Class 11th Political Science
CONTENTS
Class 11 Political Science â Chapter-wise Summary
Based on the CBSE Class 11 syllabus for 2025â26, Political Science is divided into two main parts: Part A â Indian Constitution at Work and Part B â Political Theory, each worth 40 marks.
Part A â Indian Constitution at Work
Constitution: Why and How?
Explains why a Constitution is neededâto distribute power, ensure limits, and serve as societyâs roadmap. It covers how Indiaâs Constitution was drafted and adapted from other countries.
Rights in the Indian Constitution
Focuses on Fundamental Rights, the Directive Principles of State Policy, and how they complement each other to guide governance and social justice.
Election and Representation
Explains why elections are essential to democracy. Covers the electoral system used in India (FPTP), reservation policies, electoral reforms, and the role of the Election Commission.
Executive
Describes the structures and powers of the President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, and the permanent bureaucracy in governing India.
Legislature
Discusses the bicameral Parliamentâits composition, lawmaking powers, its role in overseeing the executive, and committee functions.
Judiciary
Emphasizes the need for an independent judiciary, details its structure, functions, and its role in upholding rights and maintaining checks and balances.
Federalism
Covers how power is shared between the Centre and States, sources of conflict, and the tensions in Indiaâs federal system.
Local Governments
Explores the role of Panchayati Raj and Urban local bodies, including their structures as per the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments.
Constitution as a Living Document
Highlights why Constitutions evolve, how amendments work in India, and the idea of the Basic Structure Doctrine that ensures core values persist.
The Philosophy of the Constitution
Explains the guiding principles behind the Indian Constitutionâsuch as freedom, justice, secularism, and democracyâand discusses its limitations.
Part B â Political Theory
Political Theory: An Introduction
Introduces the concept of Political Theoryâwhy it matters and how it relates to real-world politics.
Freedom
Explores different views on freedomâpositive vs. negative liberty and ideas like the Harm Principle by J.S. Mill.
Equality
Examines why equality matters in politics, its various forms, and how ideologies like socialism and feminism approach equality.
Social Justice
Discusses fair distribution, special considerations, and John Rawlsâs theory of justice, especially âjustice as fairnessââbalancing markets and state intervention.
Rights
Defines rights, their legal basis, how theyâre granted and secured, and explores the balance of rights and responsibilities.
Citizenship
Explores what it means to be a citizenâlegal status, rights, and how it ties into broader ideas of national or global belonging.
Nationalism
Examines ideas of shared history, identity, self-determination, and how nationalism coexists with diversity.
Secularism
Explains what secularism means, differences between the Indian and Western models, and criticism of Indiaâs secularism.