Paper: IAS Mains Previous Year Paper Sociology (1978)

Sociology:

1. Trace briefly the development of sociology as a science and discuss its relationship with economics.

2. Discuss the inter-relationships among Culture, Personality and Society.

3. Distinguish between formal and informal agencies of social control. Discuss, with examples, religious, educational and legal institutions as agencies of social control.

4. What is social structure? Show its relationship to social function.

5. Critically examine the view that joint family organization has been replaced by nuclear family.

6. Compare and contrast caste and class as forms of stratification. Illustrate your answer.

7. Discuss, with examples, the conflict theory of social change.

8. What are the features of urbanization? Discuss the impact of urbanization on rural society.

9. What is planned change? Evaluate the impact of the major programmes of rural development.

10. Describe the various measures taken by the Government of India to improve the status of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. To what extent have these measure been successful?

11. Write short notes on three of the following:
(a) Reference group,
(b) Population control,
(c) Dowry system,
(d) Norms and values,
(e) Race,
(f) Tribal integration.

Advanced:

1. What is sociological method? Explain how sociological analysis is different from economic analysis. Illustrate your answer.

2. Compare the contributions of Marx with those of Weber to sociological analysis.

3. What are the different theories of social structure? Explain in full any one theory which you consider satisfactory. Give reasons.

4. Compare and contrast the survey method with participant observation.

5. What are the attributes of role? Bring out the importance of role and social network in analyzing social processes.

6. Discuss the nature of class conflict in industrial society. Illustrate your answer.

7. Discuss, with examples, the part played by social and cultural factors in economic development.

8. Explain the changing power structure in rural India.

9. Discuss the part played by Backward classes movements in bringing about social change in India.

10. Attempt a sociological explanation of agrarian unrest in contemporary India, and suggest measures to overcome it.

11. Write short notes on any three of the following:
(a) Bureaucracy
(b) Decent groups
(c) Communalism
(d) Scaling techniques
(e) Development planning
(f) Slums.