TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
The National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examination comprises two papers:
Mathematics and the General Ability Test (GAT). Political Science topics are primarily
included within the GAT paper under the General Knowledge section.
NDA Political Science Syllabus (GAT – General Knowledge Section) The Political Science
component of the GAT paper encompasses the following key areas:
1. Indian Polity and Constitution
• Preamble and its significance
• Fundamental Rights and Duties
• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)
• Structure and functions of the Indian Government: Executive, Legislature,
and Judiciary
• Election Commission and electoral processes
• Panchayati Raj system
• National Integration and Welfare State concepts
• Socialism in India
• Contemporary World Politics
2. Political Theories and Concepts
• Socialism: Definitions and goals
• Different types of Democracy
• Communism: Ideology and features
• Political culture and leadership
• Criminal justice system overview
3. Indian Political History and Movements
• Aims and ideology behind the Indian National Congress (INC)
• Gandhi and mass mobilization: Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India
Movements
• Five-Year Plans and planned development
• Emergency period: Context and implications
• Rise of regional parties and coalition politics
4. Global Political Developments
• Disintegration of the 'Second World' and the collapse of bipolarity
• Rise of alternative centers of economic and political power: China, European Union,
ASEAN
• India's external relations and foreign policy
• International organizations in a unipolar world: UN restructuring, new international
actors
• Globalization and its critics: Economic, cultural, and political manifestations
Indian Polity and Constitution
• Structure and functions of the Indian Government: Executive,
Legislature, and Judiciary
Structure of the Indian Government
India follows a parliamentary system based on the doctrine of separation of
powers among the three main organs of the government:
Executive:
At the Union level: Comprises the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister,
and Council of Ministers.
At the State level: Includes the Governor, Chief Minister, and Council of
Ministers.
Legislature:
Union Legislature (Parliament): Consists of two Houses
Lok Sabha (House of the People)
Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
State Legislature: May be unicameral (one house) or bicameral.
Judiciary:
Independent and integrated system
Headed by the Supreme Court of India, followed by High Courts and
Subordinate/District Courts.
Functions of the Parliament
The Indian Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the country and
consists of two houses:
Lok Sabha (Lower House)
Rajya Sabha (Upper House)
Plus, the President of India is also considered an integral part of Parliament.
1. Legislative Function
Making laws on subjects in the Union and Concurrent Lists.
Amending existing laws or repealing outdated ones.
Both Houses participate in the law-making process, but Lok Sabha has more
power in money matters.
2. Financial Function
Lok Sabha holds the power to introduce and pass the Annual Budget and
Money Bills.
Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations on money bills.
Parliament also approves tax proposals and public expenditure.
3. Control over the Executive
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
Through questions, motions, debates, and no-confidence motions,
Parliament holds the government accountable.
4. Electoral Functions
Participates in the election of the President and Vice-President.
Members of Parliament are part of the Electoral College that elects the
President.
5. Judicial Functions
Can impeach the President, remove judges of the Supreme Court and High
Courts, and initiate proceedings against top officials.
6. Constitutional Functions
Can amend the Constitution under Article 368.
Requires a special majority for constitutional amendments.
Election Process of the Parliament
A. Lok Sabha Elections
Members are directly elected by the people through universal adult suffrage.
Held every five years or earlier if dissolved.
The country is divided into 543 constituencies, each electing one MP.
Conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Follows first-past-the-post voting system.
B. Rajya Sabha Elections
Members are indirectly elected by the elected members of State Legislative
Assemblies through proportional representation with single transferable
vote.
Rajya Sabha is a permanent body—one-third of its members retire every two
years.
Total strength is 245 members (233 elected, 12 nominated by the President).
The First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system is an electoral method used to elect
representatives in a single-member constituency. It is the system followed in
Lok Sabha elections and most state legislative assembly elections in India.
Key Features of FPTP:
1. Single-Member Constituencies:
Each electoral constituency elects one representative to the legislature.
2. Plurality Voting:
The candidate who receives the highest number of votes is declared the
winner.
A majority (more than 50%) is not required—only more votes than other
candidates.
3. Simple and Quick:
Easy for voters to understand and for election officials to count.
Results are declared quickly.
Example:
Suppose in a constituency:
Candidate A: 40,000 votes
Candidate B: 35,000 votes
Candidate C: 25,000 votes
Even though Candidate A got less than 50%, they win because they got more
votes than others.
Advantages of FPTP:
Simple to understand and implement.
Leads to stable governments by often giving a clear majority to one party.
Promotes a direct connection between voters and their representatives.
Disadvantages of FPTP:
A candidate can win without majority support (i.e., over 50%).
Smaller parties and minority groups may be underrepresented.
Encourages strategic voting, where people vote to stop a candidate rather
than support their favourite.
PR SYSTEM
The Proportional Representation (PR) system is an electoral method where
seats are allocated to political parties in proportion to the number of votes
they receive. Unlike the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, PR aims to reflect
the overall vote share more accurately in the composition of the legislature.
Key Features of PR System:
1. Multi-Member Constituencies:
PR usually operates in large or multi-member constituencies where several
representatives are elected.
2. Proportional Allocation:
Parties gain seats in proportion to the percentage of total votes they receive.
3. Party-Centered:
Voters typically vote for a party list, not individual candidates (in most forms
of PR).
Types of PR Systems:
1. Party List System:
Parties provide a list of candidates, and seats are allocated based on the
party’s vote share.
Used in countries like Israel and South Africa.
2. Single Transferable Vote (STV):
Voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Candidates must meet a quota of votes to be elected.
Used in Ireland and for Rajya Sabha elections in India.
Example (Party List System):
If 100 seats are available and:
Party A gets 40% of votes → 40 seats
Party B gets 35% → 35 seats
Party C gets 25% → 25 seats
This ensures representation is proportional to votes.
Advantages of PR System:
More representative and inclusive.
Encourages minority and smaller party participation.
Reduces wasted votes.
Disadvantages of PR System:
Can lead to coalition governments, which may be unstable.
Voters may not have a direct link with individual representatives.
More complex in terms of voting and counting.
Use in India:
India uses PR (STV method) in:
Rajya Sabha elections
President and Vice-President elections
Legislative Council elections (in some states)
