UPSC Anthropology Syllabus 2024 for Paper 1 & Paper 2

UPSC Anthropology Syllabus 2024

The UPSC CSE Anthropology syllabus 2024 covers topics like biological and cultural anthropology, archaeology, human genetics, economic systems, applied anthropology, research methods, etc. The anthropology optional syllabus focuses on human culture and society. Prepare anthropology comprehensively as per the latest UPSC anthropology syllabus 2024 to score high in CSE exam.

You can download the UPSC CSE Anthropology Syllabus from the direct link given below.

UPSC Anthropology Syllabus 2024 Overview

There is a list of optional subjects for mains in which there are 48 subjects, from which candidates can choose according to their choice. Anthropology is one of the optional subjects for the Civil Services Exam conducted by UPSC. The optional paper is conducted for 250 marks. The UPSC CSE optional subject Anthropology Syllabus 2024 has two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Anthropology Syllabus for UPSC CSE

If you opt for Anthropology optional in UPSC mains, prepare it thoroughly. Go through the UPSC CSE Syllabus and previous years’ anthropology papers. Also study relevant anthropology books for UPSC preparation. You can integrate your anthropology optional preparation with UPSC CSE General Studies. The UPSC anthropology syllabus has overlap with GS prelims and mains syllabus. Use this to your advantage while preparing anthropology for UPSC civil services exam.

Anthropology Syllabus for UPSC CSE Paper 1

1. Meaning, Scope, and Development of Anthropology:
   • Relationships with other disciplines:
     • Social Sciences
     • Behavioral Sciences
     • Life Sciences
     • Medical Sciences
     • Earth Sciences
     • Humanities
2. Main Branches of Anthropology, Their Scope, and Relevance:
   • Social-cultural Anthropology
   • Biological Anthropology
   • Archaeological Anthropology
   • Linguistic Anthropology
3. Human Evolution and Emergence of Man:
   • 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)
4. Characteristics of Primates; Evolutionary Trend and Primate Taxonomy:
   • Primate Adaptations (Arboreal and Terrestrial)
   • Primate Behavior
   • Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates
   • Living Major Primates
   • Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes
   • Skeletal changes due to erect posture and its implications
5. Phylogenetic Status, Characteristics, and Geographical Distribution:
   • Plio-preleistocene hominids in South and East Africa—Australopithecines
   • Homo erectus in Africa, Europe, and Asia
   • Neanderthal man
   • Rhodesian man
   • Homo sapiens—Cromagnon, Grimaldi, and Chancelede
6. The Biological Basis of Life:
   • The Cell
   • DNA structure and replication
   • Protein Synthesis
   • Gene
   • Mutation
   • Chromosomes and Cell Division
7. Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology:
   • Chronology: Relative and Absolute Dating methods
   • Cultural Evolution: Broad Outlines of Prehistoric cultures
8. The Nature of Culture and Society:
   • The concept and Characteristics of culture and civilization
   • Ethnocentrism vis-a-vis cultural Relativism
   • Concept of Society
   • Social Institution
   • Social groups
   • Social stratification
9. Marriage, Family, and Kinship:
   • Definition, universality, and laws of marriage
   • Types of marriage and functions of marriage
   • Definition, universality, and functions of family
   • Types of family
   • Kinship, Consanguinity, and Affinity
10. Economic Organization and Political Organization:
    • Meaning, scope, and relevance of economic anthropology
    • Political Organization and Social Control
11. Religion and Anthropological Theories:
    • Anthropological approaches to the study of religion
    • Anthropological theories
12. Culture, Language, and Communication:
    • Nature, origin, and characteristics of language
    • Verbal and non-verbal communication
13. Research Methods in Anthropology:
    • Fieldwork tradition in anthropology
    • Distinction between technique, method, and methodology
    • Tools of data collection
    • Analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data
14. Human Genetics and Demography:
    • Methods and Application
    • Mendelian genetics in man
    • Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection
    • Chromosomes and chromosomal aberrations in man
    • Race and racism
    • Age, sex, and population variation as genetic markers
15. Concept of Human Growth and Development:
    • Stages of growth
    • Factors affecting growth and development
    • Ageing and senescence
16. Fertility, Demographic Theories, and Anthropological Applications:
    • Relevance of menarche, menopause, and other bio events to fertility
    • Demographic theories
    • Biological and socio-ecological factors influencing fecundity, fertility, natality, and mortality
17. Applications of Anthropology:
    • Anthropology of sports
    • Nutritional anthropology
    • Forensic Anthropology
    • Applied human genetics
    • DNA technology in diseases and medicine

Anthropology Syllabus for UPSC CSE Paper 2

1. Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization:
   • Prehistoric (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Neolithic-Chalcolithic)
   • Protohistoric (Indus Civilization)
   • Pre-Harappan, Harappan, and post-Harappan cultures
   • Contributions of tribal cultures to Indian civilization
2. Palaeo-Anthropological Evidences from India:
   • Siwaliks and Narmada basin (Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus, and Narmada Man)
3. Ethno-archaeology in India:
   • The concept of ethno-archaeology
   • Survivals and Parallels among hunting, foraging, fishing, pastoral, and peasant communities including arts and crafts producing communities
4. Demographic Profile of India:
   • Ethnic and linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution
   • Factors influencing the structure and growth of the Indian population
5. Traditional Indian Social System:
   • Varnashram, Purushartha, Karma, Rina, and Rebirth
   • Caste system in India: Structure, characteristics, theories of origin, caste mobility, dominant caste, future of caste system, Jajmani system, Tribe-caste continuum
   • Sacred Complex and Nature-Man-Spirit Complex
   • Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity on Indian society
6. Emergence, Growth, and Development in India:
   • Contributions of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th Century scholar-administrators
   • Contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies
7. Indian Village and Societal Changes:
   • Significance of village study in India
   • Traditional and changing patterns of settlement and inter-caste relations
   • Agrarian relations in Indian villages
   • Impact of globalization on Indian villages
   • Linguistic and religious minorities and their social, political, and economic status
   • Indigenous and exogenous processes of socio-cultural change in Indian society
8. Tribal Situation in India:
   • Bio-genetic variability, linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of tribal populations and their distribution
   • Problems of tribal communities: Land alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, poor educational facilities, unemployment, underemployment, health, and nutrition
   • Developmental projects and their impact on tribal displacement and problems of rehabilitation
   • Development of forest policy and tribals
   • Impact of urbanization and industrialization on tribal populations
9. Exploitation, Deprivation, and Safeguards:
   • Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes
   • Constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes
   • Social change and contemporary tribal societies
   • The concept of ethnicity: Ethnic conflicts, political developments, unrest among tribal communities, regionalism, demand for autonomy, pseudo-tribalism
   • Social change among tribes during colonial and post-Independent India
10. Impact of Religions and Comparative Studies:
    • Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and other religions on tribal societies
    • Tribe and nation-state: A comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries
11. Administration, Policies, and Anthropology’s Role:
    • History of administration of tribal areas, tribal policies, plans, programmes of tribal development, and their implementation
    • The concept of PTGs (Primitive Tribal Groups), their distribution, special programmes for their development
    • Role of NGOs in tribal development
    • Role of anthropology in tribal and rural development
    • Contributions of anthropology to the understanding of regionalism, communalism, and ethnic and political movements

Important Links	Important Links
UPSC CSE 2024 Apply Online	UPSC CSE 2024 Notification
UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria	UPSC CSE Syllabus
UPSC CSE Exam Pattern	UPSC CSE Selection Process

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