PAPER 2 – General Studies
Total Marks: 250
Duration: 3 Hours
Paper 2 Detailed Syllabus:
UNIT – I: INDIAN POLITY AND EMERGING POLITICAL TRENDS
ACROSS THE WORLD AFFECTING INDIA
Constitution of India: Historical background - Making of the Indian
Constitution - Preamble - Salient features of the Indian Constitution - Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties - Directive Principles of State
Policy - Schedules to the Indian Constitution. Union Executive: President, Vice - President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Attorney General of India.
Union Legislature: Parliament: Lok - Sabha and Rajya - Sabha - Composition, Powers, Functions and Legislative procedures.
Union Judiciary: Structure, Powers and Functions of the Supreme Court -
Judicial Review - Latest Verdicts.
State Executive: Governor, Chief Minister - Speaker and Council of Ministers, Advocate General of the State. State Legislature: State Legislative Assembly - Organization, Powers and Functions.
State Judiciary: Organisation, Powers and Functions of High Courts, District Courts and Subordinate Courts.
Local Government: Historical Development - Features and working of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. Union Territories: Evolution of States and Union Territories - Administration of Union Territories.
Federalism in India: Centre - State Relations - Centre - State
Administrative Relations - Centre - State Legislative Relations and Centre - State Financial Relations.
Civil Services in India: Historical background - Classification of Civil
Services – Recruitment & Training of Civil Servants.
State Services: Classification of State Services and Recruitment. Official Language: Constitutional provision - Official Language Act, VIII Schedule to the Constitution. Amendments: Major Amendments to the Indian Constitution.
Special Status to Jammu & Kashmir: Art 370. Political Parties: National & Regional parties, Pressure Groups, Interest
Groups, Public Opinion, Mass Media, Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs) and their role. Issue Areas in Indian Administration: Corruption in India - Anti - Corruption Measures - CVC - Lok Adalats - Ombudsman - RTI Act - Minister - Secretary Relationship - Generalist Vs. Specialist controversy.
Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies - Composition, Powers and Functions.
Profile of States - Defence, National Security and Terrorism – World Organisations - Pacts and Summits. India's Foreign Policy: Foreign Affairs with Special emphasis on India's relations with neighbouring countries and in the region - Security and defence related issues - Nuclear Policy - Issues and conflicts. The Indian Diaspora and its contribution to India and to the World. Current Affairs
UNIT – II: ROLE AND IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIA
Science and Technology – Role, Achievements and Developments - Their applications and effects in everyday life ‐ Energy ‐ Conventional and Non-conventional - Self sufficiency ‐ Oil exploration ‐ Defence Research Organizations and other science and technology institutions – Ocean Research and Development - Role and Functions.
Advancements in the fields of I.T., Space, Computers, Robotics,
Nano-Technology ‐ Mobile Communication - Remote sensing and its benefits.
Health and hygiene ‐ Human diseases - Prevention and remedies ‐ Communicable diseases and non‐communicable diseases - Genetic
Engineering - Organ transplantation - Stem cell Technology - Medical
Tourism - Advancements in Horticulture & Agriculture. Achievements of Indians in the fields of Science and Technology.
Latest inventions in science & technology.
UNIT – III: TAMIL SOCIETY - ITS CULTURE AND HERITAGE
Candidates may answer the questions in this unit EITHER in Tamil OR in English.
1) Tamil Society: Origin and expansion.
2) Art and Culture: Literature, Music, Film, Drama, Architecture, Sculpture, Paintings and Folk Arts.
3) Socio - economic history of Tamil Nadu from Sangam age to till date.
4) Growth of Rationalist, Dravidian movements in Tamil Nadu - Their role in the socio – economic development of Tamil Nadu.
5) Social and cultural life of contemporary Tamils: Caste, Religion, Women, Politics, Education, Economy, Trade and relationship with other countries.
6) Tamil and other Disciplines: Mass Media, Computer etc.
