Indian Government and Politics by Bidyut Chakrabarty & Rajendra Kumar Pandey
Sage. Pages: xxviii+359. Price: Rs. 295/-

The Constitution of India is often described as quasi-federal in nature. Although it contains several features of federalism it retains such salient features of the unitary form of government as a strong centre and the parliamentary system. This sophisticated structure didn’t come about by accident; a lot of thought had gone into it. So far it has admirably coped with India’s humongous diversity with countless competing interests, rising aspirations of the downtrodden, various parochial pulls and pressures and other daunting challenges. Moreover, it has facilitated the morphing of the elitist-genteel-club-style politics of the early post-independence years into the more inclusive and robust avatar of today.
This comprehensively researched volume, structured as a textbook for undergraduates, deals with not just the “drier” aspects of political science and public administration curricula but also acquaints you with the transformation that India’s political scenario has undergone in the recent years. Moreover, it contextualizes and explains, briefly, some of the major issues in Indian politics like coalitions and regional governance etc. This book can prove invaluable to those aspiring to sit for the civil services and other competitive exams.
THE TRIBUNE