Political Science & International Relations (PSIR)
Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) is one of the most strategic and high-utility optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination. Many aspirants initially hesitate to choose PSIR, but it offers significant advantages—especially because a large portion of the syllabus overlaps with UPSC Prelims (Polity), GS Paper II, GS Paper III, and the Essay paper. This overlap allows candidates to prepare efficiently for both Prelims and Mains at the same time.
The concepts in PSIR are easy to grasp, particularly for students who regularly follow the news and remain updated on current affairs. Although PSIR is sometimes perceived as a vast subject, much of the syllabus revolves around recurring political theories and ideologies such as Liberalism, Neoliberalism, Marxism, Pluralism, Post-colonialism, and Feminism. Additionally, understanding topics like Indian governance, public administration, diplomacy, and international relations provides a major advantage not only in the Mains exam but also during the UPSC Personality Test (Interview).
To help aspirants prepare effectively, we offer a comprehensive and well-structured overview of the UPSC PSIR syllabus. The syllabus is divided into logical sections, each covering essential political theories, Indian political processes, comparative politics, and global international relations. Aspirants are advised to study the PSIR syllabus carefully and plan their preparation strategically to maximize their scoring potential in the Mains examination.
Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) Optional for UPSC – Overview
The Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) optional is one of the most popular and high-scoring subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It attracts aspirants due to its strong relevance to GS Paper II (Polity & Governance), GS Paper III (International Relations), and the Essay paper.
PSIR helps candidates develop an in-depth understanding of Indian political system, political theories, comparative politics, public administration, diplomacy, foreign policy, geopolitical issues, and international organisations. Aspirants who enjoy current affairs, political analysis, governance, international relations, and analytical writing often find PSIR both engaging and highly rewarding.
UPSC Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) Mains Syllabus
The PSIR optional syllabus is dynamic, relevant to current affairs, and highly overlapping with the General Studies syllabus. It is divided into two papers:
- Paper I: Political Theory & Indian Politics – Political thought, ideologies, Indian Constitution, governance, federalism, party system, social movements.
- Paper II: Comparative Politics & International Relations – State systems, global political structures, theories of IR, India's foreign policy, regional & global organizations.
Paper I covers Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Gramsci, Indian thinkers like Gandhi, Ambedkar, Savarkar, Aurobindo, and detailed Indian polity topics such as Parliament, Judiciary, Federalism, and Electoral Politics. Paper II focuses on global politics—realism, liberalism, Marxism, strategic relations, UN system, geopolitics, India–US, India–China, South Asia and more.
Political Science Previous Year Question Papers
Solving UPSC PSIR previous year question papers is essential to understand the question format, conceptual depth, and analytical approach expected by the UPSC. Year-wise PYQs help you identify recurring topics such as political theories, Indian political institutions, governance issues, democracy debates, India's foreign policy, international conflicts, regional groupings, and evolving geopolitical trends.
Practicing PSIR PYQs enhances answer structuring, enabling aspirants to integrate theories, case studies, political events, constitutional provisions, and contemporary international developments.
PSIR Preparation Strategy for UPSC
To excel in PSIR optional, candidates must combine theoretical understanding with current affairs. With the right preparation approach, aspirants can consistently score 260+ marks in this optional subject.
- Phase 1 – Foundation Building: Read core texts like O.P. Gauba for Political Theory and Laxmikanth for Indian Polity.
- Phase 2 – Thinker & Theory Mastery: Create notes on key thinkers like Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Gramsci, and Indian political thinkers.
- Phase 3 – IR & Current Affairs Integration: Regularly follow MEA statements, global summits, India–US, India–China relations, UN reforms, etc.
- Phase 4 – Practice & Answer Writing: Solve previous year papers, write structured answers, and include theory + contemporary examples.
Use diagrams, timelines, constitutional references, treaties, case studies, and comparative frameworks to enrich answers.
Best Books for Political Science Optional
Selecting the right PSIR books ensures strong conceptual clarity and effective revision. Recommended resources include:
- Paper I Books:
- O.P. Gauba – Political Theory
- Andrew Heywood – Political Ideologies / Political Theory
- Laxmikanth – Indian Polity
- B.L. Fadia – Indian Government & Politics - Paper II Books:
- Andrew Heywood – Global Politics
- V.N. Khanna – Foreign Policy of India
- Rajiv Sikri – Challenge and Strategy
- Pavneet Singh – International Relations - Additional Resources: IGNOU PSIR notes, MEA website, and UPSC toppers' notes.
