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UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026, Subject Wise Topics, Exam Pattern

Explore the UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 with detailed subject-wise topics, updated exam pattern, and marking scheme. Get insights into key areas, paper structure, and preparation tips to boost your chances of success.

authorImageAmit 10 Apr, 2026
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UGC NET Political Science Syllabus

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026:  The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the official UGC NET 2026 notification in mid-April 2026, marking the beginning of the application process for the June cycle. For candidates specializing in Political Science (Subject Code: 02), a clear understanding of the ten comprehensive units—ranging from Political Theory and Thought to International Relations and India’s Foreign Policy—is essential for success. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026, the latest exam pattern, and subject-wise topics to help you build a robust preparation strategy. By mastering these core areas, aspirants can effectively compete for Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) and Assistant Professor positions in top Indian universities.

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 Overview

Candidates can check complete overview table of UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026.

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 Overview
Conducting Body National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Name UGC NET 2026
Post Category UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026
Posts Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
Exam Level National
Exam Frequency Twice a year
Mode of Exam Online
Medium of Exam English and Hindi
Time Duration 3 Hours
Number of Papers and Total Marks
  • Paper 1: 100 Marks
  • Paper 2: 200 Marks
Negative Marking No Negative Marking
Exam Helpdesk No. 0120-6895200
Official Website https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus PDF

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 is designed to assess candidates' knowledge and understanding of political science concepts. It covers a wide range of topics, including political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and public administration. The syllabus also includes contemporary political issues and the Indian political system. Candidates can download the detailed syllabus in PDF format from the given link.

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus PDF in Hindi

Candidates preparing for the UGC NET Political Science exam 2026 can find the complete syllabus in Hindi. This PDF will help them understand the important topics and subjects that will be covered in the exam. Candidates can download the syllabus to plan their studies effectively. Candidates can download it from the provided link below.

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 Unit Wise

The UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 comprises ten units, covering essential topics such as Political Theory, Political Thought, Indian Political Thought, Comparative Political Analysis, and International Relations. The detailed unit-wise syllabus is as follows.
UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 Unit Wise
Unit Name Topics
Unit 1: Political Theory
  • Concepts
  • Liberty, Equality, Justice, Rights, Democracy, Power, Citizenship, Political Traditions
  • Liberalism
  • Conservatism
  • Socialism
  • Marxism
  • Feminism
  • Ecologism
  • Multiculturalism
  • Postmodernism
Unit 2: Political Thought Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon, Mao Zedong, John Rawls
Unit 3: Indian Political Thought Dharamshastra, Kautilya, Aggannasutta, Barani, Kabir, Pandita Ramabai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Swami Vivekanand, Rabindranath Tagore, M.K Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, Muhammad Iqbal, M.N.Roy, V D Savarkar, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, J L Nehru, Ram Manohar Lohia, Jaya Prakash Narayan, Deendayal Upadhyaya, etc.
Unit 4: Comparative Political Analysis
  • Approaches
  • Nationalism
  • Constitutions and Constitutionalism
  • Democratization
  • Development
  • Colonialism and decolonization
  • State theory
  • Political regimes
  • Structures of Power
Unit 5: International Relations
  • Approaches to the study of International relations
  • Concepts
  • Conflict and Peace
  • United Nations
  • Political Economy of IR
  • Regional Organisations
  • Contemporary Challenges
Unit 6: India’s Foreign Policy
  • Perspectives on India’s Foreign Policy
  • Continuity and change in India’s Foreign Policy
  • Non-Alignment movement
  • India’s relations with major powers
  • India’s Engagement with the multipolar world
  • India’s relations with neighborhood
  • India’s Negotiation Strategies in International Regimes
  • Contemporary challenges
Unit 7: Political Institutions in India
  • Making of the Indian Constitution
  • Constituent Assembly
  • Constitutionalism in India
  • Union Executive
  • Union Parliament
  • Judiciary
  • Executive and Legislature in the States
  • Federalism in India
  • Electoral Process and Election Commission of India
  • Constitutional and Statutory Bodies
Unit 8: Political Processes in India
  • State, Economy, and Development
  • Process of globalization
  • Identity Politics
  • Social Movements
  • Civil Society Groups
  • Regionalization of Indian Politics
  • Gender and Politics in India
  • Ideology and Social basis of Political Parties
  • Electoral Politics.
Unit 9: Public Administration
  • Public Administration
  • Public administration theories and concepts
  • Comparative Public Administration
  • Theories and Principles of Organization
  • Managing the organization
  • Organizational Communication
  • Managing Conflict in the Organization
  • Management by Objectives
Unit 10: Governance and Public Policy in India
  • Governance
  • Accountability and control Institutional mechanisms for good governance
  • Grassroots Governance
  • Planning and Development
  • Public policy as an instrument of socio-economic development
  • Monitoring and evaluation of public policy

UGC NET Political Science Exam Pattern 2026

There are two papers in the UGC NET exam. Candidates should thoroughly check the UGC NET Exam Pattern 2026 for Political Science to gain an understanding of the question format, marking scheme, and other relevant details. The paper-wise UGC NET Political Science pattern is given below:
UGC NET Political Science Exam Pattern 2026
Papers Sections Number of Questions Maximum Marks
Paper 1 Teaching Aptitude, Research Aptitude, Reading Comprehension, Communication, Reasoning (including Maths), Logical Reasoning, Data Interpretation, Information & Communication Technology (ICT), People & Environment, and Higher Education System 50 100
Paper 2 Political Science 100 200

UGC NET Political Science Minimum Qualifying Marks

The UGC NET Syllabus 2026 includes various topics to help you prepare well for the exam. To pass the exam, candidates need to achieve the minimum qualifying marks based on their category. Here’s a simple table for the minimum qualifying marks:
UGC NET Political Science Minimum Qualifying Marks
Category Qualifying Marks
General 40%
OBC/SC/ST 35%

UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 FAQs

What is the syllabus of UGC NET of Political Science?

The UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026 includes units such as Political Theory, Political Thought, Indian Political Thought, Comparative Political Analysis, International Relations, and more.

Name some important topics in the UGC NET Political Science Syllabus 2026.

Important topics include Political Theory, Political Thought, International Relations, India’s Foreign Policy, Political Institutions in India, Public Administration, and more.

Is there negative marking in the UGC NET Political Science exam?

No, there is no negative marking in the UGC NET Political Science exam.

How many papers are included in the UGC NET Political Science exam?

The UGC NET Political Science exam consists of two papers. Paper A is a common general aptitude paper for all subjects, and Paper B contains questions related to Political Science topics.
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