Political Science in CUET 2026 — Overview

CUET Political Science (Code 323) is one of the most chosen domain subjects among Humanities aspirants, selected by students targeting B.A. (Hons) Political Science, B.A. Programme, and integrated social science programmes at Central Universities like DU, JNU, BHU, Allahabad, and Hyderabad. The paper has 50 compulsory MCQs to be answered in 60 minutes, for a maximum of 250 marks.

The syllabus is based on two NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbooks: Book 1 — "Contemporary World Politics" and Book 2 — "Politics in India since Independence." Together they cover 18 chapters spanning international relations and India’s domestic political evolution since 1947. Book 2 (Indian Politics) carries slightly higher weightage in CUET.

Complete Unit-Wise Syllabus

The CUET Political Science syllabus covers 18 chapters across 2 NCERT textbooks. Here is the complete breakdown:

Chapter	Topics	NCERT Book
Book 1 — 1. Cold War Era	Origin of Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, arms race, NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), India’s role in NAM, arenas of Cold War	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 1
Book 1 — 2. End of Bipolarity	Disintegration of USSR, Gorbachev’s reforms (Glasnost, Perestroika), consequences of Soviet collapse, CIS, shock therapy	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 2
Book 1 — 3. US Hegemony	US dominance post-1991, First Gulf War, 9/11 & War on Terror, Clinton Doctrine, India-US relations, constraints on US hegemony	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 3
Book 1 — 4. Alternative Centres of Power	European Union (formation, expansion, role), ASEAN (objectives, ASEAN Way), China’s rise (economic reforms, global impact), India-China relations	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 4
Book 1 — 5. South Asian Politics	India’s relations with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar; SAARC; Kashmir issue; ethnic conflicts	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 5
Book 1 — 6. International Organisations	United Nations (structure, reforms, veto power), IMF, World Bank, WTO, India’s demand for UNSC permanent seat	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 6
Book 1 — 7. Security in Contemporary World	Traditional & non-traditional security, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, human security, cooperative security, India’s security challenges	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 7
Book 1 — 8. Environment & Resources	Global commons, Rio Summit (1992), Kyoto Protocol, climate change debates, resource geopolitics, India’s environmental policy	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 8
Book 1 — 9. Globalisation	Meaning & dimensions (political, economic, cultural), India & globalisation, resistance to globalisation, WTO & MNCs	Contemporary World Politics — Ch 9
Book 2 — 1. Challenges of Nation Building	Partition consequences, integration of princely states, Sardar Patel’s role, linguistic reorganisation of states, Nehru’s vision	Politics in India — Ch 1
Book 2 — 2. Era of One-Party Dominance	Congress system (1952–1967), first three elections, socialist & communist parties, opposition parties, nature of Congress dominance	Politics in India — Ch 2
Book 2 — 3. Politics of Planned Development	Five-Year Plans, Nehru vs Gandhian model, mixed economy, green revolution, land reforms, Planning Commission	Politics in India — Ch 3
Book 2 — 4. India’s External Relations	NAM policy, Sino-Indian War (1962), Indo-Pak Wars (1965, 1971), Tashkent & Shimla Agreements, nuclear policy	Politics in India — Ch 4
Book 2 — 5. Challenges to Congress System	1967 elections, defections, Congress split (Syndicate vs Indira), Grand Alliance, Garibi Hatao, 1971 election	Politics in India — Ch 5
Book 2 — 6. Crisis of Democratic Order	Emergency (1975–77), reasons, consequences, press censorship, Janata Party, Shah Commission, restoration of democracy	Politics in India — Ch 6
Book 2 — 7. Rise of Regional Parties	Coalition politics, regional parties (DMK, TDP, AGP, BSP), Mandal Commission, Ayodhya issue, BJP’s rise	Politics in India — Ch 7
Book 2 — 8. Recent Developments in Indian Politics	Era of coalitions (NDA, UPA), economic reforms & LPG, communalism, caste & identity politics, new social movements	Politics in India — Ch 8
Book 2 — 9. India Since the 1990s	Liberalisation, new economic policy, rise of BJP, coalition governments, Atal Bihari Vajpayee era, social justice debates	Politics in India — Ch 9

Chapter-Wise Weightage (PYQ Analysis 2022–2025)

Based on an analysis of CUET Political Science papers from 2022 to 2025, here is the approximate weightage by area. Book 2 (Politics in India since Independence) consistently carries higher weightage than Book 1.

Topic Area	Approx. Questions	Weightage	Priority
Emergency & Challenges to Congress (Book 2, Ch 5–6)	6–8	12–16%	★★★ High
Cold War & End of Bipolarity (Book 1, Ch 1–2)	5–7	10–14%	★★★ High
Globalisation (Book 1, Ch 9)	4–6	8–12%	★★★ High
Recent Indian Politics & Rise of Regional Parties (Book 2, Ch 7–9)	5–7	10–14%	★★★ High
Nation Building & One-Party Dominance (Book 2, Ch 1–2)	4–5	8–10%	★★ Medium
US Hegemony & Alternative Centres (Book 1, Ch 3–4)	3–5	6–10%	★★ Medium
International Organisations & Security (Book 1, Ch 6–7)	3–4	6–8%	★★ Medium
India’s External Relations (Book 2, Ch 4)	2–4	4–8%	★★ Medium
Planned Development (Book 2, Ch 3)	2–3	4–6%	★ Low
South Asia & Environment (Book 1, Ch 5 & 8)	2–3	4–6%	★ Low

Deleted Topics for 2026

NTA has not deleted any Political Science topics from the CUET 2026 syllabus. All 18 chapters across both NCERT textbooks (Contemporary World Politics + Politics in India since Independence) remain intact and examinable.

NCERT Chapters & Books

Book	Chapters	Key Topics for CUET
Book 1: Contemporary World Politics	Ch 1–9	Cold War, USSR disintegration, US Hegemony, EU, ASEAN, China, South Asia, UN, Security, Environment, Globalisation
Book 2: Politics in India since Independence	Ch 1–9	Nation Building, Congress dominance, Planned Development, India’s Wars, Emergency, Regional Parties, Coalition era

Total chapters: 18 | Total pages: ~450 | A focused student can complete one thorough reading in 2–3 weeks, starting with Book 2 (higher weightage).

How to Score 200+ in CUET Political Science

Scoring 200+ (80%+) in CUET Political Science is achievable because the subject is NCERT-based and primarily tests factual and conceptual understanding. Here is a step-by-step strategy:

Step 1: Complete NCERT Reading — Start with Book 2 (Week 1–2)

• Read NCERT "Politics in India since Independence" (Book 2) first — it carries 55–60% weightage
• Then read "Contemporary World Politics" (Book 1)
• Highlight key events, dates, personalities, political parties, and NCERT-specific cartoons/timelines
• Pay attention to the cartoons and caricatures in the textbook — CUET occasionally asks questions based on them

Step 2: Make Thematic Notes (Week 2–3)

• Create a 1-page summary for each chapter: key events, important leaders, political outcomes
• For Book 1, focus on international organisations, treaties, and country-specific details
• For Book 2, focus on election years, party alliances, and constitutional crises
• Create comparison charts: Cold War vs Post-Cold War, Congress system vs Coalition era, NAM vs US alliance

Step 3: Previous Year Papers (Week 3–4)

• Solve CUET Political Science PYQs from 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025
• Identify patterns: Emergency and Globalisation are asked every year without fail
• Time yourself: aim for 50 MCQs in 50 minutes (10-minute buffer for analytical questions)

Step 4: Mock Tests & Revision (Week 4 onwards)

• Take at least 10–15 full-length Political Science mock tests before the exam
• Use the CUET Gurukul CBT Simulator for the authentic NTA interface experience
• After each mock, identify weak chapters and re-read those specific NCERT sections
• Target: 42+ correct out of 50 consistently in mocks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Ignoring Book 1 (Contemporary World Politics): Many students focus only on Indian Politics (Book 2). However, Book 1 carries 40–45% weightage — skipping it means losing 20+ questions.
2. Confusing Cold War events with post-Cold War events: The Cuban Missile Crisis (Cold War) vs First Gulf War (post-Cold War) are frequently mixed up. Create a clear timeline of 1945–2000 events.
3. Not reading NCERT cartoons and timelines: CUET occasionally bases MCQs on the political cartoons and timeline boxes in the textbook. Don’t skip these visual elements.
4. Mixing up party names and election years: Know which party won which election (1952, 1967, 1971, 1977, 1989, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2004). Election-specific questions are common.
5. Attempting opinion-based questions carelessly: Some MCQs test NCERT’s specific perspective (e.g., on NAM, globalisation). Choose the answer that aligns with the textbook’s stated view, not your personal opinion.

Frequently Asked Questions