UPSC Anthropology Syllabus for Paper I
UPSC Mains Anthropology Syllabus – Anthropology, Their Scope And Relevance
- Social- cultural Anthropology
- Biological Anthropology
- Archaeological Anthropology
- Linguistic Anthropology
- Human Evolution and emergence of Man:
- Biological and Cultural factors in human evolution.
- Theories of Organic Evolution (Pre- Darwinian, Darwinian and PostDarwinian).
- Synthetic theory of evolution
- Brief outline of terms and concepts of evolutionary biology
UPSC Anthropology Syllabus – Primates:
| Characteristics of Primates |
| Evolutionary Trend and Primate Taxonomy |
| Primate Adaptations |
| Primate Behavior |
| Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates |
| Living Major Primates |
| Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes |
| Skeletal changes due to erect posture and its implications |
| Marriage: UPSC Anthropology Syllabus 2019 PDF |
| Definition and universality |
| Laws of marriage |
| Types of marriage |
| Functions of marriage |
| Marriage regulations |
| Marriage payments |
Anthropology Syllabus For UPSC – 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.
UPSC Anthropology Syllabus – 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.
UPSC Mains Anthropology Syllabus – 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). |
UPSC Anthropology Syllabus – Anthropological Theories:
- Classical evolutionism (Tylor, Morgan and Frazer)
- Historical particularism (Boas);
- Diffusionism (British, German and American)
- Functionalism (Malinowski); Structural- functionlism (RadcliffeBrown)
- Structuralism (L’evi – Strauss and E. Leach)
- Culture and personality (Benedict, Mead, Linton, Kardiner and Cora – du Bois).
- Neo – evolutionism (Childe, White, Steward, Sahlins and Service)
- Cultural materialism (Harris)
- Symbolic and interpretive theories (Turner, Schneider and Geertz)
- Cognitive theories (Tyler, Conklin)
- Post- modernism in anthropology
Anthropology Syllabus For UPSC (Paper II)
UPSC IAS Anthropology Syllabus – 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.
- Palaeo -anthropological evidences from India with special reference to Siwaliks and Narmada basin (Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus and Narmada Man).
- 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.
UPSC Anthropology Syllabus – Demographic profile of India:
- Ethnic and linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution. Indian population – factors influencing its structure and growth.
- The structure and nature of traditional Indian social system – Varnashram, Purushartha, Karma, Rina and Rebirth.
- Caste System in India: UPSC Anthropology Syllabus
- Structure and characteristics, Varna and caste, Theories of origin of caste system, Dominant caste, Caste mobility, Future of caste system, Jajmani system, Tribecaste continuum.
- Sacred Complex and Nature- ManSpirit Complex.
- Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian society.
- 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.
- 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.
- Linguistic and religious minorities and their social, political and economic status.
- 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.
- Tribal situation in India – Bio-genetic variability, linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of tribal populations and their distribution.
- Problems of the tribal Communities – land alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, poor educational facilities, unemployment, underemployment, health and nutrition.
- 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.
- Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
- Social change and contemporary tribal societies: Impact of modern democratic institutions, development programmes and welfare measures on tribals and weaker sections.
- 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.
- Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies.
- Tribe and nation state – a comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries.
- 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.
- Role of anthropology in tribal and rural development.
- Contributions of anthropology to the understanding of regionalism, communalism, and ethnic and political movements.
UPSC Anthropology Study Material
- Physical Anthropology – P. Nath
- Outlines of Physical Anthropology – B.M.Das
- An Introduction to Social Anthropology – Majumdar & Madan
- Indian anthropology – R.N.Sharma
- Indian Anthropology – Nadeem Hasnain (Good source of case studies)
- An Introduction to Social Anthropology – Makhan Jha
- Tribal India – Nadeem Hasnain
- Internet and Newspapers for current events.