INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

A. Introducing Indian Society:

(i) Perspectives on the study of Indian society:
(a) Indology (GS. Ghurye).
(b) Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
(c) Marxist sociology (A R Desai)

(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society:
(a) Social background of Indian nationalism.
(b) Modernization of Indian tradition.
(c) Protests and movements during the colonial period.
(d) Social reforms.

B. Social Structure:

(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:
(a) The idea of Indian village and village studies.
(b) Agrarian social structure – evolution of land tenure system, land reforms

(ii) Caste System:
(a) Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
(b) Features of caste system.
(c) Untouchability – forms and perspectives.

(iii) Tribal communities in India:
(a) Definitional problems.
(b) Geographical spread.
(c) Colonial policies and tribes.
(d) Issues of integration and autonomy.

(iv) Social Classes in India:
(a) Agrarian class structure.
(b) Industrial class structure.
(c) Middle classes in India.

(v) Systems of Kinship in India:
(a) Lineage and descent in India.
(b) Types of kinship systems.
(c) Family and marriage in India.
(d) Household dimensions of the family.
(e) Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour

(vi) Religion and Society:
 (a) Religious communities in India.
 (b) Problems of religious minorities

C. Social Changes in India:

(i) Visions of Social Change in India:
(a) Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
(b) Constitution, law and social change.
(c) Education and social change.

(ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India:
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes.
(b) Green revolution and social change. 
(c) Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture .
(d) Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration

(iii) Industrialization and Urbanisation in India:
(a) Evolution of modern industry in India.
(b) Growth of urban settlements in India.
(c) Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
(d) Informal sector, child labour.
(e) Slums and deprivation in urban areas.

(iv) Politics and Society:

 (a) Nation, democracy and citizenship.

 (b) Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite.

 (c) Regionalism and decentralization of power.

 (d) Secularization

(v) Social Movements in Modern India:
(a) Peasants and farmers movements.
(b) Women’s movement.
(c) Backward classes & Dalit movement.
(d) Environmental movements.
(e) Ethnicity and Identity movements

(vi) Population Dynamics:
(a) Population size, growth, composition and distribution. 
(b) Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
(c) Population policy and family planning.
(d) Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

(vii) Challenges of Social Transformation:
(a) Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability. 
(b) Poverty, deprivation and inequalities. 
(c) Violence against women.
(d) Caste conflicts.
(e) Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
(f) Illiteracy and disparities in education.

Overlap with GS -1

• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
• Role of Women and Women’s Organization, Population and Associated Issues, Poverty and Developmental issues, Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
• Effects of Globalization on Indian society.
• Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism

GS PAPER –II &III overlap

• Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
  Development Processes and the Development Industry — the Role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
• Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.
• Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
• Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger.
• Land Reforms in India.

Essay overlap

Even with Essay paper sociology paper II has a overlap there are few questions from the past years to have an idea on how the paper might help the aspirants in scoring marks in Essay paper.

Eg:

1)Fulfillment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth

2)Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society

3)Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere