Anthropology

Anthropology
Paper 1:
 Study the entire syllabus.

 Anthropological thoughts are very important section.
 Avoid Social and Cultural Questions from answering if you have a better choice.
Books/Material I referred:
1. Mr. Muniratnam Reddy notes along with sosin, vaid, braintree what is available online
already.
2. Ember and ember for reference.
3. Upadyay pandey for thoughts (the book has good case studies).
4. Social part – D N Majumdar and Madan ; also book by vaid sir; also have gone through
ignou sociology for examples (not in detail).
5. Physical anthropology – P Nath , braintree notes. (do keep track on any finding of new
discoveries/debates).
Paper 2:
Answer to the demand of question. Be ARGUMENTATIVE, USE FACTS, FIGURES,CASE

STUDIES. I always prefer examples from India as it will be useful for Interview as well. You
should put your personality stamp while writing couple of answers. Then you will definitely
cross above average. But, yes, it must be HOLISTIC, BALANCED. Solve previous years
question paper.
Books/Material I referred:
1. Mr. Muniratnam Reddy notes along with sosin, vaid, braintree what is available online
already.
2. Indian Anthropology – Nadeem Hasnain. (Selective reading).
3. LP Vidyarthi – Tribal Culture of India.( Selective reading )
4. Selective reading from material -national science digital library.(available online)
5. PIB – issues related to tribals development . Priority MoTA .
6. Tribal india- Nadeem Hasnain.
7. Yearly report by MoTA available on website.
8. Complete XAXA Committee – HLC on Socio-economic, health and educational status of
Tribes in India.
9. Selective reading 2nd ARC report, report by erstwhile NAC, the Adivasi Question.
10. Keep checking EPW, DTE and THE HINDU.
I have extensively used GOOGLE and YOUTUBE. Selecting case studies, examples etc:
They are everywhere – in newspapers, magazines, monthly current affairs materials, Committee
reports setup on specific issues,- only thing is an aspirant has recognise it. For that one should
always have SYLLABUS in mind while reading.
Basic Book List and Other Resources
Paper – 1
 Social – Cultural Anthropology

 An Introduction of Social Cultural Anthropology – N.K Vaid
 Introducing Sociology – N.C.E.R.T Class 11
 Anthropological Theories : Muniratnam Sir notes and
https://anthropology.ua.edu/cultures/cultures.php
 Video Links
o Malinowski:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f22VsAlOwbc
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgCDuuj6ksI
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-sBtFJMNrA
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df9BlSbYiKY
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAt3zhOjdtk
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8heZc_dB8NM
o Margaret Mead:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOa3ftAKnzo
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9HNzhV0CjI
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFdaW1kZOaA
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDLyQb5Pd3w
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQnfbAEg_uQ
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrdTDbUIeKk
o Definition of Marriage
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_kUmH-
iEC8&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=1
o Sociology v/s Anthropology
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8WFbjv1C0&list=PLfvW79h595sp
0hN5ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=4
o History v/s Anthropology
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbacRq0ld1g&list=PLfvW79h595sp0
hN5ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=5
o Marriage Payments and Reciprocity
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHRdSdGMphQ&list=PLfvW79h595
sp0hN5ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=14
o Formalists v/s Substantivists debate
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IlH17UDRig&list=PLfvW79h595sp
0hN5ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=16
 Principles of Pre historic archaeology

o Indian Prehistory by D.K Bhattacharya
o Video lectures :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxL4xWNZLkM&list=PL_a1TI5CC9RHaFL
r32eBn24EuH8CSJsTZ ( However it covers the subject quite extensively, one
only needs to find the relevant videos for UPSC)
 Biological Anthropology
o Physical Anthropology – P. Nath and B.M. Das
o Biology Class 12thE.R.T
o Vaid Sir Printed Notes
o Muniratnam Sir Notes
Video Links on Human Evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFu7yghK9GQ
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAw0zrnCTbs
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0w6TKiJRU0&index=3&list=PLLoRNYgorqAm6g
8udHKvGXEBwfjFG1keD
 Evolutionary Changes in Skull

o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F93cq55VUeY&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5Z
VDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=15
 Biological Anthropology ( Meaning & Scope)
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fofJhzqobjY&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5ZV
DK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=8
 Is Inbreeding Harmful?
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_gxUU5Q0zk&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5
ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=10
 Pedigree Analysis
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_gxUU5Q0zk&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5
ZVDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=10
 Definition of Primates
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ24c2z9Qas&list=PLfvW79h595sp0hN5Z
VDK5qnkKdRgmDQV-&index=13
Paper 2
 Prehistoric Indian Culture

o Indian Prehistory by D.K Bhattacharya
o Video lectures :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxL4xWNZLkM&list=PL_a1TI5CC9RHaFL
r32eBn24EuH8CSJsTZ ( However it covers the subject quite extensively, one
only needs to find the relevant videos for UPSC)
 Indian Society
o Vaid Sir Notes
o Indian Anthropology – Nadeem Hasnain
o Indian Society – Class 12thE.R.T
o Social Change and Development in India – Class 12thE.R.T
 Tribal India
 Tribal India – Nadeem Hasnain
 Xaxa Committee Report: http://www.kractivist.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Tribal-
Committee-Report-May-June-2014.pdf
 Tribal and Marginalized Communities – January 2014 edition of Yojana.
 Tribal documentaries:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aaW9bTsBS0&list=PLVOgwA_DiGzoYs9ibyHW
NJpAyJAiglYbb
 We will be covering the strategy for anthropology in three articles. In this article I will
discuss extensively on resources that one can refer for preparation and my overall
experience of preparation of Anthropology.
 In second article, we will be covering “How to study particular topics of
Anthropology for civil services” extensively. In the last article we’ll focus exclusively
on Answer writing. However both these parts are interlinked.
 First of all, I would like to thank Vaid Sir especially to whom I followed for
Anthropology entirely. However I would like to point out it’s the self-study that will
make one comfortable in the subject; spoon feeding cannot make us successful. And the
best part with Vaid Sir is his focus on Answer Writing Practice and effective feedback on
one’s answer.
 I personally feel that one can prepare Anthropology by oneself also, but I would point try
to have some kind of mentor in form of individuals who has anthropology optional from
few years or who have cleared Civil Service with Anthropology optional. Further, in
term of content for Anthropology is quite less as compare to other subjects for Civil
Services. Although anthropology is vast subject that pans the arts, humanities, social
science and natural sciences, and touches all fields of human endeavor or inquiry to
Human origins.
 Coming back to UPSC domain, make sure to go through the syllabus and chapter wise
previous year papers. You will realize that most of the previous year questions have been
repeated number of times. Hence it is very important to cover the syllabus along with
clarity of understanding as well as making 200-400 words of notes on each sub-topic. I
had prepared around 250 questions based on analysis of previous year papers. One
should understand them and cram them by heart. That will ensure a decent attempt of
around 400-420 marks after exercising choices given in paper. But for rest of marks one
needs to prepare quite extensively especially some of the areas form where generally
dynamic questions are being asked like comparison between anthropologists, comparison
between different anthropological thoughts, issues faced in developmental process of
tribal development , recent government policies for tribal development etc.
 Basic Book List and Other Resources

Anthropology

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What are the main resources recommended for preparing for the anthropology subject?

What are some of the important anthropological theories discussed in the text?

Anthropology

 Study the entire syllabus.

Answer to the demand of question. Be ARGUMENTATIVE, USE FACTS, FIGURES,CASE

 Social – Cultural Anthropology

 Principles of Pre historic archaeology

Video Links on Human Evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFu7yghK9GQ

 Evolutionary Changes in Skull

 Prehistoric Indian Culture

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