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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2021/Paper II/Village India, Urbanisation & Social Change
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper II 2021 10 Marks Model Answer Available

Ethnic Media and Social Awareness — 2021 Paper II

Question · 2021 · Paper II · 10 Marks

Ethnic media and social awareness

Model Answer

VAID ICS

Approach

  • Demand of Question: Explain the role of ethnic media in generating social awareness, cultural consciousness and political mobilization among ethnic and tribal communities.
  • Structuring the Response: Define ethnic media, explain its cultural, educational and political functions, discuss contemporary digital forms, and critically note its possibilities and risks.
  • Key Dimensions to Cover: Vernacular press, community radio, tribal languages, digital media, cultural preservation, rights awareness, identity assertion, mobilization and misinformation.

Model Answer

Introduction

Ethnic media refers to communication platforms produced by or primarily directed towards particular linguistic, tribal or ethnic communities. It includes vernacular newspapers, community radio, local television, cultural publications and increasingly social and digital media.

Role in social awareness

  1. Cultural preservation: Ethnic media documents oral traditions, folklore, songs, festivals and indigenous knowledge that may otherwise remain marginalized in mainstream media.
  2. Language promotion: Publication and broadcasting in tribal languages strengthen linguistic identity and intergenerational transmission.
  3. Rights awareness: It communicates information regarding land rights, forest rights, welfare schemes, education and constitutional safeguards.
  4. Political consciousness: Media enables discussion of displacement, exploitation, identity and representation, facilitating collective mobilization.
  5. Community connectivity: Migrant and geographically dispersed members maintain social links through digital ethnic networks.
  6. Counter-public sphere: Communities can challenge stereotypes and present their own interpretation of events rather than depending entirely on mainstream representations.

The process can be represented as:

Communication → Awareness → Identity consciousness → Collective action

Critical dimension

Ethnic media may also intensify polarization, circulate misinformation or encourage exclusionary identity politics if used irresponsibly.

Conclusion

Ethnic media is therefore an important instrument of cultural survival, rights consciousness and political participation, particularly when communities retain meaningful control over representation.

2026 Critically examine the salience of F. G. Bailey's study on Bisipara village of Odisha. 2025 "The village was not merely a place where people lived; it had a design in which were reflected the basic values of Indian civilization." Who said this? Elaborate. 2024 Digitisation of rural economy 2024 Compare and contrast the approaches of M.N. Srinivas and L.P. Vidyarthi to social change in village India.

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2021 — Paper II

28 questions

1(d) Caste and social capital

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 3.2 Caste system in India > Caste in contemporary society
2021Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

5(b) Ethnic media and social awareness

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 5.3 Indigenous and exogenous processes of socio-cultural change > Media and social change
2021Paper IIVillage India, Urbanisation & Social ChangeModel answer available

1(c) Harappan seals

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 1.1 Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization > Indus (Harappan) Civilization
2021Paper IIPrehistoric ArchaeologyModel answer available

5(e) Politics of recognition and deprivation

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 7.1 Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
2021Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeModel answer available

1(a) Purushartha and righteous living today

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 3.1 Structure and nature of traditional Indian social system > Purushartha
2021Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

1(b) Relevance of tribe-caste continuum

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 3.2 Caste system in India > Tribe-caste continuum
2021Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

5(a) Urbanization and tribal institutions

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper II > 6.3 Impact of urbanisation and industrialization on tribal populations
2021Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementModel answer available