The Class 12 Political Science NCERT book is printed as two separate textbooks: Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence. Both are linked below, with chapter and page counts rendered from this directory’s index of the two official editions.
Why the split matters: both books number their chapters from 1, so a chapter number alone never tells you which book to open. “Chapter 4” means International Organisations in the first book (pp45-62) but India’s External Relations in the second (pp54-71). This page matches your chapter to its book.
Class 12 Political Science NCERT book PDFs, at a glance
The table below is the whole answer: it names each book, how many chapters this directory holds for it, the pages those chapters run, and the link into the book’s own page. In total the directory indexes 2 books, 14 chapters and 253 pages of indexed chapter content.
| Book | Chapters | Printed pages | Book page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contemporary World Politics | 7 | 114 | Contemporary World Politics (coming soon) |
| Politics In India Since Independence | 7 | 139 | Politics In India Since Independence (coming soon) |
How to use the Class 12 Pol Science NCERT book to find your chapter
A bare chapter number is never enough — here is what to check instead.
- The chapter number alone never settles it. Each book restarts at its own Chapter 1, so a number like “Chapter 4” exists in both books.
- Match on the chapter title. International Organisations is Chapter 4 of the first book (pp45-62); India’s External Relations is Chapter 4 of the second (pp54-71). The title always points to the right book.
- The PDF code tells you instantly. Official NCERT file names start leps1 for Contemporary World Politics and leps2 for Politics in India Since Independence.
- Listen for the teacher’s shorthand. “Contemporary World Politics” or “the world politics book” is the first book; “Politics in India Since Independence” or “the Indian politics book” is the second.
Which Political Science book for Class 12th do you need?
Three checks settle it in seconds.
- By topic. A world-affairs chapter — the Cold War, international bodies, security, globalisation — sits in Contemporary World Politics. A chapter about India after 1947 sits in Politics in India Since Independence.
- By chapter title (the surest check). The End of Bipolarity (pp1-14), International Organisations (pp45-62) and Globalisation (pp99-114) open from the first book — as does Security in the Contemporary World (pp63-80). Challenges of Nation Building (pp2-25), Era of One-Party Dominance (pp26-43) and Regional Aspirations (pp112-135) open from the second.
- By what the teacher called it. “World politics book” means the first book; “Indian politics book” means the second. The official names are Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence.
One edge case before you go: Chapter 7 is Globalisation in the first book but Regional Aspirations in the second, so the title beats the number every time. The complete chapter list is one further click — the table above links each book’s own page — and this page deliberately does not repeat it here.
What each of the two books covers
Contemporary World Politics looks outward — from the end of bipolarity and new centres of power to South Asia, international organisations, security, environment and natural resources, and globalisation (chapters 1-7, pp1-114). Start here for any world-affairs chapter — open the Contemporary World Politics book page.
Politics in India Since Independence looks inward — how India built and tested its democracy from 1947 through nation building, the one-party era, planned development, external relations, the Congress system and regional aspirations (indexed chapters 1-5 and 7-8, pp2-160). Start here for any India chapter — open the Politics in India Since Independence book page.
Related resources
The Class 12 hub lists the NCERT subjects this directory indexes for Class 12, and the books root links the class hubs this directory publishes. The two book pages above each carry their book’s full chapter list.
Sources and data verification
- Where the figures come from: the NCERT textbook editions this directory indexes — Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence — as published on the official NCERT textbook portal, where the current editions of both books are downloadable free (leps1 and leps2 file series).
- What the index covers, and what it does not: 14 indexed chapters, 7 in each book; the first book’s chapters run pp1-114. The second book’s indexed chapters run 139 pages (pp2-160), but printed pages 92-111 are not yet covered by this directory, and Regional Aspirations carries a suspected question-capture error — hence no exercise-question totals appear on this page.
- Academic session: this listing is maintained for the 2026-27 academic session.
- Who settles what: NCERT settles textbook editions and official PDFs; CBSE settles curriculum, syllabus and examinations. Textbook contents and the examinable syllabus are not always identical — check the current official CBSE syllabus.
Common questions about the two Class 12 Political Science books
How many NCERT books are there for Class 12 Political Science?
Two: Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence. Both are linked in the table at the top of this page.
Which book is “Contemporary South Asia” in?
Contemporary South Asia is Chapter 3 of Contemporary World Politics, pages 29-44.
Which book is “Era of One-Party Dominance” in?
Era of One-Party Dominance is Chapter 2 of Politics in India Since Independence, pages 26-43.
Are the Class 12 Political Science NCERT book PDFs official and free to download?
Yes. NCERT publishes the official PDFs free on its portal at ncert.nic.in — the leps1 files for Contemporary World Politics, the leps2 files for Politics in India Since Independence — and the table above links to each book’s page.
Is every chapter of these NCERT books part of the CBSE syllabus?
Not automatically. Textbook contents and the examinable syllabus are not always identical, so check the current official CBSE syllabus to confirm what is examinable this session.
Reference: NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbooks, official editions on ncert.nic.in.