UPSC Anthropology Optional Previous Year Question Papers can help aspirants understand the exam pattern and types of questions that are framed for the UPSC Main Examination. The Anthropology Optional consists of two papers, Paper-1 and Paper-2 both carrying 250 marks each. Therefore, practicing Anthropology UPSC Previous Year Question Papers is extremely essential in order to score high in the main examination.
In this article, we provide you with the official Anthropology Optional Paper 1 and Paper 2 PDFs, along with an in-depth topic-wise analysis based on the latest UPSC pattern.
UPSC Anthropology Optional Question Paper 2023
- ✅ Download Anthropology Optional Paper 1 – 2023 PDF
- ✅ Download Anthropology Optional Paper 2 – 2023 PDF
Note: These are the official UPSC question papers as released by the Union Public Service Commission.
Anthropology Optional Questions 2023 (Paper-1)
SECTION ‘A’
1. Write notes on the following in about 150 words each:
a). Scope and relevance of Social and Cultural Anthropology
b). Cultural impact of Iron Age.
c). Race and Ethnicity.
d). Customary laws and Environmental conservation.
e). Gene expression.
2. Answer the following:
a). Discuss major species of Australopithecus discovered from South and East Africa. Describe the discovery, physical features and significance of Taung baby.
b). Discuss the Paleolithic environment in light of available evidences with special reference to India.
c). Elucidate the different forms of malnutrition. Describe protein–calorie malnutrition with suitable examples.
3. Answer the following:
a). What is hominization process? Discuss the major trends in human evolution with the help of suitable examples and illustrations.
b). How did Clifford Geertz look at religion. Differentiate between anthropological and psychological approaches to the study of religion.
c). What is mixed-longitudinal method of studying human growth. Discuss its merits and demerits.
4. Answer the following:
a). Discuss the role of marriage regulations in traditional societies in India for strengthening social solidarity.
b). Discuss various methods of personal identification based on skeletal remains.
c). Identify the major Mesolithic sites and describe the typo-technological features with special reference to India.
SECTION ‘B’
5. Write notes on the following in about 150 words each:
a). Polygenic Inheritance
b). Prehistoric significance of Rakhigarhi
c). Glottochronology
d). Menopausal symptoms
e). William Ogburn and Cultural lag
6. Answer the following:
a). Critically discuss the controversies related to fieldwork of Bronislaw-Malinowski and Margaret Mead.
b). Discuss the impact of globalization on the economic systems of indigenous communities.
c). Describe the practical applications of DNA technology in the current scenario.
7. Answer the following:
a). Describe various methods of qualitative data analysis. Highlight some popular computer softwares used in qualitative analysis.
b). What assumptions must be met for a population to be in genetic equilibrium. Explain the importance of genetic equilibrium.
c). Discuss political and methodological aspects of national character studies. Elucidate the contemporary relevance of such studies.
8. Answer the following:
a). Critically examine Arjun Appadurai’s conceptualization of the global cultural economy.
b). Describe the causes of structural abnormalities of chromosomes with suitable examples.
c). Critically discuss A.L. Kroeber’s contribution to kinship studies.
Anthropology Optional Questions 2023 (Paper-2)
SECTION ‘A’
1. Write notes on the following in about 150 words each:
a). Material culture and archaeology
b). Interface between Purushartha and Ashrama
c). Jajmani system : continuity and change
d). Prehistoric rock arts from Uttarakhand
e). Religious pluralism and social solidarity
2. Answer the following:
a). “Tribes are backward Hindus.” Critically comment with reference to the contributions of G.S. Ghurye.
b). “Indus Valley was the first settlement of the big civilization.” Comment critically.
c). Discuss the basic tenets of Jainism and its impact on Indian society.
3. Answer the following:
a). “Sanskritization is a culture-bound concept.” Critically comment to assess the strength and limitation of this concept in developing a theoretical framework to study social change.
b). Was Mesolithic culture the first step towards a sedentary way of life? Illustrate your answer by citing suitable examples.
c). Critically examine the impact of modern democratic institutions on contemporary tribal societies. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
4. Answer the following:
a). Elucidate the problems faced by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and the major challenges in the formulation of special programmes for their development.
b). Critically compare Risley’s and Sarkar’s approaches to the classification of peoples of India.
c). Is caste mobility a recent phenomenon? Discuss in the light of Indological and Empirical context.
SECTION ‘B’
5. Write notes on the following in about 150 words each :
a). Scheduled areas
b). Ramapithecus-Sivapithecus debate
c). Village as little republic
d). Dravidian language and their subgroups
e). Karma and Rebirth
6. Answer the following:
a). Is annihilation of caste possible? Discuss the future of caste system in the light of various proactive measures taken by the Indian State.
b). Distinguishing between ethnic identity and ethnicity, discuss the factors responsible for ethnic conflict in tribal areas.
c). “Siwalik deposits show a variety of Neogene fossil primates.” Critically examine.
7. Answer the following:
a). Elucidate the shifting terrains of India’s tribal policies in colonial and post-colonial periods.
b). Critically examine how the displacement of tribal communities due to hydroelectric river dam projects has affected the women in local context. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
c). Elucidate the role of anthropology in nation building. Illustrate with suitable examples.
8. Answer the following:
a). Discuss the distribution of tribes in different geographical regions of India. Identify the distinct institutional features of tribal societies of these regions.
b). Critically evaluate the contributions of S.C. Roy to Indian anthropology.
c). How are Other Backward Classes identified. Enumerating the important features elucidate the recent changes in their social and economic life.
UPSC Anthropology Optional Question Paper 2023 – Topic-Wise Categorisation
Anthropology Optional Paper-1 (Topic-Wise Categorisation)
1.1 Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology
- Q1(a): Scope and relevance of Social and Cultural Anthropology
1.2 Relationship with Other Disciplines
- (No direct question in 2023)
1.3 Main Branches of Anthropology
- Q1(e): Gene expression.
1.4 Human Evolution and Fossil Evidence
- Q2(a): Discuss major species of Australopithecus discovered from South and East Africa. Describe the discovery, physical features and significance of Taung baby.
- Q3(a): What is hominization process? Discuss the major trends in human evolution with the help of suitable examples and illustrations.
1.5 Prehistoric Cultures
- Q2(b): Discuss the Paleolithic environment in light of available evidences with special reference to India.
- Q4(c): Identify the major Mesolithic sites and describe the typo-technological features with special reference to India.
1.6 Genetics and Evolution
- Q5(a): Polygenic Inheritance
- Q7(b): What assumptions must be met for a population to be in genetic equilibrium. Explain the importance of genetic equilibrium.
- Q8(b): Describe the causes of structural abnormalities of chromosomes with suitable examples.
1.7 Human Growth and Development
- Q3(c): What is mixed-longitudinal method of studying human growth. Discuss its merits and demerits.
- Q5(d): Menopausal symptoms
1.8 Human Genetics (extended)
- Q6(c): Describe the practical applications of DNA technology in the current scenario.
1.9 Concepts of Society and Culture
- Q1(b): Cultural impact of Iron Age.
- Q1(d): Customary laws and Environmental conservation.
- Q5(e): William Ogburn and Cultural lag
1.10 Marriage, Family and Kinship
- Q4(a): Discuss the role of marriage regulations in traditional societies in India for strengthening social solidarity.
- Q8(c): Critically discuss A.L. Kroeber’s contribution to kinship studies.
1.11 Economic and Political Organization
- Q6(b): Discuss the impact of globalization on the economic systems of indigenous communities.
1.12 Religion
- Q3(b): How did Clifford Geertz look at religion. Differentiate between anthropological and psychological approaches to the study of religion.
1.13 Theories of Culture and Society
- Q7(c): Discuss political and methodological aspects of national character studies. Elucidate the contemporary relevance of such studies.
- Q8(a): Critically examine Arjun Appadurai’s conceptualization of the global cultural economy.
1.14 Research Methods in Anthropology
- Q6(a): Critically discuss the controversies related to fieldwork of Bronislaw-Malinowski and Margaret Mead.
- Q7(a): Describe various methods of qualitative data analysis. Highlight some popular computer softwares used in qualitative analysis.
1.15 Applications of Anthropology
- Q1(c): Race and Ethnicity.
- Q2(c): Elucidate the different forms of malnutrition. Describe protein–calorie malnutrition with suitable examples.
- Q4(b): Discuss various methods of personal identification based on skeletal remains.
- Q7(c): Discuss political and methodological aspects of national character studies. Elucidate the contemporary relevance of such studies.
- Q5(b): Prehistoric significance of Rakhigarhi
- Q5(c): Glottochronology
Anthropology Optional Paper-2 (Topic-Wise Categorisation)
2.1 Evolution and Growth of Indian Anthropology
- Q8(b): Critically evaluate the contributions of S.C. Roy to Indian anthropology.
2.2 Palaeoanthropology in India
- Q5(b): Ramapithecus-Sivapithecus debate
- Q6(c): “Siwalik deposits show a variety of Neogene fossil primates.” Critically examine.
2.3 Ethno-archaeology in India
- Q1(a): Material culture and archaeology
- Q1(d): Prehistoric rock arts from Uttarakhand
- Q2(b): “Indus Valley was the first settlement of the big civilization.” Comment critically.
- Q3(b): Was Mesolithic culture the first step towards a sedentary way of life? Illustrate your answer by citing suitable examples.
2.4 Demographic and Ecological Issues
- Q5(a): Scheduled areas
2.5 Caste System and Social Stratification
- Q4(c): Is caste mobility a recent phenomenon? Discuss in the light of Indological and Empirical context.
- Q6(a): Is annihilation of caste possible? Discuss the future of caste system in the light of various proactive measures taken by the Indian State.
- Q8(c): How are Other Backward Classes identified. Enumerating the important features elucidate the recent changes in their social and economic life.
2.6 Impact of Religion and Christianity on Tribes
- Q1(e): Religious pluralism and social solidarity
- Q2(c): Discuss the basic tenets of Jainism and its impact on Indian society.
- Q8(a): Discuss the distribution of tribes in different geographical regions of India. Identify the distinct institutional features of tribal societies of these regions.
2.7 Tribal Situation in India
- Q4(a): Elucidate the problems faced by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and the major challenges in the formulation of special programmes for their development.
2.8 Problems of SCs, STs and Minorities
- Q6(b): Distinguishing between ethnic identity and ethnicity, discuss the factors responsible for ethnic conflict in tribal areas.
2.9 Developmental Projects and Their Impact
- Q7(b): Critically examine how the displacement of tribal communities due to hydroelectric river dam projects has affected the women in local context. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
2.10 Role of NGOs and Government
- (No direct question)
2.11 Tribal Movements and Leaders
- Q2(a): “Tribes are backward Hindus.” Critically comment with reference to the contributions of G.S. Ghurye.
- Q4(b): Critically compare Risley’s and Sarkar’s approaches to the classification of peoples of India.
2.12 Contributions of Indian Anthropologists
- Q8(b): Critically evaluate the contributions of S.C. Roy to Indian anthropology. (Also listed in 2.1)
2.13 Constitutional and Legal Safeguards
- Q1(c): Jajmani system : continuity and change
- Q5(c): Village as little republic
2.14 Contemporary Issues
- Q3(c): Critically examine the impact of modern democratic institutions on contemporary tribal societies. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
- Q7(a): Elucidate the shifting terrains of India’s tribal policies in colonial and post-colonial periods.
- Q7(c): Elucidate the role of anthropology in nation building. Illustrate with suitable examples.
2.15 Application of Anthropology in India
- Q5(d): Dravidian language and their subgroups
- Q5(e): Karma and Rebirth
- Q2(c): Discuss the basic tenets of Jainism and its impact on Indian society. (Also listed in 2.6)
- Q1(b): Interface between Purushartha and Ashrama