UPSC Anthropology Optional Syllabus
Anthropology
Syllabus Paper I
1.1 Meaning, scope and development of Anthropology.
1.2 Relationships with other disciplines: Social
Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Earth Sciences
and Humanities.
1.3 Main branches of Anthropology, their scope and
relevance: (a) Social- cultural Anthropology. (b) Biological Anthropology. (c)
Archaeological Anthropology. (d) Linguistic Anthropology.
1.4 Human Evolution and emergence of Man: (a)
Biological and Cultural factors in human evolution. (b) Theories of Organic
Evolution (Pre- Darwinian, Darwinian and PostDarwinian). (c) Synthetic theory
of evolution; Brief outline of terms and concepts of evolutionary biology (Doll
s rule, Cope s rule, Gause s rule, parallelism, convergence, adaptive
radiation, and mosaic evolution).
1.5 Characteristics of Primates; Evolutionary Trend
and Primate Taxonomy; Primate Adaptations; (Arboreal and Terrestrial) Primate
Taxonomy; Primate Behaviour; Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates; Living
Major Primates; Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes; Skeletal changes due to
erect posture and its implications.
1.6 Phylogenetic status, characteristics and
geographical distribution of the following: (a) Plio-pleistocene hominids in
South and East Africa - Australopithecines. (b) Homo erectus: Africa (Paranthropus),
Europe (Homo erectus heidelber-gensis), Asia (Homo erectus javanicus, Homo
erectus pekinensis). (c) Neanderthal Man- La-Chapelle-auxsaints (Classical
type), Mt. Carmel (Progressive type). (d) Rhodesian man. (e) Homo sapiens
Cromagnon, Grimaldi and Chancelede.
1.7 The biological basis of life: The Cell, DNA
structure and replication, Protein Synthesis, Gene, Mutation,Chromosomes, and
Cell Division.
1.8 (a) Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology.
Chronology: Relative and Absolute Dating methods. (b) Cultural Evolution- Broad
Outlines of Prehistoric cultures: (i) Paleolithic (ii) Mesolithic (iii)
Neolithic (iv) Chalcolithic (v) Copper-Bronze Age (vi) Iron Age
2.1 The Nature of Culture: The concept and
characteristics of culture and civilization; Ethnocentrism vis- -vis cultural
Relativism.
2.2 The Nature of Society: Concept of Society;
Society and Culture; Social Institutions; Social groups; and Social
stratification.
2.3 Marriage: Definition and universality; Laws of
marriage (endogamy, exogamy, hypergamy, hypogamy, incest taboo); Types of
marriage (monogamy, polygamy, polyandry, group marriage). Functions of
marriage; Marriage regulations (preferential, prescriptive and proscriptive);
Marriage payments (bride wealth and dowry).
2.4 Family: Definition and universality; Family,
household and domestic groups; functions of family; Types of family (from the
perspectives of structure, blood relation, marriage, residence and succession);
Impact of urbanization, industrialization and feminist movements on family.
2.5 Kinship: Consanguinity and Affinity; Principles
and types of descent (Unilineal, Double, Bilateral, Ambilineal); Forms of
descent groups (lineage, clan, phratry, moiety and kindred); Kinship
terminology (descriptive and classificatory); Descent, Filiation and
Complimentary Filiation; Descent and Alliance.
3. Economic organization: Meaning, scope and
relevance of economic anthropology; Formalist and Substantivist debate;
Principles governing production, distribution and exchange (reciprocity, redistribution
and market), in communities, subsisting on hunting and gathering, fishing,
swiddening, pastoralism, horticulture, and agriculture; globalization and
indigenous economic systems.
4. Political organization and Social Control: Band,
tribe, chiefdom, kingdom and state; concepts of power, authority and
legitimacy; social control, law and justice in simple societies.
5. Religion: Anthropological approaches to the
study of religion (evolutionary, psychological and functional); monotheism and
polytheism; sacred and profane; myths and rituals; forms of religion in tribal
and peasant societies (animism, animatism, fetishism, naturism and totemism);
religion, magic and science distinguished; magico- religious functionaries
(priest, shaman, medicine man, sorcerer and witch).
6. Anthropological theories: (a) Classical
evolutionism (Tylor, Morgan and Frazer) (b) Historical particularism (Boas);
Diffusionism (British, German and American) (c) Functionalism (Malinowski);
Structural- functionlism (RadcliffeBrown) (d) Structuralism (L evi - Strauss
and E. Leach) (e) Culture and personality (Benedict, Mead, Linton, Kardiner and
Cora - du Bois). (f) Neo - evolutionism (Childe, White, Steward, Sahlins and
Service) (g) Cultural materialism (Harris) (h) Symbolic and interpretive
theories (Turner, Schneider and Geertz) (i) Cognitive theories (Tyler, Conklin)
(j) Post- modernism in anthropology
7. Culture, language and communication: Nature,
origin and characteristics of language; verbal and non-verbal communication;
social context of language use.
8. Research methods in anthropology: (a) Fieldwork
tradition in anthropology (b) Distinction between technique, method and
methodology (c) Tools of data collection: observation, interview, schedules,
questionnaire, Case study, genealogy, life-history, oral history, secondary
sources of information, participatory methods. (d) Analysis, interpretation and
presentation of data.
9.1 Human Genetics : Methods and Application:
Methods for study of genetic principles in man-family study (pedigree analysis,
twin study, foster child, co-twin method, cytogenetic method, chromosomal and
karyo-type analysis), biochemical methods, immunological methods, D.N.A.
technology and recombinant technologies.
9.2 Mendelian genetics in man-family study, single
factor, multifactor, lethal, sub-lethal and polygenic inheritance in man.
9.3 Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection,
Mendelian population, HardyWeinberg law; causes and changes which bring down
frequency mutation, isolation, migration, selection, inbreeding and genetic
drift. Consanguineous and non-consanguineous mating, genetic load, genetic
effect of consanguineous and cousin marriages.
9.4 Chromosomes and chromosomal aberrations in man,
methodology. (a) Numerical and structural aberrations (disorders). (b) Sex
chromosomal aberrations Klinefelter (XXY), Turner (XO), Super female (XXX),
intersex and other syndromic disorders. (c) Autosomal aberrations Down
syndrome, Patau, Edward and Cri-duchat syndromes. (d) Genetic imprints in human
disease, genetic screening, genetic counseling, human DNA profiling, gene
mapping and genome study.
9.5 Race and racism, biological basis of
morphological variation of non-metric and metric characters. Racial criteria,
racial traits in relation to heredity and environment; biological basis of
racial classification, racial differentiation and race crossing in man.
9.6 Age, sex and population variation as genetic
marker- ABO, Rh blood groups, HLA Hp, transferring, Gm, blood enzymes.
Physiological characteristicsHb level, body fat, pulse rate, respiratory
functions and sensory perceptions in different cultural and socio-economic
groups.
9.7 Concepts and methods of Ecological
Anthropology. Bio-cultural Adaptations Genetic and Non- genetic factors. Man s
physiological responses to environmental stresses: hot desert, cold, high
altitude climate.
9.8 Epidemiological Anthropology: Health and
disease. Infectious and non-infectious diseases. Nutritional deficiency related
diseases.
10. Concept of human growth and development: stages
of growth - pre-natal, natal, infant, childhood, adolescence, maturity,
senescence. - Factors affecting growth and development genetic, environmental,
biochemical, nutritional, cultural and socio-economic. - Ageing and senescence.
Theories and observations - biological and chronological longevity. Human
physique and somatotypes. Methodologies for growth studies.
11.1 Relevance of menarche, menopause and other
bioevents to fertility. Fertility patterns and differentials.
11.2 Demographic theories- biological, social and
cultural.
11.3 Biological and socio-ecological factors
influencing fecundity, fertility, natality and mortality.
12. Applications of Anthropology: Anthropology of
sports, Nutritional anthropology, Anthropology in designing of defence and
other equipments, Forensic Anthropology, Methods and principles of personal
identification and reconstruction, Applied human genetics Paternity diagnosis,
genetic counseling and eugenics, DNA technology in diseases and medicine,
serogenetics and cytogenetics in reproductive biology.
Anthropology
Syllabus Paper II
1.1 Evolution of the Indian Culture and
Civilization Prehistoric (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Neolithic -
Chalcolithic). Protohistoric (Indus Civilization): Pre- Harappan, Harappan and
post- Harappan cultures. Contributions of tribal cultures to Indian
civilization.
1.2 Palaeo anthropological evidences from India
with special reference to Siwaliks and Narmada basin (Ramapithecus,
Sivapithecus and Narmada Man).
1.3 Ethno-archaeology in India : The concept of
ethno-archaeology; Survivals and Parallels among the hunting, foraging,
fishing, pastoral and peasant communities including arts and crafts producing
communities.
2. Demographic profile of India Ethnic and
linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution. Indian
population - factors influencing its structure and growth.
3.1 The structure and nature of traditional Indian
social system Varnashram, Purushartha, Karma, Rina and Rebirth.
3.2 Caste system in India- structure and
characteristics, Varna and caste, Theories of origin of caste system, Dominant
caste, Caste mobility, Future of caste system, Jajmani system, Tribecaste
continuum.
3.3 Sacred Complex and Nature- ManSpirit Complex.
3.4 Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian society.
4. Emergence and growth of anthropology in India-Contributions
of the 18th, 19th and early 20th Century scholar-administrators. Contributions
of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies.
5.1 Indian Village: Significance of village study
in India; Indian village as a social system; Traditional and changing patterns
of settlement and inter-caste relations; Agrarian relations in Indian villages;
Impact of globalization on Indian villages.
5.2 Linguistic and religious minorities and their
social, political and economic status.
5.3 Indigenous and exogenous processes of
socio-cultural change in Indian society: Sanskritization, Westernization,
Moderni-zation; Inter-play of little and great traditions; Panchayati raj and
social change; Media and social change.
6.1 Tribal situation in India Bio-genetic variability,
linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of tribal populations and their
distribution.
6.2 Problems of the tribal Communities land
alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, poor educational facilities,
unemployment, underemployment, health and nutrition.
6.3 Developmental projects and their impact on
tribal displacement and problems of rehabilitation. Development of forest
policy and tribals. Impact of urbanization and industrialization on tribal
populations.
7.1 Problems of exploitation and deprivation of
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Constitutional
safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
7.2 Social change and contemporary tribal
societies: Impact of modern democratic institutions, development programmes and
welfare measures on tribals and weaker sections.
7.3 The concept of ethnicity; Ethnic conflicts and
political developments; Unrest among tribal communities; Regionalism and demand
for autonomy; Pseudo-tribalism; Social change among the tribes during colonial
and post-Independent India.
8.1 Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity,
Islam and other religions on tribal societies.
8.2 Tribe and nation state a comparative study of
tribal communities in India and other countries.
9.1 History of administration of tribal areas,
tribal policies, plans, programmes of tribal development and their
implementation. The concept of PTGs (Primitive Tribal Groups), their
distribution, special programmes for their development. Role of N.G.O.s in
tribal development.
9.2 Role of anthropology in tribal and rural
development.
9.3 Contributions of anthropology to the
understanding of regionalism, communalism, and ethnic and political movements.
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