Mains Examination Syllabus  - Anthropology

PAPER I

Group A : Introduction to Physical Anthropology

Definition and Scope of Physical Anthropology.

A general study of the animal skeleton.

Man’s place in the animal kingdom, Classification of the mammals and their characteristic features, Classification of primates and their characteristic features. Living primates— their distribution and significant characteristics, Living anthropoids—their distribution and significant characteristics. Position of man in the order Primate.

 Distinguishing characteristics of man.

Group B : Human Evolution :

General principal of organic evolution. Lamarckism and Darwinism.

General idea of human evolution. Fossil evidences of human evolution.

A general study of the following fossil types :

Dryopithecus, Ramapithecus, Australopithecinae, Pithecanthroupus, Sinanthroupus, Neanderthals, CroMagnon, Grimaldi and Chancelade man.

Group C : Elements of Genetics and Race :

Elementary knowledge of Genetics and Heredity. Biological basis of inheritance cell, Chromosome, gene, cell divns.

Mendel’s law of Inheritance

Definition and genetic concept of race, Principal criteria for racial classification: stature, skin, colour, head hair, head form, nose form, face form, eye, ABO blood groups. Role of heredity and environment in the formation of races.

Major groups of human races — their characteristics and distribution.

Racial, Elements in India, Racial elements in North East India.

Group D : Prehistory

Definition, aims and scope of prehistory.

Geological time scale. Climatic fluctuation during the Pleistocene period—glacial and interglacial, pluvial and interpluvial periods.

Relative and absolute methods of dating.

Prehistoric tool types and technology, tool families.

Palaeolithic cultures, main division of European and Indian Paleolithic cultures and their distinctive features, including chronological sequence.

A brief outline of the postpleistocene Mesolithic culture development in Europe.

Characteristics of Neolithic culture and economy; Neolothic tool types and industries, Neolithic economic patterns— domestication of plants and animals.

A brief introduction of Metal Age.

PAPER -II

Social and Cultural Anthropology

Group A : Social Anthropology :

Scope of Social Anthropology and its relationship with other branches of anthropology and other disciplines (e.g. sociology, political, science, history, linguistics). Uses and applications of social anthropology— a brief introduction.

Concept of a society, basic features of human society, characteristic features of folk / primitive society.

Social institutions :

(a) Marriage — Definition, forms (monogamy) and polygamy)

Regulation (exogamy and endogamy), rules of residence after marriage, preferential marriage (cousin marriage, sorrorate, levirate filial inheritance), ways of acquiring mates, marriage payments (bride price and down).

(b)Family — Definition, types functions.

(c)Kinship — Terminology, usages and behaviourpatterns.

(d)Unilateral descent groups (lineage and clan) Definitions, types, functions.

Group B : Cultural Anthropology

Concept of culture in anthropology—meaning and definitions, material and nonmaterial culture, culture and society (the relationship between the two concepts), culture is learned (enculturation / socialization).

Material culture and subsistence economic pursuits of primitive peoples—gathering, hunting, fishing, pastoralism, agriculture (including shifting cultivation).
Culture change—culture contact and acculturations, evolution and diffusion (a brief and general idea).

Group C : Religion in Primitive/Nonliterate Societies.

Definition and concept of religion in primitive society. Magic—different types of magic, Relation between magic and religion, Divination, spell and prayer.
A general outline of Animatism, Animism, Fetishism, Taboo, Man Toterism.

Group D : Indian Society and Regional Ethnography of North East India :

The concepts of tribe and caste. A brief outline of tribal populations of India.

Caste system in India—salient features, changing aspects of caste in India.

Introduction to North East India–the area and its distinctive tribal populations (their general) pattern of distribution and important socioeconomic characteristics.

A Study of material culture and socialeconomic life of any one of the following Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

(i) The Mishing (Miri)

(ii) The Tiwa (Lalung)

(iii)The Bodo Kachari

(iv)The Karbi (Mikir)

(v)The Dimasa.

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