CUET UG is anticipated to be conducted in May 2026, in a computer-based testing format. The CUET Pol. Science syllabus encompasses significant topics such as Politics in India, the Emergence of Social Movements, and Contemporary World Politics. Identify the important topics to prioritize and learn the corresponding weightages for each topic based on the previous year’s CUET examination paper.
Examine the article below to identify the CUET political science important topics, important topics of emphasis and their respective weightage within the Political Science syllabus, as determined by the previous year’s CUET paper.
Table of Contents
CUET 2026 Political Science Syllabus
Candidates must possess a comprehensive understanding of the CUET 2026 Exam Pattern for Political Science. The new format consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, all of which must be answered. The CUET Political Science examination has a duration of 60 minutes, allowing students one hour to promptly respond to all questions. The detailed CUET 2026 Political Science Syllabus needs to be understood.
CUET 2026 Pol. Science Syllabus
| Unit 1 | ||
| Sub-Unit | Topic / Chapter | Topics |
| 1 | The Era of One-Party Dominance | First three general elections, Congress dominance (national & state levels), coalitional nature of Congress, major opposition parties |
| 2 | Nation-Building and Its Problems | Nehru’s approach, partition legacy, refugee resettlement, Kashmir issue, state reorganization, linguistic politics |
| 3 | Politics of Planned Development | Five-year plans, expansion of the state sector, new economic interests, famine, suspension of plans, Green Revolution & political effects |
| 4 | India’s External Relations | Nehru’s foreign policy, wars of 1962/1965/1971, nuclear program, shifting alliances |
| 5 | Challenge & Restoration of the Congress System | Post-Nehru succession, Non-Congressism, 1967 elections, Congress split, 1971 victory, “Garibi Hatao” politics |
| 6 | Crisis of the Constitutional Order | Search for committed bureaucracy/judiciary, Gujarat & Bihar movements, Emergency (context & opposition), 1977 elections, civil liberties groups |
| 7 | Regional Aspirations & Conflicts | Rise of regional parties, Punjab crisis & 1984 riots, Kashmir situation, North-East challenges |
| 8 | Rise of New Social Movements | Farmers, women, environment, displaced groups, Mandal Commission & aftermath |
| 9 | Democratic Upsurge & Coalition Politics | 1990s political participation, JD & BJP rise, regional parties, UF/NDA governments, 2004 elections & UPA |
| 10 | Recent Issues & Challenges | Globalization & opposition, OBC rise, Dalit politics, communalism, Ayodhya dispute, Gujarat riots |
| Unit 2 | ||
| Sub-Unit | Topic / Chapter | Key Themes Covered |
| 1 | Cold War Era | Power blocs, Cold War arenas, Non-Aligned Movement, NIEO, India & the Cold War |
| 2 | Disintegration of the Second World | Fall of USSR, new states (Russia, Balkans, Central Asia), democracy & capitalism in post-communist regimes, India’s relations with them |
| 3 | US Dominance in World Politics | Unilateralism (Afghanistan, Gulf War, Iraq), economic & ideological dominance, India–US relations |
| 4 | Alternative Centres of Power | Rise of China, EU expansion, ASEAN, India–China relations |
| 5 | South Asia in the Post-Cold War Era | Democratization reversals (Pakistan, Nepal), Sri Lanka ethnic conflict, globalization’s impact, peace efforts, India’s regional ties |
| 6 | International Organizations in a Unipolar World | UN restructuring debate, India’s position, new global actors (economic orgs, NGOs), accountability of global institutions |
| 7 | Security in the Contemporary World | Traditional security & disarmament, human security (poverty, health, education), human rights, migration |
| 8 | Environment & Natural Resources | Environmental movement, global norms, resource conflicts, indigenous rights, India’s stance |
| 9 | Globalization & Its Critics | Economic, political, cultural dimensions; debates & consequences; anti-globalization protests; India’s experience |
CUET Political Science Important Topics for 2026
Answering 50 questions by knowing the important topics of CUET Political Science can help you score 250/250 in the exam. Here is a detailed list of topics that have importance for the CUET 2026 Political Science Exam.
CUET Pol Science Important Topics for 2026
| S. No. | Topic / Chapter |
| 1 | Recent Developments in Indian Politics |
| 2 | Challenges to the Congress System |
| 3 | The End of Bipolarity |
| 4 | Cold War Era |
| 5 | US Hegemony in World Politics |
| 6 | Alternative Centres of Power |
| 7 | Contemporary South Asia |
| 8 | International Organizations |
| 9 | Security in the Contemporary World |
| 10 | Globalization |
| 11 | Environment and Natural Resources |
Best Books for CUET 2026 Political Science Exam
To prepare well for CUET UG in Pol Science, it is crucial to choose the best books for the CUET 2026 Political Science. For the best preparation, rely primarily on NCERT Class 12 Political Science (Part I: Politics in India Since Independence and Part II: Contemporary World Politics) as your main textbooks. Complement them with a good practice book like GKP CUET Political Science Guide, which helps strengthen MCQs, case-based questions, and PYQ patterns.
CUET Political Science – Chapter-Wise Preparation Strategy
CUET Political Science Important Topics and the unit-wise preparation strategy is mentioned below.
Unit I: Politics in India Since Independence
| Chapter | What to Study | How to Prepare |
| One-Party Dominance | Congress system, first three elections, opposition parties | Understand electoral trends, create a timeline, and note reasons for dominance |
| Nation-Building & Its Problems | Partition, refugee crisis, Kashmir issue, state reorganization | Make flowcharts, compare Nehru’s decisions, and understand linguistic politics |
| Politics of Planned Development | Five-year plans, the Green Revolution, and economic policies | Note achievements & failures, causes & consequences, major reforms |
| India’s External Relations | Wars of 1962/65/71, Non-alignment, nuclear program | Make India’s foreign policy timeline; understand geopolitical impact |
| Challenge to the Congress System | Non-Congressism, 1967 elections, Congress split, Garibi Hatao | Study political shifts, reasons for decline & revival of Congress |
| Crisis of Constitutional Order | Emergency, Gujarat & Bihar movements, civil liberties | Learn the sequence of events, constitutional implications, and public response |
| Regional Aspirations | Punjab crisis, anti-Sikh riots, North-East issues, Kashmir | Map regions, understand root causes, and government responses |
| New Social Movements | Farmers, women, environment, Mandal Commission | Make comparison charts of movements & their impact |
| Democratic Upsurge & Coalition Politics | 1990s politics, rise of BJP & JD, coalition era | Prepare a timeline of governments (UF, NDA, UPA) |
| Recent Issues & Challenges | Globalization, OBC politics, Dalit politics, communalism | Understand the contemporary relevance of each issue |
Unit II: Contemporary World Politics
| Chapter | What to Study | How to Prepare |
| Cold War Era | Power blocs, NAM, NIEO | Use world maps, understand why the Cold War started and how blocs formed |
| End of Bipolarity | Collapse of USSR, new nations, capitalism | Study reasons for collapse, post-Cold War changes, India–Russia ties |
| US Hegemony | Gulf War, Iraq War, 9/11, US dominance | Understand how the US became a superpower; note examples of unilateralism |
| Alternative Centres of Power | China, ASEAN, EU | Compare their political & economic rise; make short tables |
| Contemporary South Asia | Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka conflicts, SAARC | Know the causes of conflicts, peace efforts, and India’s role in the region |
| International Organizations | UN reforms, NGOs, WTO, global governance | List organizations, mandates, challenges, and India’s stand |
| Security in the Contemporary World | Traditional & human security, terrorism, migration | Differentiate traditional vs non-traditional security clearly |
| Environment & Natural Resources | Environmental norms, resource politics, and indigenous rights | Learn global agreements; understand India’s perspective |
| Globalization | Economic, political, and cultural effects | Understand pros/cons, anti-globalization movements, and India’s experience |
Conclusion
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