5(d) Anthropometry in ergonomics.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Ergonomics > Anthropometry
2026 · Paper I
Anthropology Optional Paper I PYQ 2026
Explore 28 official UPSC Anthropology Optional 2026 Paper I questions, organised by section, marks, syllabus and topic. Model answers are coming soon.
Q1(a)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Health as a cultural construct.
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Medical Anthropology > Culture and health
Applied & Forensic Anthropology
Q1(b)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Canalization and catch-up growth.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Growth and Development > Growth patterns > Canalization and catch-up growth
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q1(c)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Myth as oral literature.
Syllabus: Paper I > Religion, Myth and Ritual > Myth > Myth as oral literature
Anthropology of Religion
Q1(d)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Genetic polymorphism and natural selection.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Genetic polymorphism > Natural selection
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q1(e)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology.
Syllabus: Paper I > Archaeological Anthropology > Approaches > Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology
Prehistoric Archaeology
Q2(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
What is meant by a somatotype? Discuss the Heath-Carter anthropometric method, giving its advantages over that of Sheldon's method. How can somatotyping be applied in sports sciences?
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Sports Anthropology > Somatotyping and the Heath-Carter method
Applied & Forensic Anthropology
Q2(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
How do religious beliefs help people to devise cultural mechanisms to adapt to their environment? Discuss in detail with appropriate examples.
Syllabus: Paper I > Religion > Functions of religion > Cultural adaptation to environment
Anthropology of Religion
Q2(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
How is the theory of structuralism helpful in understanding the concepts of caste and gender?
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Structuralism > Application to caste and gender
Anthropological Theories
Q3(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
How do the concepts of power, authority, legitimacy and social control change with changing political organization? Discuss in detail giving suitable examples.
Syllabus: Paper I > Political Organization and Social Control > Power and authority > Change with political organization
Economic & Political Anthropology
Q3(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Human evolution is a product of both biological and cultural factors. Elaborate.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Evolution > Biological and cultural factors > Biocultural evolution
Human Evolution & Primatology
Q3(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Give the distribution of Palaeolithic sites around the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan areas, highlighting the typo-technologies of the tools.
Syllabus: Paper I > Palaeolithic Cultures > Distribution > Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan sites
Prehistoric Archaeology
Q4(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
Discuss the phylogenetic status, characteristic features, geographical distribution and lifeways of Paranthropus.
Syllabus: Paper I > Fossil Hominids > Australopithecines > Paranthropus
Human Evolution & Primatology
Q4(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Discuss 'incest taboo' as the basis of development of kinship systems in human societies.
Syllabus: Paper I > Kinship > Incest taboo > Development of kinship systems
Kinship
Q4(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Numerical chromosomal aberrations can be due to abnormalities in autosomes as well as sex chromosomes. Elaborate in terms of the effects these have on human body, giving suitable examples.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Chromosomal aberrations > Numerical aberrations
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q5(a)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Ethics in anthropological fieldwork.
Syllabus: Paper I > Research Methods > Fieldwork > Ethics in fieldwork
Research Methods in Anthropology
Q5(b)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Distinguishing features of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > DNA > Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q5(c)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Feminist movement and family.
Syllabus: Paper I > Family > Contemporary trends > Feminist movement and family
Marriage & Family
Q5(d)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Anthropometry in ergonomics.
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Ergonomics > Anthropometry
Applied & Forensic Anthropology
Q5(e)
10 Marks 150 words Model Answer Available
Thermoluminescence dating method.
Syllabus: Paper I > Archaeological Anthropology > Dating methods > Thermoluminescence
Prehistoric Archaeology
Q6(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
How would you find out that a particular disease/disorder is inherited and, if so, in which manner? Elaborate with suitable examples.
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Mendelian inheritance in man > Pedigree analysis
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q6(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Critically discuss how culture determines human behaviour in the light of Leslie White's theory.
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Neo-evolutionism > Leslie White and culturology
Anthropological Theories
Q6(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
What are Strepsirhini Primates? Describe their geographical distribution and mention the characteristics that distinguish them from Haplorhini Primates.
Syllabus: Paper I > Primatology > Primate taxonomy > Strepsirhini and Haplorhini
Human Evolution & Primatology
Q7(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
Discuss the mixed method approach in anthropological research.
Syllabus: Paper I > Research Methods > Methodology > Mixed methods
Research Methods in Anthropology
Q7(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
What do you understand by fertility and mortality? How are these influenced by biological and socio-ecological factors?
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Biology > Demography > Fertility and mortality
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q7(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Write a detailed note on the characteristic features, chronology, geographical distribution, tool types and lifeways of Magdalenian cultural tradition of Europe.
Syllabus: Paper I > Palaeolithic Cultures > Upper Palaeolithic > Magdalenian tradition
Prehistoric Archaeology
Q8(a)
20 Marks Model Answer Available
Compare Edmund Leach's structuralism with interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz.
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Structuralism and interpretive anthropology > Leach and Geertz
Anthropological Theories
Q8(b)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
In what manner is our understanding of serogenetics and cytogenetics useful in reproductive biology? What are the major ethical issues involved in reproductive technology?
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Applied genetics > Serogenetics, cytogenetics and reproductive technology
Human Genetics & Human Biology
Q8(c)
15 Marks Model Answer Available
Discuss, with appropriate examples, how basic personality types may lead towards building up of national character.
Syllabus: Paper I > Culture and Personality > Basic personality structure > National character
Anthropological Theories
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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2026 — Paper I
28 questionsSyllabus: Paper I > Culture and Personality > Basic personality structure > National character
1(b) Canalization and catch-up growth.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Growth and Development > Growth patterns > Canalization and catch-up growth
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Mendelian inheritance in man > Pedigree analysis
8(a) Compare Edmund Leach's structuralism with interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz.
20 Marks
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Structuralism and interpretive anthropology > Leach and Geertz
5(a) Ethics in anthropological fieldwork.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Research Methods > Fieldwork > Ethics in fieldwork
1(e) Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Archaeological Anthropology > Approaches > Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology
5(c) Feminist movement and family.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Family > Contemporary trends > Feminist movement and family
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Biology > Demography > Fertility and mortality
1(d) Genetic polymorphism and natural selection.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Genetic polymorphism > Natural selection
1(a) Health as a cultural construct.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Medical Anthropology > Culture and health
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Evolution > Biological and cultural factors > Biocultural evolution
4(b) Discuss 'incest taboo' as the basis of development of kinship systems in human societies.
15 Marks
Syllabus: Paper I > Kinship > Incest taboo > Development of kinship systems
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Neo-evolutionism > Leslie White and culturology
Syllabus: Paper I > Palaeolithic Cultures > Upper Palaeolithic > Magdalenian tradition
Syllabus: Paper I > Research Methods > Methodology > Mixed methods
1(c) Myth as oral literature.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Religion, Myth and Ritual > Myth > Myth as oral literature
5(b) Distinguishing features of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > DNA > Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Chromosomal aberrations > Numerical aberrations
Syllabus: Paper I > Palaeolithic Cultures > Distribution > Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan sites
Syllabus: Paper I > Fossil Hominids > Australopithecines > Paranthropus
Syllabus: Paper I > Political Organization and Social Control > Power and authority > Change with political organization
Syllabus: Paper I > Religion > Functions of religion > Cultural adaptation to environment
Syllabus: Paper I > Human Genetics > Applied genetics > Serogenetics, cytogenetics and reproductive technology
Syllabus: Paper I > Applications of Anthropology > Sports Anthropology > Somatotyping and the Heath-Carter method
Syllabus: Paper I > Primatology > Primate taxonomy > Strepsirhini and Haplorhini
2(c) How is the theory of structuralism helpful in understanding the concepts of caste and gender?
15 Marks
Syllabus: Paper I > Anthropological Theories > Structuralism > Application to caste and gender
5(e) Thermoluminescence dating method.
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > Archaeological Anthropology > Dating methods > Thermoluminescence