UPSC Anthropology Optional 2024 — Paper II

28 questions

5(c) Agricultural practices of the Apatani

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Tribal Situation in India > Tribal Economy and Ecology > Apatani agriculture

2024Paper IITribal IndiaModel answer available

1(d) Artisan tribes of Jharkhand

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Tribal Situation in India > Socio-economic Characteristics > Artisan tribes; Jharkhand

2024Paper IITribal IndiaModel answer available

5(a) B.K. Roy Burman's concept of 'Buffer Zone'

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Tribal Administration and Policy > Isolation-Assimilation-Integration > Roy Burman; buffer zone

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsModel answer available

4(b) Write an essay on the life history of tribal activist and freedom fighter Birsa Munda. What was the impact of his sacrifice on tribal society?

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Ethnicity, Tribal Movements and Social Change > Birsa Munda; tribal resistance; impact on tribal society

2024Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeAnswer coming soon

1(e) Causes of stunting and wasting among tribal children

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Problems of Tribal Communities > Health and Nutrition > Stunting and wasting

2024Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementModel answer available

2(c) Deconstruct the colonial history of Indian Anthropology highlighting the critical role played by the Indian Anthropologists in sustaining its autonomy.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Emergence and Growth of Anthropology in India > Colonial Legacy > Role of Indian anthropologists

2024Paper IIFoundations of AnthropologyModel answer available

5(e) Constitutional Safeguards for Backward Classes

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Caste and the State > Backward Classes > Constitutional safeguards

2024Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

4(c) What are the demographic challenges of India's changing population dynamics in the next 50 years?

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Demographic Profile of India > Population Dynamics > Demographic challenges

2024Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

1(a) Digitisation of rural economy

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Indian Village > Economy and Change > Digitisation of the rural economy

2024Paper IIVillage India, Urbanisation & Social ChangeModel answer available

4(a) What are the ethical concerns in biological and socio-cultural anthropology because of recent advances in AI and genetic research?

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Role of Anthropology > Research Ethics > Ethics in genetic and socio-cultural research

2024Paper IIApplied & Forensic AnthropologyAnswer coming soon

3(c) Examine the impact of Forest Policies from 1878 to 2006 on land alienation and deprivation of rights of tribal communities in India.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Problems of Tribal Communities > Land Alienation > Forest policies 1878-2006; rights deprivation

2024Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementModel answer available

7(a) Critically examine existing paradigms of holistic health for the marginalised sections of society drawing inferences from COVID-19 pandemic.

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Problems of Tribal and Marginalised Communities > Health > Holistic health paradigms; COVID-19

2024Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementModel answer available

5(b) Describe ILO's Convention No. 169 (1989) on Indigenous and Tribal people. Is India a signatory to it?

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Tribe and Nation-State > International Instruments > ILO Convention 169

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsModel answer available

3(b) Compare and contrast the approaches of M.N. Srinivas and L.P. Vidyarthi to social change in village India.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Indian Village > Village Studies Tradition > Srinivas; Vidyarthi; social change

2024Paper IIVillage India, Urbanisation & Social ChangeModel answer available

8(c) Discuss the economic, social, and developmental impacts on tribal communities with special reference to mining.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Developmental Projects and Displacement > Mining > Economic, social and developmental impacts

2024Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementAnswer coming soon

1(b) Origin of State Societies

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Political Organization > State Formation > Origin of state societies

2024Paper IIEconomic & Political AnthropologyModel answer available

7(b) Discuss the theories on the origin of the caste system and its criticism in India. Differentiate between caste, class, and race.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Caste System in India > Origin Theories > Caste, class and race distinction

2024Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationAnswer coming soon

6(c) Discuss the contribution of P.K. Bhowmick in decriminalising the status of the Lodha tribe.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Role of Anthropology in Tribal Development > Action Anthropology > Bhowmick; Lodha; denotified tribes

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsModel answer available

2(b) How is PESA Act empowering local self-governance and impacting women's political participation?

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Constitutional Safeguards > PESA > Local self-governance; women's participation

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsAnswer coming soon

2(a) Critically discuss the recent welfare measures initiated by the Government for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Comment why PVTGs were erroneously called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs).

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Constitutional Safeguards > PVTGs > Welfare measures; PTG nomenclature

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsAnswer coming soon

3(a) Critically describe evidences from Rakhi Garhi and its linkages to Harappan civilization.

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization > Harappan Civilization > Rakhi Garhi

2024Paper IIPrehistoric ArchaeologyAnswer coming soon

7(c) Elucidate the resurgence of ethno-nationalism from an anthropological lens.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Ethnicity and Social Change > Ethno-Nationalism > Resurgence of ethno-nationalism

2024Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeModel answer available

6(b) Elucidate the difference between secularism, religiosity, religious fundamentalism and spiritualism from an anthropological perspective.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Ethnicity and Social Change > Communalism and Secularism > Religiosity; fundamentalism; spiritualism

2024Paper IIEthnicity, Tribal Movements & Social ChangeAnswer coming soon

8(a) Describe the important Paleolithic sites from South India with suitable examples. What is the significance of South Indian Paleolithic cultures?

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization > Palaeolithic India > South Indian Palaeolithic sites

2024Paper IIPrehistoric ArchaeologyModel answer available

5(d) Status of Sixth Schedule Areas

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Constitutional Safeguards > Fifth and Sixth Schedules > Sixth Schedule areas

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsModel answer available

1(c) Syro-Malabar Christians

10 Marks150 words

Syllabus: Paper II > Impact of Religions on Indian Society > Christianity > Syro-Malabar Christians

2024Paper IIIndian Society, Caste & CivilizationModel answer available

8(b) Distinguish a “Theocratic State” from a secular, liberal, democratic state. Illustrate your answer with examples from tribal and contemporary societies.

15 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Tribe and Nation-State > Forms of State > Theocratic versus secular-liberal-democratic state

2024Paper IITribal Development, Policy & SafeguardsModel answer available

6(a) Custodians of natural resources are the tribals, but they are the most deprived. Critically examine how climate change will impact their survival in future.

20 Marks

Syllabus: Paper II > Problems of Tribal Communities > Resources and Deprivation > Climate change and tribal survival

2024Paper IITribal Problems & DisplacementModel answer available

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2024 — Paper II

5(c) Agricultural practices of the Apatani

1(d) Artisan tribes of Jharkhand

5(a) B.K. Roy Burman's concept of 'Buffer Zone'

4(b) Write an essay on the life history of tribal activist and freedom fighter Birsa Munda. What was the impact of his sacrifice on tribal society?

1(e) Causes of stunting and wasting among tribal children

2(c) Deconstruct the colonial history of Indian Anthropology highlighting the critical role played by the Indian Anthropologists in sustaining its autonomy.

5(e) Constitutional Safeguards for Backward Classes

4(c) What are the demographic challenges of India's changing population dynamics in the next 50 years?

1(a) Digitisation of rural economy

4(a) What are the ethical concerns in biological and socio-cultural anthropology because of recent advances in AI and genetic research?

3(c) Examine the impact of Forest Policies from 1878 to 2006 on land alienation and deprivation of rights of tribal communities in India.

7(a) Critically examine existing paradigms of holistic health for the marginalised sections of society drawing inferences from COVID-19 pandemic.

5(b) Describe ILO's Convention No. 169 (1989) on Indigenous and Tribal people. Is India a signatory to it?

3(b) Compare and contrast the approaches of M.N. Srinivas and L.P. Vidyarthi to social change in village India.

8(c) Discuss the economic, social, and developmental impacts on tribal communities with special reference to mining.

1(b) Origin of State Societies

7(b) Discuss the theories on the origin of the caste system and its criticism in India. Differentiate between caste, class, and race.

6(c) Discuss the contribution of P.K. Bhowmick in decriminalising the status of the Lodha tribe.

2(b) How is PESA Act empowering local self-governance and impacting women's political participation?

2(a) Critically discuss the recent welfare measures initiated by the Government for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Comment why PVTGs were erroneously called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs).

3(a) Critically describe evidences from Rakhi Garhi and its linkages to Harappan civilization.

7(c) Elucidate the resurgence of ethno-nationalism from an anthropological lens.

6(b) Elucidate the difference between secularism, religiosity, religious fundamentalism and spiritualism from an anthropological perspective.

8(a) Describe the important Paleolithic sites from South India with suitable examples. What is the significance of South Indian Paleolithic cultures?

5(d) Status of Sixth Schedule Areas

1(c) Syro-Malabar Christians

8(b) Distinguish a “Theocratic State” from a secular, liberal, democratic state. Illustrate your answer with examples from tribal and contemporary societies.

6(a) Custodians of natural resources are the tribals, but they are the most deprived. Critically examine how climate change will impact their survival in future.

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PESA Act, Local Self-Governance and Women’s Political Participation — 2024 Paper II

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2024 — Paper II