CBSE Class 11 Political Science Syllabus 2025-26: Download PDF & Full Exam Pattern

Updated CBSE Class 11 Political Science Syllabus for 2025-26 – Get the latest chapter-wise syllabus, marking scheme, and study tips. Download the official PDF at the end!

Overview of CBSE Class 11 Political Science Syllabus 2025-26

The Class 11 CBSE syllabus for Political Science plays a crucial role in board exams and competitive exams like CUET. This year, CBSE has introduced competency-based questions and a revised weightage system to encourage conceptual learning over rote memorization.

Here’s a properly formatted and easy-to-read presentation of the Class XI Political Science Course Structure (2025-26) based on the details provided:

COURSE STRUCTURE: CLASS XI POLITICAL SCIENCE (2025-26)

• Theory: 80 Marks
• Duration: Not specified (assumed 3 hours as standard)
• Total: 80 Marks (Project work not mentioned in structure but assumed as per CBSE norms)

Mark Distribution by Chapter

Course Content

Part A: Indian Constitution at Work (40 Marks)

1. Constitution: Why and How?

• Why a Constitution?: Coordination, Decision-making powers, Government limitations, Societal aspirations, Identity.
• Authority: Mode of promulgation, Substantive provisions, Balanced institutional design.
• Making of Indian Constitution: Constituent Assembly composition, Procedures, Nationalist movement inheritance, Institutional arrangements.
• Provisions from Other Constitutions.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Appreciate the need for a Constitution.
  • Understand historical drafting processes.
  • Evaluate power distribution and real-life functioning.

2. Rights in the Indian Constitution

• Importance of Rights: Bill of Rights.
• Fundamental Rights: Equality, Freedom, Against Exploitation, Freedom of Religion, Cultural/Educational, Constitutional Remedies.
• Directive Principles: Content and purpose.
• Relationship: Fundamental Rights vs. Directive Principles.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Analyse real-life constitutional functioning.
  • Respect rights, identify violations, justify restrictions.
  • Advocate for rights using freedom of expression.

3. Election and Representation

• Elections and democracy, Election system (FPTP vs. Proportional Representation), Why FPTP?, Reservation, Free/Fair Elections (Franchise, Election Commission), Electoral Reforms.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Identify election types/methods.
  • Critically assess stakeholders’ roles in fair elections.
  • Compare global election systems.

4. Executive

• Definition, Types, Parliamentary Executive (President’s powers, discretion), PM and Council of Ministers, Permanent Executive (Bureaucracy).
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Recognise executive meaning.
  • Compare Parliamentary vs. Presidential systems.
  • Analyse composition and administrative significance.

5. Legislature

• Need for Parliament, Two Houses (Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha), Powers, Law-making, Executive control, Committees, Self-regulation.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Describe law-making process.
  • Differentiate Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha powers.
  • Examine parliamentary control and committee roles.

6. Judiciary

• Need for independence (Appointment, Removal), Structure, Jurisdiction (Original, Writ, Appellate, Advisory), Judicial Activism, Judiciary vs. Rights/Parliament.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Identify independence aspects.
  • Analyse judicial proactivity and conflicts with Parliament.

7. Federalism

• Definition, Indian Federalism (Division of Powers), Strong Centre, Conflicts (Centre-State, Autonomy, Governor’s Role, New States, Interstate), Special Provisions (J&K).
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Explain federal features.
  • Identify government levels and subjects.
  • Discuss provisions for a strong Centre.

8. Local Governments

• Need, Growth, 73rd/74th Amendments (Structure, Elections, Reservations, Subjects, Commissions), Implementation.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand Panchayati Raj significance.
  • Justify amendments and decentralisation.

9. Constitution as a Living Document

• Static or dynamic?, Amendment process, Frequency, Content (Interpretations, Consensus, Controversies), Basic Structure, Judiciary/Leadership contributions.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Analyse constitutional functioning.
  • Appreciate its “living” nature.

10. The Philosophy of the Constitution

• Philosophy meaning, Democratic transformation, Constituent Assembly relevance, Political philosophy (Freedom, Justice, Diversity, Secularism, Franchise, Federalism, Identity), Achievements, Criticisms.
• Learning Outcomes:
• Appreciate philosophical vision.
• Recognise core features and evaluate strengths/limitations.

Part B: Political Theory (40 Marks)

1. Political Theory: An Introduction

• Politics, Study of political theory, Practice, Importance.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Define politics and principles.
  • Explain political theories and thinkers’ contributions.

2. Freedom

• Ideal, Constraints, Harm Principle, Negative/Positive Liberty.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Appreciate freedom.
  • Evaluate liberty dimensions and limitations (e.g., J.S. Mill’s Harm Principle).

3. Equality

• Importance, Opportunities, Natural/Social Inequalities, Dimensions, Ideologies (Feminism, Socialism), Promotion.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand equality ideals.
  • Assess perceptions and solutions for inequality.

4. Social Justice

• Justice (Equal Treatment, Proportionate, Special Needs), Distribution, Rawls’ Theory, Pursuit, Markets vs. State.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Classify justice dimensions.
  • Appreciate government measures and Rawls’ veil of ignorance.

5. Rights

• Definition, Sources, Legal Rights, Types, Responsibilities.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Define and justify rights’ importance.
  • Describe types and legal sanction needs.

6. Citizenship

• Full/Equal Membership, Rights, Nation, Universal/Global Citizenship.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Explain citizenship.
  • Discuss solutions for citizenship issues and government links.

7. Nationalism

• Introduction, Nations/Nationalism (Beliefs, Identity), Self-determination, Pluralism.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Understand nation/nationalism.
  • Assess strengths, limitations, and inclusivity.

8. Secularism

• Definition, Inter/Intra-religious Domination, Secular State (Western vs. Indian Models), Criticisms (Western Import, Minoritism, Interventionist, Vote Bank).
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Define secularism.
  • Compare models and appraise Indian secularism.

Prescribed Textbooks

1. Indian Constitution at Work, Class XI, NCERT.
2. Political Theory, Class XI, NCERT.
3. Added Reference Material (in Annexure).
   Note: Available in Hindi and Urdu versions.

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