GoGet IAS brings you the hit list for sociology optional 2016 UPSC mains examination.
The sociology hit list 2016 is prepared under the guidance of Shivarajvel sir who is the most sought after sociology optional teacher in India.
Given below are some of the potential topics one must be revising right now. If you are not revising. Please start to revise them now!
SHORT NOTES (10 markers)
1. Sociology and common sense.
2. Sociology and philosophy
3. Sociology and History
4. Sociology and Economics
5. Positivism and its critique.
6. Objectivity and value neutrality
7. Qualitative and quantitative methods.
8. Techniques of data collection- Social surveys, Questionaries, Interviews, Participant observation
10. Pattern variables
11. Latent and manifest functions
12. Reference groups
13. Social stratification- Ethnicity and gender as dimensions
14. Exclusion, poverty and deprivation
15. Labour and society
16. Democracy and civil society
17. Dysfunctions of bureaucracy
18. Difference between pressure groups and political parties
19. Power Elite
20. Globalization and citizenship
21. Protest and revolution
22. Science, technology and social change
LONG ANSWERS (20 markers)
1. Modernity and emergence of sociology
2. Social Facts(E.Durkheim)
3. Division of labour(E.Durkheim)
4. Suicide (E.Durkheim)
5. Alienation (Karl Marx)
6. Mode of production(Karl Marx)Class struggle(Karl Marx)
8. Ideal Type (Weber)
9. Social Action (Weber and Parsons)
10. Social System (Parsons)
11. Critiques to Classical Functionalism by R.K. Merton (Functional Paradigm)
12. Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory
13. Threats to Democracy Today
14. Secularization and Pluralism
15. Religious revivalism and fundamentalism.
16. Religion and science
17. Changing family today
18. Development and dependency
SHORT NOTES (10 markers)
1. Self Respect Movement
2. SNDP Movement
3. Dominant Caste
4. Sanskritisation and Westernisation
5. Definitional problems of Tribes-Forest Rights
6. Constitution, law and social change.
7. Industrial class structure -Working class mobilization.
9. Problems of bondage
10. Urbanisation /Slums/Culture of poverty
11. Child labour
12. Child sexual abuse / POCSO Act 2012
13. Pressure groups
14. Pluralism and National unity
15. Sociology of Right to Education Act
16. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013
17. Equal laws for Women/Patriarchy and entitlements
18. Manual Scavenging
19. Women and capitalism
21. Uniform civil code
22. Problems of religious minorities
23. Social consequences of market economy
24. Youth unrest today
25. Honour killing and caste conflicts
26. Social media network
LONG ANSWERS (20markers)
1. Indology (G.S.Ghurye)
3. Modernization of Indian tradition
4. Perspectives on the study of caste systems: Andre Beteille
5. Family Changes in India Today
6. Patriarchy and women
7. Changing Modes of Production in Indian Agriculture
8. Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty, deprivation, inequalities and poverty alleviation schemes.
9. Regionalism and decentralisation of power.
10. Population policy and family planning
12. Communalism ,religious revivalism and Ethnic conflicts
13. Intolerance in India today( Beef ban)
14. Farmers Suicide and Agrarian Unrest today
15. Backwards Classes Movements in South India and North India
16. Dalit consciousness today
17. Environmental problems and sustainability
ROAD TO 300+ MARKS IN SOCIOLOGY:
1) ALL QUESTIONS IN BOTH PAPERS NEEDS CONTEMPORARY DIMENSIONS (Globalization)
2) ATTEMPT ALL THINKERS QUESTION IN PAPER 1
3) DIRECTLY LIFT SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES/JARGONS FROM PAPER 1 TO WRITE PAPER 2 ANSWERS
4) NEVER WRITE G.S ANSWERS IN SOCIOLOGY (especially in paper 2)
5) LINK SOCIAL ISSUES WITH SOCIOLOGY
6) CITE ILLUSTRATIONS/EXAMPLES
7) COMPLETE THE PAPER
YOUR ACTION INSIDE EXAM HALL:
1) Before starting to write the answer read the question 5 times to understand fully.
2) Underline the key words in question and often repeat in the answer directly and indirectly
3) Your first answer should be your best answer.
4) Write long answers first and then start writing short notes
1) 9 am – 9:10 am : Read the question paper fully
2) Write every Long answer for 15 min (6 long answers X 15 min = 90 min)
3) Write every Short notes for 6 min (13 Short notes X 6 min = 78 min)
PREDICT THE UNPREDICTABLE:
1) UPSC MAY ASK 12 MARKERS AS SHORT NOTES INSTEAD OF 10 or 15 OR 20 MARKERS
2) SO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
3) IN GENERAL FOLLOW THIS:
1) WRITE LONG ANSWERS IN 90 Minutes (i.e 9 am to 10.30 am)
2) WRITE SHORT NOTES IN 80 Minutes (i.e 10.30 am to 12 noon)
Wishing You All The Very Best