Verified official syllabus source

University of Delhi — B.A. (Hons.) Political Science — official course contents PDF

Semester I papers and unit structure as published in the official Department of Political Science course contents, effective from the academic year 2011-2012 onwards.

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Academic batch: 2024-25
Last reviewed: 2026-10-01
Curriculum source: University of Delhi
Syllabus effective: Academic Year 2011-2012 onwards

The batch above is the student cohort this material is mapped to. The effective period is stated by the official document itself — check your college's current syllabus before relying on either.

University of DelhiSemester IPaper IIIUnit 2 of 4

Organs of Government (15 Lectures)

Paper III: Constitutional Democracy and Government in India · B.A. (Hons.) Political Science · Semester I

The unit heading above is transcribed verbatim from the official course contents, including its published lecture allocation. The notes, key points and explanation below are original material written for this site.

Course applicability

University: University of Delhi
Programme: B.A. (Hons.) Political Science
Semester: Semester I
Course component: Core Discipline Paper
Subject: Political Science
Paper: Paper III: Constitutional Democracy and Government in India

Marks pattern (official): Max Marks 100 = Theory Exam 75 + Internal Assessment 25. Teaching: 5 lectures + 1 tutorial per week (main papers).

Published lectures

Official subtopics

2 / 4

Unit position

60 lectures

Paper total

Official subtopics

Transcribed from the official course contents. These are the examinable headings inside this unit.

The Legislature: Parliament
The Executive: President, Prime Minister and Governor
The Judiciary: The Supreme Court

Unit summary

Surveys the three organs of government as the syllabus frames them. The Legislature is Parliament; the Executive comprises the President, the Prime Minister and the Governor; the Judiciary is represented by the Supreme Court. Follow the paper’s own structure rather than a generic textbook division.

Key points for this unit

Written for this site. Each point is written the way it should appear in an exam answer.

1Use the syllabus grouping exactly: Legislature, Executive (President, PM, Governor), Judiciary (Supreme Court).
2The Governor belongs to the Executive grouping in this paper.
3Separation of powers is the underlying theme across the three organs.

Questions from this unit

Answer skeletons are included. Full set is on the paper's Important Questions page.

Long answer

Describe the three organs of government in India as the syllabus groups them and explain their checks on each other.

Show answer points

• Legislature — Parliament: makes law, controls the executive through questions, votes and no-confidence.
• Executive — President, Prime Minister and Governor: executes law; the Governor links centre and state executives.
• Judiciary — the Supreme Court: interprets law and resolves disputes between organs and between centre and states.
• Explain checks in each direction: executive can advise and (in conditions) dissolve the legislature; the judiciary can strike down executive action; the legislature can legislate and impeach.
• Close on separation of powers as the organising idea, noting the Indian system permits some overlap by design.

Short answer

Why does the syllabus place the Governor with the Executive rather than with the Legislature?

Show answer points

• Because the Governor is the constitutional head of the state executive and is appointed on the advice of the executive government.
• Placing the Governor in the legislature would misstate where the constitutional function lies.

All important questions for Paper III

Revision recap

Condensed recall items for this unit.

Definitions

• Separation of powers — the constitutional distribution of functions among the legislature, executive and judiciary.
• Governor — the constitutional head of a State who acts on the advice of the State executive.

Arguments to remember

• The syllabus groups the organs as Legislature (Parliament), Executive (President, Prime Minister, Governor) and Judiciary (Supreme Court).
• Each organ checks the others — this mutual restraint, not strict separation, is the Indian design.
• The Governor sits with the executive because that is where the constitutional function lies.

Full revision sheet for Paper III

← The Constituent Assembly and the Constitution Federalism and Decentralization →

Back to Paper III hub Previous unit Next unit Important questions Revision sheet PYQ hub

Organs of Government (15 Lectures)

Paper III: Constitutional Democracy and Government in India · B.A. (Hons.) Political Science · Semester I

Course applicability

University

University of Delhi

Programme

B.A. (Hons.) Political Science

Semester

Semester I

Course component

Core Discipline Paper

Subject

Political Science

Paper

Paper III: Constitutional Democracy and Government in India

Marks pattern (official): Max Marks 100 = Theory Exam 75 + Internal Assessment 25. Teaching: 5 lectures + 1 tutorial per week (main papers).

Unit summary

Key points for this unit

Written for this site. Each point is written the way it should appear in an exam answer.

1Use the syllabus grouping exactly: Legislature, Executive (President, PM, Governor), Judiciary (Supreme Court).

2The Governor belongs to the Executive grouping in this paper.

3Separation of powers is the underlying theme across the three organs.

Questions from this unit

Answer skeletons are included. Full set is on the paper's Important Questions page.

Long answer

Describe the three organs of government in India as the syllabus groups them and explain their checks on each other.

Show answer points

• Legislature — Parliament: makes law, controls the executive through questions, votes and no-confidence.
• Executive — President, Prime Minister and Governor: executes law; the Governor links centre and state executives.
• Judiciary — the Supreme Court: interprets law and resolves disputes between organs and between centre and states.
• Explain checks in each direction: executive can advise and (in conditions) dissolve the legislature; the judiciary can strike down executive action; the legislature can legislate and impeach.
• Close on separation of powers as the organising idea, noting the Indian system permits some overlap by design.

Short answer

Why does the syllabus place the Governor with the Executive rather than with the Legislature?

Show answer points

• Because the Governor is the constitutional head of the state executive and is appointed on the advice of the executive government.
• Placing the Governor in the legislature would misstate where the constitutional function lies.

All important questions for Paper III

Revision recap

Condensed recall items for this unit.

Definitions

• Separation of powers — the constitutional distribution of functions among the legislature, executive and judiciary.
• Governor — the constitutional head of a State who acts on the advice of the State executive.

Arguments to remember

• The syllabus groups the organs as Legislature (Parliament), Executive (President, Prime Minister, Governor) and Judiciary (Supreme Court).
• Each organ checks the others — this mutual restraint, not strict separation, is the Indian design.
• The Governor sits with the executive because that is where the constitutional function lies.

Full revision sheet for Paper III

Verified official syllabus source

Course applicability

Official subtopics

Unit summary

Key points for this unit

Questions from this unit

Revision recap

Definitions

Arguments to remember

Continue your revision

Verified official syllabus source

Course applicability

Official subtopics

Unit summary

Key points for this unit

Questions from this unit

Revision recap

Definitions

Arguments to remember

Continue your revision