Paper: IAS Mains Previous Year Paper Sociology (1976)

Sociology:

1. Examine the claims of sociology to be a science and the mother of social sciences.

2. If race is a myth, what are its real sociological implications? Illustrate your answer.

3. Explain the different kinds of environment and discuss the role of geographical factors in relation to society.

4. Discuss the need for social control and evaluate the role of norms and values as agents of social control.

5. Do you think that religion and religious institutions block economic development and political awareness? Substantiate your answer with reference to India.

6. Discuss the characteristics of a traditional society with reference to India. In what ways modernization affects traditional societies in the third world?

7. Evaluate the changing frontiers of caste system in contemporary India.

8. What is social change? Discuss the role of technological factors in social change with particular reference to India.

9. The Indian village is the lane of conservatism. Substantiate this statement with reference to structural functional aspects of village community life.

10. Write notes on any three of the following:
(a) Population problems
(b) Joint family
(c) Socialization,
(d) Reference-group,
(e) Class-conflict and
(f) Social evolution.

Advanced:

1. Critically examine the view that sociology is a positive and not a normative science.

2. Discuss Durkheim's views on Anomie and their relevance in understanding contemporary Indian situation.

3. Explain, with illustrations, the use of scaling techniques, in sociological research.

4. What do you understand by "conflict theory"? Examine the views of any one of its principal modern proponents.

5. Show how the changes in economic institutions are based ultimately on changes in technology.

6. Analyze the changing role of caste in Indian politics. In the light of your analysis can caste be cradicted in India?

7. What is a "tribe"? Examine the view that the tribes in India are tribes in transition.

8. Comment on the view that traditional Indian society was hierarchical not only in fact but also but design.

9. Discuss the view that the main source of social inequality in contemporary India is not caste but the unequal distribution of land.

10. How far do you agree with the view that the earlier phase of social reform movements in India had only linkered with the social pathological situation obtainingin the society?

11. Examine some of the principal social factors that have to be taken into account in planning for economic development in India.