Complete Content Videos, covering Mains 2022, for History, Geography, Social Issues, Polity and Governance, International Relations, Economy, Environment and Disaster Management, Science and Technology, Security Issues, and Ethics, both theory and case studies.
Mains Courses for UPSC 2023
Featured Courses
Mains Answer Writing Courses
Current Affairs Courses and Test Series 2023
About Teacher
- Prerna Trehan Ma’am is a deeply committed teacher with extensive knowledge of political science, international relations, and Indian politics and government.
- She also worked as a parliamentary researcher for Dinesh Trivedi, a former minister of railways and member of parliament.
- She has over 7 years of teaching experience at Chandigarh colleges and has prepared for the UPSC.
- She is a recipient of the UGC Senior Research Fellowship.
- She has served as a guest professor for the MoHRD National Mission on Education through ICT for Postgraduate Courses in Political Science.
- Shekhar Dutt – Coming from an engineering background, Shekhar Dutt became a keen learner of the subject, and there started his attempt to self-teach himself this body of knowledge called Sociology.
- In turn, he proceeded through various texts and works on the subject, attempting to simplify concepts and ideas for himself.
- This, successively, is now helping his students learn the subject fluidly and vividly, using everyday affairs as examples.
- He’s happy to be a part of the successful journey of various UPSC aspirants who have gone on to secure Top Ranks like AIR 2, AIR 5, AIR 13, and have been Top scorers of the subject across the years.
- Reading (and then teaching) Sociology for more than 16 years now has been a life-changing experience for him.
Toppers Say
Course Length and Schedule
Download The Full Schedule for 24 Days PSIR Mains Answer Writing:
Download The Full Schedule for 24 Days Sociology Mains Answer Writing:
Download The Full Schedule For GS Mains Test Series: Mains Test Series 2022
Download The Full Schedule For 48 Days GS Mains Answer Writing Batch 2: 48 MAW Batch 2
Platform for Course Delivery
The course will be delivered through our web platform at courses.sleepyclasses.com.
You can also access all the courses via our Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Syllabus Covered
General Studies
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- Current Events of National and International Importance.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.
For Mains Oriented Full GS Syllabus – Click Here!
Sociology Optional Syllabus
Paper 1
Sociology: The Discipline
- Modernity and social changes in Europe and the emergence of Sociology.
- Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
- Sociology and common sense.
Sociology as a Science
- Science, scientific method, and critique.
- Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
- Positivism and its critique.
- Fact value and objectivity.
- Non-positivist methodologies
Research Methods and Analysis
- Qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Techniques of data collection.
- Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability, and validity.
Sociological Thinkers
- Karl Marx – Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
- Emile Durkheim – Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion, and society.
- Max Weber – Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, the protestant ethic, and the spirit of capitalism.
- Talcott Parsons – Social system, pattern variables.
- Robert K. Merton – Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
- Mead – Self and identity.
Stratification and Mobility
- Concepts – equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty, and deprivation.
- Theories of social stratification – Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
- Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity, and race.
- Social mobility – open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources, and causes of mobility.
Works and Economic Life
- The social organization of work in different types of society – slave society, feudal society, industrial capitalist society.
- Formal and informal organization of work.
- Labour and society.
Politics and Society
- Sociological theories of power.
- Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
- Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
- Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
Religion and Society
- Sociological theories of religion.
- Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
- Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.
Systems of Kinship
- Family, household, marriage.
- Types and forms of family.
- Lineage and descent.
- Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
- Contemporary trends.
Social Change in Modern Society
- Sociological theories of social change.
- Development and dependency.
- Agents of social change.
- Education and social change.
- Science, technology, and social change.
Paper 2
Introducing Indian Society
- Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society: Indology (G.S. Ghure); Structural functionalism (M. N. Srinivas); Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai).
- Impact of colonial rule on Indian society: Social background of Indian nationalism; Modernization of Indian tradition; Protests and movements during the colonial period; Social reforms.
Social Structure
- Rural and Agrarian Social Structure: The idea of Indian village and village studies; Agrarian social structure— evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
- Caste System: Perspectives on the study of caste systems: G. S. Ghurye, M. N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille; Features of caste system; Untouchability-forms and perspectives
- Tribal Communities in India: Definitional problems; Geographical spread; Colonial policies and tribes; Issues of integration and autonomy.
- Social Classes in India: Agrarian class structure; Industrial class structure; Middle classes in India.
- Systems of Kinship in India: Lineage and descent in India; Types of kinship systems; Family and marriage in India; Household dimensions of the family; Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.
- Religion and Society : Religious communities in India; Problems of religious minorities.
Social Changes in India
- Visions of Social Change in India: Idea of development planning and mixed economy; Constitution, law and social change; Education and social change.
- Rural and Agrarian Transformation in India: Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes; Green revolution and social change; Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture; Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.
- Industrialization and Urbanisation in India: Evolution of modern industry in India; Growth of urban settlements in India; Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization; Informal sector, child labour; Slums and deprivation in urban areas.
- Politics and Society: Nation, democracy and citizenship; Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite; Regionalism and decentralization of power; Secularization.
- Social Movements in Modern India: Peasants and farmers movements; Women’s movement; Backward classes & Dalit movements; Environmental movements; Ethnicity and Identity movements.
- Population Dynamics: Population size, growth, composition and distribution; Components of population growth: birth, death, migration; Population Policy and family planning; emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.
Challenges of Social Transformation: Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability; Poverty, deprivation and inequalities; Violence against women; Caste conflicts; Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism; Illiteracy and disparities in education
PSIR Optional Syllabus
Paper – I: Political Theory and Indian Politics:
PART – A: Political Theory and Thinkers
- Political Theory: meaning and approaches.
- Theories of state: Liberal, Neo-liberal, Marxist, Pluiralist, post-colonial and Feminist.
- Justice: Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
- Equality: Social, political and economic; relationship between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
- Rights: Meaning and theories; different kinds of rights; Concept of Human Rights.
- Democracy: Classical and contemporary theories; different models of democracy—representative, participatory and deliberative.
- Concept of power: hegemony, ideology and legitimacy.
- Political Ideologies: Liberalism, Socialism, Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism and Feminism.
- Indian Political Thought: Dharamshastra, Arthashastra and Buddhist Traditions; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M. K. Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar, M. N. Roy.
- Western Political Thought : Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, John S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt.
PART – B: Indian Government and Politics:
- Indian Nationalism: Political Strategies of India’s Freedom Struggle : Constitutionalism to mass Satyagraha, Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience; Militant and Revolutionary Movements, Peasant and Workers Movements; Perspectives on Indian National Movement; Liberal, Socialist and Marxist; Radical Humanist and Dalit.
- Making of the Indian Constitution : Legacies of the British rule; different social and political perspectives.
- Salient Features of the Indian Constitution : The Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles; Parliamentary System and Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine.
- Principal Organs of the Union Government : Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and Supreme Court; Principal Organs of the State Government : Envisaged role and actual working of the Executive, Legislature and High Courts.
- Grassroots Democracy : Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government; Significance of 73rd and 74th Amendments; Grassroot movements.
- Statutory Institutions/Commissions : Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Finance Commission, Union Public Service Commission, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Women; National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Minorities, National Backward Classes Commission.
- Federalism : Constitutional provisions; changing nature of centre-state relations; integrationist tendencies and regional aspirations; inter-state disputes.
- Planning and Economic development : Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives; Role of Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply. planning and public sector; Green Revolution, land reforms and agrarian relations; liberalization and economic reforms.
- Caste, Religion and Ethnicity in Indian Politics.
- Party System : National and regional political parties, ideological and social bases of parties; Patterns of coalition politics; Pressure groups, trends in electoral behaviour; changing socio-economic profile of Legislators.
- Social Movement : Civil liberties and human rights movements; women’s movements; environmentalist movements.
Paper II: Comparative Politics and International Relations
PART – A: Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics:
- Comparative Politics : Nature and major approaches; Political economy and political sociology perspectives; Limitations of the comparative method.
- State in Comparative Perspective : Characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and advanced industrial and developing societies.
- Politics of Representation and Participation : Political parties, pressure groups and social movements in advanced industrial and developing societies.
- Globalisation : Responses from developed and developing societies.
- Approaches to the Study of International Relations : Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and Systems theory.
- Key Concepts in International Relations : National interest, security and power; Balance of power and deterrence; Transational actors and collective security; World capitalist economy and globalisation.
- Changing International Political Order: Rise of super powers; Strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and cold war; Nuclear threat; Non-aligned Movement : Aims and achievements; Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; Relevance of non-alignment in the contemporary world.
- Evolution of the International Economic System : From Brettonwoods to WTO; Socialist economies and the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new international economic order; Globalisation of the world economy.
- United Nations : Envisaged role and actual record; Specialized UN agencies—aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
- Regionalisation of World Politics : EU, ASEAN, APEC, AARC, NAFTA.
- Contemporary Global Concerns : Democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice terrorism, nuclear proliferation.
PART – B: India and the World
- Indian Foreign Policy : Determinants of foreign policy; the institutions of policy-making; Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply. Continuity and change.
- India’s Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement Different phases; Current role.
- India and South Asia: Regional Co-operation : SAARC-past performance and future prospects; South Asia as a Free Trade Area; India’s “Look East” policy; Impediments to regional co-operation : River water disputes; illegal cross border migration; Ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; Border disputes.
- India and the Global South : Relations with Africa and Latin America; Leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO negotiations.
- India and the Global Centres of Power : USA, EU, Japan, China and Russia.
- India and the UN System: Role in UN Peace-keeping; Demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
- India and the Nuclear Question : Changing perceptions and policy.
- Recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy : India’s position on the recent crises in Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia, growing relations with US and Isreal; Vision of a new world order.
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Strategy and Approach
Frequently Asked Questions
How to solve doubts in GS content course?
This Course is comprehensively designed so that you can get all your doubts cleared within the lecture but in case of doubt still persists, we have the facility of a discussion board where you can write your doubt and our expert will revert you back as soon as possible.
Is The Course Enough to Crack UPSC?
There’s no defined Mantra to crack UPSC. Yes, you can prepare comprehensively, as course content is prepared from wide range of sources. Moreover, course has been structured in such a way that you can practice rigorously before prelims and mains. So, this could be the best way to get a rank.
Is There a Deadline for Sending Answers for Daily Answer Writing?
No there is no such deadline, As this course is valid till 31 Dec 2023 so you can send your answers anytime between this period.
Is this course suitable for freshers too?
Yes, Our Course is so well designed that it starts from basic and takes you to an advanced level. So you can access this course at any level of your preparation.
Will the video be live or pre-recorded? What will be the timings of the Lectures?
All the videos will be pre-recorded which will be recorded recently from time to time and include current affairs, recent UPSC questions. These videos will be made available to you at 9 am and can be viewed whenever you want as per your comfort. It will be recommended that you prepare a proper schedule of your own.
