Sociology Optional · Paper I · Fundamentals of Sociology
Works and Economic Life Notes · PYQs · Solved Answers
Free notes, every previous year question and the solved answers for Works and Economic Life (Paper I, Fundamentals of Sociology), arranged so you can read a topic and immediately see how UPSC has asked it. Syllabus: Social organisation of work in different societies; formal and informal organisation of work; labour and society.
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1984–2026
Years covered
49
Questions listed
3
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Paper I · Unit 06
Works and Economic Life 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: Works and Economic Life
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: Works and Economic Life
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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Critically analyse the mode of production debate from different perspectives.
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Describe the impact of capitalist mode of production on society.
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Critically examine the position of women in the informal economy.
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Evaluate the socio-economic impacts of migration on rural households.
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Compare the social organisation of work in industrial capitalism and platform capitalism.
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Critically analyze the sociological significance of informal sector in the economy of developing societies.
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What do you understand by gender-based domestic division of labour? Is it undergoing a change in the wake of increasing participation of women in formal employment? Clarify your answer with illustrations.
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Do you think that the formal workspaces are free of gender bias? Argue your case.
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Define the concept of ‘gig’ economy and discuss its impact on labour market and workers’ social security net.
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Describe the differing principles of work organization in feudal and capitalist societies.
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Explain how economic globalization has brought changes in the patterns of employment in the 21st century.
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What characterizes degradation of work in capitalist society according to Marx?
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Explain the implications of feminization of work in the developing societies.
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How has the idea of ‘Work from Home’ forced us to redefine the formal and informal organization of work?
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Explain how political parties and pressure groups are dialectically related to each other in terms of achieving their goals.
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Elucidate the main problems and challenges faced by the migrant labourers in the recent ‘Lockdown period’.
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Explain the emerging challenges in establishing gender equality in the informal sector.
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Discuss the new labour codes and their impact on formal and informal labour in India.
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Capitalism has brought increasing informalisation of work in society. Substantiate your answer.
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What is ‘reserve army of labour’? Present the position of feminist scholars on this.
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What is ‘informal labour’? Discuss the need for and challenges in regulating informal labour in the post-industrial society.
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Discuss the nature of social organisation of work in capitalist society with reference to the ‘Limits of the working day’.
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What is labour commitment? Discuss it with reference to studies of manufacturing industry.
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What do you understand by ‘informalisation of labour’? Write your answer with special reference to India.
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Trace the changing nature of organisation of work in capitalist society over the years.
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Describe the nature of social organization of work in industrial society.
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“Globalization has pushed the labour into informal organization of work.” Substantiate your answer with suitable examples.
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Distinguish between the social organization of work in feudal society and in capitalist society.
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The increasing importance of the tertiary sector has weakened the formal organization of work in recent times. Examine the statement.
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What are the distinctive features of social organization of work in slave society? How is it different from feudal society?
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Examine the social impact of globalization on labour and society.
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Write short note on the following from a sociological perspective: Industrial Democracy.
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How do formal and informal organisation of work influence labour’s mobility? Explain with examples.
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Write short note on Self-Help Group (SHG) as an informal organization from a sociological perspective (in about 150 words).
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What is formal organization? “The growth of bureaucracy has resulted in extreme concentration of power at larger levels of social organization.” Discuss.
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“Work in capitalism is reduced to mere labour in which the individual does not develop freely his physical and mental energy and mortifies his body and ruins his mind.” Critically evaluate the assertion.
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Analyse the social impact of market economy on traditional societies.
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Write short note on Human Relations School of Thought by Elton Mayo as a social organisation of work process in industry.
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Write short note on Feminisation of Labour in Informal Sector.
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Indicate social determinants of economic development. Discuss any one sociological perspective analysing backwardness and poverty in the developing societies.
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Write short note: Features of pre-industrial economic system.
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Write short note: Social determinants of economic development.
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Examine in detail the impact of new global economy on work organization and family structure in India.
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Write short note: Industrialisation and social change.
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Write short note: Types of exchange.
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Write short note: Emerging pattern of sex roles in modern society.
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Write short note: Social consequences of economic development.
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Write short note: Formal organisation.
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Write short note: Problems of nation-building in developing countries.
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Write short note: Social aspects of industrial economic system.
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Write short note: Changing concept of property.
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