the earlier ones.
  2. 45 days means almost 6 weeks and every Sunday (or any other day) should be reserved for tests and revision.
  3. Your first reading of any chapter should be without underlining anything just read the chapter.
  4. After your first reading of the chapter refer to the previous year questions of that chapter only.
  5. Then read the chapter again two times and this time you can use small pencil marks (but not markers at this stage, markers should be used in later revisions)
  6. Revise the chapter on Sunday and give a test on that chapter and again revise the chapter based on the mistakes you made in the test.
  7. Sundays should be also used for interlinking your current affairs and polity chapters. While revising the current affairs (related to polity) try to understand and revise the static polity part related it (if you have already covered it).
  8. The sequence of the chapters given below should be followed for better understanding.
  9. After completing the complete book in 45 days, multiple revisions of the same are very important.
  10. You should at least revise it 6-7 times before the exam.
  11. Multiple revisions with tests is the key.

 

Week 1

Day 1: Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution and Chapter 3: Salient features of the Constitution

[Note: Chapter 1 will be covered in Modern History in more detailed way so it is advised to do it there and the revise this chapter in a day]

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped:

Chapter 2

  • Committees of the Constituent Assembly
  • Enactment of the Constitution
  • Enforcement of the Constitution
  • Criticism of the Constituent Assembly
  • Name of all members of the Drafting Committee

Chapter 3

  • Salient features of the constitution
  • Sources of the Constitution
  • Specific content of schedule not important just a broad idea is important

Day 2: Chapter 4: Preamble

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped:

  • Key Words in the Preamble like socialist, secular, democratic, etc
  • Preamble as Part of the Constitution
  • Amendability of the Preamble ( View in Keshavnanda Bharati case)

Day 3: Chapter 5: Union and its territory

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Union of States
  • Parliament’s Power to Reorganize States
  • Committees in this chapter are not important

Day 4 and 5: Chapter 6: Citizenship

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Meaning and Significance
  • Difference between NRI, OCI and PIO (basic differences)
  • Citizenship Act, 1955
  • Current affairs: CAA, NCR, NPR
  • Loss of Citizenship
  • Single Citizenship

Day 6: Buffer

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 2

Day 1-5: Chapter 7: Fundamental rights

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Features
  • Definition of state
  • Laws Inconsistent with Fundamental Rights
  • Equality Before Law and Equal Protection of Laws
  • Rule of Law
  • Protection of 6 Rights (Right to Freedom)
  • Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences
  • Protection of Life and Liberty
  • Right to Education
  • Protection Against Arrest and Detention
  • Right to Constitutional Remedies
  • WRITS (Type and Scope)
  • Current affairs: Right to Privacy Supreme court judgment

Day 6: Chapter 8: Directive principles of state policy

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Features
  • New directive principles
  • Criticism
  • Utility
  • Conflict with fundamental rights

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 3

Day 1: Chapter 8: Directive principles of state policy

Day 2: Chapter 9: Fundamental duties

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • List
  • Criticism
  • Memorizing them is not necessary.

Day 3: Chapter 10: Amendment to the Constitution and Chapter 11: Basic Structure

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 10:

  • Procedure
  • Types

Chapter 11:

  • Elements
  • Cases given in table 11.1 (no need to memorize just go through them)

Day 4-5: Chapter 17: President

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions
  • Term, Impeachment, and Vacancy
  • Powers and Functions
  • Veto Power of the President
  • Presidential Veto Over State Legislation
  • Ordinance Making Power
  • Pardoning  Power

Day 6: Chapter 18: Vice President

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Election
  • Powers and Functions
  • Comparison with US V.P.

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 4

Day 1: Chapter 19: Prime Minister, Chapter 20: Council of Ministers and Chapter 21: Cabinet Committees

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 19

  • Relationship with the President

Chapter 20

  • Responsibility of Ministers
  • Table 20.1 is important

Chapter 21

  • Functions of Cabinet Committees

Day 2-5: Chapter 22: Parliamentde

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Organisation
  • Composition
  • System of Elections to LS
  • Duration of the Two Houses
  • Membership Qualifications
  • Presiding Officers
  • Leaders in Parliament
  • Sessions
  • Rights of Ministers and Attorney Generals
  • Devices
  • Legislative Procedure
  • Table 22.4 very important
  • Joint Sitting
  • Budget in Parliament
  • Funds
  • Parliamentary Privileges

Day 6: Chapter 23: Parliamentary Committees, Chapter 24: Parliamentary Forums Chapter 25: Parliamentary Group

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 23

  • Public Accounts
  • Estimates
  • Departmental Standing
  • Privileges
  • Public Undertaking

Chapter 24

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 25

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 5

Day 1: Chapter 30: Governor

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Conditions of Governors Office
  • Executive Powers
  • Legislative Powers
  • Judicial
  • Constitutional Position
  • Tables 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 very important

Day 2: Chapter 31: Chief Minister, Chapter 32: State Council of Minister, Chapter 33: State Legislature

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 31

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 32

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 33

  • Composition
  • Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions
  • Comparative Review
  • Table 33.1 important

Day 3: Chapter 12: Parliamentary System, Chapter 13: Federal System

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 12

  • All topics are important

Chapter 13

  • All topics are important

Day 4: Chapter 14: Centre-State relations

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Legislative
  • Administrative Relations
  • Financial Powers
  • Sarkaria and Punchi Commission (one reading is required)

Day 5: Chapter 15: Inter-State relations

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Inter State Water Disputes
  • Inter State Councils
  • Zonal Councils

Day 6: Chapter 16: Emergency provisions

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Effects of National Emergency
  • Scope of Judicial Review
  • Effects of Financial Emergency
  • Table 16.1 very important

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 6

Day 1: Chapter 26: Supreme Court, Chapter 27: Judicial Review

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 26

  • All topics are important

Chapter 27

  • Meaning
  • Constitutional Provisions

Day 2: Chapter 28: Judicial Activism, Chapter 29: PIL, Chapter 34: High Court

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter: 28

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter: 29

  • Meaning

Chapter: 34

  • Organisation of High Court
  • Jurisdiction and Powers of High Court

Day 3: Chapter 35: Tribunals, Chapter 36: Subordinate Courts, Chapter 37: Special Provisions for Some States

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 35

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 36

  • NALSA, Lok Adalat, Gram Nyalayaya
  • Features

Chapter 37

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Day 4: Chapter 38: Panchayati Raj, Chapter 39: Municipalities, Chapter 40: Union Territories, Chapter 41: Scheduled and Tribal Areas

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 38

  • 73rd Amendment Act, 1992
  • Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions
  • PESA Act of 1996

Chapter 39

  • 74th Amendment Act, 1992
  • Types of Urban Governments

Chapter 40

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 41

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Day 5: Chapter 42- Chapter 53: Constitutional Bodies

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • All the constitutional bodies to be done in detail except State Public Service Commission and Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities

Day 6: Chapter 54- 63: Non Constitutional Bodies

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 54: Niti Aayog

  • Composition
  • Specialized Wings

Chapter 55: NHRC

  • Composition
  • Functions
  • Working of the Commission

Chapter 56: SHRC

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 57: CIC

  • All topics are important

Chapter 58: SIC

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 59: CVC

  • Composition
  • Functions

Chapter 60: CBI

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 61: Lokpal and Lokayukts

  • Features
  • Lokayukts: Appointment, Qualifications, Tenure

Chapter 62: NIA

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 63: NDMA

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Day 7: Revision of complete week’s work and chapter wise tests

 

Week 7

Day 1: Chapter 64-68

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

Chapter 64: Cooperative Societies

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 65: Official Language

  • Language of the Union

Chapter 66: Public Services

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 67: Rights and Liabilities of the Government

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Chapter 68: Special Provisions relating to Certain Classes

  • Not that important just one quick reading

Day 2-3: Chapter 76: Anti-Defection Law

Important topics from the chapter that should not be skipped

  • Complete chapter is important
  • Current Affairs: Refer to the recent cases and judgments

Note: Chapters 69-75 and 77-80 are not important and can be skipped.

 

All the best!!!