Is the masterclass free?

Yes — this masterclass is completely free to attend. Just register and reserve your seat.

When and where is it held?

It is live online on 2 August 2026 at 10:00 AM IST, as part of our Masterclass series for UPSC Mains.

How do I join after registering?

Once you register, our team will send the joining link and session details to the email and phone number you provide.

Who is this masterclass for?

Anyone preparing PSIR Optional, especially aspirants who find the Political Thought section abstract or hard to retain.

It is led by Rohan Dange Sir, lead tutor at Roundtable IAS, who mentors aspirants on PSIR optional and Mains strategy.

Free Live Masterclass · PSIR Optional

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Masterclass on How to Read Political Thinkers

Political Thought is the section aspirants fear most — dense, abstract, and seemingly endless. But every thinker, from Plato to Rawls, can be read with the same method once you know what to look for. Join lead tutor Rohan Dange Sir live and learn exactly how to read a political thinker for PSIR Optional.

Live on 2 August 202610:00 AM ISTOnline

100% Free
Live Online
By Rohan Dange Sir
PSIR Optional

Roundtable IAS Masterclass on How to Read Political Thinkers for PSIR Optional

Reading Theory Isn't the Same as Reading a Novel

Political Thought punishes aspirants who read passively — and rewards the few who read with a method.

Most aspirants either skim political theory for keywords or drown in secondary commentary without ever engaging the thinker's actual argument. Neither builds the depth PSIR Optional demands. This masterclass gives you a repeatable method to read any political thinker — classical or modern — so you walk away able to summarise their core argument, place them against their contemporaries, and write about them with genuine command, not memorised lines. Pair it with our PSIR 2027 (Certified) programme for the full 400+ hour optional course with mentorship.

What You'll Learn in This Masterclass

7 takeaways you can apply to your very next answer.

Reading with a Method

A repeatable framework to approach any political thinker, instead of reading passively for keywords.

Context Before Content

Why placing a thinker in their historical and intellectual context is the first step, not an afterthought.

Finding the Core Argument

How to cut through dense prose and identify the one argument a thinker is actually making.

Thinkers in Conversation

Learn to place thinkers against each other — the comparisons examiners love to ask.

From Reading to Writing

Convert what you've read into precise, examiner-ready lines instead of paraphrased notes.

Reading Efficiently

How to extract what matters from a thinker without reading every page cover to cover.

The Roundtable Method

The reading method Roundtable IAS mentors use with toppers preparing Political Thought.

Meet Your Mentor

Rohan Dange Sir — Founder & Chief Mentor

Founder & Chief Mentor

Rohan Dange Sir

Rohan Dange Sir is the Founder of Roundtable IAS and a Distinguished Fellow at the Forum for Global Studies, New Delhi, where his work engages deeply with global affairs, security studies, and India's evolving strategic and foreign policy landscape.

With over 15 years of experience in UPSC coaching, Rohan has mentored civil services aspirants across international relations, economy, world history, essay, and political science. His teaching philosophy rejects rote learning in favour of structured dialogue and analytical rigour — translating complex policy and defence concepts into accessible, exam-ready frameworks.

Under his leadership, Roundtable IAS prioritises substance over spectacle — fostering collaborations with institutions, experts, and stakeholders committed to strengthening India's strategic discourse through knowledge and informed engagement.

“The UPSC doesn't test what you know — it tests how you think about what you know. Our job is to build that thinking muscle.”

PSIR Optional aspirants who find Political Thought abstract or overwhelming
Anyone who reads political theory but struggles to retain or reproduce it
Aspirants preparing to write on thinkers, ideologies, or comparative political thought
Repeaters who want a faster, more reliable way to revise Political Thought

Learn a method you can apply to every thinker on the syllabus, not just the ones covered live — from lead tutor Rohan Dange Sir.

Free · Live on 2 August 2026

Reserve your seat for the PSIR Optional for UPSC Mains masterclass

Seats are limited. Register now and we'll send you the joining link for 2 August 2026 at 10:00 AM IST.