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UPSC Sociology optional syllabus

Both papers of the UPSC Sociology optional. Here it is in 19 topics and 76 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. Sociology — The Discipline
  2. Sociology as Science
  3. Research Methods and Analysis
  4. Sociological Thinkers
  5. Stratification and Mobility
  6. Work and Economic Life
  7. Politics and Society
  8. Religion and Society
  9. Systems of Kinship
  10. Social Change in Modern Society

Paper II

  1. Rural and Agrarian Social Structure in India
  2. Caste System in India
  3. Tribal Communities in India
  4. Social Classes in India
  5. Systems of Kinship in India
  6. Religion and Society in India
  7. Social Movements in India
  8. Population Dynamics in India
  9. Challenges of Social Transformation

Paper I

Sociology — The Discipline

  1. Modernity and Social Changes in Europe; Emergence of Sociology
  2. Scope of the Subject and Comparison with Other Social Sciences
  3. Sociology and Common Sense

Sociology as Science

  1. Science, Scientific Method and Critique
  2. Major Theoretical Strands of Research Methodology
  3. Positivism and Its Critique
  4. Fact, Value and Objectivity
  5. Non-Positivist Methodologies

Research Methods and Analysis

  1. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
  2. Techniques of Data Collection
  3. Variables, Sampling, Hypothesis, Reliability and Validity

Sociological Thinkers

  1. Karl Marx — Historical Materialism, Mode of Production, Alienation, Class Struggle
  2. Emile Durkheim — Division of Labour, Social Fact, Suicide, Religion and Society
  3. Max Weber — Social Action, Ideal Types, Authority, Bureaucracy, Protestant Ethic
  4. Talcott Parsons — Social System, Pattern Variables
  5. Robert K. Merton — Latent and Manifest Functions, Conformity and Deviance, Reference Groups
  6. G. H. Mead — Self and Identity

Stratification and Mobility

  1. Concepts — Equality, Inequality, Hierarchy, Exclusion, Poverty, Deprivation
  2. Theories of Social Stratification — Structural Functionalist, Marxist, Weberian
  3. Dimensions — Class, Status Groups, Gender, Ethnicity and Race
  4. Social Mobility — Open and Closed Systems, Types, Sources and Causes

Work and Economic Life

  1. Social Organization of Work — Slave, Feudal, Industrial and Capitalist Society
  2. Formal and Informal Organization of Work
  3. Labour and Society

Politics and Society

  1. Sociological Theories of Power
  2. Power Elite, Bureaucracy, Pressure Groups and Political Parties
  3. Nation, State, Citizenship, Democracy, Civil Society, Ideology
  4. Protest, Agitation, Social Movements, Collective Action, Revolution

Religion and Society

  1. Sociological Theories of Religion
  2. Types of Religious Practices — Animism, Monism, Pluralism, Sects, Cults
  3. Religion in Modern Society — Science, Secularization, Revivalism, Fundamentalism

Systems of Kinship

  1. Family, Household, Marriage
  2. Types and Forms of Family
  3. Lineage and Descent
  4. Patriarchy and Sexual Division of Labour
  5. Contemporary Trends

Social Change in Modern Society

  1. Sociological Theories of Social Change
  2. Development and Dependency
  3. Agents of Social Change
  4. Education and Social Change
  5. Science, Technology and Social Change

Paper II

Rural and Agrarian Social Structure in India

  1. The Idea of Indian Village and Village Studies
  2. Agrarian Social Structure — Evolution of Land Tenure System
  3. Land Reforms in India

Caste System in India

  1. Perspectives on Caste — G. S. Ghurye, M. N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille
  2. Features of the Caste System
  3. Untouchability — Forms and Perspectives

Tribal Communities in India

  1. Definitional Problems
  2. Geographical Spread of Tribal Communities
  3. Colonial Policies and Tribes
  4. Issues of Integration and Autonomy

Social Classes in India

  1. Agrarian Class Structure
  2. Industrial Class Structure
  3. Middle Classes in India

Systems of Kinship in India

  1. Lineage and Descent in India
  2. Types of Kinship Systems
  3. Family and Marriage in India
  4. Household Dimensions of the Family
  5. Patriarchy, Entitlements and Sexual Division of Labour

Religion and Society in India

  1. Religious Communities in India
  2. Problems of Religious Minorities

Social Movements in India

  1. Peasants and Farmers Movements
  2. Women's Movement
  3. Backward Classes and Dalit Movements
  4. Environmental Movements
  5. Ethnicity and Identity Movements

Population Dynamics in India

  1. Population Size, Growth, Composition and Distribution
  2. Components of Population Growth — Birth, Death, Migration
  3. Population Policy and Family Planning
  4. Emerging Issues — Ageing, Sex Ratios, Child and Infant Mortality, Reproductive Health

Challenges of Social Transformation

  1. Crisis of Development — Displacement, Environmental Problems, Sustainability
  2. Poverty, Deprivation and Inequalities
  3. Violence Against Women
  4. Caste Conflicts
  5. Ethnic Conflicts, Communalism, Religious Revivalism
  6. Illiteracy and Disparities in Education

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.

Other optional subjects

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