CBSE Class 12 Political Science Important Topics 2027
Last updated:
Every topic ranked by how often and how recently it was asked in 5 board + 2 official sample papers (2022–2026). Teal tags = board papers, orange tags = official sample papers.
Top 10 most important topics
| # | Topic | Chapter | Asked in | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Causes of globalisation | Globalisation | Board 2022Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | SAARC and SAFTA | Contemporary South Asia | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 3 | One-party dominance and democracy | Era of One-Party Dominance | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 4 | Defection ('Aya Ram Gaya Ram') | Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 5 | Consequences of shock therapy | The End of Bipolarity | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 6 | Causes of the disintegration of the USSR | The End of Bipolarity | Board 2023Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 7 | Security challenges of newly independent nations | Security in the Contemporary World | Board 2024Board 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 8 | Consequences of the end of bipolarity | The End of Bipolarity | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 9 | Agenda 21 (Earth Summit) | Environment and Natural Resources | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 10 | Traditional notion of security | Security in the Contemporary World | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Chapter-wise important topics
The Cold War Era · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| Suez Crisis (1956) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Logic of military alliances asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
The End of Bipolarity · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| Consequences of shock therapy asked 2× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Causes of the disintegration of the USSR asked 2× | Board 2023Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Consequences of the end of bipolarity asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Republics of the former Soviet Union asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| India-Russia relations asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Features of the Soviet system asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Shock therapy and its features asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Disbanding of the USSR (1991) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Causes of Soviet disintegration asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Post-communist conflicts asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Shock therapy evaluation asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Economic stagnation of the USSR asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| India-Russia relations after the Cold War asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gorbachev and Soviet reforms asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Alternative Centres of Power · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| ASEAN as an economic association asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Japan as an alternative centre of power asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| The ASEAN Way asked 2× | Board 2023Board 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Effectiveness of the European Union asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Emerging alternate centres of power asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Chinese economic reforms and their effects asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| China's gradual economic reforms asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ASEAN Way and regional peace asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ASEAN Security Community and economic progress asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| India-China contentious issues and cooperation asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Three pillars of the ASEAN Community asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Founder members of ASEAN asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Economic importance of the European Union asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EU as a supranational organisation asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Strength of the European Union asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| US aid (Marshall Plan) and European integration asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ASEAN Vision 2020 asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chinese economic reforms asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Strengths of the European Union asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Contemporary South Asia · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| SAARC and SAFTA asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Democratisation in Maldives asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| South Asia, outside powers and Sino-Indian relations asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| US involvement in South Asia asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Countries of South Asia asked 2× | Board 2022Board 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Geography and cultural distinctiveness of South Asia asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Democracy in Nepal asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| India-Pakistan nuclear tests and global attention asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SAARC and regional cooperation asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Democratic aspiration in South Asia asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Rulers of Pakistan (military and democratic) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Obstacles to democracy in Pakistan asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Constitution of Bangladesh asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Sri Lankan ethnic conflict and LTTE asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Democracy in South Asia asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Military rule in Pakistan asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
International Organisations · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| UN reform and India's claim to a permanent seat asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Evolution and structure of the UN asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| UN in a unipolar/changed world asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Role and relevance of the UN asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Organs of the UN and their functions asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| UN agencies and their functions asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| UN organs, agencies and key organisations asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Formation timeline of international organisations asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Relevance of the UN and US influence asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Need for international organisations asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Criteria for UN Security Council reform (1997) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Role of the UN Security Council asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Strength/role of the United Nations asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| UNICEF and its functions asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Security in the Contemporary World · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| Security challenges of newly independent nations asked 2× | Board 2024Board 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Traditional notion of security asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Emergence of global security asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cooperative/traditional security forms asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Global poverty as a non-traditional threat asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cooperative security concepts (CBM, arms control, disarmament) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Geography of contemporary armed conflicts asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Limits of deterrence against new threats asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Just war / legitimate use of force asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Security threats, disarmament and terrorism asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty / disarmament asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Traditional security measures asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Traditional vs non-traditional security asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Traditional vs new (non-traditional) security threats asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Human security: narrow vs broad asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Global threats to security asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Meaning of security asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Environment and Natural Resources · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| Agenda 21 (Earth Summit) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| North-South divide on emissions asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Global North-South divide and saving the planet asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Resource geopolitics and oil asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Environmental laws and agreements timeline asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Global warming and industrial pollution asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Human causes of environmental degradation asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Global environmental initiatives/movements asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Global commons asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Steps to check pollution / protect environment asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Global environmental concerns asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Common but differentiated responsibilities asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Earth Summit (Rio 1992) and global environmental politics asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Conservation of natural resources asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Globalisation · Part A - Contemporary World Politics
| Causes of globalisation asked 4× | Board 2022Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| Globalisation and decline of the welfare state asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Political consequences of globalisation asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Resistance to globalisation in India asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Globalisation and the welfare state asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Concept of globalisation asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Multi-dimensional nature of globalisation asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Social safety nets asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Impact of globalisation on the state asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Multi-dimensional and uneven nature of globalisation asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cultural/everyday effects of globalisation asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Economic consequences of globalisation asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Challenges of Nation-Building · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Linguistic states and democracy asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Integration of princely states (Manipur) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Challenges of nation-building after independence asked 2× | Board 2023Board 2024 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Leaders of early independent India asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Consequences of Partition (1947) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Language and nation-building asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Linguistic reorganisation (Andhra, Potti Sriramulu) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Integration of princely states asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Integration of princely states / accession asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Consensus goals of the national movement asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Identify states (princely merger, partition, state reorganisation) asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gandhi and communal violence at Partition asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Integration of princely states (Sardar Patel) asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Era of One-Party Dominance · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| One-party dominance and democracy asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Integral humanism (Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Jana Sangh) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Early leaders and their parties asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| One-party dominance vs one-party system asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Period of Congress dominance asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Socialist vs Communist opposition parties asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Reasons for Congress dominance asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Identify Indian states linked to early Congress-era politics asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Politics of Planned Development · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Early initiatives of the Planning Commission asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Models of development adopted by India asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Objectives of the Planning Commission asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Planning Commission / NITI Aayog asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Left vs right in development debates asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Second Five Year Plan (Mahalanobis) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Choice of the development path / planning asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Five Year Plans and planned development asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
India's External Relations · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Objectives of India's foreign policy asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| India-China normalisation (1979 visit) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| India and Afro-Asian unity asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Bandung Conference and Afro-Asian unity asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| DPSP and international peace (Article 51) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Foreign policy and national interests asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Foreign policy and Article 51 (international peace) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| India's foreign policy and world peace asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Afro-Asian unity and Bandung/Panchsheel asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Indo-US relations and non-alignment in the 1950s asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Objectives of Nehru's foreign policy asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nehru's role in shaping foreign policy asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Defection ('Aya Ram Gaya Ram') asked 2× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Identify states (SVD coalition, 1967 defections, Kamaraj) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Congress split of 1969 asked 2× | Board 2022Board 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Identify states (Shastri, DMK, 1967 coalition, 1969 Presidential election) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Abolition of privy purses (Indira Gandhi) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Challenges in the Lal Bahadur Shastri era asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Syndicate, Garibi Hatao and Grand Alliance asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Economic crisis before the 1967 elections asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Political succession after Nehru (Lal Bahadur Shastri) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Context of the 1967 (fourth) general elections asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Garibi Hatao and anti-poverty steps asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
The Crisis of Democratic Order · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Outcomes of the 1977 elections asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Judiciary-Parliament conflict (1973) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Identify states (1974 student movement, Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram, 1977 Congress rout) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Role of Jayaprakash Narayan asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1977 elections and Janata Party victory asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Identify Indian states (Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram, Naxalites, 1977 Congress rout) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1974 Railway Strike (build-up to Emergency) asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Shah Commission of Inquiry on the Emergency asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| First non-Congress/coalition (Janata) government, 1977 asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Causes of the Emergency (1975) asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Total Revolution (Jayaprakash Narayan) asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Janata Party government instability asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Excesses during the Emergency (1975) asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Regional Aspirations · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Early politics of Jammu and Kashmir asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Creation of North-Eastern and other states asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Regional demands and unity in diversity asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Bodo community (Assam) asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Sixth Schedule and tribal autonomy asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Merger of Sikkim asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Regional aspirations and nation-building asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Accommodation of regional aspirations asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Assam Accord and peace asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Regionalism vs communalism asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Democratic accommodation of regional aspirations asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Assam movement against outsiders (1979-1985) asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Regional aspirations within democratic politics asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| North-East Indian states asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chronology of Kashmir and Punjab events asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| North-East region and the Sino-Indian war asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Recent Developments in Indian Politics · Part B - Politics in India since Independence
| Appointment of the Mandal Commission asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Emerging consensus among parties asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Advantages of the multi-party system asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Mandal Commission recommendations asked 2× | Board 2023Board 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Rise of multi-party/coalition system since 1989 asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Political developments 1989-1999 asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| End of Congress system, rise of coalition era asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Chronology of coalition-era events asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Rise of the BJP asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Rise of coalition governments after 1989 asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Emerging consensus among political parties asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| National Democratic Alliance asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Coalition government after 1999 asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Major developments of the 1990s asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Prime Ministers of the coalition era asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Coalition governments and alliances asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Changes in Indian politics after 2014 asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Era of coalition governments, Mandal and Mandir issues asked 1× | Board 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Economic reforms of 1991 asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Regional parties in government asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Identify Indian states/UTs (Mandal, BSP, 2019 UT, DMK) asked 1× | Board 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Emerging consensus after 1989 asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Recent changes in Indian politics and welfare programmes asked 1× | Board 2022 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Importance = how often a topic was asked × how recent, with extra weight for the latest official sample paper.