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Anthropology Optional Syllabus for UPSC 2025

Complete syllabus guide for Anthropology Optional in UPSC Civil Services Examination. Master both papers with our comprehensive study material.

PAPER—I

1. Introduction to Anthropology

  • 1.1 Meaning, scope and development of Anthropology
  • 1.2 Relationships with other disciplines: Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Earth Sciences and Humanities
  • 1.3 Main branches of Anthropology, their scope and relevance:
  • - Social-cultural Anthropology
  • - Biological Anthropology
  • - Archaeological Anthropology
  • - Linguistic Anthropology

2. Basic Human Genetics

  • 2.1 Methods and Application of the following in anthropological studies:
  • - Twin Study Method
  • - Adoption Study Method
  • - Foster Child Method
  • - Pedigree Method
  • 2.2 Mendelian genetics and its application to human inheritance patterns
  • 2.3 DNA technology in anthropological studies

3. Human Evolution and Emergence of Man

  • 3.1 Biological and Cultural factors in human evolution
  • 3.2 Theories of Organic Evolution (Pre-Darwinian, Darwinian and Post-Darwinian)
  • 3.3 Synthetic theory of evolution
  • 3.4 Brief outline of terms and concepts of evolutionary biology
  • 3.5 Human/Primate Genetics and Evolution

4. Characteristics of Primates

  • 4.1 Evolutionary Trend and Primate Taxonomy
  • 4.2 Primate Adaptations
  • 4.3 Primate Taxonomy
  • 4.4 Primate Behaviour
  • 4.5 Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates
  • 4.6 Living Major Primates
  • 4.7 Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes
  • 4.8 Skeletal changes due to erect posture and its implications

5. Phylogenetic Status, Characteristics and Distribution of Following

  • 5.1 Plio-pleistocene hominids in South and East Africa - Australopithecines
  • 5.2 Homo erectus: Africa (Paranthropus), Europe (Homo erectus heidelbergensis), Asia (Homo erectus javanicus, Homo erectus pekinensis)
  • 5.3 Neanderthal Man - La-Chapelle-aux-saints (Classical type), Mt. Carmel (Progressive type)
  • 5.4 Rhodesian man
  • 5.5 Homo sapiens - Cromagnon, Grimaldi and Chancelede

PAPER—II

1. The Nature of Culture

  • 1.1 The concept and characteristics of culture and civilization
  • 1.2 Ethnocentrism vis-à-vis cultural relativism
  • 1.3 Language and Culture
  • 1.4 Cultural Change and Cultural Diffusion
  • 1.5 Cultural Evolution - Unilineal, Multilineal, Cyclical

2. Society and Culture

  • 2.1 Nature of society, community, association, institution and social groups
  • 2.2 Marriage - Definition, types and variations
  • 2.3 Family - Definition, types and variations
  • 2.4 Kinship - Consanguinity and Affinity
  • 2.5 Descent - Rules and their cultural variations
  • 2.6 Descent groups and their cultural variations

3. Economic Organization

  • 3.1 Meaning, scope and relevance of economic anthropology
  • 3.2 Formalist and Substantivist debate
  • 3.3 Principles governing production, distribution and exchange in communities subsisting on:
  • - Hunting and gathering
  • - Fishing
  • - Swiddening
  • - Pastoralism
  • - Horticulture
  • - Agriculture

4. Political Organization

  • 4.1 Band, tribe, chiefdom, kingdom and state
  • 4.2 Concepts of power, authority and legitimacy
  • 4.3 Social control, law and justice in simple societies
  • 4.4 Political Organization and leadership in tribal and peasant societies

5. Religion

  • 5.1 Anthropological approaches to the study of religion
  • 5.2 Sacred and profane
  • 5.3 Myths, rituals and magico-religious functionaries
  • 5.4 Types of religion in simple societies
  • 5.5 Religious syncretism
  • 5.6 Magic, witchcraft and sorcery

Recommended Study Resources

Essential Books

  • • Physical Anthropology by P. Nath
  • • Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology by Makhan Jha
  • • Anthropology: The Study of Man by V.K. Bhasin and Veena Bhasin
  • • Theories and Methods in Social-Cultural Anthropology by R.R. Marett
  • • IGNOU Study Materials for Anthropology

Academic Journals

  • • Current Anthropology Journal
  • • American Journal of Physical Anthropology
  • • Annual Review of Anthropology
  • • Journal of Social Anthropology
  • • Human Biology Journal

Practice Materials

  • • Previous Years' UPSC Anthropology Papers
  • • NCERT Social Science Books
  • • Anthropology Today Magazine
  • • Solved Papers in Anthropology
  • • Model Question Papers

Online Resources

  • • Smithsonian Institution Resources
  • • American Anthropological Association
  • • Royal Anthropological Institute
  • • Open Access Anthropology
  • • Digital Anthropology Resources