Previous-year questions
Sociology Optional — PYQ Bank, Analysis & Model Answers
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907 questions in the bank
- 'Agrarian class structure has been undergoing changes due to modern forces.' Critically examine.
- 'Educational development is the only Panacea for country's all ills and evils.' Critically examine the above statement with reference to NEP-2020.
- 'Industrial class structure is a function of social structure of Indian society.' Do you agree with this statement? Analyze.
- 'Textual perspective is important in understanding of Indian Social System.' Discuss.
- 'The transfer of land from cultivating to the non-cultivating owners is bringing about transformation in Indian society.' Justify your answer by giving suitable illustrations.
- According to you, which social reform movement has played the most effective role in uplifting the status of women? Explain.
- Are pressure groups a threat to or a necessary element of democracy? Explain with suitable illustrations.
- Bring out various factors responsible for declining of village Industries in India.
- Can Merton's reference group theory be relevant in understanding 'identity making' in digital world? Explain.
- Compare capability deprivation approach with that of social capital deprivation in understanding chronic poverty.
- Critically analyze the sociological significance of informal sector in the economy of developing societies.
- Describe the main features of Indian new middle class. How is it different from the old middle class?
- Discuss the social bases of political mobilization in Independent India. Has some change occurred in these during the last 60-70 years?
- Discuss the trend of urbanization in India. Do you think that Industrialization is the only precondition of urbanization? Give you arguments.
- Do you think that forced displacement of labourers has caused their deprivation and resultant inequalities during the recent past years? Elaborate.
- Do you think that in a society like India orthogenetic changes take place through differentiation? Do you observe continuities in the orthogenetic process ? Elaborate your answer with suitable examples.
- Do you think that law has been able to abolish child labour in India? Comment.
- Do you think that new economic reforms of British rule have disrupted the old economic system of India? Substantiate your answer with suitable examples.
- Do you think that the formal workspaces are free of gender bias? Argue your case.
- Does the structural-functionalist perspective on social stratification promote a status quo? Give reasons for your answer.
- Give an account of the recent trends of marriage in the Indian context. How are these different from traditional practices?
- Highlight the main features of historical materialism as propounded by Marx. How far is this theory relevant in understanding contemporary societies? Explain.
- How can you assess the significance of social movements in the digital era? Explain.
- How Dalit movements in India have facilitated their Identity formation? Analyze.
- How did Colonial Policies for the tribes affected their socio-economic conditions in India? Discuss.
- How do 'Civil Society Organizations' such as 'NGOs' and 'Self-Help Groups' contribute to grassroot level social changes? Discuss.
- How do theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim differ in understanding religion? Explain.
- How does Weber's Verstehen address the objectivity-subjectivity debate in sociology?
- How same sex marriages are responsible for population dynamics in India? Discuss.
- How would you appropriate to characterise G. S. Ghurye as a practitioner of 'theoretical pluralism'?
- In what respects have the constitutional provisions changed the socio-economic and political conditions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in India? Critically examine.
- In what way does queer kinship challenge the traditional kinship system? Substantiate by giving illustrations.
- In what way is the scope of sociology unique? Explain.
- Is it possible to have sustainable development in India? Cite major environmental issues and suggest a few measures to achieve the sustainability.
- Is the social stratification theory gender-blind? Elucidate.
- Justify that the Indian traditions are modernizing. Also discuss its contributing factors.
- To what extent can education and skill development be an agent of social change? Critically analyze.
- What are the Indian government's schemes launched for poverty alleviation after the United Nation's Declaration of 'Sustainable Development Goals – 2015' ? Briefly describe.
- What are the major problems faced by the labour migrants while working in informal sectors of Indian States? Discuss.
- What are the Private and Public network and support systems operative in Indian society for the aged? Suggest measures to curb down the challenges before care givers of the aged.
- What do you mean by nation building? What is the role of religion in nation building? Elaborate your answer.
- What do you mean by reliability? Discuss the importance of reliability in social science research.
- 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.
- What do you understand by sustainable development? Discuss the elements of sustainable development as proposed in the UNDP's Sustainable Development Goals Report-2015.
- What is a variable in social research? What are their different types? Elaborate.
- What is common sense? How are common knowledge and sociology related to each other? Explain.
- What is hypothesis? Critically evaluate the significance of hypothesis in social research.
- What is kinship? Briefly explain G. P. Murdock's contribution to the study of the kinship system.
- What is positivism? Critically analyze the major arguments against it.
- What is sampling in the context of social research? Discuss different forms of sampling with their relative advantages and disadvantages.
- What is science? Do you think that the methods used in natural sciences can be applied to sociology? Give reasons for your answer.
- What is the nature of relationship between science and religion in modern society? Analyze with suitable examples.
- What is the relationship (similarities and differences) between sociology and history in terms of their area of study and methodology? Discuss.
- What would you identify as the similarities and differences in the elite theories of Mosca, Michels and Pareto? Discuss their main/crucial issues.
- Which measures would you suggest for preventing caste conflicts in India ? Justify your argument.
- Who is said to be the pioneer of village studies in India? Illustratively describe contributions of some Indian sociologists on village studies. How their approaches are distinct from each other?
- Analyse the changing nature of caste as a status group.
- Analyse the trilogy between environmental movement, development and tribal identity.
- Are slums the manifestations of industrialisation and urbanisation in India? Explain.
- Critically assess the impact of technological advancement and automation on the nature of work and employment.
- Critically examine the relevance of development planning in India.
- Critically examine the roles of science and technology in social change. What is your opinion on their increasing trend in 'online' education and teaching ?
- Critically examine the World-Systems theory of Immanuel Wallerstein in terms of development and dependency of various nations.
- Critically explain the salient features of 'alienation' as propounded by Karl Marx.
- Define the concept of 'gig' economy and discuss its impact on labour market and workers' social security net.
- Democracy needs a vibrant culture of civil society in order to strengthen its foundation of citizenship. Comment.
- Describe the differing principles of work organization in feudal and capitalist societies.
- Describe the main idea of Max Weber's book, 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' as a critique of Marxism.
- Describe various characteristics of a 'social fact'. How is rate of suicide a social fact according to Durkheim ?
- Despite the efforts of the government, bonded labour still continues in India. Discuss.
- Differentiate between 'Western' and 'Indological' perspectives on the study of Indian society. Bring out the major aspects of G. S. Ghurye's contribution to 'Indological' approach.
- Discuss the changes taking place in the industrial class structure in India.
- Discuss the changing nature of political elites in India.
- Discuss the concept of animism and differentiate it from naturism.
- Discuss the dimensions of power in the construction and maintenance of social hierarchies in a society.
- Discuss the major challenges related to women's reproductive health in India. What measures would you suggest to overcome these challenges?
- Discuss the nature of Sociology. Highlight its relationship with Social Anthropology.
- Discuss various theories of social change. Explain the limitations of unilinear theory of social change.
- Do modernization and secularization necessarily go together ? Give your views.
- Do you think 'objectivity' is an over-hyped idea in sociological research ? Discuss the merits and demerits of non-positivist methods.
- Do you think that family bondings are being affected by the changing kinship patterns in India? Comment.
- Do you think that the constitutional provisions for women have led to their uplift? Give reasons for your answer.
- Education is a key to social development. Elucidate.
- Examine with suitable examples the recent trends in the growth of urban settlements in India.
- Explain G.H. Mead's idea of development of 'self' through the 'generalised other'.
- Highlight the major contributions of the reform movements in pre-independent India.
- How do religious communities contribute to the cultural diversity of India?
- How do you understand the phenomena of the mushrooming of sects and cults in contemporary society ? Discuss the factors responsible for the trend.
- How do you view and assess the increasing trend of digital ethnography and use of visual culture in sociological research ?
- How does a multicultural society accommodate diversities of all kinds — ethnic, linguistic and religious ? Discuss its major challenges.
- How is 'power' different from 'authority' ? Discuss various types of authorities as theorized by Max Weber.
- Identify different forms of inequalities associated with agrarian social structure in India.
- Is patriarchy a key to understanding different forms of inequalities in Indian society? Elaborate.
- Is there a connection between labour migration and informal sector? Justify your answer with reference to Indian context.
- Marriage as an institution has undergone a radical transformation from 'ritual' to 'commercial' in its outlook. Explain the factors behind this change.
- Modern families have not just become nuclear and neo-local, but also filiocentric. How do you explain this trend ?
- Sociology is the product of European enlightenment and renaissance. Critically examine this statement.
- To what extent have the legal provisions been effective in curbing violence against women in India? Give your argument.
- Trace the social and historical origins of Dalit movements in modern India.
- Underline the role of social media in contemporary social movements and describe its challenges.
- What are pressure groups? Discuss their role in decision-making in democracy.
- What are the 'basic and irreducible' functions of the family as proposed by Talcott Parsons ? Explain.
- What are the definitional problems involved in identifying tribes in India? Discuss the main obstacles to tribal development in India.
- What are the different forms of untouchability still practised in India? Discuss with suitable illustrations.
- What do you understand by 'mixed method' ? Discuss its strengths and limitations in social research.
- What do you understand by decentralisation of power? What is its role in strengthening the roots of democracy in India? Elaborate.
- What is social mobility ? Critically examine the classification of 'closed' and 'open' models of social stratification.
- What is sustainable development? How can sustainability be achieved in India where livelihood needs conflict with environmental protection?
- What is your assessment about the recent farmers' movement in India? Elaborate.
- What, according to André Beteille, are the bases of agrarian class structure in India? Analyse.
- What, according to you, are the factors responsible for the continuance of caste system in India? Explain.
- Why is the study of marriage important in Sociology? Analyse the implications of changing marriage patterns for Indian society.
- 'The decade of 1950s was the golden period of village studies in Indian Sociology.' Explain the statement.
- Analyse the differences between the attributional and interactional approach in studying the caste system.
- Analyse the perspectives of Isolation, Assimilation and Integration in understanding the trajectories of Indian Tribal Development.
- Analyse the role of market and modern forces in understanding the changing trends in marriage systems in India.
- Analyse the sociological interconnections between Social Media and Mass Mobilization in India.
- Analyze critically David Morgan's views on family practices.
- Are Tradition and Modernity antithetical to each other ? Comment.
- Assess critically A. G. Frank's 'theory of development of underdevelopment'.
- Citing some case studies, expand the concept of 'Development-induced Displacement'.
- Contextualize Louis Dumont's concept of 'binary opposition' with reference to caste system in India.
- Critically examine the concept of Sanskritization with suitable illustrations.
- Critique the victory narratives of Green Revolution in the context of Indian society.
- Define the concepts of 'Descent' and 'Alliance'. Differentiate between North Indian and South Indian Kinship systems with examples.
- Discuss the challenges faced by the cooperative movements in India. Suggest measures to strengthen the movement at the grass-roots level.
- Discuss the main features of Land Reforms in post-independence India.
- Discuss the nature of regional variations in sex ratio in India, stating reasons thereof.
- Discuss the phenomenon of rural-urban continuum with suitable examples.
- Discuss the relationship between sociology and political science.
- Do you agree with the view of Andre Beteille that India's villages are representative of Indian society's basic civilizational values ? Present a sociological overview.
- Do you think that common sense is the starting point of social research? What are its advantages and limitations? Explain.
- Do you think that the boundary line between ethnicity and race is blurred? Justify your answer.
- Do you think that the decades of Dalit political mobilizations and movements have helped in strengthening India's democracy ? Substantiate your arguments with facts.
- Do you think that the social media has brought significant changes in the forms of protest? Argue your case.
- Does women's education help to eradicate patriarchal discriminations? Reflect with illustrations.
- Elaborate the salient features and the role of middle class in India's democracy and development.
- Examine the concept of 'Cultural Pluralism' in the context of India's Unity in Diversity.
- Examine the relevance of corporate social responsibility in a world marked by increasing environmental crises.
- Examine the role of science and technology in addressing age-old taboos and superstitions.
- Explain how economic globalization has brought changes in the patterns of employment in the 21st century.
- Explain Max Weber's theory of social stratification. How does Weber's idea of class differ from that of Marx?
- Explain the implications and the impact of globalization in situating the changing agrarian class structure in India.
- Explain the thematic linkages between 'Patriarchy' and 'Honour killing' in India, citing some recent cases.
- Highlight the differences and similarities between totemism and animism.
- Highlight the salient features of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- Highlight the significant features of A.R. Desai's 'Dialectical Perspective' to study Indian Society.
- How do you account for the increasing significance of religion in public and personal spheres in the context of secularization thesis in India ? Explain.
- How do you assess the changing patterns in kinship relations in societies today?
- How does the dramaturgical perspective enable our understanding of everyday life?
- How is civil society useful in deepening the roots of democracy?
- How is poverty a form of social exclusion? Illustrate in this connection the different dimensions of poverty and social exclusion.
- In the face of rising global climatic concerns, how do you contextualize the relevance of Chipko Movement and its Gandhian tone ? Answer analytically.
- Is reference group theory a universally applicable model? Elucidate.
- Is Weber's idea of bureaucracy a product of the historical experiences of Europe? Comment.
- What actionable measures would you suggest to curb the recurrent child labour menace in India ?
- What are new religious movements? Elaborate emphasizing their forms and orientations.
- What are the characteristics of scientific method? Do you think that scientific method in conducting sociological research is foolproof? Elaborate.
- What are the different dimensions of qualitative method? Do you think that qualitative method helps to gain a deeper sociological insight? Give reasons for your answer.
- What are the ethical issues that a researcher faces in making use of participant observation as a method of collecting data? Explain.
- What are variables? How do they facilitate research?
- What functions does religion perform in a pluralistic society?
- What is 'Ageing' ? Discuss the major problems of aged people in India.
- What is 'reverse migration' ? Discuss its features, causes and consequences in India.
- What is historical materialism? Examine its relevance in understanding contemporary societies.
- What is Taylorism? Analyze its merits and demerits.
- What is the distinctiveness of the feminist method of social research? Comment.
- What, according to Robert Michels, is the iron law of oligarchy? Do lions and foxes in Vilfredo Pareto's theory, essentially differ from each other? Substantiate.
- “Instead of promoting equality in society, the present system of education itself has contributed to increased socio-economic disparities.” Comment.
- According to Mead the idea of self develops when the individual becomes self-conscious. Explain.
- Analyse the nature of transition from ideology to identity politics in India.
- Are traditional social institutions getting weakened as agents of social change in the contemporary society ? Substantiate.
- Bring out the various issues involved in Dalit movements in India.
- Critically analyse Parsons views on society as a social system.
- Critically examine G.S. Ghurye's Indological approach to the understanding of Indian society.
- Critically examine how Durkheim and Merton explicate Anomie.
- Critically examine the dialectics between 'development and environment'.
- Critically examine the relevance of Durkheim's views on religion in contemporary society.
- Critically examine Yogendra Singh's thesis on 'Modernisation of Indian Tradition'.
- Define ethnicity. Discuss the factors responsible for the growth of ethnic movements in India.
- Delimit the scope of Sociology in relation to other social sciences.
- Discuss different forms of deprivation associated with slums.
- Discuss how 'environmentalism' can be explained with new social movements approach.
- Discuss law as an important instrument for women's empowerment.
- Discuss recent trends in the structure of migration.
- Discuss social mobility in open and closed system.
- Discuss the challenges during village studies in India.
- Discuss the changing nature of Industrial working class.
- Discuss the changing nature of structure of political elites.
- Discuss the material basis of patriarchy as an ideological system.
- Discuss the problems of religious minorities in India and suggest measures to solve them.
- Discuss the role of pressure groups in strengthening democracy.
- Discuss various theoretical perspectives on the family.
- Do you agree that the agrarian class structure in India is changing ? Justify your answer with illustrations.
- Durkheim argued that society is more than the sum of individual acts. Discuss.
- Elaborate on M.N. Srinivas's structural-functionalist approach to the study of Indian society.
- Elaborate on the changing nature of caste system with suitable illustrations.
- Elucidate the challenges of integration for tribal communities in India.
- Examine different understandings of secularisation in India.
- Examine the social background of growth of Indian nationalism.
- Examine whether rural bondage still continues to be a social reality. Give your argument.
- Explain different forms of untouchability in India.
- Explain how land reforms brought about desired agrarian transformation.
- Explain Leela Dube's concept of “Seed and Earth”.
- Explain the different types of non-probability sampling techniques. Bring out the conditions of their usage with appropriate examples.
- Explain the implications of feminization of work in the developing societies.
- How do little tradition and great tradition coexist in contemporary Indian society ?
- How do sociologists construct gender in their analysis on social inequality ?
- How do you understand the relationship between patriarchy and social development ?
- How do you view the growth of informal sector in India ?
- How does a researcher achieve objectivity in interpretative research ?
- Illustrate with examples the role of pressure groups in the formulation of social policies.
- In the context of the changing Indian society, how do you view Andre Beteille's conceptions of harmonic and disharmonic social structures ?
- Social stratification is claimed to contribute to the maintenance of social order and stability in society. Critically assess.
- Sociologists argue for democratization of science and technology for inclusive development. Comment.
- Suggest measures to minimize the influence of the researcher in the process of collecting data through focus group discussion.
- The difference between information and data in social science is subtle. Comment.
- Trace the trajectory of development perspectives on social change.
- What are the shortfalls of positivist philosophy that gave rise to the non-positivist methods of studying social reality ?
- What aspects of 'Enlightenment' do you think paved way for the emergence of sociology ? Elaborate.
- What characterizes degradation of work in capitalist society according to Marx ?
- What is reliability ? Explain the different tests available to social science researcher to establish reliability.
- What role do co-operatives play in poverty alleviation in rural India ?
- Write a note on global trends of secularization.
- Analyze the idea of developmental planning in India.
- Caste system studies in India have been dominated by the “book-view” initially. How did the entry of “field-view” bring about a balance in the study of Indian caste system? Discuss.
- Caste-like formations are present in Non-Hindu religious communities as well. Discuss with examples.
- Comment on the role of co-operatives in rural development.
- Critically compare the views of E.B. Tylor and Max Muller on Religion.
- Critically examine briefly the phrase “Little Republics” as used to denote India's villages.
- Critically examine Max Weber's theory of Social Stratification.
- Critically examine the contribution of dependency theories in understanding the present global scenario.
- Critically examine the dialectics involved in each mode of production as propounded by Karl Marx.
- Critically examine the relevance of Vilfredo Pareto's theory of Circulation of Elites in the present scenario.
- Describe the role of Science and Technology in enabling us to face the challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Discuss different forms of kinship system in India.
- Discuss in detail the major contribution of Prof. Yogendra Singh in theorizing India's modernization.
- Discuss the challenges involved in collecting data through census method.
- Discuss the changing dimensions of family structure in urban India.
- Discuss the changing nature of kinship relations in the contemporary world.
- Discuss the main features of the debate between G. S. Ghurye and V. Elwin on tribal development.
- Discuss the role of social media in communal polarisation. Suggest ways to combat it.
- Discuss the role of technology in agrarian change in India.
- Discuss the salient features of 'new middle class' in India.
- Do you agree with Max Weber's idea that bureaucracy has the potential to become an iron cage? Justify your answer.
- Do you think ethnomethodology helps us in getting reliable and valid data? Justify your answer.
- Do you think Talcott Parsons gave an adequate theory of social change? Justify your answer.
- Does “economic empowerment” automatically bring about “substantive empowerment” for women? Briefly describe the main issues in women empowerment in India.
- Does regionalism essentially lead to decentralization of power? Substantiate your answer with relevant examples.
- Elucidate the main problems and challenges faced by the migrant labourers in the recent 'Lockdown period'.
- Europe was the first and the only place where modernity emerged. Comment.
- Examine the factors responsible for the rural unrest in contemporary India.
- Explain how political parties and pressure groups are dialectically related to each other in terms of achieving their goals.
- Explain how the pattern of patriarchy is being altered in a family and at the workplace in the present context.
- Explain the concept of social mobility. Describe with suitable illustrations how education and social mobility are related to each other.
- Explain the emerging challenges in establishing gender equality in the informal sector.
- Explain the growing salience of ethnicity in the contemporary world with illustrations.
- Explain the sociological significance of the New Education Policy and its thrust on vocationalization and skill development.
- Explain whether Durkheim's theory of Division of Labour is relevant in the present day context.
- From the viewpoint of growing importance of multidisciplinarity, how do you relate sociology to other social sciences?
- Give your comments on the growth of religious revivalism in the present day context.
- Highlight the roles and functions of civil society in a democratic system.
- How do qualitative and quantitative methods supplement each other in sociological enquiry?
- How far are sociologists justified in using positivist approach to understand social reality? Explain with suitable illustrations.
- How has the idea of 'Work From Home' forced us to redefine the formal and informal organisation of work?
- How is sociology related to common sense?
- Is 'ageing' an emerging issue in Indian society? Discuss the major problems of the old age people in India.
- Is Indian society moving from “Hierarchy” towards “differentiation”? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples.
- Is social democracy a precondition for political democracy? Comment.
- Rising 'ethnocentricism' is leading to conflict in our society. Assess this statement with appropriate reasons.
- The problem of displacement is inherent in the idea of development. Analyze the statement critically.
- Underline the socio-cultural factors responsible for India's skewed sex-ratio.
- Urban settlements in India tend to replicate its rural caste-kinship imprints. Discuss the main reasons.
- Urban slums are sites of social exclusion – explain.
- What are the sociological reasons and implication of “reverse migration” during the recent pandemic in India?
- What are the various forms of untouchability in India? Critically examine.
- What does Dr. B. R. Ambedkar mean by the concept of “Annihilation of caste”?
- What is cult? Explain the growth of cults in the contemporary world.
- What is identity politics? Discuss the main trends in Dalit movements in India.
- With suitable examples, explain how conformity and deviance coexist in a society as propounded by R.K. Merton.
- 'Ideal Types' of Max Weber are mental constructs, they do not correspond to the reality. Give your views.
- “Banning practice of 'Sati' is attributed to annihilation of a major social evil in colonial India.” Comment.
- “Indian caste system is unique and has been unhealthy for the growth of sociology of India.” How far do you agree with this view?
- “Indian rural society is a faction-ridden society.” Discuss.
- “Secularism was an outcome of 20th century humanistic radicalism.” Comment on this statement.
- According to Durkheim, “The major function of education is the transmission of society's norms and values.” Discuss.
- According to Mills, “Elites rule in institutional terms rather than psychological terms.” Comment.
- Analyse the relevance of 'Pattern variables' in the study of social change.
- Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of social survey method in social research.
- Analyze household dimensions of family in India.
- Analyze the issues related to the citizenship in contemporary India. Give suitable illustrations.
- Are the contemporary farmers' movements in India changing their course? Discuss.
- Capitalism has brought increasing informalisation of work in society. Substantiate your answer.
- Colonial administrators helped to construct the very traditionalism which marked the Indian society as 'backward'. Comment critically.
- Critically analyse Durkheim's views on elementary forms of religious life and role of religion. Also discuss the consequences of religious revivalism in contemporary society.
- Critically assess social mobility in closed and open systems.
- Critically assess the Marxian theory of 'Alienation'.
- Discuss in detail the main issues of development planning in mixed economy like India.
- Discuss the conceptual issues about lineage and descent in India. Give suitable illustrations.
- Discuss the consequences of Across Region marriage on kinship system in modern Indian society.
- Discuss the dynamics of 'migrant workers' in India in the context of Corona pandemic.
- Discuss the importance and sources of hypothesis in social research.
- Discuss the new labour codes and their impact on formal and informal labour in India.
- Discuss Whitehead's contention that caste has potential to displace class and colonial contradiction.
- Do you think MSP (Minimum Support Price) Scheme for agricultural produce can help in rural development? Elaborate your response with suitable examples.
- Does the institution of marriage continue to be sacred in Indian society ? Comment.
- Elaborate A. R. Desai's perspective to the study of Indian society.
- Elaborate the causes, consequences and other concerns of growth of urban settlements in India.
- Evaluate the nature and scope of anthropogenic influence on climate in India and also analyze the environmental movements arising out of it.
- Examine how social movements come to an end. Illustrate with examples.
- Examine the colonial policy of segregation of tribes under the Government of India Act, 1935.
- Explain democracy as an order of society. What are the factors preventing people's participation in politics ?
- Explain the definitional problems concerning the tribal communities in India.
- Give an account of the consequences and remedies of chronic malnutrition in India.
- How are Hierarchy and Exclusion the major impediments in the transformation of societies ? Discuss.
- How can skill development programme induce social change? Illustrate.
- How did the intellectual forces lead to the emergence of sociology ? Discuss.
- How do you justify Dumont's deliberate stress on ideology that produced intellectualized account of Indian society?
- How does Andre Beteille justify 'middle class in India'?
- How does Marx view social conflict as an essential element in social change ?
- How does the New Education Policy, 2020 aim to eradicate disparities in the system of education in India?
- In the context of globalisation, has the scope of sociology been changing in India ? Comment.
- Is humanity at the mercy of Nature, Science and Technology ? Comment in the light of pandemic situation.
- Is sociology a value-free science ? Discuss.
- Methodology is a system of rules, principles and procedures, which forms scientific investigation. Comment.
- Phenomenological perspectives in sociology reject many of the assumptions of positivism. Comment.
- Point out the benefits of 'green chemistry' for agrarian transformation in India.
- Point out the main causes of 'child labour' in India. How far the State policies have succeeded in its elimination?
- State the reasons for the various religious beliefs and practices in pre-modern societies.
- Technology has accelerated the process of development and dependency. Discuss.
- What are the problems in observing social facts in Durkheim's views ?
- What are the reactions of R.K. Merton to the functionalism of social anthropologists ? Bring out the limitations of latent functions.
- What do you understand by democratic federalism? How does it promote decentralization of power in India?
- What is the impact of gender division of labour on the development of society ?
- What were the salient features of the India's Population Policy (2000)? How far its goals have been achieved?
- Write a note on 'cultural pluralism' in multi-religious society like India.
- According to Mead, “We play a key role in our own socialisation.” Explain.
- Are all world religions patriarchal? Substantiate your answer with examples.
- Bring out the significance of Ethnography in social research.
- Comment on the changing democratic profile of India.
- Comment on the critical issues of commercialization of higher education in India.
- Comment on the growing assertion of tribal community for autonomy in India.
- Compare and contrast the contributions of Marx and Weber on social stratification in capitalist society.
- Critically examine Dube's contributions to the study of Indian villages.
- Critique A.G. Frank's 'development of underdevelopment'.
- Davis and Moore made it clear that social stratification is a functional necessity and also an unconscious device. Discuss.
- Define patriarchy. Does it have bearings on women's entitlement in Indian family system? Explain.
- Differentiate between 'Life-chances' and 'Life-style' with suitable examples.
- Discuss the challenges in implementing the Rural Development Programmes in India.
- Discuss the concept of circulation of elite.
- Discuss the historical antecedents of the emergence of Sociology as a discipline.
- Discuss the implications of 'Swachha Bharat Abhiyan'. Do you think that civil society has a role to play here? Substantiate your answer with examples.
- Discuss the importance of interpretative understanding of social phenomena and explain its limitations.
- Discuss the issues of access and exclusion in higher education in India.
- Do you agree that social movements are caused by opportunity structures that are generated by media? Why?
- Do you think that 'demonetization' has accelerated the economic growth in India? How do you understand the informalization of labour, underemployment and gender discrimination in this context?
- Do you think that the Indian saints have brought about social reform and awareness in Indian society? Explain.
- Elaborate Srinivas's views on religion and society among the Coorgs.
- Elaborate urbanism as a way of life in India.
- Elucidate the concerns of growing urban displacement dynamics in India.
- Examine the changing initiatives of the land tenure system in India.
- Examine the importance of Development Planning in Indian Mixed Economy, and analyze its problems and prospects.
- Explain the probability sampling strategies with examples.
- Feminist scholars argue that 'New media' is masculine and hence reinforces structural hierarchies rather than reconfiguring them. Comment.
- Give an account of Ranajit Guha's approach in studying 'subaltern class'.
- Has reduction of green cover affected ecological degradation leading to global warming? Elaborate your answer with illustration.
- Highlight the main features of the ‘Inter-linking of Rivers’ project in India. What could be its probable advantages to Indian agriculture?
- How do you understand the 'minority' question? Examine the violence and discrimination against the religious minorities in India.
- How is terrorism a new form of asymmetrical warfare? What are some of the challenges in trying to win the war on terrorism?
- How well do you think Tonnies, Durkheim, Weber and Marx predicted the character of modern society? Critique.
- How, according to Merton, are deviant subcultures generated?
- Illustrate the contributions of the Tebhaga Movement to the peasants struggle in India.
- In the light of judicial intervention on 'Live-in relationships', discuss the future of marriage and family in India.
- Is industrial development in India a bane or a boon to agrarian class structure? Substantiate your answer with suitable examples.
- Modernisation presupposes class society; however caste, ethnicity and race are still predominant. Explain.
- Present a sociological review on the 'new middle-class'.
- What are the theoretical models of societal power? Which one of them is most applicable in advanced industrial societies?
- What do you understand by LGBTQ? Comment on the issues concerning their marriage rights.
- What is 'informal labour'? Discuss the need for and challenges in regulating informal labour in the post-industrial society.
- What is 'reserve army of labour'? Present the position of feminist scholars on this.
- What is 'social security'? Examine recent security measures adopted by the Government in India.
- What is affirmative action? Substantiate theoretical positions on affirmative actions with examples.
- What is caste politics? Substantiate your answer with examples of how identities are defined by caste dynamics.
- What is civil society? Present a note on civil society engagement with science and technology policy in India.
- What is ethno-nationalism? Examine the critical factors responsible for tribal discontent in India.
- What is POSH Act? “Identification of tormentor by women at workplace does not come easily even today.” Examine the statement with substantive examples from India.
- What is the Marxist concept of 'fetishism of commodities'?
- What, according to Irawati Karve, are the major differences between North Indian and South Indian Kinship systems?
- What, according to Merton, is the difference between 'unanticipated consequences' and 'latent functions'? Give examples to elaborate.
- Why has 'active aging' become a glocal goal? Do you agree that the role of elderly care-giving is disproportionately gendered in developing countries? Why?
- Why is gender a dimension of social stratification? How does gender intersect other dimensions of inequality based on caste, class, race and ethnicity?
- Write a note on Ghurye's conception of caste in India.
- “The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relationship between the two in a society.” — C.W. Mills. Explain.
- According to Marx, how are human beings alienated from their human potential and what does he suggest to change this ?
- Analyze A. R. Desai's views on India's path of development.
- Are social movements primordial in means and progressive in agenda ? Explain.
- Assess the impact of ban on 'Triple Talak' on marriage and divorce among the Muslim community in India.
- Assess the role of the State in promoting education of girl child.
- Construct a sociological narrative on the increasing trend of child abuse in India.
- Define patriarchy. How does patriarchy manifest in interpersonal relations ?
- Discuss development-induced displacement in the context of tribal uprising in India. Substantiate your answer with any one detailed illustration from India.
- Discuss the challenges thrown by religious revivalism to a secular nation-state.
- Discuss the growth of religious sects in India.
- Discuss the issues relating to the entitlement of transgender in Indian society.
- Discuss the nature of social organisation of work in capitalist society with reference to the 'Limits of the working day'.
- Distinguish between fact and value in Weber's Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism.
- Distinguish between family and household with reference to the concept of development of the household.
- Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection with suitable examples from Indian society.
- Do you think 'I' and 'Me' are central terms in Mead's work ?
- Does collapse of functionalism and bankruptcy of Marxism coincide with the rupture of modernity ? Discuss.
- Does scientific method make Sociology a science ? Illustrate your answer with Durkheim's method.
- Elaborate the 'Me Too' Movement and its impact in India.
- Elaborate the concept of constitutional morality as given by B. R. Ambedkar.
- Elaborate various forms of Dalit assertions in contemporary India. What are its implications on the Indian political system?
- Evaluate if social stratification is functional for society.
- Examine sociological dynamics of Champaran Peasant Movement in colonial India.
- Explain Durkheim's basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim's theory ?
- Explain the dynamics of neo-farmers' movement in contemporary India.
- Explain with examples, the explanatory and exploratory designs of social research.
- Give a critical analysis of Andre Beteille's study of Tanjore village.
- Has 'Green Revolution' led to the formation of new power elite in rural India? Elaborate your answer.
- Has caste system hindered democracy and adult franchise in India? Discuss.
- How can Parsons' AGIL framework be used to analyse key problems in a society ? Discuss.
- How do the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission (2004-2006) ensure food and nutrition security for the Indian masses?
- How do you relate the growth of development of metropolis and its impact on the mental and social life of people in India?
- How has the New Economic Policy (1991) affected the lifestyle and life-chances of new middle class in India?
- Illustrate the importance of 'Kanyadan' and 'Kulabadhu' in changing institutions of marriage and family.
- In what way did Durkheim perceive religion as functional to society ?
- Is non-positivistic methodology scientific ? Illustrate.
- Is social mobility possible in closed systems of stratification ? Illustrate from research work.
- Is the theory of cultural lag valid in present times ? Discuss.
- Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. Discuss.
- Schooling does not ensure upward mobility of all members of the society. Discuss with reference to class societies.
- The focal point of Sociology rests on interaction. How do you distinguish it from common sense ?
- Western patriarchy which surrenders feminine principles is the new development project in India. Do you agree with this view? Why?
- What are sects ? Discuss their role in multi-religious societies with empirical examples.
- What are the issues relating to male migration and its impact on birthrate? Does it necessarily result in skewed sex ratio?
- What are the new forms of family in developed societies ? Discuss.
- What do you understand by discrete castes and muddled hierarchies? Substantiate your answer with suitable illustrations.
- What is labour commitment ? Discuss it with reference to studies of manufacturing industry.
- What is the difference between anomie in Merton and Durkheim ? Explain.
- What is the difference between natural and social inequality ? Give examples from caste and class dimensions.
- What, according to Pareto, are the basic characteristics of elites ? Discuss.
- With increase in education and economic development is Indian society becoming more secular?
- Write a critical narrative on the concerns of religious minorities in India.
- Write a note on Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development (IHSD) programmes provided for the urban poor.
- Write a note on G. S. Ghurye's Indological perspective of understanding Indian society.
- Write a note on the changing roles of middle-class women in India.
- Analyse Marxian conception of historical materialism as a critique of Hegelian dialectics.
- Assess the role of mass media as an agent of social change.
- Can we equate 'poverty' with 'poor living'? Elaborate your answer.
- Clarify the distinction between 'household' and 'family' and evaluate whether joint families have completely disintegrated.
- Compare the North Indian Kinship System with the South Indian Kinship System.
- Compare the pressing problems of a dalit poor family living in an urban slum with a similar type of family living in a rural setting.
- Critically analyse Talcott Parsons' conception of 'Pattern Variables'.
- Critically analyse the role of science and technology in bringing about social change.
- Despite gains from the women's movement and state policy of women empowerment, gender equality is far from achieved. Identify two major challenges that prevent this goal from being reached.
- Discuss distinct sociological method adopted by Emile Durkheim in his study of 'suicide'.
- Discuss some of the striking issues of development induced imbalances that need urgent attention.
- Discuss the changing equations of discipline of sociology with other social sciences.
- Discuss the changing interface between state and civil society in post-independent India.
- Discuss the regional variations of kinship system in Indian society.
- Discuss Yogendra Singh's thesis on Modernisation of Indian Tradition, and evaluate its applicability in the present day context.
- Do you agree that the issue of child labour raises questions about and beyond the informal sector? Give reasons.
- Elaborate on various types of religious practices prevalent in Indian society.
- Elaborate the main tenets of interpretative perspective in sociology.
- Examine 'patriarchal bargain' as gendered division of work in contemporary India.
- Examine any two theories of social change in detail.
- Examine epistemological foundations of qualitative methods of social research.
- Examine ethnomethodological and phenomenological perspectives as critique of positivism.
- Examine gender, ethnicity and race as major dimensions of social stratification.
- Examine the basic postulates of positivism and post-positivism.
- Examine the dynamics of pressure groups in multi-party political system.
- Examine the impact of heritage tourism on urban socio-spatial patterns in India.
- Examine the relationship between the contemporary trends in marriage and changing forms of family.
- Explain how sociology has emerged as a distinct discipline based on rationality and scientific temper.
- Explain the concepts of 'dominant caste' and 'vote bank', giving examples from specific regions.
- Explain the issues relating to ethnicity and sub-ethnicity.
- Give an account of the problems relating to the 'creamy layer'.
- Give an assessment of Durkheimian notion of 'sacred' and 'profane' in sociology of religion.
- How can one resolve the issue of reliability and validity in the context of sociological research on inequality?
- How have the struggles against untouchability changed their forms and perspectives from Gandhian to Ambedkarite positions?
- Illustrate with example the significance of variables in sociological research.
- Indebtedness is one of the serious issues leading to farmers' suicides. Discuss reasons and suggest solutions.
- Problematise the concept of secularism in the present context.
- The main objectives of socio-religious movements during the colonial rule in India were reforming and synthesizing Hinduism. Write on any two such important movements.
- To what extent does nation building depend on strengthening of pluralities in Indian society?
- Trace the changing nature of organisation of work in capitalist society over the years.
- What are the causes and solutions for the low female sex-ratio in the DEMARU States of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and Gujarat?
- What are the changes in the cultural and structural aspects of the caste system since independence?
- What are the distinct features of Islam as practised in India, and how have they changed over time?
- What are the emerging concerns on women's reproductive health?
- What are the reasons for the escalation of violence against women in the public domain?
- What do you understand by 'informalisation of labour'? Write your answer with special reference to India.
- What is Cultural Revivalism? Give some examples from performing arts, language dissemination and arts and crafts in recent times.
- What is new in 'new social movements'? Elaborate your answer with special reference to India.
- What is the nature of religious change among tribal communities? Illustrate with two examples from colonial and post independence times.
- What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification?
- What, according to you, are the two fundamental axes of social discrimination in Indian society? Are they changing?
- Which is more significant, the principle of ‘hierarchy’ or the principle of ‘difference’, in intercaste relations in the present day?
- Why have we started using another category of tribes called the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)? Why are they so called?
- Write a critique of the structural and functional perspective used by M.N. Srinivas in the understanding of Indian society.
- Write a note on Education and Equality in India.
- Write a short note on ‘changing means of production and increased rural poverty.’
- ‘Isolationism’ as a dominant feature of colonial tribal policy
- “Education is a major source of social mobility in contemporary society.” Explain.
- “Globalization has pushed the labour into informal organization of work.” Substantiate your answer with suitable examples.
- “Hypothesis is a statement of the relationship between two or more variables.” Elucidate by giving example of poverty and illiteracy.
- “Participant observation is the most effective tool for collecting facts.” Comment.
- “Religious pluralism is the order of present-day societies.” Explain by giving suitable examples.
- “Social change can be brought about through development.” Illustrate from the contemporary situation of India.
- “Social conflict is both a cause and a consequence of social change.” Explain.
- “Sociology is pre-eminently study of modern societies.” Discuss.
- “Vertical mobility brings structural change even in a closed social system.” Comment.
- Analyse the major components of Land Reform Acts. Show their effectiveness in curbing rural inequality.
- Analyze the importance of qualitative method in social research.
- Analyze the manifest and latent functions of ‘security of the tenure of bureaucrats’ in the light of Merton's theory.
- Anti-Brahmanical movements during the colonial period
- Bring out the impact of the declining significance of the agrarian economy.
- Bring out the significance of the difference between family and household.
- Comment on the factors behind the changing status of women in urban India.
- Comment on the increasing significance of caste in politics.
- Describe the basic postulates of scientific method. How far are these followed in sociological research?
- Describe the functional prerequisites of social system as given by Talcott Parsons. Examine in the context of a university as a social system.
- Describe the nature of social organization of work in industrial society.
- Different forms of Dalit assertion
- Differential sex-ratio and its implications
- Discuss Andre Beteille's account of the relationship between caste, class and power as a change from symmetrical to asymmetrical one.
- Discuss the changing nature of the problems of working class in the informal sector of the economy.
- Discuss the contemporary trends in family as a response to social change in modern society.
- Discuss the emerging forms of ‘inequalities’ and ‘acute poverty’ as major challenges of social transformation in India.
- Discuss the importance of ‘power elite’ in democracy.
- Discuss the relationship between poverty and social exclusion.
- Discuss the various forms of environmental movements waged in India.
- Distinguish between family and household as sociological concepts.
- Elucidate the basic premises of Davis' structural-functional theory of social stratification. How far is it relevant in understanding contemporary Indian society?
- Elucidate the concepts of ‘majoritarianism’ and ‘minoritarianism’ in accentuating communal tensions in India.
- Empowerment through ‘Right to Education’
- Evaluate Marx's ideas on mode of production.
- Examine Max Weber's method of maintaining objectivity in social research.
- Examine the impact of industrialization and urbanization on family structure.
- Examine the role of protest movements in changing the status of Dalits in India.
- How has B.R. Ambedkar identified the features of caste system? How is it different from the mainstream treatment of caste features?
- How is ageing becoming an emerging issue in Indian society?
- How is Durkheim's theory of religion different from Max Weber's theory of religion?
- How is the tribal question related with the issues of integration and autonomy in modern India?
- Is religion playing an important role in increasing fundamentalism? Give reasons for your answer.
- Is sociology common sense? Give reasons in support of your argument.
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for rural development
- Patriarchy as a form of dominance
- Privatization of education and increasing inequalities
- Salient features of A.R. Desai's Marxist Sociology
- Significance of Village Studies in Indian Sociology
- To what extent is patriarchy a cause for the problems of women? Discuss.
- To what extent revolution replaces the existing order of society? Discuss.
- What accounts for the growth and consolidation of the middle classes in modern India?
- What are the factors accounting for the resurgence of ethnic identity movements in India?
- What is ‘value-free sociology’? Clarify.
- Write a detailed note on the effects of growing slums in urban areas.
- Write a note on the uneven impact of ‘Green Revolution’ on rural society.
- “Anomie is rooted in social structure.” Explain with reference to R.K. Merton's contribution.
- “Education helps in perpetuating social and economic inequalities.” Critically examine the statement.
- “Globalization involves deterritorialization.” Examine with reference to the nation-state.
- “Ideology is crucial for social transformation in a democracy.” Discuss.
- “No society can either be absolutely open or absolutely closed.” Comment.
- “Non-positivistic methodology is essential for understanding human behaviour.” Discuss.
- “Self and Society are twin-born.” Examine the statement of Mead.
- Analyze Gandhi as a moralist, ascetic and man of action through his Hind Swaraj.
- Broadly compare the kinship system of North and South India.
- Caste ideology appears to have strengthened democracy. Comment.
- Define Secularisation. What are its major dimensions in the modern world ?
- Differentiate between Marxian and Weberian theories of Social Stratification.
- Discuss B. R. Ambedkar as a wise democrat.
- Discuss Marxist approach to the analysis of Indian nationalism.
- Discuss the impact of post-1970 feminist movement on Indian middle class.
- Discuss the main features of farmers' movements in Independent India.
- Discuss the paradigm of modernization of Indian tradition in analyzing social change in India.
- Discuss the problems of elderly in India. What are the different perspectives to solve their problems?
- Discuss the relevance of historical method in the study of society.
- Discuss the role of Calvinist ethic in the development of Capitalism.
- Distinguish between sects and cults with illustrations.
- Distinguish between the social organization of work in feudal society and in capitalist society.
- Effect of displacement through development on the rural landless and marginal farmers
- Elaborate the views of Durkheim on “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life”.
- Examine the dialectical relation between tradition and modernity in the study of social change.
- Examine the problems of maintaining objectivity and value neutrality in Social Science research.
- Explain the conditions under which a collective action transforms into a social movement.
- Explain the relevance of the idea of 'cultural lag' in understanding social change.
- Feminization of poverty
- Give some of the important studies relating to the structural changes in the Indian family system.
- How do the rules of descent and alliance in kinship differ from each other ? Illustrate.
- How far Gandhi was trusted by the untouchables?
- How far Srinivas’ Sanskritization is modernizing force or traditionalizing force in understanding the changes in caste system?
- How had Enlightenment contributed to the emergence of Sociology ?
- How is social equilibrium maintained in Parsonian framework ?
- How serious is the problem of trafficking against women and children in India?
- Human development approach affirms that education and health-care growth are more important than economic growth. Discuss this issue in the light of post-liberalized Indian society.
- Important components of National Education Policy in India
- Is caste system changing, weakening or disintegrating in India?
- Is male authority absent in matrilineal society ? Discuss.
- Is Sociology a Science ? Give reasons for your answer.
- Issues relating to the informal labour market in urban India
- Jyotirao Phule as an agrarian radical
- Louis Dumont's perspective on Indian caste system
- Main objectives of Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)
- The increasing importance of the tertiary sector has weakened the formal organization of work in recent times. Examine the statement.
- To what extent the Muslim Personal Law Board is in agreement with Islamic feminist agenda?
- Verrier Elwin's views on freedom for the tribals
- What are the basic tenets of Hindu religion? Is Hinduism based on monotheism or polytheism?
- What are the major concerns of ethnic identity and religious identity in India?
- What are variables ? Discuss their role in experimental research.
- What is patriarchy? How does it affect the child socialization pattern in India?
- Which concepts did Weber use to analyse the forms of legitimate domination ?
- Why is it necessary to implement PCPNDT Act in India?
- Why is random sampling said to have more reliability and validity in research ?
- Write a brief note on the Freedom of Press.
- ‘Many caste conflicts are between castes which are close to each other on the hierarchical scale.’ Give a sociological explanation for this phenomenon.
- ‘Tribal conflicts based on ethnic differences often camouflage a struggle for political and economic advantage.’ Substantiate with examples.
- “According to Durkheim, the essence of religion in modern society is the same as religion in primitive society.” Comment.
- “According to Max Weber, ‘class’ and ‘status’ are two different dimensions of power.” Discuss.
- “Power is not a zero-sum game.” Discuss with reference to Weber's and Parsons' views.
- According to Marx, capitalism transforms even the personal relationships between men and women. Critically examine with illustrations from the contemporary Indian context.
- Analyse the different views on integration and autonomy of tribes in India.
- Critically examine the functionalist views on the institution of family. How do those help us in understanding family in the present times?
- Define Patriarchy. How does it impact the overall entitlement of a girl child in India?
- Describe the impact of land reforms on the peasants of Indian society.
- Discuss T. H. Marshall's views on citizenship.
- Discuss the 'Chipko movement' as an example of eco-feminism.
- Discuss the impact of globalisation on the workers in the Informal sector.
- Discuss the problems of religious minorities in India.
- Discuss the social background of Indian nationalism.
- Discuss the status of women among the emerging urban middle class.
- Distinguish between Political Parties and Pressure Groups.
- Domestic Violence Act, 2005
- Dynamics of Contemporary Dalit movements
- Education is often viewed as an agency of social change. However in reality it could also reinforce inequalities and conservatism. Discuss.
- Features of caste system
- For Marx, class divisions are outcomes of 'exploitation'. Discuss.
- G.S. Ghurye's Indological approach to understand society in India
- Gandhi's efforts on communal harmony
- Give a sociological analysis of the problems of migrant urban poor.
- How can we use reference group theory to understand fashion in society?
- How could one use Merton's concept of deviance to understand the traffic problem in urban India?
- How did the emergence of industrial society change the family life in Western Europe?
- How do caste and class come together in creating the category of extreme poor?
- How does Weber use the notion of 'ideal types' in his theory of bureaucracy?
- How is objectivity different from value neutrality? Discuss with reference to Weber's views on methodology.
- How is religious revivalism different from communalism? Elaborate with suitable examples from the Indian context.
- How is sociological approach to human actions different from that of psychological approach?
- How is the increasing use of technology changing the status of women in Indian society?
- Identify the similarities and differences between Marx's theory of 'alienation' and Durkheim's theory of 'anomie'.
- Impact of privatisation on educational disparities
- In what way 'interpretative' method is different from 'positivist' approach in the study of social phenomena?
- In what way biographies could be used to study social life?
- Modernisation of Indian traditions
- Rural landless labourers and development induced displacement
- Trends of Infant Mortality Rate among females
- Types of kinship systems in India
- Using Mead's theory of symbolic interactionism, discuss the stages in the formation of gender identity.
- Using Merton's concepts of 'manifest' and 'latent' functions, explain the persistence of corruption in Indian society.
- What are the demographic projections for the ageing population (60+) for the next decade? What are the implications for formulating policy for them?
- What are the distinctive features of social organization of work in slave society? How is it different from feudal society?
- What are the main features of the second wave of Women's movement in the Indian context?
- What are the possible underlying causes of the spurt of increased violence against women in public spaces in the last decade?
- What do you understand by gender? How does it shape 'male' identity?
- What do you understand by institutionalization of 'live-in relationship'?
- What do you understand by social movement? How has the mobilization by Scheduled Castes helped them in constructing a new identity?
- What is the idea of 'Indian village'? Explain.
- Which research technique would be most suitable for the study of consumer behaviour and its social correlates? Explain.
- Who are the elites? Discuss their roles in bringing social transformation.
- Write a short essay on the Latin American perspective on 'dependency'.
- Write some of the important social reforms in India for the removal of untouchability.
- “Science has empirical means to logical ends and religion has non-empirical means to logical ends.” — Comment.
- “Sociology emerged in Europe and flourished to begin with on social reformist orientation in the U.S.A.” — Comment.
- Analyse the contemporary trends in family with examples.
- Analyse the gender bias in the present society with examples.
- Analyse the limitations of quantitative methods in social research.
- Analyse the role of communalism in undermining democracy in India.
- Analyse the salient features of historical materialism.
- André Béteille's definition of class.
- Bring out the main features of farmers' movements in Modern India.
- Child Labour.
- Classes in agrarian society in India.
- Compare and contrast Sociology with Anthropology.
- Compare Karl Marx with Emile Durkheim with reference to the framework of ‘division of labour’.
- Critically analyse the contributions of G.H. Mead to ‘symbolic interactionism’.
- Critically evaluate Louis Dumont's Homo Hierarchicus.
- Critically examine positivistic approach in sociological studies.
- Critically examine the cultural theories of social change with suitable examples.
- Critically examine the functionalist tradition in Sociology.
- Critically examine the role of civil society in democracy.
- Define social movement. Elucidate the role of reformist movements in social change.
- Discuss the problems of working women in India.
- Discuss the salient features of Indian middle class.
- Discuss the salient features of right to education.
- Discuss the sociological aspects of movements for separate States.
- Distinguish between formal and informal sectors in India.
- Distinguish between people being socially excluded and people excluding themselves socially in societies.
- Evaluate how do civil society and democracy mutually reinforce each other.
- Examine science and technology as agents of social change.
- Examine the emerging trends in marriage and family as a response to the changes in economic and social order.
- Examine the influence of industrialisation on caste.
- Examine the relevance of Parsonian Social System in the present society.
- Examine the role of pressure groups in parliamentary democracy.
- Examine the salient features of Weberian bureaucracy.
- Examine the social dimensions of displacement induced by development.
- Examine the social impact of globalization on labour and society.
- Explain the inter-linkages between poverty, deprivation and inequality.
- Five Year Plans.
- Green Revolution.
- How are open and closed systems of stratification undergoing transformation in the emergence of new hierarchical social order in societies?
- How do Karl Marx and Max Weber differ in terms of their analysis of social stratification?
- How does the new Forest Act affect tribals?
- Illustrate the conflicts and tensions experienced by societies undergoing social change.
- Is patriarchy a universal phenomenon? Critically examine how does patriarchy affect sexual division of labour in societies.
- Is religion antithetical to science? Comment.
- M.N. Srinivas's concept of westernisation.
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
- Other Backward Classes.
- Satya Sodhak movement of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
- Sex Ratio.
- What are the features of M.N. Srinivas' concept of dominant caste? How effective is it in understanding today's reality?
- What are the features that distinguish tribes from the rest of the population?
- What are the main causes of female mortality in India?
- What are the main features of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's views on annihilation of caste?
- What is the Dalit movement? Examine the issues highlighted by it.
- Write a note on ethnicity and integration in the context of tribes.
- Write an analytical note on slums in cities.
- ‘Indian society may be understood as a system of cognitive structures.’ How far do you agree with this statement ?
- ‘Power and authority go together.’ Examine. Explain the various types of authority also.
- ‘Revolutionary changes have some specific characteristics.’ Discuss with examples.
- ‘Social fact is to be treated as a thing.’ Discuss.
- Affinal kin and Consanguineous kin.
- Are Social movements always influenced by ideologies ? Discuss.
- Bring out some positive and negative social consequences of green revolution. How has green revolution changed the rural social structure ?
- Challenges to institution of marriage.
- Changing rural power structure.
- Citizenship and Civil Society
- Comment on the social and cultural determinants of sexual division of labour.
- Comparative Method
- Constitution as a living document of social change.
- Critically examine the concepts of nation and citizenship in the context of globalization.
- Demographic perspective of Indian youth.
- Describe the importance of lineage and descent in kinship and family.
- Describe those social changes which have contributed to increase of violence against women. What are the emerging forms of violence against women ? Suggest suitable measures to contain this problem.
- Differentiate between the qualitative and quantitative methods in Research.
- Discuss some social and cultural determinants of infant mortality rate. Give your suggestions to prevent infanticide.
- Discuss the factors leading to growing religious revivalism in the contemporary world.
- Discuss the factors which contributed to industrial modernization in India. What are the salient features of new industrial class structure ?
- Do you think that some policies and laws relating to environment have retarded the development process ? Give examples. How can an ideal balance between environmental protection and development goals be brought about ?
- Education and Dalit empowerment.
- Education and removal of inequality.
- Examine how Weber's characterisation of capitalism is different from those of Marx.
- Examine the impact of secularization on various religious communities in India.
- Fact Value and Objectivity
- Has geographic and economic mobility impacted the tribal culture and social structure ? Give examples.
- Has nuclear family existed in traditional India ? Discuss with reference to the views of I. P. Desai.
- Have the new economic policy and economic reforms led to weakening of labour class movements ? Explain your views with examples.
- How did the French revolution and Industrial revolution play an important role in the emergence of Sociology ?
- How do formal and informal organisation of work influence labour’s mobility ? Explain with examples.
- How have social reform movements in colonial India contributed to modernization of Indian society ?
- In Marxian classification of Society, feudal and slave societies are very important. How are they different from each other ?
- In our society Hierarchical relations are influenced by social mobility. Explain how ?
- Industrial Democracy
- Interaction of 'little tradition' and 'great tradition'.
- Interpretative Sociology
- Limitations of the dialectical approach to the study of Indian society.
- Marriage as sacrament and marriage as contract.
- Millenarian Movements
- Positional change and structural change.
- Regional political elites and the democratic process.
- Sacred and Profane.
- Show how Durkheim through the study of totemism demonstrates the reality of religion.
- Show how family is distinct from household.
- Sometimes workers do not feel attachment for their work. Marx formed a theory for this situation, discuss that theory.
- Stratification of Classes
- Theory of Cultural Lag—Ogburn and Nimkoff.
- Tribe and Caste.
- Universalism vs. Particularism
- Westernization and institutional changes in India.
- What are the problems of ageing population ? Describe the declining traditional social support system for the aged. Suggest alternative measures to support ageing population.
- What do you understand by nation ? Is the nation same as the state ? Discuss.
- 'Casteism is the modern edition of the caste system.' Do you agree with this statement ? Discuss with arguments.
- “Collective action in politics can bring integration and disintegration in society.” Comment.
- “Protective discrimination not only protects but also discriminates.” Comment.
- “Science and Technology are major forces accelerating the process of social change.” Comment.
- “Social support mechanism needs to be strengthened for effective implementation of development programmes.” Comment.
- “Tradition and modernity are misplaced polarities in the study of social change in India.” Elucidate.
- Analyze the changing nexus between caste and tribe.
- Analyze the term 'dalit' and the evolution of the related concept as a reflection of the changing consciousness and self-assertion of the dalit community.
- Bring out the relationship between fertility and social structure as viewed by Davis and Blake.
- Bring out the relationship between social class and mortality.
- Comment on the factors responsible for the growth and consolidation of middle level peasantry in rural India. How is it related to capitalism in Indian agriculture ?
- Critically examine D.N. Dhanagare's views on agrarian movements in India.
- Cultural Pluralism
- Define Ideal Type and explain Weber's concept of 'Verstehen' for understanding social phenomena.
- Define sect, cult and religion. In what way do Weber's views on religion differ from those of Durkheim ?
- Development and Dependency
- Discuss World System Theory in the context of modern society.
- Distinction between the concepts of family and household.
- Distinguish between 'secularism' and 'secularisation'. Analyse the nature and extent of secularisation in contemporary India.
- Emergence of Sociology is an outcome of modernity and social change in Europe
- Explain the concept of Participatory Democracy. What conditions are assumed to be conducive to participation ?
- Explain the interface between population, ecology and environment in the context of India.
- Fact and Value
- Give conceptual meaning of social system. What is cognitive consonance between 'pattern variables' and 'paradigm' ?
- Highlight prerequisites of social movement. Bring out the differences between social movement and revolution.
- How are the issues of ethnicity and nationalism related ? Discuss in the context of the emergence of ethnonationalism in India.
- Impact of Green Revolution on rural class structure.
- Infant Mortality Rate is the most sensitive index for measuring development. Comment.
- Lineage and Descent
- Perspectives on the study of caste by M.N. Srinivas and Andre Beteille.
- Power Elite
- Rapid urbanization and sustainable development do not go together. Discuss with arguments.
- Reliability and Validity
- Self-Help Group (SHG) as an informal organization of work
- Stages of the Women's movement in India.
- Structural factors behind violence against women.
- The book-view and the field-view in Indian sociology.
- The problem of gender
- The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
- Unity and diversity among the tribes in India.
- What are the linkage points between globalisation and the growth of the informal sector ? How have these affected the nature and functioning of the working class ?
- What can Sociology show us about our actions ? Discuss the practical significance of Sociology.
- What do you mean by social mobility ? Discuss the major sources and causes of mobility.
- What is Class ? Do you think that Weber's contributions to social stratification are different from that of Marx ?
- What is formal organization ? “The growth of bureaucracy has resulted in extreme concentration of power at larger levels of social organization.” Discuss.
- What is subjective method in social research ? Examine Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as a technique for data collection, with suitable examples.
- What you mean by marriage and family ? Discuss the structural and functional changes in family in modern society.
- “Science has empirical means to logical ends and religion has non-empirical means to logical ends.” Comment.
- “Sociology without History is rootless and History without Sociology is fruitless.” Elaborate.
- “There has been a substantial decline in labour class and increase in labour force in non-manual jobs with the advent of new technological revolution.” Critically examine.
- “Work in capitalism is reduced to mere labour in which the individual does not develop freely his physical and mental energy but mortifies his body and ruins his mind.” Critically evaluate the assertion.
- A. R. Desai's characterization of leadership of Indian freedom movement.
- Analyse the social impact of market economy on traditional societies.
- Assess the contribution of contemporary women's movements in women's empowerment.
- Compare Karl Marx with Emile Durkheim with reference to the framework of 'division of labour'.
- Content Analysis
- Critically analyse the contributions of G. H. Mead to 'symbolic interactionism'.
- Critically assess the forms in which untouchability continues to be practised.
- Cybernetic Hierarchy of Control
- Discuss the inter-relationships between caste, class and power.
- Discuss the socio-cultural factors for the declining sex-ratio in some states of India.
- Distinguish between people being socially excluded and people excluding themselves socially in societies.
- Dumont's concept of homohierarchicus.
- Ethnic movements.
- Ethnicity and Development
- Evaluate how civil society and democracy mutually reinforce each other.
- Evaluate the policy of SEZ (special economic zones) and the nature of social response to it.
- Examine how open and closed systems of stratification are undergoing transformation in the emergence of new hierarchical social order in societies.
- Examine Karl Marx's views on 'class-in-itself' and 'class-for-itself' with reference to proletarians.
- Examine the social dimensions of displacement induced by development.
- Examine the social dimensions of religious revivalism and fundamentalism in the context of globalisation.
- Factors responsible for increasing demands for the formation of separate states.
- Feminisation of Labour in Informal Sector
- From a sociological perspective, examine the effects of the BPO industry on the youth.
- Highlight the important dimensions of inter-caste conflict in India.
- How far is the structural functional perspective helpful in understanding changes in contemporary Indian society?
- Human Relations School of Thought by Elton Mayo as a social organisation of work process in industry
- Identify the reasons for the resilience of democratic system in India.
- Identity Politics
- Kinship and Social Capital
- Linkages between Patriarchy and honour killings.
- List the sources of power and explain the various indicators based on which power can be measured.
- Nomothetic and Idiographic Methods
- Positive Religion
- Serendipity
- Social security measures for the elderly.
- The heterogenic features that influenced Indian tradition, according to Yogendra Singh.
- The Parsi community and its contribution to Indian society.
- With reference to their understanding of the Indian village, compare the perspectives of M. N. Srinivas and S. C. Dube.
- Women in the I. T. sector.
- “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.” Comment on this statement critically in the light of emerging sociological contexts in Europe, USA and India.
- C.W. Mills' Power Elite
- Can religion form a sufficient basis of forming cultural identity in India?
- Changes that the agrarian social structure in India is undergoing.
- Colonial hangover and its social impact
- Comment on the changes in the household dimensions of family under modern economic reforms.
- Comment on the critics' charge that Immanuel Wallerstein's dependency theory is simplistic and wrong.
- Comment on the influence of social and cultural factors on family planning in India.
- Comment on the reasons why neo-idealists and symbolic interactionists are critical of 'positivism' in Sociology.
- Comment on the responses of the functionalist-school to Karl Marx's views on social change.
- Comment on the sociological impact of globalization on people working in the Informal sector.
- Comparison between Sociology and Economics
- Discuss the emerging forms of marriage and family with examples from the West and the East. Can there be family without marriage? Examine.
- Distinguish between probability and non-probability sampling methods. How many types of sampling designs are there?
- Do you think that poverty, deprivation and inequalities are the major challenges in the process of social transformation? What are your suggestions to address and resolve these problems?
- Dynamics of Dalit movement
- Emergence of middle class in India
- Evaluate the success of Indian peasant movements in achieving their goals.
- Fertility and population growth
- In the context of the caste system, critically examine Louis Dumont's concept of purity and pollution.
- Indological perspective of G.S. Ghurye
- Industrialization and changes in the family's functions
- Law and social change
- New rural elite and leadership
- Possibilities of slum reform
- Problems of objectivity in sociological research
- Secularization of societies in the modern world
- Structure of a social movement
- Subject-matter of Sociology, according to Emile Durkheim
- Talcott Parsons' idea of ‘moving equilibrium’
- To Robert Merton, deviant behaviour is a result of anomie. Analyse his sociological theory of deviant behaviour, with a special reference to his formulation of types of deviance.
- What are the main principles of the structural-functional perspective? Comment on the suitability of applying this perspective to the study of Indian society.
- What are the reasons for calling Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore's theory of social stratification a functional theory?
- What has been the impact of globalisation on the cultural aspect(s) of the family?
- What, according to Max Weber, is the role of “particular religious ideas” in the emergence of modern capitalism?