During the past four decades, the centre has contributed to advancements in its field both locally and internationally through excellence in research and teaching, and collaboration in various projects. In the initial stages, the centre emphasized a study of the working of political institutions and political processes in the Indian context. Moving away from the behavioural tradition in the study of Political Science, it soon began to focus on the complexity of state-society interactions from the perspective of political economy. The level of political scrutiny of political institutions increased to include a more flexible, dynamic and open way of studying governance and its limitations. The centre stressed, and provided to its students, a theoretical foundation necessary to analyze modes of domination and subordination, and overt and covert forms of expressions of power. It also distinguished itself as being a leading institution of the study of political philosophy and political ideas in India.
In the first decade of its existence, the main concern of the Centre was to place its teaching programme on a sound footing and lay the foundation of its research activities. Accordingly, the M.A. and M.Phil. programmes were developed so as to combine the requirement of adequate training in the essentials of Political Science while retaining a multidisciplinary perspective. Over the years, the centre has emerged as a dynamic and innovative department, which has pioneered new courses and experimented with new modes of teaching and learning. The M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes have set benchmarks for other Centres of Political Science in India and elsewhere.
The faculty has subsequently made a substantial contribution to research on the following issues:
State and Development | Democratic Theory | Political Ideas in Modern India |
Social and Legal Justice | Civil Society and Human Rights | Dalit and Radical Movements |
Equality and non-discrimination | Gender Issues | Multiculturalism |
Federalism and Centre-State Relations | Language Politics and Policies | Secularism |
Public Institutions and Public Policy | Political Parties and State Politics | Bureaucracy and Public Administration |