1. “One word approach” to Master Polity
2. Part one: Constitutional framework.
3. Chapter 1: historical background
4. Company rule: The Era of Charters
5. Crown rule: The Era of government of India acts
6. Candidates with Public Administration
7. Candidates without Public Administration
8. Polity is SCORING
9. About the Book
10. Other good books written by M.Laxmikanth

Question from a reader

I have started reading Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth (TMH Publication)
for the first time. What I wanted to know is:
Is it necessary to remember each act, constitution details and its important features?
How to remember so many things, considering we have to read the entire book?
For example, I am on the 'Features of the Constitution Chapter' and the details in first chapter i.e Regulation Act 1973, Indian Act 1935, etc.; I don't remember each and everything.
I am scared if I am the only one facing this problem and whether we have to remember as we read?

“One word approach” to Master Polity

• Consider the following statement written by M.Laxmikanth in Chapter-1 of his book.
• Regulating Act of 1773:

“… It made the governors of Bombay and madras presidencies subordinate to the Gov. General of Bengal, unlike earlier, when the presidencies were independent of one another”

How to make the statement going your memory?

• Just write a word in your book’s Margin “Bengal Boss.” You don’t even have to write it in English, write it in Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, your mother tongue.
• Next time when You're doing revision, this word in help, you recall the entire provision.
• Thus, you can go through this entire book in a very fast and efficient manner.
• Bruce Lee had developed a special “one-inch” punch. He’ll move his fist for an inch, and yet opponent will be thrown aside by the force of his punch. Think of the one word (or a word-phrase) that can help you punch off the difficult line in the book.
• Here's the best part: almost entire Polity book of M.Laxmikanth in written in numbered bullets. Hence, there is plenty of free space in the margin to write down these “One Words".
• Some candidates also use highlighters or ball pens to mark sentences and words.
• My opinion (and advice) is that if you want something to go in your long-term memory, you must write something with your own hand.
• Because when you highlight a sentence, you are still reading the author’s word and sentence, not your own.
• Don't worry if you book starts looking ugly and unappealing because of your scribbling on the margin. You don't have to return this book to the library, you own it; you must make maximum use of it. Same advice for yours books on History, Public Administration.
• Now back to Indian polity by M.Laxmikanth (Tata Macgrawhill’s Publication), How to proceed with this book?

Part one: Constitutional framework.

Chapter 1: historical background

This chapter deals with how Constitution or the framework of governance, evolved in India.

Company rule: The Era of Charters

• Dictionary meaning of word “Charter” = rental agreement; of goods and services.
• In short, British government gave permission to East India Company to manage the affairs of India for “rent” i.e. East India Company collects the revenue and sends (a portion) to London.
• After some time East India Company doesn’t stay in its ‘aukaat’, becomes too big for its shoes, The British government updates the law to limit the powers of East India Company.
• 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny. Now British government says we don’t want these Commission-agents (East India Company), we're going to run this colony on our own.
• Theymake a new law, we become a colony of the “CROWN”

Crown rule: The Era of government of India acts

• In the year 1858, with the British government takes away the power from East India Company and starts running this colony.
• So we have Government of India act, 1858, later in 1861, 92, 1909, 1919, 1935 and finally, 1947.

Candidates with Public Administration

• This chapter is important for public administration (mains) paper two: Indian administration >> Topic#1  Evolution of Indian Administration >> Subtopic  Legacy of British rule in politics and
• Administration.
• This is a no excuse Chapter. Once in a while you will get “static” questions from the topic. 
• Learn this chapter by heart. The provisions of each act must be at your fingertips.

Candidates without Public Administration

• How much can you memorize, depends on your interest in polity: but following subtopics of Chapter#1, are ‘essential’
• Must: Regulating act of 1773
• Must: Government of India act, 1858, 1909, 1919, 1935 and 1947. (Because Constitution of India evolves from them.)
• For Charter Act 1833/53, and Indian Council India’s act 1861/92, try to see their most important feature only, rather than trying to mugup all 5-6 points.  I don't recall much questions in recent history of UPSC, from these.

Polity is SCORING

Indian polity is a scoring topic for both general studies and public administration. It is not ‘vast’. It can be covered in a short time. Its syllabus has a definite boundary. It is important for all three stages of the exam:: CSAT, mains+Essay and Interview. It can be mastered by any person from any graduation background. However, if you’re going to prepare it with a negative mindset “I can’t do this. Polity is not my cup of tea.” Then of course, you will never master it, because your unconscious mind will not let you master it. Don't force yourself to mug up dates, numbers and names beyond a level, and you’ll do just fine in Polity.

About the Book

Indian polity by the M.Laxmikanth (Tata Macgrawhill’s Publication) is a book loved by IAS toppers and losers alike. Other books on Indian polity:  D.D.Basu, Subhash Kashyap, P.M.Bakshi or M.V.Paylee. Almost All of them write in “paragraphs," from academic point of view. They assume you already know plenty about Polity, hence don’t care much to explain basic terms. M.Laxmikanth directly hits the bull’s eye. He doesn’t write lengthy paragraphs. He gives a lot of subheadings and provides provisions, features, in numbered bullets 1,2,3,4,5… and He uses small sentences and words in such a way, even a 10th standard kid can understand it. So If you hate Polity, the most probable reason is you started with D.D.Basu directly and did not go through M.Laxmikanth.

Other good books written by M.Laxmikanth

• Governance in India : CSAT (GS) topics related to Public Policy, Rights issue etc.
• Public administration (English) and Lok Prashasan (Hindi) for Optional Subject in Mains.