Department of Political Science

Established in 1979, the Department of Political Science  is among  the leading Departments in the country. We are proud of our teaching reputation, academic rigour and our steadfast commitment to equity, inclusiveness, and diversity. We also uphold the global commitment to sustainable development.

We cover almost all aspects of contemporary politics in India and South Asia and attempt to integrate teaching and research at every level. We have three programmes including an M.A., M.Phil., and a PhD. Our programmes aim to provide students with learning experiences that are both sensitive to context and comparative at the same time. The courses across programmes also give them the theoretical heft to make sense of the challenges that beguile contemporary India. The courses leverage the strong tradition of the department in five core areas including Political Theory, Public Policy and Administration, International Relations, Comparative Politics and Indian Government and Politics.

The M.A. programme is designed to give students a solid grounding in the basics of the discipline. In the second year, the students have a greater choice including the option of taking courses outside the department. We encourage exceptional students to write a dissertation on a topic of their choice in the final year. Our M.Phil programme emphasises research skills and is intended to give students the initial instruction in research. The PhD. programme aims to  train students to tackle some of the most pressing concerns in social and political life in contemporary India and its relations with the outside world.

The Department of Political Science was recognized as a Centre of Advanced Study (CAS) by the University Grants Commission (UGC), and received a grant of 1 crore rupees, having earlier completed three phases of Special Assistance Programme under UGC.

The core research areas of the Department include Indian Political Thought, Indian Politics and Policy, International Politics, Human Rights, Gender Studies, State Institutions, Rural Development and Governance, Elections and Northeast-India studies.  The faculty has published its research as books with reputed publishers and articles in refereed national and international journals. It has also taken up socially and politically relevant research projects, which have enhanced the understanding of socio-political phenomena. The faculty has also contributed to diverse initiatives such as E-Patshala and the archiving of political documents related to the bifurcation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.   The Department members have been part of academic committees, policy bodies and journal boards. They have served as referees of books and articles of periodicals and publications both in India and abroad.

The students of the Department have been recipients of the UGC JRF/NET, ICSSR, Rajiv Gandhi, Maulana Azad and other fellowships. We have an active student society called Communitas which is integral to the life of the Department. This society regularly hosts guest speakers, mentors new students and is among the most vibrant student societies on campus