Bachelor of Arts in Political Science is an Undergraduate program in Arts and Social Science offered at college level in India. The basic eligibility for admission to this program is a Pass in 10+2 examination.  

The duration of BA in Political Science, like all undergraduate programs, is 3 years. The average tuition fee for the course ranges from 3000 INR to 30,000 INR for 3 years.

BA Political Science degree holders, usually, find employment in a variety of sector like Public Service, Media, Education, Social Service, Publishing, Politics etc. The average salary for a Political Science graduate falls between 10,000 INR to 25,000 INR per month. 

Duration of the Course

A Bachelor of Arts course in Political Science is of 3 years duration. Colleges which follow Semester system of assessment have two semesters in each year, while colleges which follow annual system have one term per year. For BA in Political Science through distance or correspondence mode, the minimum duration is 3 years and maximum duration ranges from 5 to 6 years.

History of the Course

In India, the study of Politics and its nature goes back to ancient times. Even epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana have excerpts which relate to good governance and political theories. Kautilya’s famous Arthashastra is a treatise on political thought, economics and social order.

In modern times, Political science as a subject of study emerged around 1937 when the Department of Politics and Public Administration was established at the University of Madras. Soon it was followed by similar departments in Panjab University, University of Calcutta and University of Bombay.

Where to study?

With more than thousand Colleges offering BA in Political Science, it becomes vital to select a college which falls in the top ranks. Here is a list of some top colleges for Bachelor of Arts in Political Science course.

• Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi
• St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai
• Christ University, Bangalore
• Miranda House College, Delhi
• Presidency College, Chennai
• Fergusson College, Pune
• Presidency University, Kolkata
• Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata
• Kamla Nehru College for Women, Kapurthala
• Shri H K Arts College, Ahmedabad

What is the course about?

Politics has been one of the sustaining features of governance across civilization. A Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, apart from dealing with Political theories, also teaches about various systems of governance, economics, sociology, international relations, global politics, psychology etc.

The course gives an idea about how a nation runs and teaches how to interpret and analyze political systems. This course is ideal for students who have an interest in learning the mechanisms of the administrative aspects of a country. The course not just deals with modern political scenarios but also encompasses the history of political development, various political revolutions across the world, thus helping a student learn the Political practices of countries around the world.

Academic Options after BA in Political Science

After a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, a student has multiple academic options available in India. A student vying for higher studies can opt for an MA in Political Science which is a Master’s degree in Political Science. A student can also opt for an MA in International Relations.

Other than the traditional MA 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 3 year LLB course which is offered to students after graduation in any stream.

The option to do an MBA is also open for students after BA in Political Science. In MBA too, there are multiple options like MBA in HRM, MBA in Marketing etc. 

Aspirants seeking admission to 3-year Full-time BA Program must have passed Higher Secondary Examination of the state or an Examination accepted by the university as equivalent thereto.