Society as a general topic is a vast field to cover, which can be linked to each and every point in the syllabus in the UPSC mains.
So in this article we will discuss How to Study Indian Society for UPSC Mains Exam, books to read and also see previous year UPSC mains questions on Indian Society.
UPSC in its Mains General studies 1 paper syllabus defines Society in 4 different subtopics, as
1. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
2. Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
3. Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
In Society part, the question asked may seem simple but can get complicated once you start writing as it is sometimes difficult to express in this sociology type of questions, it may be simple for students with sociology optional, but others need to practice writing answers to get comfortable with it.
Other benefit of getting comfortable in this point of syllabus is that, recently many of the essays asked are based on sociological or philosophical temper, understanding and writing society will surely help you write better essays.
Let us see books helpful for completing society syllabus, with previous year UPSC mains questions on indian society and from where to answer it.
Basic Book list
NCERT: Class 11th Introducing Sociology
This NCERT will deal with all basics you need to write a society answer, terms and notation of society, various societal institutions (e.g. Family, kinship, marriage)
NCERT: Class 11th Understanding Society
This NCERT will deal with SOCIAL STRUCTURE, STRATIFICATION AND SOCIAL PROCESSES IN SOCIETY, SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL ORDER IN RURAL AND URBAN SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY, INTRODUCING WESTERN SOCIOLOGISTS and INDIAN SOCIOLOGISTS
NCERT: Class 12th Indian Society
This NCERT will deal with all about Indian Society its demographic structure, its institutions, social inequality and its patterns.
NCERT: Class 12th Social Change and Development in India
This NCERT will deal with changes that Indian society has gone through, various factors affecting it like Globalisation, economy etc.
Syllabus point: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
For this point
2013
⦁ Q3. Defying the barriers of age, gender and religion, the Indian women became the torch bearer during the struggle for freedom in India. Discuss. (10 marks-200 words)
2014
⦁ Q13. The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than social values. Discuss (10 marks 150 words)
2015
⦁ Q8. Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2017
⦁ Distinguish between religiousness religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words 15 Marks)
2018
⦁ “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, the caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (10)
⦁ ‘Despite the implementation of various programmes for the eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. (10)
Syllabus point: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies
For this point, questions are mainly based on current affairs or related topics, try to relate news with this syllabus points
2013
⦁ Q15. Discussion the various social problems which originated out of the speedy process of urbanization in India. (10 marks-200 words)
⦁ Q16. Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organization free from gender bias. Comment. (10 marks-200 words)
2014
⦁ Q11. How does patriarchy impact the position of a middle-class working woman in India? (10 marks 150 words)
⦁ Q12. Why do some of the most prosperous regions of India have an adverse sex ratio for women? Give your arguments. (10 marks 150 words)
2015
⦁ Q9. Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
⦁ Q10. How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes? (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2016
⦁ Q9. “An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from the process of deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
⦁ Q11. With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programs.” (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2017
⦁ Q18. The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What were the major issues and debates concerning women in that period? (15 Marks 250 words)
⦁ Q20. “The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues employment but has also created new problems. Substantiate this statement with examples. (15 Marks 250 words)
2018
⦁ ‘Women’s movement in India has not addresses the issues of women of lower social strata.’ Substantiate your view. (15)
Syllabus point: Effects of globalization on Indian society.
2013
⦁ Q17. Critically examine the effects of globalization on the aged population in India. (10 marks-200 words)
2014
⦁ Q14. Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India. (10 marks 150 words)
2015
⦁ Q11. Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
⦁ Q12. Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2016
⦁ Q8. To what extent globalisation has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2017
⦁ ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificity appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate.
Syllabus point: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
2013
⦁ Q18. Growing feeling of regionalism is an important factor in the generation of demand for a separate state. Discuss. (10 marks-200 words)
2014
⦁ Q15. How do the Indian debates on secularism differ from the debates in the West? (10 marks 150 words)
2015
⦁ Q13. Debate the issue of whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2016
⦁ Q10. Why are the tribals in India referred to as ‘the Scheduled Tribes’? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
⦁ Q12. What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. (12.5 Marks 200 words)
2017
⦁ Q9. In the context of diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint. (10 marks 150 words)
⦁ Q10. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (STs)? (10 marks 150 words)
⦁ Q11. The spirit tolerance and love is not only an interesting feature of Indian society from very early times, but it is also playing an important part at the present. Elaborate. (15 Marks 250 words)
2018
⦁ How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. (10)
⦁ ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (15)
Hope this article helped you with through understanding of Society from the UPSC mains Point of view, Just try and make revision note while you study for the last minute revision.
To understand more about other topics from General studies paper 1 like History, Geography (Click Here)
All the Best
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