POLITICAL SCIENCE &
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
OPTIONAL
(2026- 2027)
AUGUST BATCH
CLASSES & TEST SERIES
16th Aug 2025 12:00 PM
AUGUST
16
Saturrday
Why Optional Matter in UPSC CSE
Choosing the right optional subject in UPSC CSE Mains can
significantly influence your chances of success. It’s a highly strategic
decision and should be based on multiple factors such as your
background, interest, aptitude, availability of resources, and overlap
with GS papers. Below is a detailed evaluation of each of the subjects
you mentioned — both English and Hindi medium options — to help
you make an informed choice:
Optional Subject
The Hidden Power in UPSC Mains
500 Marks at Stake
Optional contributes 500 out of 1750 marks in the Mains
exam. A high score here can transform your final rank.
The Real Differentiator
While GS papers level the field, the optional creates the
gap. Many toppers owe their ranks to an outstanding
optional score.
Scoring with Strategy
Optional subjects, with a well-defined syllabus and less
competition, offer a chance to score much higher than GS
papers — if approached smartly.
Subject Familiarity Pays Off
Choosing an optional aligned with your interest or
academic background makes preparation smoother and
answers stronger.
Overlap = Smart Preparation
Subjects like PSIR, Sociology, and Anthropology offer
content that overlaps with GS, Essay, and Interview, giving
you multiple benefits from single preparation.
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Exploring the Merits of PSIR
STRONG GS & ESSAY INTEGRATION
PSIR offers significant overlap with multiple General Studies papers:
GS Paper I – Indian freedom struggle, social reforms
GS Paper II – Constitution, polity, governance, social justice, international
relations
GS Paper III – Internal security & strategic affairs
GS Paper IV – Philosophical foundations & moral thinkers
Essay Paper – Political and international themes are frequently asked
1
ADVANTAGE IN THE INTERVIEW �PERSONALITY TEST�
Questions related to current international relations, diplomacy, political thought,
and India’s foreign policy often feature in interviews — where PSIR background
2
offers a clear edge.
HIGH SUCCESS RATE AND POPULARITY
PSIR consistently features among the top-performing optionals, with
many toppers choosing it year after year due to its balanced syllabus,
scoring potential, and analytical depth.
3
DYNAMIC APPLICATION OF CONCEPTS
The subject tests your ability to combine static theoretical knowledge with
contemporary issues — an essential skill for civil servants handling real-world
4
governance and diplomacy.
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StudyIQ Offerings
LIVE Classes
The essence of this Program is the Live classes. StudyIQ through our expert
faculties will be conducting Live classes every week from Monday to Saturday.
LIVE Doubts Clearing Sessions
LIVE Doubts Clearing Sessions where students can directly ask questions and
clarify their doubts with instructors or subject experts. These sessions are a vital
part of our Program .
Recorded Classes
Recorded Class after every Live class will be Provided . Learn at your own pace –
ideal for working professionals or students with busy schedules .
Hand Written Notes
Before every class, you will be provided with class notes in the form of CRUX. After the
classes, we will be providing the lecture / board PPTs and handwritten notes of that class.
Previous Year Questions
Actual questions that appeared in the Optional Exam in previous years will be Provided
This will help in Identifying weak Areas.
Current Affairs Classes
Understanding current affairs adds context to your knowledge. All Current Events
related to Optionals will be added in the course .
Mains Answer Writting
Mains answer writing will be conducted throughout the program with evaluation.
One to One Mentorship
During your entire journey, our mentors will track your progress and guide you through
your academic journey. Your Mentor will act like a friend, philosopher and guide so that
you can have a personalized help during the preparation journey.
Mains Test Series
A weekly Mains answer writing will be conducted throughout the program.
Weekly Doubt Clearing Sessions
Weekly Doubts Clearing Sessions where students can directly ask questions and
clarify their doubts with instructors or subject experts. These sessions are a vital
part of our Program .
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Optional Package Comparison
Features Gold Platinum
400+ hours of live lectures spread over 6 months
Live Doubt Clearing Sessions with Faculty
Recorded Lectures & Hand written Notes and Crux
Comprehensive Coverage of Every
Topic with PYQ Discussion
Current affairs to keep the aspirants updated
Regular answer writing sessions with evaluation
One to one Mentorship 24*7
Mains Test Series (Sectional & Full Length Test)
Optional Gyan Bhandar
Weekly Doubt Clearing Sessions with Faculty
Validity 18 Months 30 Months
Time Table
Date Topic No Topic Name
16 Aug ORIENTATION CLASS
16 Aug 9 United Nations: Envisaged role and actual record;
specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning;
need for UN reforms.
19–21 Aug 10 Regionalisation of World Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC,
SAARC, NAFTA.
25–26 Aug 11 Contemporary Global Concerns: Democracy, human
rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism,
nuclear proliferation.
27 Aug 3 Politics of Representation and Participation: Political
parties, pressure groups and social movements in
advanced industrial and developing societies.
28 Aug 4 Globalization: Responses from developed and
developing societies.
29 Aug 1 Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches;
political economy and political sociology
perspectives; limitations of the comparative method.
1 Sep 2 State in comparative perspective: Characteristics
and changing nature of the State in capitalist and
socialist economies, and, advanced industrial and
developing societies.
PAPER 2 PART B: India and the World
2–3 Sep 1 Indian Foreign Policy: Determinants of foreign
policy; institutions of policy-making; continuity and
change.
4 Sep 2 India's Contribution to the Non-Alignment
Movement: Different phases; current role.
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Time Table
Date Topic No Topic Name
5–7 Sep 3 India and South Asia:
(a) Regional Co-operation: SAARC-past performance
and future prospects.
(b) South Asia as a Free Trade Area.
(c) India's "Look East" policy.
(d) Impediments to regional co-operation: river water
disputes; illegal cross-border migration; ethnic
conflicts and insurgencies; border disputes.
8–10 Sep 4 India and the Global South: Relations with Africa
and Latin America; leadership role in the demand
for NIEO and WTO negotiations.
11–15 Sep 5 India and the Global Centres of Power: USA, EU,
Japan, China and Russia.
Taught with 6 India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping;
paper 2 section demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
A topic 8
16 Sep 7 India and the Nuclear Question: Changing
perceptions and policy.
17 Sep 8 Recent developments in Indian Foreign policy:
India's position on the recent crisis in Afghanistan,
Iraq and West Asia, growing relations with US and
Israel; vision of a new world order.
PAPER 1 PART A :POLITICAL THEORY
18–25 Sep 10 Western Political Thought: Plato, Aristotle,
Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx,
Gramsci, Hannah Arendt.
26 Sep – 2 Oct 9 Indian Political Thought: Dharamshastra,
Arthashastra and Buddhist traditions; Sir Syed
Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M.K. Gandhi, B.R.
Ambedkar, M.N. Roy.
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Time Table
Date Topic No Topic Name
3–7 Oct 2 Theories of the state : Liberal, Neo-liberal, Marxist,
Pluralist, Post-colonial and feminist.
8–11 Oct 3 Justice : Conceptions of justice with special reference
to Rawl's theory of justice and its communitarian
critiques.
12–17 Oct 4 Equality : Social, political and economic;relationship
between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
18–19 Oct 5 Rights : Meaning and theories; different kinds of
rights; concept of Human Rights.
20–23 Oct 6 Democracy: Classical and contemporary theories;
different models of democracy-representative,
participatory and deliberative.
24–27 Oct 7 Concept of power: hegemony, ideology and
legitimacy.
28 Oct – 5 Nov 8 Political Ideologies : Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism,
Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism.
6–7 Nov 1 Political theory : meaning and approaches.
PAPER 1 PART B: Indian Government And Politics
8–10 Nov 1 Indian Nationalism:
Political Strategies of India's Freedom struggle :
constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha,
Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience ; millitant and
revolutionary movements, Peasant and workers'
movements.
Perspectives on Indian National Movement: Liberal,
Socialist and Marxist; Radical humanist and Dalit.
10–12 Nov 2 Making of the Indian Constitution: Legacies of the
British rule; different social and political perspectives.
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Time Table
Date Topic No Topic Name
13–22 Nov 3 Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: The
Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties,
Directive Principles; Parliamentary System and
Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic
Structure doctrine.
23–29 Nov 4 a. Principal Organs of the Union
Government: Envisaged role and actual working of
the Executive, Legislature and Supreme Court.
b. Principal Organs of the State
Government: Envisaged role and actual working of
the Executive, Legislature and High Courts
30 Nov – 2 Dec 5 Grassroots Democracy: Panchayati Raj and
Municipal Government; significance of 73rd and
74th Amendments; Grassroot movements.
3–7 Dec 6 Statutory Institutions/Commissions : Election
Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General,
Finance Commission, Union Public Service
Commission, National Commission for Scheduled
Castes, National Comission for scheduled Tribes,
National Commission for Women; National Human
Rights Commission, National Commission for
Minorities, National Backward Classes Commission.
8–13 Dec 7 Federalism : Constitutional provisions; changing
nature of centre-state relations; integrationist
tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state
disputes
14–15 Dec 8 Planning and Economic Development : Nehruvian
and Gandhian perspectives; role of planning and
public sector; Green Revolution, land reforms and
agrarian relations; liberalilzation and economic
reforms.
15–20 Dec 9 Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics.
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Time Table
Date Topic No Topic Name
21–24 Dec 10 Party System: National and regional political parties,
ideological and social bases of parties; patterns of
coalition politics; Pressure groups, trends in
electoral behaviour; changing socio- economic
profile of Legislators.
25–28 Dec 11 Social Movements : Civil liberties and human rights
movements; women's movements;
environmentalist movements
PAPER 2 PART A: Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics
29 Dec – 7 Jan 5 Approaches to the Study of International
Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and
Systems theory.
8–15 Jan 6 Key concepts in International Relations : National
interest, Security and power; Balance of power and
deterrence; Transnational actors and collective
security; World capitalist economy and
globalisation.
16–22 Jan 7 Changing International Political Order:
(a) Rise of super powers; strategic and ideological
Bipolarity, arms race and Cold War; nuclear threat;
(b) Non-aligned movement : Aims and achievements;
(c) Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and
American hegemony; relevance of non-alignment
in the contemporary world.
23–27 Dec 8 Evolution of the International Economic
System: From Brettonwoods to WTO; Socialist
economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual
Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new
international economic order; Globalisation of the
world economy.
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Test Series
Date Test No Test Name
5 Oct 1 Paper 2 section B topic 1-4
8 Nov 2 Paper 2 section B topic 5-8
22 Nov 3 Paper 1 section A topic 10, 2,3,4
29 Nov 4 Paper 1 section A topic 5-10, topic 1
13 Dec 5 Paper 1 section B topic 1-5
27 Dec 6 Paper 1 section B topic 6-11
10 Jan 7 Paper 2 section A topic 6-11
17 Jan 8 Paper 2 section A topic 1-5
24 Jan 9 Paper 1 full comprehensive
24 Jan 10 Paper 2 full comprehensive
31 Jan 11 Paper 1 full comprehensive
31 Jan 12 Paper 2 full comprehensive
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Our Faculty
Shashank Tyagi
Polity & PSIR Faculty | UPSC Mentor
Mentor to 20,000+ UPSC Aspirants
With a proven track record in both online and offline teaching, Shashank Tyagi has
successfully guided thousands of aspirants on their UPSC journey.
Recognized by the Government of NCT of Delhi
Awarded for his exceptional contributions to education and consistent academic
excellence.
Expert in PSIR & Indian Polity
Specializes in Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) Optional and General
Studies Polity, known for delivering exam-focused content with depth and clarity.
Trusted Authority on Polity & Governance
Celebrated for his ability to simplify complex constitutional and governance topics,
helping students build a strong conceptual foundation essential for Mains and
Prelims.
76-4000-3000
Our Prices
Price: ₹30,999 Price: ₹42,999
₹15,999 ₹20,999
Director’s Desk
Dear UPSC Aspirants,
At StudyIQ IAS, we know that the journey to becoming a civil servant is
not just about studying—it’s about dreams, struggles, and relentless
perseverance. We have walked this path with thousands of aspirants,
learning from your challenges, evolving with your needs, and
celebrating your victories. Today, we take that commitment one step
further with our most comprehensive and inclusive program yet—The
FOUNDATION Batch.
This is not just another course; it’s a game-changer. Whether you are
starting fresh or refining your strategy, FOUNDATION provides
everything you need—from live & recorded lectures, handwritten
notes, structured test series, daily quizzes, answer writing practice,
interview guidance, and one-on-one mentorship—all in a single,
well-structured program. We believe financial constraints should
never hold back a dream, which is why we offer affordable pricing, a
full fee refund for those who clear Prelims, and ₹11,000 rewards for top
performers.
More than just a batch, FOUNDATION is a promise—a promise that no
matter where you are in your UPSC journey, you will never feel alone.
You will have the best resources, unwavering mentorship, and a
community that supports you at every step. This is your time, your
moment—to rise, to conquer, and to turn your dream into reality.
Join the FOUNDATION Batch today and take the first step towards
your IAS dream with confidence!
Best Regards,
Director’s Desk
76-4000-3000
