Sociology Optional · Paper I · Fundamentals of Sociology
Religion and Society Notes · PYQs · Solved Answers
Free notes, every previous year question and the solved answers for Religion and Society (Paper I, Fundamentals of Sociology), arranged so you can read a topic and immediately see how UPSC has asked it. Syllabus: Theories of religion; types of religious practices; religion in modern society, secularization, revivalism, fundamentalism.
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1983–2026
Years covered
52
Questions listed
3
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Paper I · Unit 08
Religion and Society notes
Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order. Read a topic, then open its previous year questions below.
Free notes
Free practice
Previous year questions: Religion and Society
Every question UPSC has asked from this unit, year-wise, with a link to its solved answer.
Topic-wise question list
Year-wise question papers
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UPSC Sociology Optional Question Paper 2026
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UPSC Sociology Optional Question Paper 2025
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UPSC Sociology Optional Question Paper 2024
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UPSC Sociology Optional Question Paper 2023
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2010
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2011
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2012
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2013
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2014
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2015
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2016
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2017
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2018
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Sociology Optional Question Paper 2019
Sociology PYQ Master Pack
Solved PYQ answers: Religion and Society
Topic-wise model answers, newest exam year first. Members open the full answer; everyone else sees the question and can join the pack.
PYQ Solutions
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How does the rise of new ‘cults’ and ‘sects’ influence intercaste relations?
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How does Emile Durkheim conceptualize religion as a ‘social fact’? Explain.
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How do theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim differ in understanding religion? Explain.
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How does a multicultural society accommodate diversities of all kinds — ethnic, linguistic and religious? Discuss its major challenges.
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How do you understand the phenomena of the mushrooming of sects and cults in contemporary society? Discuss the factors responsible for the trend.
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Discuss the concept of animism and differentiate it from naturism.
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Do modernization and secularization necessarily go together? Give your views.
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What is Taylorism? Analyze its merits and demerits.
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What are new religious movements? Elaborate emphasizing their forms and orientations.
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Highlight the differences and similarities between totemism and animism.
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What functions does religion perform in a pluralistic society?
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Write a note on global trends of secularization.
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How do little tradition and great tradition coexist in contemporary Indian society?
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Critically compare the views of E. B. Tylor and Max Müller on religion.
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What is cult? Explain the growth of cults in the contemporary world.
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Give your comments on the growth of religious revivalism in the present-day context.
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State the reasons for the various religious beliefs and practices in pre-modern societies.
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Are all world religions patriarchal? Substantiate your answer with examples.
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What are sects? Discuss their role in multi-religious societies with empirical examples.
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Discuss the challenges thrown by religious revivalism to a secular nation-state.
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Give an assessment of the Durkheimian notion of ‘sacred’ and ‘profane’ in sociology of religion.
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Problematise the concept of secularism in the present context.
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Elaborate on various types of religious practices prevalent in Indian society.
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Is religion playing an important role in increasing fundamentalism? Give reasons for your answer.
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How is Durkheim’s theory of religion different from Max Weber’s theory of religion?
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“Religious pluralism is the order of present-day societies.” Explain by giving suitable examples.
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Distinguish between sects and cults with illustrations.
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Define Secularisation. What are its major dimensions in the modern world?
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How is religious revivalism different from communalism? Elaborate with suitable examples from the Indian context.
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“Science has empirical means to logical ends and religion has non-empirical means to logical ends.” Comment.
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Is religion antithetical to science? Comment.
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Discuss the factors leading to growing religious revivalism in the contemporary world.
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Write short note on Cultural Pluralism from a sociological perspective (in about 150 words).
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Define sect, cult and religion. In what way do Weber’s views on religion differ from those of Durkheim?
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Examine the social dimensions of religious revivalism and fundamentalism in the context of globalisation.
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Write short note on Positive Religion.
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“Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.” Comment on this statement critically in the light of emerging sociological contexts in Europe, USA and India.
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Write short note on Secularization of societies in the modern world.
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In what important ways can religion be a force both for social stability and social change? Discuss.
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Write short note: Religion and Science.
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Write short note: Origins of religious beliefs and practices in premodern societies.
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Examine the functional as well as dysfunctional aspects of religion in a pluralistic society taking India and the United States of America as illustrative models.
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Critically examine functional and dysfunctional aspects of religion.
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Elaborate on the social necessity of religion. Discuss the relationship between religion and science.
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Write short note: Religious pluralism.
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Write short note: Fundamentals of religion.
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What is happening to religion in the face of challenges of science in modern societies? Elaborate your answer with the help of sociological literature.
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“Religion is said to have emancipated human beings on the one hand but it also alienates them on the other.” Bring out the paradoxical functions religion plays in a modern secular society.
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Discuss the role of religion in the world today. Has the supergrowth of science any de-mystifying effect on religion?
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Write short note: Religion and Society.
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Write short note: Religious factor in economic development.
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Write short note: Religious and scientific world views.
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