The making, maintaining and improving the largest democracy of the world calls for adequate learning,research and a knowledge processing system at different levels and areas in a democratic country like ours. The department of Political Science caters to this aspect to create responsible,knowledgeable and morally upright citizens in our Country.
The department started functioning from the academic year 2012-13. Since its inception the department is actively engaged in teaching and research in the field of political philosophy, Modern political history, Indian government and politics, International Relations and Political Sociology as its core areas. The department promotes the study of the principles of social justice, secularism, democratic way of life and focuses on the different approaches to the problems of society. Hence as an academic philosophy the department encourages an interdisciplinary epistemology.
The department stresses on and provides theoretical foundations necessary to analyze different modes of power relations operating in society and state. The assessment of the students is done not only through conventional methods of assignments, tests and tutorials but also by encouraging students to bring their own socio-political perspectives to the classroom and to constantly engage that mode of learning with different aspects of socio-political problems.
Students of the department are constantly encouraged to pursue higher education in reputed institutions across the country. Former students of the department are pursuing MA and MPhil programmes in centres and universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jadavpur University, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences (CSSSC), University of Delhi, Sikkim University and North Bengal University.
The department regularly invites reputed scholars for from diverse fields to deliver their research findings and to engage with the students and update them on different sub-fields of political science. Constant efforts are being made to organise National Level Seminars, Debates and Mock Parliaments to enable students to get a clear sense of the working of the ‘largest democracy’ in the world and contribute towards fulfilling the promises of our Constitution.
1. Understanding Political Science DSC 101
Objective
The objective of the paper is to outline the significance of the term ‘political’ in its broadest socio-political connotations. Its nature and scope as an art and a science, different conceptual and empirical categories are dealt with in details, with the context of their origin and evolution to understand these in connection with the contemporary.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper does not only understand the pivotal concepts of political science but also to develop a critical evaluation of the concepts in connection with practice.
2. DSC 102 PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Objective
The course provides an introduction to the discipline of public administration. This paper encompasses public administration in its historical context with an emphasis on the various classical and contemporary administrative theories. The course also explores some of the recent trends, including feminism and ecological conservation and how the call for greater democratization is restructuring public administration.
Learning Outcome
The students will be able to develop a comprehensive understanding on administrative developments.
3. DSC 203 INDIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Objective
The course acquaints students with the constitutional design of state structure and institutions and their actual working overtime. The Indian constitution accommodates conflicting impulses (of liberty and justice, territorial decentralisation and a strong union, for instance) within itself. The course traces the embodiment of some of these conflicts in constitutional provisions, and shows how these have played out in political practice. It further encourages a study of state institutions in their mutual interaction, and in interaction with the larger extra constitutional environment.
Learning Outcome
1. The course will enable students to Develop a critical perspective on Indian politics
2. Conceptually grasp the institutional dynamics and political processes in contemporary India
3. Have a competence to make informed choices and active participation in Indian politics
4. Western Political Thought DSC 204
Objectives
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the original writings of the great political thinkers whose work has significantly shaped our thinking about the nature of the idea of good, constitutions, social contract, state, and good government. It emphasise not only on the texts of these great thinkers but the context of their writings to trace the trajectories of these concepts quintessential to the understanding of political science.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is not only to familiarise the students to the history of ideas but also to have a locational scrutiny of the present.
5. DSC 305 COMPARATIVE POLITICS
Objective
This is a foundational course in comparative politics. The purpose is to familiarize students with the basic concepts and approaches to the study of comparative politics while analysing various themes of comparative analysis in developed and developing countries.
Learning Outcome
This course will enable the students to develop a comparative analytical perception on the working of different constitutional system of governments in the developed countries.
6. DSC306 PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION IN INDIA
Objective
The paper seeks to provide an introduction to the interface between public policy and administration in India. The essence of public policy lies in its effectiveness in translating the governing philosophy into programs and policies and making it a part of the community living. It deals with issues of decentralization, financial management, citizens and administration and social welfare from a non-western perspective.
Learning Outcome
The students will be theoretically aware of acknowledging different forms of administration that are engaged in formulating certain specific public policies for the welfare of its society.
7. Nationalism in India DSC 307
Objectives
There are different ways of visualising and conceptualising India. These are available to us through the political concepts and concepts that emerged in modern India against the backdrop of colonialism. These include specific ways of interpreting modernity and appropriation of tradition. The paper introduces the students to these approaches to understand the vast array of nationalist discourse, ranging from nationalist to the subaltern.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is to enable to students to have an assessments of the idea of nationalism from a critical lens and to understand the problems and prospects of this idea.
8. SEC 301 PUBIC OPINION AND SURVEY RESEARCH
Objectives
This course will introduce the students to the debates, principles and practices of public opinion polling in the context of democracies, with special reference to India. It will familiarise the students with how to conceptualize and measure public opinion using quantitative methods, with particular attention being paid to developing basic skills pertaining to the collection, analysis and utilisation of quantitative data.
Learning Outcome
This course will help students to enhance better understanding on survey research.
9. DSC 408- INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course Objectives
International Relations is one of the most dynamic disciplines of social sciences. The International system has undergone various changes since the evolution of modern nation state system influenced greatly by developments like capitalism, colonialism, various revolutions around the world, World Wars, cold war, globalization etc. Likewise various actors and issues have played an important role in shaping international system that we have at present. The subject of International Relations cannot be undermined as it has an intrinsic relationship with domestic politics of any nation state. The course provides knowledge on the meaning, evolution and scope of IR. It will also deal with various theoretical traditions that have evolved to understand International Relations and ponders upon major concepts and issues relevant in IR such as National Power, National interest, globalization, international terrorism, international security, international environment, international organizations, international disputes etc, all of which have a tremendous influence in shaping International system.
Learning Outcome:
1. Students will be able to understand the meaning, evolution and scope of IR through various theoretical perspectives and how it shapes working of nation states.
2. They will be able to conceptualize major concepts of IR such as State and non state actors, National Power, National Interest, Diplomacy, Propaganda, etc.
3. They will have an understanding of major issues that shape International relations such as international terrorism, international security, nuclear disputes, and working of an important international organization - United Nations.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching process will involve lectures, active class discussions, debates, power point presentations and assignments.
10. Political Sociology DSC 409
Course Objectives
Politics is about power and authority, however, production and reproduction of the notions of power and authority is manifested beyond the political institutions in the domains of family dynamics, racial discriminations, caste oppressions, and stratifications based on gender. The objective of the paper is familiarise the students to these multifaceted story of production, reproduction and circulation of power in the socio-political realm.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is to enhance the students to understand the exertion of power and authority in the socio-political realm and to equip them to develop a constructive challenge to these operations.
11. Political Theory: Concepts and Debates DSC 410
Course Objectives
There is a body of concepts central to the discipline of Political Science, and these concepts are widely explored to understand individual dignity, public life and political institutions. This paper examines some of these normative political concepts to understand and assess the foundations of modern democracies and better forms of government, so to secure individual dignity.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is both political and personal that pertains directly to the individual students. To have a practical understanding of these individual students to the concepts of liberty, equality, justice and rights to develop their human potential.
12. DEMOCRATIC AND LEGAL AWARENESS (SEC 402)
Course Objectives
The rule of law is an important principle upon which any democratic system rests upon. Therefore, it becomes pertinent that an individual must have sufficient knowledge about various laws in his/her country to enable him/her to make use of it positively for one’s protection of individual rights as well as to prevent anyone from committing acts that aims to hamper rights equally available to others. The course gives knowledge about of various legal structures of India with emphasis on Judiciary, its structures, its role and jurisdictions. It gives an understanding of various legal mechanisms available to an individual in our country to safeguard his/her rights and privileges. It will also give knowledge about various fundamental rights available to the individuals along their fundamental duties.
Learning Outcome:
1. Students will be able to understand the working of Judiciary, its structures, role and jurisdictions.
2. They will be having knowledge about various laws available to them to safeguard their rights and privileges as well as make them aware of acts considered as illegal and punishable.
3. They will know about their Fundamental rights and Fundamental Duties as citizens of this country.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching process will involve lectures, active class discussions, debates, power point presentations, assignments and a field work project.
13. UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL POLITICS (DSC 511)
Course Objective
The course indulges in understanding the meaning and background of world politics and world economy. For this purpose it analyzes various theoretical concepts like Sovereign state system, global economy and economic actors of the world. It also dwells into understanding various divisive forces present in the world like economic inequalities, war, terrorism, Identity, culture etc as well aspires to solve such divisions by dwelling into factors that can bring the world together.
Learning Outcome:
1. Students will be able understand the background of our world in terms of politics and economy.
2. They will have an understanding of our sovereign State system and the working of global economy influenced by various global economic actors.
3. They will know about various divisive forces present in the world and factors that can reduce such divisions and bring the world together.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching process will involve lectures, active class discussions and debates.
14. Indian Political Thought DSC 502
Course Objective
This paper introduces students to the Indian thinkers belonging to diverse intellectual persuasions that opened up ways to envisioning the self, public life and a new world. This paper approaches the body of thought by identifying certain key issues arranged in thematic form.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is to enable the students to provide insights on ideas that these thinkers underlined, to understand its contemporary relevance.
15. DSE 501A PARTY SYSTEM IN INDIA
Course Objective
This course will present to the students a systematic analysis of all major dimensions of Indian Political System. Political parties are important organisation in modern politics and it is almost unthinkable to imagine representative democracy without them.The course is structured around three dimension of party activity, namely party in electorate, party in government and parties as political organisations. It attempts to introduce some core issues and typologies that have put forward to make sense of political parties and party systems. It examines issues like what are political parties and why they are important, different approaches to studying parties and party systems and key debates about the role of parties in the three spheres of elections, government and as organisations.
Learning Outcome: The students will be aware of understanding the working of all the major political party system in India.
16. Human Rights DSC 501B
Course Objective
The spectrum of human rights stresses on vast array of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. The objective of the course is to create serious engagements with this spectrum of rights, and to elaborate on the historical situation that led to the emergence of the conditions of oppressions and subsequent attempts to redress these crucial issues.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the paper is to engage the students with the theoretical understandings concerning human rights and its practical implementation.
17. DSE 502A ELECTORAL PROCESS IN INDIA AND WORKING OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
Course Objective
This course will enable the students to understand the formation and the working of parliamentary system of government in India since Independence. It will also make the students aware of the dynamics of politics in India.
Learning Outcome
The students will have atheoretical understanding regarding the importance of political participation concerning the formation of political system.
18. INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (DSE 502 B)
Course Objective
The course engages in detailed explanation of the background and working of important international organizations such as United Nations, European Union, International Monetary Fund, SAARC, ASEAN, World Trade organization etc. It also analyzes the role played by these bodies in the working of international system in relation to politics and economy.
Learning Outcome:
1. Students will know about various important world organizations that have immense influence in shaping of International politics and economy.
2. They will acquire a detailed understanding of the background and functioning of all these international organizations.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching method for this course would involve class lectures, class discussions and power point presentations.
19. INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY IN A GLOBALISED WORLD (DSC 613)
Course Objective
Any nation state cannot live in isolation in an international system. Foreign policy in a general sense is the formulation of policies and programs by a nation state to interact with other nation states in International arena. The course provides a comprehensive knowledge on the origin, background, determinants and ideological basis of India’s foreign policy in a globalized world. It aims to provide an analytical understanding of India’s relation and foreign policy towards major powers of the world like USA, China and USSR/Russia. The course also engages in understanding India’s role and strategies at regional and global level to emerge as a global power in a multi-polar world order.
Learning Outcome
1. Students will develop a vivid understanding of India’s foreign policy, its origin, determinants and ideological basis.
2. They will be able to scrutinize India’s relation with major global powers like USA, Russia, China in post colonial period.
3. The course will enhance their knowledge about India’s role and strategies both at regional and global level given their vision to become a major global power.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching method will include for class lectures, discussions, debates and action research.
20. Political Ideologies DSC 614
Course Objective
Ideology and discourse plays a significant role in shaping political psychology in a Modern world. They influence government policies, voting patterns, popular culture, our identity and definition of the ‘other’. It influences the way world is interpreted and thus have practical effects. The course introduces the students to key political ideologies that shaped the world.
Learning Outcome
The outcome of the course is to equip the students to different lenses and different views to understand the world, to have their own assessments of the world around them.
21. INDIA AND HER NEIGHBOURS (DSC 603 A)
Course objective
The South Asian political scenario has always been very dynamic constituting issues of conflict and cooperation. While India has been blamed of trying to play the big brother role in the region, India has always aspired to develop cordial and peaceful relationship with its neighbors in South Asia. With such claims and counter claims, the paper provides an analytical outlook on India’s role and relation with its neighboring countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal with emphasis on issues of conflict and cooperation. It also aims to provide an understanding on the background and relevance of these relations for India.
Learning Outcome
1. Students will develop a comprehensive knowledge on India’s relation with its neighbors in South Asia.
2. They will be able to understand the background and importance of these relations for India.
Teaching Methodology
The teaching method for this course would be class lectures and active class discussions with action research.
22. DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA (DSE 603B)
Course Objective
The Development process that India endeavored to follow in the post-colonial period generated immense debates and consequently led to various social movements on the part of its stake holders. The course engages in a comprehensive and critical investigation of various reforms initiated by India since Independence as a part of its nation building process. It also provides knowledge on various social movements like tribal, peasant, Dalit, women etc. as a reaction towards all those reforms.
Learning Outcome
1. Students will have knowledge about various reforms taken by India after its Independence.
2. They will be able to critically analyze all those reforms as well as the ongoing ones.
3. They will be able to scrutinize the background and the framework of various social movements in India.
Teaching Methodology
The teaching method for this course would be class lectures and active class discussions, debates and action research.
23. DSE 604A GRASSROOT DEMOCRACY IN INDIA
Course Objective
This course will enable the students to have a better understanding on the concept of decentralization of power in Indian governmental system. The historical background of Panchayati Raj System in Indiawill help the students to develop better understanding on the formation of the local-self system of governance. This will also engage the students in understanding the powers and the functions of the local self-governance in Indian political system.
Learning Outcome
The students will be aware of the working of the local system of governance in India.
24. EMERGING TRENDS IN INDIAN POLITICS (DSE 604B)
Course Objective
Indian Politics in contemporary times have been greatly influenced by emerging themes of caste, religion, regionalism, coalition politics etc. The course provides an analytical understanding on how these themes are shaping the nature and course of Indian politics. It also studies the emergence and the role of regional political parties in social and political mobilization in relation to the above mentioned themes. It also engages in understanding the impact of globalization on Indian politics.
Learning Outcome
1. Students will be able to familiarize themselves with the new emerging themes in Indian politics like caste, religion, regionalism and coalition politics and its impact upon Indian politics
2. They will know about important regional political parties influencing the broader Indian politics.
3. They will know how the phenomenon of globalization influences the socio-political and economic aspects of India.
Teaching Methodology
Teaching Method includes class lectures, discussions, debates and assignments.
Sonada Campus

Manisha - Thami
Assistant Professor

Pawan Rai
Assistant Professor
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Jessica Merilyn Nyss
Assistant Professor in department of political science

Sneha Manger
Assistant Professor

Jubin Rana
Assistant Professor

Megha Lama
Assistant Professor

Chepal Sherpa
Assistant Professor

Joyce Lepcha
Assistant Professor
Siliguri campus

Bikash Sarma
Assistant Professor

Chimme Tamang
Assistant Professor

Shruti Sharma
Assistant Professor

Sangam Ghatani
Assistant Professor

Jeetendra Sah
Assistant Professor
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Mingu Sherpa
Assistant Professor

Palzor Tamang
Assistant Professor