Topic Explorer · Paper II
Indian Society, Caste & Civilization Questions in UPSC Anthropology Optional Mains
The structure of traditional Indian society — varnashrama, purushartha and karma; the caste system, jajmani relations and caste mobility; the sacred complex and the Little and Great Traditions; India's demographic and linguistic profile; and the imprint of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity.
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89 questions · 77 answered
Syllabus context
Paper II 1.3–3 — Demographic Profile, Traditional Social System, Caste and Religions
All year-wise Indian Society, Caste & Civilization questions
2026
What are the major debates related to the concept of jajmani system?
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2026
Does caste as a social category exist among the non-Hindu communities in India? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples.
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2025
Caste domination, factionalism and political power
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2025
Characteristics and communication between Little and Great Traditions
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2025
Delineate the major features of S. S. Sarkar's classification of Indian populations. Was his classification better than Risley? Explain.
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2025
What are the different types of caste mobility in India? Highlight the various factors responsible for it.
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2025
Elucidate the role of demographic and social factors for population growth in India.
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2025
Varnashrama and its contemporary relevance
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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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2024
Syro-Malabar Christians
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2024
What are the demographic challenges of India's changing population dynamics in the next 50 years?
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2024
Constitutional Safeguards for Backward Classes
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2024
Discuss the theories on the origin of the caste system and its criticism in India. Differentiate between caste, class, and race.
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2023
Critically compare Risley's and Sarkar's approaches to the classification of peoples of India.
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2023
Is caste mobility a recent phenomenon? Discuss in the light of Indological and Empirical context.
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2023
Dravidian languages and their subgroups
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2023
Karma and Rebirth
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2023
Is annihilation of caste possible? Discuss the future of caste system in the light of various proactive measures taken by the Indian State.
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2023
How are Other Backward Classes identified? Enumerating the important features, elucidate the recent changes in their social and economic life.
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2023
Interface between Purushartha and Ashrama
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2023
Jajmani system : continuity and change
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2023
Religious pluralism and social solidarity
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2023
Discuss the basic tenets of Jainism and its impact on Indian society.
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2022
Safeguards for linguistic minorities in India
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2022
Critically describe Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's argument on the origin of Indian caste system.
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2022
Describe the methods adopted by Sir Herbert Hope Risley in classifying Indian populations. What are the criticisms against Risley's classification?
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2022
Critically examine ‘Indigenisation of Christianity’ in India.
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2022
Austroasiatic languages
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2022
Discuss the issues and solutions related to the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe populations in India.
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2022
Varna and Buddhism
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2022
Dharma versus Religion
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2021
Purushartha and righteous living today
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2021
Relevance of tribe-caste continuum
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2021
Caste and social capital
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2021
Explain the impact of the concept of nature-man-spirit complex on sustainable use of natural resources with suitable examples.
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2021
Cultural diversity and multiculturalism
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2021
Delineate the factors influencing fertility in Indian population.
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2021
Delineate the constitutional safeguard for religious minorities in India.
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2020
What are the Social and Political problems of religious minorities in India?
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2020
Critically evaluate the state of implementation of the constitutional safeguards for the scheduled castes.
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2020
Dravidian languages
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2020
Discuss the impact of Islam on Indian Society.
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2020
Discuss the characteristics of caste system in India.
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2020
Explain the reasons of caste violence in India with suitable examples.
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2020
Concept of 'Dominant' caste
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2020
Linguistic minorities in India
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2019
Distribution of Tibeto-Burman group of languages in India.
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2019
Use of doctrine of Karma and rebirth in justifying the Varna system.
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2019
The Jajmani system and contemporary market economy.
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2019
What has been the impact of non-Hindu religions on the emancipation of Schedule Castes in India ?
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2018
Explain the significance of tribe-caste continuum in the present context.
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2018
Philosophy behind Purusharthas
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2018
Endangered Languages
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2018
OBCs among non-Hindu communities
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2018
Based on historical and contemporary evidences discuss the future of caste system in India.
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2018
Explain the impact of Buddhism and Jainism on Indian society.
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2018
What are the various factors influencing population growth in India? Discuss.
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2018
Discuss the view that caste is not social stratification, but a system of hierarchy.
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2018
Critically examine the contributions of Makhan Jha and B. N. Saraswati to the study of sacred complexes in India.
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2017
Other Backward Class.
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2017
Give your assessment of the reasons for the imbalance in the sex-ratio in India.
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2017
Austro-asiatic linguistic groups in India.
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2017
Varnashram and the concept of Rina.
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2017
Nature-man-spirit complex.
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2017
Critically discuss the constitutional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes.
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2017
Discuss the impact of market economy on the Jajmani system.
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2017
Discuss the social, political and economic status of Muslims in India.
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2017
Explain how Buddhism influenced the economic and cultural transformations of Indian society.
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2016
Examine the structural and cultural theories of caste system in India.
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2016
Give a critical assessment of 'Negrito Problem' in India.
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2016
How is process of tribe-caste continuum different from Sanskritization? Comment.
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2016
Examine the factors responsible for the exploitation of scheduled castes in India.
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2016
Linguistic elements in Indian population
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2016
Relevance of caste in contemporary Indian politics
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2016
Impact of Jainism on Indian society
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2015
Sacred complex as a dimension of Indian civilization
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2015
Briefly describe the classical models of ethnic and linguistic classification of Indian population. Discuss its relevance today.
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2015
Discuss the problems faced by religious minorities in India.
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2015
Islam and Matriliny
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2015
What do you understand by dynamics of caste mobility? How did the concept of Sanskritization contribute to its functionality?
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2015
Critically examine the concept of tribe-caste continuum and its relevance in contemporary India.
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2014
Discuss the contribution of Islam to the composite culture of India.
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2014
Outline the distribution of Dravidian languages in India and describe their cultural significance.
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2014
Tribe-Caste continuum
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2014
Major linguistic divisions of India
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2014
Contribution of H. H. Risley to the 'Aryan' debate
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2014
Describe the concept of 'Sacred Complex' with an ethnographic example.
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2014
Do you think caste persists in contemporary India ? Critically discuss.
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2014
Define the concept 'Dominant Caste' and examine its relevance in the contemporary Indian village with suitable examples.
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