UPSC Sociology Syllabus: Sociology is an optional subject in the UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam. It has two papers: Optional Paper I and Paper II. The UPSC exam has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Choosing Sociology as an optional subject helps you understand society, its structures, and how people behave. You’ll learn about social issues, inequalities, and changes happening in today’s world. It is a way to develop analytical skills and understand society better.
UPSC Sociology Syllabus
The UPSC Sociology syllabus covers different parts of the exam: Prelims, Mains, and the optional subject. In the Prelims, you need to know basic stuff about society and culture. For the Mains, you’ll study more in-depth. Paper I talks about sociology basics and research methods, while Paper II focuses on Indian society and social changes.
Sociology is also your optional subject, where you’ll learn about thinkers, research methods, and topics like family, economy, politics, and gender. Understanding all these topics will help you do well in the UPSC exam.
UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Prelims
The UPSC Sociology syllabus for Prelims mainly covers basic concepts and terms related to society, culture, and social institutions. It includes understanding the structure of societies, roles within them, and how cultures influence human behavior.
Candidates need to grasp fundamental sociological ideas to have a general understanding of society and its dynamics.
UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Mains
The UPSC Sociology syllabus for Mains is divided into two papers:
Paper I:
Sociology – The Discipline: This section covers the nature and scope of sociology as a discipline, its relationship with other social sciences, and the significance of sociological perspectives.
Sociological Thought: Candidates are expected to study the contributions of major sociological thinkers and their theories, including classical and modern sociologists.
Sociological Methods and Research: This section focuses on various research methods used in sociology, such as qualitative and quantitative research techniques, sampling methods, and data analysis.
Paper II:
Indian Society: Structure and Change: Candidates need to understand the social structure of Indian society, including aspects like caste, class, gender, and ethnicity. They should also analyze the processes of social change in India.
Social Change in Modern Society: This section explores the dynamics of social change in modern societies, including globalization, urbanization, industrialization, and their impact on various social institutions.
Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society: Candidates should critically examine different sociological perspectives and theories used to study Indian society, including structural-functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
Overall, the UPSC Sociology syllabus for Mains requires candidates to have a comprehensive understanding of sociological concepts, theories, methods, and their application to Indian society and social change.
UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus
UPSC Sociology stands out as a popular choice among candidates for its straightforward syllabus, simplicity in learning, and abundance of high-quality study materials. With a weightage of 500 marks out of a total of 1750 marks for all Mains papers, the optional paper holds significant importance. This weightage is evenly distributed between the two papers, with each carrying 250 marks.
Current affairs often find their way into sociology optional papers, emphasizing the need for candidates to stay updated by reading newspapers daily. This combination of factors underscores the importance of sociology as an optional subject and the potential for candidates to score well by effectively leveraging resources and staying informed about contemporary issues.
UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Paper 1
Here’s the UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Paper 1:
| Section | Topics |
| Sociology – The Discipline | – Emergence of Sociology with modernity and social changes in Europe |
| – Scope of Sociology and its comparison with other social sciences | |
| – Differentiating Sociology from common sense | |
| Sociology as Science | – Sociology as a science, methods, and critique |
| – Major theoretical strands of research methodology | |
| – Positivism and its critique | |
| – Non-positivist methodologies | |
| Research Methods and Analysis | – Qualitative and quantitative methods of research |
| – Techniques of data collection and analysis | |
| – Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability, and validity | |
| Sociological Thinkers | – Contributions of key sociological thinkers: Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, Talcolt Parsons, Robert K. Merton, Mead |
| Stratification and Mobility | – Concepts of equality, inequality, hierarchy, and poverty |
| – Theories of social stratification and mobility | |
| Works and Economic Life | – Social organization of work in different societies |
| – Formal and informal organization of work | |
| – Relationship between labor and society | |
| Politics and Society | – Sociological theories of power and political institutions |
| – Power elite, bureaucracy, and political parties | |
| – Nation, state, citizenship, and democracy | |
| – Protest, social movements, and collective action | |
| Religion and Society | – Sociological theories of religion |
| – Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults | |
| – Religion in modern society: secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism | |
| Systems of Kinship | – Structure and dynamics of family, household, and marriage |
| – Lineage, descent, patriarchy, and sexual division of labor | |
| Social Change in Modern Society | – Sociological theories of social change |
| – Role of education, science, and technology in social change |
UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Paper 2
Here’s the UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus for Paper 2:
| Section | Topics |
| Introducing Indian Society | – Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society: Indology, Structural functionalism, Marxist sociology. |
| – Impact of colonial rule on Indian society: Social background of Indian nationalism, modernization of Indian tradition, protests and movements, social reforms. | |
| Social Structure | – Rural and Agrarian Social Structure: Indian village and village studies, agrarian social structure, evolution of land tenure system, land reforms. |
| – Caste System: Perspectives on caste systems, features, untouchability, forms and perspectives. | |
| – Tribal Communities in India: Definitional problems, geographical spread, colonial policies, issues of integration and autonomy. | |
| – Social Classes in India: Agrarian and industrial class structure, middle classes. | |
| – Systems of Kinship in India: Lineage, descent, types of kinship systems, family and marriage, patriarchy, sexual division of labor. | |
| – Religion and Society: Religious communities, problems of religious minorities. | |
| Social Changes in India | – Visions of Social Change in India: Development planning, constitution, law, education. |
| – Rural and Agrarian Transformation: Rural development programs, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes, green revolution, changing modes of production. | |
| – Industrialization and Urbanisation: Evolution of modern industry, growth of urban settlements, working class, informal sector, slums. | |
| – Politics and Society: Nation, democracy, political parties, regionalism, secularization. | |
| – Social Movements: Peasants, farmers, women, backward classes, Dalit, environmental, ethnicity and identity movements. | |
| – Population Dynamics: Size, growth, composition, distribution, components of population growth, population policy, emerging issues. | |
| – Challenges of Social Transformation: Crisis of development, poverty, violence against women, caste conflicts, ethnic conflicts, illiteracy. |
How to Prepare UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus?
Preparing for UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus requires a strategic approach and diligent effort. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare effectively:
- Understand the Syllabus: Start by thoroughly understanding the UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus. Analyze each topic to grasp the depth and breadth of the subject.
- Review Previous Year’s Questions: Analyze previous year’s questions to understand the pattern and types of questions asked by UPSC. This will help you tailor your preparation accordingly and focus on important topics.
- Interlink Paper 1 and Paper 2: Paper 1 focuses on theoretical aspects and thinkers, while Paper 2 deals with Indian society. Ensure to interlink concepts from both papers while preparing and writing answers.
- Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Current affairs play a crucial role, especially in Paper 2. Stay updated with current events and their sociological implications. Utilize newspapers, magazines, and online sources for current affairs preparation.
- Refer Standard Books: Start your preparation with NCERT books to build a strong foundation. Then, refer to standard sociology textbooks recommended by experts for in-depth understanding of various topics.
- Make Short Notes: Create concise notes for each topic to aid in quick revision. Focus on key concepts, theories, and examples. Revision is key to retaining information effectively.
- Regular Answer Writing Practice: Practice writing answers regularly to improve your writing skills and time management. Analyze previous year’s question papers and try to answer them within the given time frame. Incorporate sociological theories and concepts into your answers.
- Seek Guidance and Feedback: Joining a coaching institute or study group can provide guidance and support during your preparation journey. Additionally, seek feedback from peers, mentors, or teachers to identify areas of improvement.
- Stay Motivated and Consistent: UPSC preparation is a long and challenging process. Stay motivated and consistent in your efforts. Set realistic goals, maintain a healthy study routine, and take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
Books to Study UPSC Sociology Syllabus
Here is a detailed booklist for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus:
| Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
| – “Sociology: Themes and Perspectives” by Haralambos and Holborn | – “Social Change in Modern India” by M N Srinivas |
| – “Sociology: An Introduction” by Anthony Giddens | – “Caste: Its Twentieth-Century Avatar” by Veena Das |
| – “Sociological Theory” by George Ritzer | – “Indian Sociology Handbook” by M N Srinivas |
| – “An Introduction to Political Theory” by O. P. Gauba | – IGNOU Sociology Study Material (comprehensive coverage) |
| – “Essential Sociology” by Nitin Sangwan | – “Indian Society: Themes and Social Issues” by Nadeem Hasnain |
| – IGNOU Sociology Study Material (for additional insights) | – “Modernization of Indian Tradition” by Yogendra Singh |
Important Topics in UPSC Sociology Syllabus
Here are the important topics in UPSC Sociology Syllabus categorized by Paper:
Paper 1:
- Sociological Thinkers
- Social Stratification and Mobility
- Politics and Society
- Social Change in Modern Society
Paper 2:
- Caste System and Mobility
- Indian Sociological Thinkers (including modern thinkers)
- Systems of Kinship in India
- Social Changes