UPSC Sociology Syllabus
Paper – I: Fundamentals of Sociology
Sociology Syllabus For UPSC: Sociology – The Discipline
- Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.
- Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
- Sociology and common sense.
Sociology as Science
Science, scientific method and critique | Major theoretical strands of research methodology |
Positivism and its critique | Fact value and objectivity |
Non- positivist methodologies | — |
Research Methods and Analysis
Qualitative and quantitative methods | Techniques of data collection |
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity | — |
UPSC Sociology Syllabus Optional – Sociological Thinkers
- Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
- Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
- Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
- Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
- Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
- Mead – Self and identity.
Sociology Syllabus For UPSC: Stratification and Mobility
Concepts | equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation |
Theories of social stratification | Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory |
Dimensions | Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race |
Social mobility | open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility |
Sociology Optional Syllabus: Works and Economic Life
- Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society
- Formal and informal organization of work
- Labour and society
Sociology Syllabus For UPSC :Politics and Society
- Sociological theories of power
- Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties
- Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology
- Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution
Religion and Society
Sociological theories of religion | |
Types of religious practices | Animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults. |
Religion in modern society | Religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism. |
UPSC Sociology Syllabus Optional – Systems of Kinship
Family, household, marriage | Types and forms of family |
Lineage and descent | Patriarchy and sexual division of labour |
Contemporary trends | — |
Social Change in Modern Society
Sociological theories of social change | Development and dependency |
Agents of social change | Education and social change |
Science, technology and social change | — |
Paper – II: Indian Society – Structure and Change
UPSC IAS Sociology Syllabus – Introducing Indian Society
PERSPECTIVES ON THE STUDY OF INDIAN SOCIETY | |
Indology (GS. Ghurye) | Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) |
Marxist sociology (A R Desai) | — |
IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE ON INDIAN SOCIETY | |
Social background of Indian nationalism | Modernization of Indian tradition |
Protests and movements during the colonial period | Social reforms |
Sociology Syllabus For UPSC :Social Structure
RURAL AND AGRARIAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE | |
The idea of Indian village and village studies. | Agrarian social structure – evolution of land tenure system, land reforms. |
CASTE SYSTEM | |
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille. | Features of caste system. |
Untouchability – forms and perspectives. | — |
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IN INDIA | |
Definitional problems | Geographical spread |
Colonial policies and tribes | Issues of integration and autonomy |
SOCIAL CLASSES IN INDIA | |
Agrarian class structure | Industrial class structure |
Middle classes in India | — |
SYSTEMS OF KINSHIP IN INDIA | |
Lineage and descent in India | Types of kinship systems |
Family and marriage in India | Household dimensions of the family |
Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour | — |
RELIGION AND SOCIETY | |
Religious communities in India | Problems of religious minorities |
UPSC Sociology Syllabus Optional :Social Changes in India
VISIONS OF SOCIAL CHANGE IN INDIA | |
Idea of development planning and mixed economy | Constitution, law and social change |
Education and social change | — |
RURAL AND AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION IN INDIA | |
Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes | Green revolution and social change |
Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture | Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration |
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANISATION IN INDIA | |
Evolution of modern industry in India | Growth of urban settlements in India |
Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization | Informal sector, child labour |
Slums and deprivation in urban areas | — |
POLITICS AND SOCIETY | |
Nation, democracy and citizenship | Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite |
Regionalism and decentralization of power | Secularization |
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN MODERN INDIA | |
Peasants and farmers movements | Women’s movement |
Backward classes & Dalit movement | Environmental movements |
Ethnicity and Identity movements | — |
POPULATION DYNAMICS | |
Population size, growth, composition and distribution | Components of population growth: birth, death, migration |
Population policy and family planning | Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health |
CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION | |
Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability | Poverty, deprivation and inequalities |
Violence against women | Caste conflicts |
Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism | Illiteracy and disparities in education |
UPSC Sociology Books:
Here we’ve added UPSC Sociology Syllabus Books list to prepare well for Paper 1 and Paper 2, must have a glance:
Paper-I | |
1 | Sociology – Anthony Giddens |
2 | Sociology – Harlombos and Holborn |
3 | Sociological Thought – Francis Abraham and John Henry Morgan |
4 | Political Theory – O P Gauba |
Paper-II | |
5 | Social Change in India – M N Srinivas |
6 | Modernization of Indian Tradition – Yogendra Singh |
7 | Handbook of Indian Sociology – Veena Das |
8 | Indian Society and Culture – NadeemHasnain |
9 | Rural Sociology – Doshi and Jain |
10 | Social Background of Indian Nationalism – A R Desai |