UPSC Anthropology Syllabus 2025, Mains Optional Paper PDF

• Social-cultural Anthropology.
• Biological Anthropology.
• Archaeological Anthropology.
• Linguistic Anthropology.

• Biological and Cultural factors in human evolution.
• Theories of Organic Evolution (Pre-Darwinian, Darwinian and Post-Darwinian).
• Synthetic theory of evolution; Brief outline of terms and concepts of evolutionary biology (Doll’s rule,
• Cope’s rule, Gause’s rule, parallelism, convergence, adaptive radiation, and mosaic evolution).

The Cell, DNA structure and replication, Protein Synthesis, Gene, Mutation,
Chromosomes, and Cell Division.

• Paleolithic
  Mesolithic
  Neolithic
  Chalcolithic
  Copper-Bronze Age
  Iron Age

Band, tribe, chiefdom, kingdom and state; concepts of
power, authority and legitimacy; social control, law and justice in simple Societies.

Classical evolutionism (Tylor, Morgan and Frazer)
Historical particularism (Boas) Diffusionism (British, German and American)
Functionalism (Malinowski); Structural— Functionalism (Radcliff e-Brown)
Structuralism (L’evi-Strauss and E. Leach)
Culture and personality (Benedict, Mead, Linton, Kardiner and Cora-du Bois)
Neo—evolutionism (Childe, White, Steward, Sahlins and Service)
Cultural materialism (Harris)
Symbolic and interpretive theories (Turner, Schneider and Geertz)
Cognitive theories (Tyler, Conklin)
Post-modernism in anthropology

Nature, origin and characteristics of language; verbal and
non-verbal communication; social contex of language use.

Fieldwork tradition in anthropology
Distinction between technique, method and methodology
Tools of data collection : observation, interview, schedules, questionnaire, case study, genealogy, life history, oral history, secondary sources of information, participatory methods.
Analysis, interpretation and presentation of data.

Methods and Application : Methods for study of genetic principles in man-family
study (pedigree analysis, twin study, foster child, co-twin method, cytogenetic method, chromosomal
and karyo-type analysis), biochemical methods, immunological methods, D.N.A. technology and
recombinant technologies.
Mendelian genetics in man-family study, single factor, multifactor, lethal, sub-lethal and polygenic
inheritance in man.
Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection, Mendelian population, Hardy-Weinberg law; causes and
changes which bring down frequency-mutation, isolation, migration, selection, inbreeding and genetic
drift. Consanguineous and non-consanguineous mating, genetic load, genetic eff ect of consanguineous
and cousin marriages.

1. Prehistoric (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Neolithic
2. Chalcolithic
3. Protohistoric (Indus Civilization): Pre- Harappan, Harappan and post- Harappan cultures.Contributions of tribal cultures to Indian civilization.

1. The concept of ethnoarchaeology;
2. Survivals and Parallels among the hunting, foraging, fishing, pastoral, and peasant communities including arts and crafts producing communities.

1. Ethnic and linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution.
2. Indian population – factors influencing its structure and growth.

1. Varnashrama,
2. Purushartha,
3. Karma,
4. Rina and Rebirth.

1. Structure and characteristics,
2. Varna and caste,
3. Theories of the origin of the caste system,
4. Dominant caste,
5. Caste mobility,
6. Future of the caste system,
7. Jajmani system,
8. Tribe-caste continuum.

1. Man
2. Spirit Complex.
3. Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity on Indian society.

Emergence and growth of anthropology in India-Contributions of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th Century scholar-administrators. Contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies.

1. Significance of village study in India;
2. Indian village as a social system;
3. Traditional and changing patterns of settlement and inter-caste relations;
4. Agrarian relations in Indian villages;
5. Impact of globalization on Indian villages.

1. Inter-play of little and great traditions;
2. Panchayati Raj and social change;
3. Media and social change.

1. problems of rehabilitation.
2. Development of forest policy and tribals.
3. Impact of urbanization and industrialization on tribal populations.

The concept of ethnicity

1. Ethnic conflicts and political developments;
2. Unrest among tribal communities;
3. Regionalism and demand for autonomy;
4. Pseudo-tribalism;
5. Social change among the tribes during colonial and post-independent India.