Paper: IAS Mains Previous Year Paper Sociology (1973)

Sociology:

1. What are social phenomena? Distinguish them psychological phenomena.

2. 'If Sociology claims to be a science, it has to be comparative'. Discuss.

3. What is the social structure? What is its relation to social function?

4. Examine critically the view that the Indian village is a self sufficient and autonomous republic.

5. How for is it true to say that religion is essentially a conservative force obstructing economic development.

6. Distinguish between Karl Marx's and Marx Weber's views on class.

7. What are Scheduled Castes? Evaluate the changes taking place in their status in modern India.

8. Delineate the changes that have taken place in the age at marriage in India. What are the causes of these changes and what are their effects on population growth?

9. What are social sanctions? Give an idea of their variety, and show how they regulate social behaviour.

10. Explain the concept of-social mobility. Discuss the role of Sanskritization in social mobility in India.

11. What is meant by developmental cycle of the family? Give an analytical description of the developmental cycle of the family in India.

ADVANCED

1. Discuss the significance of the analogy between society and animal organism in sociological theory.

2. 'The individual is a product of the society and not vice-versa. Discuss.

3. Trace the development of the comparative approach in Sociology. Point out its significance in modern sociology.

4. Discuss the types of evidence needed to test the hypothesis of casual relationship between variables and describe the salient features of experimental designs sociological research which may be employed for procuring such evidence.

5. Distinguish between patrilineal and matrilineat kinship systems, with illustrations from India.

6. What is the functionalist theory of religion? What are the major criticisms against it?

7. Show how social factors affect communication. Illustrate with any one of the mass media of communication in India.

8. If the avowed aim of judicial institutions is to maintain social stability, how do they meet the demands of social change?

9. Show how and to what extent the understanding of Indian society and culture is helped by the study of classical Indian literature.

10. Discuss the nature and significance of the Backward Classes Movement in India.

11. 'Planning in a plural society is essentially an exercise in management of conflicting demands made by diverse groups, classes and categories of people.' Elucidate.