Political Science

INTRODUCTION

• The department of Political Science creates a conducive climate on campus and in the greater Community.
• We will foster civic mindedness and civic responsibility.
• We will contribute to a better understanding of the world by engaging in and supporting inter-cultural and inter-disciplinary studies.
• We will strive to provide our students with the best education possible by continuously exploring better methods for inclusion in learning experience.
• The department contributes to a better understanding of the world of politics both in the broader scholarly community, the university and the local community.

 

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT

The department of Political Science was introduced in the year 1966 under the able leadership of Shri. Moynul Haque, first Lecturer of Political Science department. From the horse’s mouth, it can be said that soon after Sir. Haque completed his post-graduation from Guwahati University, he got a call from Sir. Mody K. Marak, who happened to be his father’s good friend, the President of the then Governing body, to join the college. The reason for this was because the college was having a problem of proper and permanent affiliation to a University, so Sir. Moynul Haque joining facilitate the process of affiliation to Guwahati University. On this very inception, Sir. M. Haque was made the HOD, by the authority bestowed on him by the chief of the Governing body of Tura Government College, Sir. Mody K. Marak, on the grounds that being the first person and pioneer of the department, he should befittingly assumed the role of the HOD. The college at this time was still a private college and the teaching staff were paid a lump sum of Rs. 350/- per month. A year after the political science started in 1966, in 1967 the Government of Assam under the aegis of the Guwahati University took over the reigns of the college up to 1972, the year when Meghalaya attain a full statehood and henceforth the affiliation now when to NEHU, as it was located in the same state. After Sir. M. Haque joined the college, soon Sir. Kenneth M. Momin also joined the department, before the college was provincialized. It is worth mentioning that Dr. Rotish Dutta, from the department of Philosophy who hails from the Dubri district was the first Principal of the college in the year 1958, when the college was still running under the private system. Other teachers like sir. Lamare, Sir. Mawthoh and Madam Helena Nongrum joined the department after the college was provincialized in the year 1967.

 

TEACHERS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE FROM 1966 TO 2018

1. Shri. Moynul Houque ----1966 to 1998
2. Shri. Kenneth M. Momin ---- 1966 to 1998
3. Smt. Helena Nongrum -----
4. Shri. Linus T. Sangma
5. Smt. C. W. Momin ---- 1982 – (Joined Tura Public School as the Principal in 1983)
6. Smt. Delinda Mawthoh ---- 1983 to
7. Shri. Richard V. Khonglah --- 1991
8. Shri. Terence D. Marak --- 1991
9. Smt. Larisha Kharpuri ---
10. Smt. Dharina Kharsandi
11. Shri. Monoronjon R. Marak --- 31^st May 2001
12. Smt. Soja D. Marak ---- 25^th September 2006
13. Shri. Ferdinand B. Basan --- 30^th September 2006
14. Smt. Rijaijai Challam --- 4^th October 2006
15. Shri. Ronnie Wahlang --- 6^th July 2009
16. Smt. Ripamchi A. Sangma --- 7^th July 2009
17. Smt. Kherbadri Nongkhalaw --- 7^th March 2014

 

DEPARTMENTPART PROFILE

 

MISSION

• we will contribute to the future success of our students by helping them to develop skillsets that will make them competitive the employment market, inclined to being active in the political arena.
• It provides students with a broad-based political education that is grounded in the field’s theoretical traditions, which includes a strong background in the fundamental branches of our discipline. The students body election or to be specific the TGCSU or the Tura Govt. College Student’s Union, which is a primary bonafide student’s body of the college, teaches or gives experience to the aspiring would be leaders the platform to train them young with values which in the long run, practically helps them go on to become good leaders. It also helps students become engaged in local politics. Students gain abilities to critically assess contemporary political events and identify practical solution to social problems.
• Political Science major develops analytical and methodological skills that will serve them with regardless of their chosen profession.
• Consistent with our commitment to outreach and service at the national, local and university level, we endeavor to create a better understanding of public and world affairs.

 

VISION

• Training Tura’s Meghalaya own young leaders by giving them the much-needed values and training to become accountable and responsible civic political leaders of the District, State and the Nation.
• To create awareness about Humanism among the students.
• To create awareness about Political Philosophy.
• To make Political Science students a civilized citizen of India.
• To spread Constitutional values like Democracy, Secularism, Fraternity and Equality among the Students.
• To cultivate knowledge about Indian and Western Constitution, alongside the various third world countries, under developed, developing and developed Constitutions.

 

BEST PRACTICES OF THE DEPARTMENT

1. The department turns ‘politically interested and concerned students into politically literate college graduates, whatever their carrier plans or other interests.
2. A common introductory course ideally the introduction to politics.
3. A capstone experience in the senior year, such as a seminar or research project which would give students the opportunity to integrate and synthesize prior learning.
4. Exposure to analytical approaches and methods of inquiry, normative and empirical, through a specific scope and methods course, and applied course such as public policy, or across the curriculum.
5. By organizing learning experiences on topics in traditional Courses, the department enables the students to acquire the necessity to read, comprehend and analyze contemporary political texts.
6. During internal tests the department in order to save papers, tries to minimize the papers used in the form of Question paper, by simply writing the questions on the white board.

 

PROGRAMMESPECIFICOUTCOME

1. The first paper ‘Political Theory’ is an introduction to the basic concepts, ideas and theories with Perspectives and dimensions on its contemporary relevance.
2. ‘Major Political System’ the II nd paper deals with the four major political system of the world. This paper tries to inculcate the constitutional and legal provisions, ideological basis, institutional arrangements and their social and economic background.
3. ‘Indian Political System’ the III rd paper focuses on the political process and the actual functioning of the Indian political system with an emphasis on the role of social and economic processes in the functioning of the political systems in India.
4. The IV th paper ‘International Politics’ deals with the concepts and dimensions of international relation and highlight major debates within the different theoretical paradigms, with the dominant theories of power and the different aspect of the balance of power.
5. The V th paper ‘Western Political Thought’ studies the classical tradition in political theory from Plato to Marx with a view to understand how the great thinkers explained and analyzed political events and problems of their time and prescribed solutions. The texts are interpreted both in historical and philosophical perspective to understand the universality of the enterprise of the political theorizing
6. Paper VI th ‘Modern Indian Political Ideas’ seeks to highlight the contribution of Indian political thinkers during the phase of national struggle for freedom and to critically evaluate their ideas.
7. “Government and Politics in North-East India’ the VII th paper’s objectives is to enable the students to understand the political developments that had taken place in the North-East region as well as to equip them with the knowledge of what is going on politically in and around the different states of the region.
8. The last and the VIII th paper ‘International Organization’ deals with genesis of international organization and humanity ‘s quest for peace and international security which remains the backdrop of this paper for accessing the working of the United Nations covering both its achievements and challenges.

 

COURSE OUTCOME

SEMESTER I

(Psc.01: POLITICAL THEROY)

1. This paper being the first paper offered by the department of Political science, seeks to make the fresh students of Political Science get a grasp on the ideas, concept and theories in Political Theory.
2. Secondly, the students definitely gain a good insight of some very significant topics of relevance like for eg: why is political Theory studied? What is state and what are its function? Concepts like Right, Liberty, Equality, Law, Justice, Political obligation and lastly to have in-depth knowledge on the idea of democracy and its present significant.
3. Thus, this first paper tries to enlighten the students of Political Science to the basic concept on which the foundation of the subject entirely rests!

SEMESTER II

(Psc.02: MAJOR POLITICAL SYSTEMS

1. This paper offers Constitutional features in stark comparison to our Indian Constitution and critically examines the working of those four Constitutions by comparing it to India, the students tends to gain a better understanding of the different Constitution.
2. Secondly, the students become quite knowledgeable to understand on Constitutional setup suited for different Country.
3. Finally, by gaining this offered knowledge, in the long run, the students can go for further studies in the similar field and they can also apply for jobs related to it, for which the students of Political Science can be said to be better equipped than a layman who do not have Political Science as one of the optional papers

SEMESTER III

(Psc.03: INDIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM)

1. Students will definitely gain a wide spectrum of ideas on the political system and political processes practiced in our country India. They not only gain a better insight of the Indian political system, but it goes a long way for the students to apply for jobs related with it. Hopefully, these students will go on to become better citizens after having gained the actual knowledge

SEMESTER IV

(Psc.04: INTERNATIONAL POLITICS)

1. The scope of international politics is really wide in terms of study and also in terms job seeking.
2. The students, therefore, stand a firm ground when it comes to do with policy making and a major player in the international arena.

SEMESTER V

(Psc.05: WESTERN POLITICAL THOUGHT)

1. This paper enriches the students on the classical traditional Political Theory right from thinkers or philosophers like Plato to Marx.
2. Another benefit gained from studying this paper is on understanding the problems and solutions offered by these great thinkers. One advantage which can be accrued is that the students also can endeavour to find solutions to the problems faced by these great Thinkers.

SEMESTER V

(Psc.O.06.1: MODERN INDIAN POLITICAL IDEAS)

1. This invaluable paper helps the students know about our country’s freedom fighters. It helps in knowing the contribution made by these freedom fighters. In a way their contributions will not diminish but infact, their thus gained knowledge will remain for prosperity.

SEMESTER V1

(Psc.07: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN NORTH EAST INDIA)

1. This paper offers the students to know about their own region, in terms of political growth and development.
2. Its knowledge helps the students to better equip themselves, so that when they apply for jobs related to it, they stand a better chance.

SEMESTER V1

(Psc.O.08.3: INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION)

1. It helps in understanding the world organization in a better way on how and why its role becomes increasingly important in the present times when the world is undergoing transformation drastically.
2. By already knowing some of its achievements, failure, success and weaknesses, this paper helps in exploring and understanding where and how to make the world a more cordial and peaceful place to stay

 

SWOC ANALYSIS

STRENGTH

1. The department of Political Science as a separate discipline under the ARTS STREAM, has been provided with its own departmental room, where works related to the department can be carried out in the comfort of the department room.
2. The available teachers of the department are qualified, efficient, hard-working, diligent and sincere.
3. Under the aegis of RUSA, the department commits itself to take Remedial Classes for the benefit of the students.
4. Being a huge and vibrant department, the department believes in complete faith and understanding amongst the department teachers, so as to promote the positive vibe of mutual cooperation and respects.

WEAKNESS

1. Ironically, the department lacks the required number of teachers as per the student’s ratio. Inadvertently, the result is overburdening the present set of teachers. Sometimes it would not be wrong to say that the best productivity that a teacher could deliver in a limited number of period is sadly diminished by wanting to cover the entire course which would otherwise have been positively assimilate and accrued to the students learning.
2. The books available in the library are insufficient and not as recommended by the course curriculum.
3. Insufficient No. of teachers in the department leads to some important work being delayed, in spite of the best effort shown by the present teachers, due to lack of time.

OPPORTUNITY

1. This insufficient teacher in the department has again become like an opportunity for the present teaches to exercise whatever talent and strength they possess. The ultimate reason behind this can be said first and foremost the completion of the entire course and yet with the limited allotment of lecture classes, and also because the present teachers have nowhere to resort to for help and thereby this weakness has been termed into our strength to manage class and time and other co-curricular activities.

CHALLENGES

1. To try to cover the academic classes in a stipulated time, so as to help guide the students do well in their internal as well as external test and exams, in the present context of insufficient teachers in the department, in spite of the highest intake of the students with regards to the optional papers.
2. To compound the above point, the department gets majority of students who are educationally weaker and coming from a rural background. So, it certainly gets disappointing to face and teach such students with the medium of instruction in English, as these students do not understand the lingua franca, and it also becomes difficult for the teachers to interpret in the local languages, as some terms of Political Science do not exist at all.
3. An uphill task for the department teaches to streamline the student’s attendance due to their humongous number of and insufficient teaches in the department.
4. Since the college is set in an educationally backward areas, the department of Political Science also seek to give out information related to IAS and International Politics during the class sessions, so that after a batch of students graduate from the college, some of these students will go on to pursues competitive examinations.

 

NUMBER OF STUDENTS ADMITTED IN POLITICAL SCIENCE(HONOURS)

 

DROP OUT PERCENTAGE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

STUDENTS PROGRESSION FROM POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT IN LAST FIVE YEARS (2014-2018)

FUTURE PLAN FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT

1. Insufficient number of teachers in the department has been the suo-motto problems from the beginning till the present date. Thereby rendering the teachers to shell out more time, energy in completing the course and also taking up certain syllabus or a portion thereof, which the teachers maybe uncomfortable with. So, this forced and unavoidable duty of the teachers, in fact with due course of time, makes that ‘uncomfortable chapter out the laziness the teachers may have within oneself to overcome the above obstacle to face the students with confidence to teach in the class.
2. To come to an agreement that we as teachers of the department will have to update ourselves to the challenges of the department, students and time.
3. To develop the skill of understanding, cooperation and humanity in the face of adversity.
4. The department is also committed to teach and ingrain important Indian Political values.

SYLLABUS