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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2017/Paper II/Indian Society, Caste & Civilization
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper II 2017 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Social, Political and Economic Status of Muslims in India — 2017 Paper II

Question · 2017 · Paper II · 15 Marks

Discuss the social, political and economic status of Muslims in India.

Model Answer

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Approach • Demand of Question: Give a multidimensional anthropological account of Muslim status - internal diversity, education, employment/economy, political representation and spatial-social exclusion - without treating Muslims as a homogeneous community. • Structuring the Response: Begin with diversity; use Sachar Committee as major evidence; discuss social/educational, economic and political dimensions; conclude with intersectionality and inclusion. • Key Dimensions to Cover: Sachar Committee (2006); Ashraf-Ajlaf-Arzal/Pasmanda differentiation used cautiously; literacy/education, formal employment, self-employment, credit and urban concentration; political under-representation; gender and region; discrimination and ghettoisation.

Model Answer

Introduction Indian Muslims constitute the largest religious minority in the country. Anthropologically, they must not be viewed as a monolithic homogeneous bloc; their status varies drastically based on region, language, gender, and internal caste-like stratification (Ashraf, Ajlaf, Arzal/Pasmanda). To understand their status, an intersectional approach is required.

Body

  1. Social and Educational Status:The Sachar Committee Report (2006)remains a benchmark for assessing Muslim deprivation. It highlighted significant lags in literacy, mean years of schooling, and access to higher education compared to the national average. Crucially, the report debunked the stereotype that educational backwardness was due to madrasa attendance (only 4% attend them). Socially, increasing residential segregation and ghettoization (often driven by security concerns and communal tensions) limit access to quality public schools and civic amenities.
  2. Economic Status:Economically, Muslims are heavily overrepresented in the informal sector, petty trade, crafts, and self-employment.
  • Formal Employment: They suffer from a stark underrepresentation in secure salaried government employment, administration, and public sector undertakings.
  • Financial Exclusion: Despite heavy reliance on self-employment, they face limited access to formal banking credit.
  • However, this economic profile differs regionally; Muslims in Kerala or urban commercial hubs in the West fare significantly better than those in the rural East or North.
  1. Political Status:While universal adult franchise guarantees formal political equality, descriptive representation is lacking. Muslim representation in Parliament and State Legislatures has historically remained well below their population proportion. Electoral dispersal and shifting party nomination dynamics often dilute their political voice, compounding a sense of marginalization.

Conclusion Anthropologically, the deprivation experienced by Indian Muslims cannot be essentialized as a product of their religion alone. It is a complex outcome of historical marginalization, class disadvantages, labor market discrimination, and political dynamics. Addressing this requires targeted policy inclusion—such as better access to formal credit, robust anti-discrimination laws, and public investment in minority-concentrated urban clusters—while respecting their internal cultural diversity.

2026 What are the major debates related to the concept of jajmani system? 2026 Does caste as a social category exist among the non-Hindu communities in India? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. 2025 Varnashrama and its contemporary relevance 2025 Trace the history and describe the methods of formulating the lists of OBCs, both at the State and National levels.

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2017 — Paper II

28 questions

5(b) Ethnicity and regionalism.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 7.3 The concept of ethnicity > Regionalism and demand for autonomy
2017Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeModel answer available

1(d) Ethno-archaeology.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 1.3 Ethno-archaeology in India > The concept of ethno-archaeology
2017Paper IIPrehistoric ArchaeologyModel answer available

5(e) Impact of Christianity on Indian tribes.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 8.1 Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies > Christianity
2017Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeModel answer available

1(e) Nature-man-spirit complex.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 3.3 Sacred Complex and Nature-Man-Spirit Complex
2017Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

1(a) Neolithic cultures of South India.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 1.1 Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization > Neolithic > South India
2017Paper IIPrehistoric ArchaeologyModel answer available

5(c) Other Backward Class.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 7.1 Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes
2017Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

1(c) Varnashram and the concept of Rina.

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 3.1 Structure and nature of traditional Indian social system > Varnashram, Purushartha, Karma, Rina and Rebirth
2017Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available