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UPSC Anthropology optional syllabus

Both papers of the UPSC Anthropology optional. Here it is in 26 topics and 98 subtopics you can study and tick off one at a time.

Papers
two, both in Mains
Marks
250 each, 500 in all
Time
3 hours each

Contents

Paper I

  1. Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology
  2. Human Evolution and Emergence of Man
  3. Primates and Human-Primate Comparison
  4. The Biological Basis of Life
  5. Human Genetics
  6. Concept of Race and Racism
  7. Age, Sex and Population Genetics
  8. Human Growth and Development
  9. Culture and Civilization
  10. Marriage, Family and Kinship
  11. Economic and Political Organization in Simple Societies
  12. Religion, Magic and Science in Society
  13. Anthropological Theories
  14. Research Methods in Anthropology

Paper II

  1. Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization
  2. Demographic Profile of India
  3. Traditional Indian Social System
  4. Indian Village — Social Structure and Change
  5. Tribal Situation in India
  6. Problems of Tribal Communities
  7. Impact of Religions on Tribal Societies
  8. Tribe and Nation State
  9. Constitutional Safeguards for SC/ST
  10. Development and Change among Tribes
  11. Anthropology of Applied Research
  12. Emerging Ethnic Issues

Paper I

Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology

  1. Definition, Scope and Development of Anthropology
  2. Relationship with Other Disciplines — Social and Behavioural Sciences
  3. Main Branches of Anthropology and Their Scope

Human Evolution and Emergence of Man

  1. Biological Evolution
  2. Cultural Evolution

Primates and Human-Primate Comparison

  1. Characteristic Features of the Order Primates
  2. Evolutionary Trend and Primate Taxonomy
  3. Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes
  4. Primate Behaviour, Adaptations and Skeletal Changes due to Erect Posture

The Biological Basis of Life

  1. Cell Structure, DNA Structure and Replication
  2. Protein Synthesis, Gene and Mutation
  3. Chromosomes, Chromosomal Aberrations and Karyotypes
  4. Mendelian Genetics and Principles of Inheritance

Human Genetics

  1. Mendelian Inheritance
  2. Population Genetics

Concept of Race and Racism

  1. Historical and Biological Basis of Racial Classification
  2. Criteria of Racial Classification — Morphological and Genetic
  3. Racial Criteria and Racial Traits in Man
  4. Concepts of Racism, Eugenics and Their Critique
  5. Ethnic Groups and Racial Classification of Indian Populations

Age, Sex and Population Genetics

  1. Hardy-Weinberg Law and Genetic Equilibrium
  2. Causes and Changes of Gene Frequency — Mutation, Selection, Drift, Gene Flow
  3. Age and Sex Composition and Its Anthropological Significance
  4. Mendelian Populations, Endogamy, Exogamy and Inbreeding

Human Growth and Development

  1. Stages of Human Growth — Prenatal, Natal and Postnatal
  2. Factors Affecting Growth — Genetic, Environmental, Nutritional
  3. Ageing, Senescence and Theories of Ageing
  4. Methods of Studying Growth; Growth Standards and Nutritional Assessment

Culture and Civilization

  1. Concept and Characteristics of Culture and Civilization
  2. Cultural Relativism, Ethnocentrism and Cultural Universals
  3. Concepts of Society, Status, Role, Institution and Group
  4. Acculturation, Enculturation, Diffusion and Cultural Lag

Marriage, Family and Kinship

  1. Definition and Universality of Marriage; Forms of Marriage
  2. Marriage Regulations — Endogamy, Exogamy, Preferential Forms
  3. Payments — Bride Wealth and Dowry; Marital Stability
  4. Family — Definition, Types, Universality and Functions
  5. Kinship — Descent, Lineage, Clan, Phratry and Moiety
  6. Kinship Terminology, Usages and Descent Groups

Economic and Political Organization in Simple Societies

  1. Principles Governing Production, Distribution and Exchange
  2. Reciprocity, Redistribution and Market Exchange
  3. Formalist and Substantivist Debate
  4. Band, Tribe, Chiefdom, Kingdom and State
  5. Concepts of Power, Authority and Legitimacy; Social Control and Law

Religion, Magic and Science in Society

  1. Anthropological Approaches to Religion — Evolutionary and Functional
  2. Animism, Animatism, Totemism and Taboo
  3. Magic, Religion and Science Distinguished
  4. Religious Functionaries — Priest, Shaman, Sorcerer, Witch
  5. Myth, Ritual and Symbolism

Anthropological Theories

  1. Evolutionism
  2. Diffusionism
  3. Functionalism
  4. Structuralism

Research Methods in Anthropology

  1. Fieldwork Tradition
  2. Tools of Data Collection

Paper II

Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization

  1. Palaeo-Anthropological Evidence from India
  2. Prehistoric Cultures — Palaeolithic to Neolithic
  3. Indus Valley Civilization and Its Anthropological Significance
  4. Contributions of Tribal Cultures to Indian Civilization

Demographic Profile of India

  1. Demographic Profile of India — Size, Growth and Distribution
  2. Ethnic and Linguistic Elements in the Indian Population
  3. Racial Elements and Their Distribution
  4. Indian Population — Structure and Characteristics

Traditional Indian Social System

  1. Varnashrama, Purusharthas, Karma, Rina and Rebirth
  2. Caste System — Structure, Features and Theories of Origin
  3. Jajmani System and Economic Interdependence
  4. Sanskritization, Westernization and Dominant Caste
  5. Tribe-Caste Continuum

Indian Village — Social Structure and Change

  1. The Indian Village — Structure and Social Organization
  2. Village Studies in Indian Anthropology
  3. Land Tenure, Agrarian Relations and Change
  4. Impact of Development Programmes on Village Life

Tribal Situation in India

  1. Bio-genetic Variability
  2. Ethno-ecological Zones

Problems of Tribal Communities

  1. Land Alienation
  2. Poverty and Displacement

Impact of Religions on Tribal Societies

  1. Impact of Hinduism on Tribal Societies
  2. Impact of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam on Tribes
  3. Religious Conversion and Its Social Consequences
  4. Revivalist and Reform Movements among Tribes

Tribe and Nation State

  1. Tribe and Nation State — Comparative Perspective
  2. Tribal Policy — Isolation, Assimilation and Integration
  3. Tribal Movements and Demands for Autonomy
  4. Tribal Identity in the Contemporary Nation State

Constitutional Safeguards for SC/ST

  1. Constitutional Provisions and Safeguards for SC and ST
  2. Fifth and Sixth Schedule Areas and Their Administration
  3. Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act and Forest Rights Act
  4. Welfare Programmes and Their Evaluation
  5. Role of NGOs and Anthropologists in Tribal Development

Development and Change among Tribes

  1. Planned Development
  2. Tribal Sub-Plan

Anthropology of Applied Research

  1. Applied Anthropology — Scope and Methods
  2. Anthropology of Development and Displacement
  3. Medical Anthropology and Public Health
  4. Forensic Anthropology and Its Applications
  5. Anthropology in Policy, Planning and Administration

Emerging Ethnic Issues

  1. Regionalism
  2. Communalism
  3. Insurgency

This is Mented's breakdown of the official UPSC syllabus into study-sized subtopics. For the syllabus as notified, see the Civil Services Examination notice on upsc.gov.in.

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