Dynamics of Indian Polity, Elections and Internal Security

What the official syllabus says

Main Examination, Paper III (General Studies III), Unit I - Indian Polity, Governance, India and International Affairs and Current Affairs, under the heading “Dynamics of Indian Polity”:

• Contemporary shifts in India's democracy marked by evolving party systems, assertive regionalism, and coalition realignments.
• Shift from identity-based politics to issue-driven and inclusive politics with increasing gender participation, Socio-Political Implications of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Mobilization.
• Voting behaviour, electoral reforms, and the functioning of elections in India.
• Contemporary Evolving Patterns in Indian Politics.
• Internal Security: Threats, Security Forces and Agencies - Mandate, Roles, and Challenges in Internal Security Management.

Topics in detail

Evolving party system

• One-party dominance, the “Congress system” (1952 to 1967)
• 1967: non-Congress governments in several states; 1977: the first non-Congress government at the Centre
• Coalition era at the Centre (1989 to 2014): common minimum programmes, coordination committees, the role of outside support
• Single-party majorities in 2014 and 2019, and a coalition government again after 2024
• National and state parties: recognition by the Election Commission under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968
• Coalition realignments: pre-poll and post-poll alliances, defections and the Tenth Schedule

Assertive regionalism

• Linguistic reorganisation of states (1956) and later new states (2000: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand; 2014: Telangana)
• Regional parties as governing parties in states and as partners at the Centre
• Forms of regionalism: demands for autonomy and statehood, sons-of-the-soil movements, river water disputes
• Regionalism and national integration: when it strengthens and when it strains federal unity

From identity to issues; inclusive politics

• Identity-based mobilisation: caste (including after the Mandal Commission, 1990), religion, language, tribe
• Issue-driven politics: development, welfare delivery, jobs, prices, governance and corruption
• Welfare and direct benefit transfer creating a “beneficiary” voter
• Growing participation of women as voters, a narrowing turnout gap and women as a distinct voting group
• Women's representation: one-third reservation in panchayats and municipalities (73rd and 74th Amendments) and in legislatures (106th Amendment, 2023)
• Youth and first-time voters; participation of persons with disabilities and transgender persons

Artificial intelligence and political mobilisation

• Data-driven campaigns, voter profiling and micro-targeting through social media
• Deepfakes, synthetic audio and video, bots and the spread of misinformation
• Safeguards: the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IT Rules, 2021; the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; Election Commission advisories on the use of synthetic content
• Opportunities: voter awareness, multilingual outreach, accessibility; risks: manipulation, polarisation, loss of privacy, unequal access to technology

Voting behaviour

• Factors: caste, religion, class, region, language, candidate, leadership, party identification, performance of the government, welfare benefits, media and money
• Split voting: different choices in Lok Sabha and assembly elections
• Turnout patterns: urban apathy, women's and rural turnout; SVEEP (the Election Commission's voter education programme)

Elections and electoral reforms

• Election Commission of India (Article 324): powers, the Model Code of Conduct, and the 2023 law on appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners
• Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951; delimitation; electoral rolls and their revision
• Technology: EVMs and VVPAT; NOTA (from the Supreme Court's 2013 judgment)
• Criminalisation of politics: disclosure of candidates' criminal records, assets and education; disqualification on conviction (Lily Thomas, 2013)
• Money in elections: expenditure limits for candidates; the electoral bonds scheme (2018) and its striking down (2024); proposals for state funding (Indrajit Gupta Committee, 1998)
• Reform reports: Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990), Law Commission's 170th Report (1999)
• Current proposals: simultaneous elections, remote voting for migrant voters, voluntary linking of Aadhaar with the electoral roll (2021 amendment)

Contemporary patterns in Indian politics

• Personality-centred campaigns and centralisation within parties
• Dynastic politics and the question of inner-party democracy
• Welfare competition (“freebies” debate) and fiscal implications
• Growing role of social media and digital campaigning; use of caste census and reservation as political issues

Internal security: threats

• Militancy and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir; insurgencies in the North-East; Left-wing extremism
• Cross-border terrorism, infiltration and smuggling of arms and drugs, including along Rajasthan's border with Pakistan
• Cyber threats: attacks on critical infrastructure, cyber fraud, online radicalisation
• Organised crime, money laundering, terror financing; communal violence

Internal security: forces, agencies and management

• Police and public order as state subjects; the Ministry of Home Affairs' role
• Central Armed Police Forces: Assam Rifles, BSF (guards the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders), CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB; the National Security Guard
• Intelligence and investigation: Intelligence Bureau, National Investigation Agency (2008), Narcotics Control Bureau, Multi-Agency Centre, NATGRID
• Cyber security bodies: CERT-In and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre
• Laws: Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; NIA Act, 2008; Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958; NDPS Act, 1985
• Challenges: Centre-state coordination, intelligence sharing, police reforms (Prakash Singh, 2006), modernisation, border management, drones, human rights