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BA Political Science: Course, Colleges, Admissions, IGNOU, Syllabus, Books, Jobs, Scope 2023

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Sounak Banerjee

Associate Content Manager

BA Political Science or Bachelor of Arts in Political Science is a 3-year undergraduate program. The course involves the study of both national and international political systems. During the course, students are taught historical and modern political systems, public administration, governmental policies and procedures, international relations, and public affairs.

The basic eligibility is 10+2 or any other equivalent examination. The student must pass the 12th board examinations with at least 50% marks. The admission to the course is based on the cut-off list issued by the university or college. 

BA Political Science syllabus provides students an opportunity to explore different dimensions of political science like theory and practice of politics and description and analysis of political system and political behavior.

BA Political Science top colleges in India are Hindu College, Delhi, Hansraj College, Delhi, Fergusson College, Pune, and St. Xaviers College, Mumbai. The average annual fee charged by colleges or universities may vary from INR 5,000 to INR 80,000. The fees charged by private and government institutes are different.

A fresh graduate of the course can easily expect a salary between INR 10,000 to INR 30,000 per month. The salary increases with the increase in the level of seniority. Students can go for MBA course. for management-level jobs in the field. 

BA Political Science Course Highlights

Course Level Undergraduate
Duration of the course 3 years
Number of Universities Over 300
Eligibility The student should have cleared their senior secondary examination with at least 50% marks from a recognized board.
Admission Process Merit Based
The average Fees per Semester INR 5,000 to INR 80,000
Average Starting Salary INR 10,000 to INR 30,000 per month
Examination Type Semester wise
Job profile Editor, News Reporter, Writer, Politician, Bank Manager, Clerk, etc.
Top recruiting fields/areas Federal, state and local governments, Law, Business and international organizations, Nonprofit associations and organizations, Electoral politics and polling, Journalism, Research and teaching

BA Political Science: What is it about?

BA Political Science is mostly chosen by all the humanities students, here are some of the very important information about them. 

  • BA Political Science revolves around the various concepts related to politics. The course as a whole touches the various systems of governance, economics, sociology, international relations, global politics, psychology, etc.
  • The course gives an idea about how a government functions and teaches how to interpret and analyze political systems. This course is ideal for students who have an interest in politics and in learning about the administrative aspects of a country.
  • The course as a whole revolves around the study of government. It helps the students discover the essential decision-making part of society and the social, economic, and other institutions and practices that influence this decision-making process.
  • The course is not just concerned with current political methods, but also encompasses the history of political development and various political revolutions across the world.
  • The students learn everything about the political practices of India and other countries around the world. The course is quite popular and offered by top universities like the University of Madras, Punjab University, University of Delhi, University of Bombay. These institutes offer this course as a full-time degree program.

Why Study BA Political Science?

Over the past years, BA Political Science has emerged as one of the most preferred courses among students in India. There are many benefits of pursuing this course, some of which are given below.

  • The course imparts in-depth knowledge about the various dimensions of political science like the study of government, law & order, socio-economic practices, etc..
  • Students can find lucrative job offers in the government sector.
  • The course opens up exciting career opportunities in various fields like Federal, state, and local governments, Law, Business and international organizations, Nonprofit associations and organizations, Electoral politics and polling, Journalism, Research, and teaching.
  • Apart from seeking jobs, students who choose to pursue BA Political Science can further opt-out for higher education in the related field. Either way, their knowledge of the subject builds up.
  • The course is a blessing for the students who aim to crack the civil services examination. The course helps them cover a major part of the entrance syllabus.

BA Political Science Admission Process

The admission process for BA Political Science remains similar for most of the colleges, here are the steps that are followed. 

  • The admission to the course is based on the cut-off list issued by the university or college.
  • The application forms are generally released in the month of May or June every year.
  • The application process is generally online but for some universities it is offline.
  • Students are required to fill the application form before the deadline.
  • After the declaration of 10+2 results, universities/ colleges release their respective cutoffs for the course.
  • If the aggregate percentage obtained by the student in the class XII examination satisfies the cut-off criterion issued by the college, he/she is granted admission based on the merit list.
BA Political Science Admission Process

BA Political Science Eligibility

To apply for the BA Political Science, the students should fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

  • The candidates should have passed class XII from a recognized board.
  • The candidate should have scored at least 50% marks in their class XII final examination.
  • Usually, the course is for students who have completed class XII with arts, but science and commerce students are also eligible.

BA Political Science Entrance Exams

The admission for BA political science is usually based on merit. But there are some institutes that do conduct entrance exams as a selection process. Some of the exams for admission into BA political science are:

Exam Name Application Period Exam Date
CUET February 2023– 4th week of March 2023

May 21 – 31, 2023

Reserved date: June 1 –7, 2023

NPAT December 01, 2022 – May 21, 2023  January 04, 2023 – May 31, 2023
TISS BAT To be Announced To be Announced
IPU CET March 2023 - April 2023 April 2023
JNUEE To be Announced To be Announced

BA Political Science Syllabus

BA Political Science Program is divided into six semesters. Each year of study comprises two semesters. The curriculum and syllabus of the program are almost similar for all the top colleges or universities.

For better knowledge of students, a detailed syllabus structure of the course in the University of Delhi is given below.

Semester 1 Semester 2
Understanding Political Theory Political Theory - Concepts and Debate
Constitutional Government and Democracy Political Process in India
Semester 3 Semester 4
Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics. Political Process and Institutions in Comparative Perspective
Perspectives on Public Administration Public Policy and Administration in India
Perspectives on International Relations and World History Global Politics
Semester 5 Semester 6
Classical Political Philosophy Modern Political Philosophy
Modern India Political Thought Indian Political Thoughts

Read the complete detailed BA Political Science Syllabus.

BA Political Science Colleges

A significant number of top universities/colleges across the country offer a BA Political Science course to candidates who have successfully passed class XII examinations from a recognized board. Some of the top colleges offering the course are given below.

BA Political Science Top Colleges in Uttar Pradesh

BA Political Science Top Colleges in West Bengal

BA Political Science Top Colleges in Karnataka

BA Political Science Top Colleges in Maharashtra

BA Political Science Top Colleges in Delhi NCR

College comparison

The table below shows the key comparisons between some of the top colleges in India offering BA Political Science courses.

College name Hansraj College Delhi Christ University, Bangalore Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi
NIRF ranking 9 - 5
College overview Hansraj College is one of the top colleges affiliated to Delhi University. The college offers various undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Christ University is deemed to be a university in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It offers certificate, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs in various academic disciplines Lady Shri Ram College is an Arts College in Delhi. The college offers various Undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts stream. Admission to these courses is done on a merit basis.
Average annual fee INR 18,895 INR 40,000 INR 21,290
Average annual package offered INR 5,50,000 INR 5,75,000 INR 7,50,000

BA Political Science Distance Learning Colleges

Students can also pursue BA Political Science Distance Education courses. There are a number of colleges and universities in India that offer bona fide education in the art stream through distance or correspondence mode.

Here is the list of colleges and universities offering this course in distance mode.

Institute name Location Course duration Average Annual Fee
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Delhi Minimum 3 years and Maximum 6 years INR 9,000
Vardhman Mahaveer Open University Kota Minimum 1 year and a maximum of 3 years INR 14,200
DU School of Open Learning Delhi Minimum 3 years and a maximum of 5 years. INR 3,630
BA Political Science Distance Learning Colleges

BA Political Science: Course comparison

BA Political Science vs BA Political Science Hons

The following table gives some detailed comparisons between BA Political Science Hons and BA Political Science (General) courses.

Parameters BA in Political Science BA in Political Science (Hons)
Course overview This three-year duration course provides students an opportunity to explore different dimensions of arts syllabus. Political science is one of the subjects taught. This three-year duration course is all about political science. All the subjects revolve around one common subject of political science.
Average annual fees INR 5,000-80,000 INR 8,000-1.8 lakh
Average salary offered INR 1.2-3.6 lakh INR 2-10 lakh
Colleges St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Hindu college, Delhi, Hansraj College, Delhi, Christ University, Banglore, Fergusson College, Pune Hindu college, Delhi, Hansraj College, Delhi, Fergusson College, Pune, Loyola College, Chennai
BA Political Science: Course comparison

BA Political Science Jobs

BA Political Science offers an ample amount of career development opportunities. Graduates in the subject can find jobs in Governments, Administrations, Law, Business and International organizations, NGOs, Public Service, Media, Education, and Social Service.

A fresh BA political science graduate can expect an average salary between INR 10,000 to INR 30,000 per month. The table given below shows some of the major job profiles available to fresh BA Political Science graduates.

Job Profiles Job Description Average Annual Salary
Budget Analyst A budget analyst helps businesses organize their budgets. They also offer policy analysis and law advice to lawmakers. INR 6,50,000
Public Relations and Fundraising Manager Public Relations and Fundraising Manager keep an eye over the trending social, political, and economic issues as these factors have a direct effect on any organization. They do a proper analysis of such trends and recommend campaigns and fundraising strategies to their organizations. INR 5,87,228
Political Scientist Political scientists’ main task is to analyze the government systems and make recommendations on necessary policy change decisions. These scientists at times rely on public opinion polls to resolve certain issues. INR 6,00,000
Political Campaign Manager A Political Campaign Manager hires and supervises various tasks related to any campaign. This requires proper analysis and opinion polls. INR 6,13,183
Market Researcher A Market Researcher gathers information on customer views about the products or services of any company. Market researchers might also discuss with clients to understand their business goals and strategies. INR 3,56,195

Salary Trend Graph

Give a look to the following graph comparing salaries of some top job profiles.

BA Political Science Jobs

BA Political Science Scope

  • One can choose to pursue higher education after completion of BA Political Science. There are a lot of academic options like MA Political ScienceMA in International Relations, etc.
  • Other than the traditional M.A. options, there is the option to pursue studies in Law. Students who wish to study law after graduation in political science have the option of a 3 year LLB.
  • The option after the course is not limited to this, yet another option is an MBA. In MBA too, there are multiple specializations one can choose from. These include an MBA in Marketing, an MBA in Finance, an MBA in Human Resources.
BA Political Science Scope

During recent years, BA Political Science as a course has gained immense popularity among students. Students are willing to explore the different aspects of political science.The course is much more popular among the students who aim to crack the civil services examination.

The course helps them cover a major part of the entrance syllabus. While some of the students choose to work, most of them prefer to increase their skill set by pursuing further education in the respective field. With an increase in popularity, the scope of the course is also expected to increase in the coming years by many folds.

BA Political Science FAQs

Ques. What is the eligibility criteria, one must fulfill in order to pursue BA Political Science?

Ans. The only eligibility criterion for this course is that the student should have cleared their senior secondary examination with at least 50% marks from a recognized board.

Ques. How much does it cost to pursue the BA Political Science degree program?

Ans. The average annual fee charged for the course ranges from INR 5,000-INR 80,000 across various colleges and universities across the country.

Ques. Which are some of the most popular colleges offering BA Political Science?

Ans. Some of the most popular colleges offering BA Political Science degree programs are Fergusson college, Pune, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi, Hansraj College, Delhi, Hindu College, Delhi, Christ University, Banglore, DAV College, Chandigarh.

Ques. Can I pursue a BA Political Science degree program through distance learning mode? If yes, then what are some of the colleges offering the same?

Ans. Yes, you can pursue the BA Political Science degree program through distance learning. Some of the institutes offering the course through distance learning are Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Sikkim Manipal University, Annamalai University, Alagappa University, Madurai Kamaraj University.

Ques. What salary can I expect as a fresh BA Political Science graduate?

Ans. The average starting salary for a fresh BA Political Science graduate falls between INR 10,000 to INR 30,000 per month.

Ques. What are the various job positions available to a BA Political Science graduate?

Ans. Some of the job profiles available to a BA Political Science graduate include Editor, News Reporter, Writer, Politician, Bank Manager, Clerk, etc.

Ques. What are the areas of employment for BA Political Science graduates?

Ans. The graduates can find jobs in Federal, state, and local governments, Law, Business and international organizations, Nonprofit associations and organizations, Electoral politics & polling, Journalism, Research and teaching, Politics, Public Service, Media, Education, Social Service, etc.

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Ask your question

Answered Questions

YD

Yuvraj Dua

07 Oct 22

BA and BA Honors are both excellent choices for UPSC CSE. It will aid you in your preparation for the Prelims and Main exams.

In BA course, you must study three different subjects, such as political science, history, and geography, which means that 50% of the syllabus has already been covered, and if you choose Political Science as an optional subject, another 40% has already been covered. So taking a BA course will improve your chances. 

Now, moving on to the BA (Hons), you will study political science in depth, which will help you in the Mains because, as we all know, the difficulty level of optional is higher than the Bachelor level but lower than the Master's level, so it will benefit you greatly. However, because you will only be studying two subjects in your bachelor's programme, you will have to study the third subject on your own.

Thus, you should pursue a BA General course. However, as everyone knows, UPSC is all about extreme hard work, luck, proper planning, guidance, and several other factors. Make your own decision and put in your best effort.

...Show More

PD

Prithviraj Debbarma

21 Oct 22

One of my sister's acquaintances wrote 2016 mains with PSIR optional. She had been working in an IT firm till a month before prelims and had been preparing for a year before. 

Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) is quite fast. The study material provided by IGNOU is good for selective reading for specific topics like Justice, Equality, MN Roy, Sri Aurobindo, Theory of international relations etc. But she had an engineering background and revealed that the notes were not of premium quality.

Paper 1- Part A

Gauba is not bad. But you will need to read the book more than one time to interpret it completely. The information has been divided unevenly within the chapters making it a difficult read. One more good source is Shubra Ranjan's notes. They summarise the points in the UPSC syllabus format.

Paper 1- Part B

Complete Laxmikant.Read the interpretations given by famous analysts, their viewpoints, case laws and their history and the politics that played behind the evolution of laws and how and why the judiciary evolved. Again for this look into Shubra Ranjan notes. For the remaining topics look into Oxford publications.

Paper 2- part A

For this part, the best recommendation is Heywood’s global politics. It’s easy to understand and very well written. Combine this with IGNOU notes and you will get good results. You can also go through questions given in Baylis and Smith because sometimes they appear verbatim and quoting the exact same viewpoint can get you some extra points.

Paper 2 - Part B

Conduct internet research and make your own notes on the topics included in the syllabus. Then go through commentaries on IDSA /IPCS websites. This will give you a better understanding of and current status of relations.

Once you are done with all the study materials, focus on developing the vocabulary for PSIR. Make sure your answers are evenly distributed with theories, quotes, facts, years etc. Practice writing answers a lot. 

...Show More

NV

Nitesh Kumar Verma

30 Sept 21

For BA, the cut-off is usually around 80-85% as of previous year’s records for the Maharashtra students. If you belong to other states, the cut-off will be around 90-95%. depends on how the rest of your peers have performed.

These cut-offs are as per the 1st merit list for Open category students. If you fail to secure a seat, then try during the 2nd and 3rd merit list.

If you are financially stable, then there is an option to get admission at the college after paying donation money.

...Show More

SC

Shakshi Chaudhary

01 Oct 21

I have a friend who completed her BA in Political Science from CSJM. Here are some of the books she suggested. 

  • Laxmikant - Indian Polity or Gauba
  • J.C Lahiri, B.L Fadia - Public Administration
  • World Constitution - Vidya Bhushan
  • Political Thought - Asraf Ali
  • U.R Ghai - International Relations

These books are necessary for B.A Political Science. 

Here are some other factors that can help you get a gold medal. 

  • Conceptual clarity.
  • Real-world examples should be provided to back up your answer.
  • Finish the whole syllabus.
  • Read simple language books. Avoid using guides.
  • Every day is a challenge.

Having good handwriting also helps. 

...Show More

PS

Priya Sen,

03 Nov 21

One of my friends studied at Shyam Lal College (SLC) Evening. Let me share his views about the college which might give you some information.

  • The overall performance of the faculty is average. Ad-hoc teachers only take regular classes. 
  • The student crowd is not good. Students who are focused on their career are less, therefore have no sense of enthusiasm or competition.
  • The library is not good. Lots of study materials are unavailable.
  • Due to careless teaching and less dedication in studies, the students during the internals are bound to get low scores.
  • No extracurricular activities take place. Societies are for namesake. They exist only on papers.

It is suggested that you opt for other colleges because if you are very ambitious, you might get disheartened studying here.

...Show More

AS

Aviral Sharma

20 Oct 20

St. Xavier's College is one of the prestigious colleges of Kolkata. This higher education institute has secured 7th position in the NIRF ranking, 2020. Hindu College ranked at 3 in the NIRF all India ranking 2020. Hindu college is accredited by NAAC with an A+ grade, and SXC is accredited by A++ grade.

Admission:

SXC:

  • The required eligibility is +2 and the selection to the program is based on merit. English must be a compulsory subject at the +2 level.

  • Applicants are selected based on the index calculated with their +2 marks. The index is calculated as the sum of the percentage in English and aggregate percentage. There should be a minimum of 60% in aggregate subjects.

  • 1st-year fee for BA (Hons.) in Political Science is Rs.32,600.

Hindu College:

  • Admissions to UG courses are entrance based or merit-based.

  • The applicants should have a minimum of 60% in their +2 under a recognized board/university. Students should have passed in each subject individually, including the practicals.

  • According to 2019, the cut off required for BA (Hons.) is 99%.

  • 1st-year fee for BA (Hons.) in Political Science is Rs.17,560.

Placement Statistics:

SXC:

The placement cell enables the students to explore and utilize opportunities provided by different companies.

  • Students got placed with salary packages ranging from 3 LPA to 20.5 LPA.

  • The highest salary package offered is 14 Lakhs.

  • The average package was 9.5 Lakhs.

  • Tata Consultancy Services, Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, PWC, JP Morgan, Google, Zomato, United bank of Switzerland, Verity Solutions, Axis Bank, Citi Bank, ICICI Bank, HSBC, HDFC Bank, Infosys, etc. are the regular recruiter companies.

Hindu College:

The college has two cells namely “Disha”- The placement cell, and “Abhyas”- The internship cell to provide better career exposure to the students.

  • The college holds 95% of the total placement record.

  • Top recruiters are Google, Deloitte, HDFC, KPMG, Maruti, Jaypee, Ernst and Young, Protiviti, DE Shaw, Essar, and Royal Sundaram Alliance, among many others.

  • Companies like Design Karkhana, Philip Morris International, Indiabulls, Teach for India, Make a Difference, Empower India, Outlook India, Youth Alliance, Thilo, etc. offer paid internships to the students.

These are the facts that you need to consider while comparing the two institutes. As for which institute will be better for you, you should decide that.

...Show More

PS

Paoli Sengupta

14 Aug 20

Here are the comparisons of both Dyal Singh College and Atma ram Sanatan Dharma College for political science honours.

Factors

Dyal Singh college

Atma Ram Sanatan dharma college

Accredited

NAAC'A'Grade

NAAC'A'Grade

Total fee

39,500

30,500

Duration

3 year (full time)

3 year (full time)

Qualification

12th with 45% marks

12th with 45% marks

Total strength

70 seats

77 seats

Placement

4.5 lakh median salary

3.30 lakh median salary

  • Fee structure:

Both colleges provide political science (hons.) courses in B.A with full duration of 3 years at undergraduate degree level. But the fee charges are some more in Dyal Singh college (39,500) than Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College (30,500) for the full course. The fee is different for different sections of the people.

  • Placement:

Both colleges are public/government so they hold good placement records. Both colleges give nearly 90% placements in political science with a median salary of 4.5 lakh (Dyal Singh College) and 3.30 lakh (Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College).

  • Faculty:

Teachers at A.R.S.D College are helpful. They will always try their best. Methods used by the teachers for teaching are impressive. They used deductive, inductive, and sometimes open debate to teach all students.If we talk about faculty members of D.S College they are also good and well-qualified, but just like other Delhi University colleges, they won't take the pain to initiate. So you have to study yourself finally.

  • Total intake:

Total strength of the seats in political science of Dyal Singh College is nearly 70 and 77 for the Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College.

Qualification eligibility and duration of the course is the same for political science (hons.) of both the colleges. The qualification required for both colleges is 12th class pass out with a minimum of 45% marks. The total duration of the course is three years (full-time).

...Show More

SG

Saurabh Gupta

14 Jul 22

Yes, IGNOU offers BA (Hons) in Political Science. In order to get the BA (Hons) degree, you will have to complete 48 credits in it, during the 3 years. IGNOU course materials are thorough and to the point. IGNOU study materials can be helpful if you are planning on preparing for competitive examinations such as UPSC. The degree has the same valuation as any other Hons degree. 

...Show More

AP

Abhishek Pandey

10 Oct 22

If you are looking for a good college, you need a 90% or higher. There are Hindu, Ramjas, KMC, SGTB, and Hansraj for Political Science. And, to assist you further, Ramjas and Hindu College are the best choices among these. 

Keep a close eye on all of the deadlines before applying for admission. Go to North Campus on the day of the first cutoff. There are many senior students who can advise new students on good colleges, exposure, faculty, infrastructure, and so on. You should visit different colleges based on your cutoff and talk to everyone about the subjects you have to study in addition to Political Science because each college offers different subjects that may or may not be of interest to you. 

You should also look at college rankings. You must not forget to follow these steps before going straight for admission: carefully check cutoffs, visit colleges for guidance, and change admission if necessary if you get a good college in the next one.

...Show More

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