GS Paper III

• Land reforms in India.
• Comprehensive development and issues emerging from it.
• Development and spread of extremism linkage – Naxalism.
• Changes in industrial policy, impacts of liberalization on the economy, and their outcome on industrial growth.

GS Paper IV
Values- role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values; reformers and administrators, lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders. Even in the Essay paper, at least a couple of essays can be written well and in a systematic manner because of the sociology optional because the topics would be about social problems and the like. Examples of a few essay topics that were asked in the IAS mains exam with a connection to sociology:
1. Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.
2. Fulfillment of new woman in India is a myth.
3. Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it?
4. The Indian society at the crossroads.
5. The composite culture of India.
Finally, even in the UPSC personality test, sociology optional can help you. Many of the questions asked is based on social problems and current affairs. So, a knowledge of sociology can give you an added advantage.

Sociology optional disadvantages

Sociology is a social sciences subject and so, unlike the core sciences, some of the concepts and interpretations can be subjective. This may lead to subjective corrections by the examiner.

Sociology optional syllabus

Let us take a look at the syllabus for sociology for the UPSC mains exam.There are two optional papers in the UPSC scheme of things. Both the papers are for a total of 250 marks making the total optional marks to 500.

Sociology optional strategy

Preparation strategy for Sociology optional

• Start sociology preparation by reading ‘Sociology: Themes and Perspectives’ by Haralambos and Holborn’. This book will provide you a basic understanding of all the fundamental concepts of sociology. Moreover, it also contains case studies and reading it will help you apply theory to practice. The book also helps immensely in dealing with chapters like Economic Life, Politics and Society, and Kinship and Social Change.
• Focus on thinkers: As evident from the above tables, the chapter on thinkers is worth a major portion of the marks in Paper I. Therefore, you must give this section its due respect. There are six thinkers you must cover namely, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Talcott Parsons, Max Weber, Herbert Mead and Robert Merton. All the theories must be covered in detail and thoroughly. This chapter will help you in writing answers for questions from other chapters as well. For example, the topic of ‘Science, scientific method and critique’ in chapter 2 is related to Max Weber’s Scientific Method in sociological analysis.

Thinkers, as mentioned before, are a big source of questions. A few questions from the previous year UPSC papers are given below:

1. Do you think ‘I’ and ‘Me’ are central terms in Mead’s work? (10 marks, Paper I)
2. Explain Durkheim’s basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim’s theory? (20 marks, Paper I)
3. Critically analyse Talcott Parsons’ conception of ‘Pattern Variables’. (10 marks, Paper I)
4. What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification? (20 marks, Paper I)

• Throughout the syllabus, there are concepts from different chapters that you must relate with one another. ‘Theories of Social Stratification’, which is a part of chapter 5 is linked to chapter 2. Chapter 7, which is ‘Politics and Society’, has a topic on sociological theories of power which can be linked to Weberian and Marxian theories of power. Chapter 8 has a topic ‘Sociological theories on religion’ which is inter-linked to Weber and Durkheim
• A comprehensive book on sociological thought is crucial for you to understand the various theories and also write better answers throughout. For this, the book, ‘Sociological Theory’ by George Ritzer is recommended. It contains all the sociological theories, modern theories and post-modern theories. In fact, many successful candidates such as AnuKumari and IlaTripathi have recommended this book.
• It is also helpful if you can remember the original definitions given by the thinkers. This will greatly add value to your answers.
• While Paper I focuses on the theories of sociology and is more static in nature, Paper II is the dynamic section of the syllabus. It concentrates on Indian Society. Here, current affairs particularly with an Indian perspective is essential to fetch good marks.
• Whenever you write answers, always quote a few relevant and current facts, figures, case studies and recommendations of reports/commissions. Real-life examples are of utmost importance in this paper. This will help you substantiate the point that you are making and also help you earn brownie points.

For example, when you talk about the problem of religious minorities in India, you can cite the recent SC verdict on triple talaq. On issues of patriarchy, you can give the skewed sex ratios of various states in India and relate it to development, women empowerment, etc.

•  Quotations are also an important tool to make sure your answers stand out. But make sure the quotes that you use are relevant to the topic, correct and attributed to the right author.
• For Paper II, there are 3 important books you should refer. They are:

• • Social Change in Modern India – MN Srinivas
  • Caste, Its Twentieth Century Avatar – MN Srinivas
  • Indian Sociological Thought – BK Nagla

For Paper II, you should also remember that the newspapers are an important source of answers. This paper generally deals with India and the questions are generally about recent events that occurred. So, when you read the newspaper daily, make sure you watch out for topics that are potential questions in this paper. Things to watch out for are gender/women issues, caste-based issues, tribal issues, Indian values and its erosion, Indian society, etc.

• •  Make sure your answers are multi-dimensional. For this, when you prepare a topic, make sure to include various dimensions and perspectives on it. For instance, environmental movements in India also have a social angle to them (women and child issues, tribal issues, etc.
    India also have a social angle to them (women and child issues, tribal issues, etc.

For example, take a look at the following question from Paper II:
1. Elaborate the “Me Too” movement and its impact in India.
This question, based on current affairs, has many aspects to it. Answering this question requires multiple dimensions from the fields of psychology, sexual harassment in the workplace and its prevention (polity, law), feminism, idea of consent, social heirarchies, gender roles, etc.

Now, look at another question from Paper II:
1. Indebtedness is one of the serious issues leading to farmers’ suicides. Discuss reasons and suggest solutions.
Here also, you have to talk about various aspects of farmers’ suicides like the agricultural distress in India, vagaries of the monsoons and its effect on our farmers, mental health of Indians, etc. Here, you should also talk about what Durkheim had to say about suicides.

• • In sociology, you can embellish your answers by including relevant diagrams and flowcharts. Prepare a few for standard topics and concepts so that you can use them in the exam.
  • On every topic, develop points from both sides of the spectrum (positive and negative) and present a balanced picture. Your conclusions must be futuristic, realistic and positively oriented.

 

Answer writing practice

In sociology, like in most other humanities subjects, answer writing becomes very important. It isn’t like maths or chemistry, where you can write precise and to-the-point answers. Here, you have to write an introduction to the topic first, create a background, then talk about the issue asked, give real-life examples, relate it to thinkers/schools of thought, critique, and finally, give an apt conclusion. Now, this requires the practice of answer-writing. For this, it is advisable that you enroll in an optional test series. A test series ensures that you get ample exam-like simulation before the D-day. This will help you in many aspects such as time management, assessment of strengths and weaknesses, and also help you increase your speed of writing. You will also learn to understand what is precisely asked in the question and to write answers with a proper structure and with the proper keywords.

• • •  Note making

It is important to make notes while preparing for the UPSC exam, particularly for a subject like sociology where there are many theories, models, concepts, and thinkers. You must make flowcharts, tables, and figures that help in revision. For example, Merton’s Theory of Deviance can be expressed as:

Books for sociology optional

• Sociology Themes and Perspectives – Michael Haralambos, Martin Holborn
• Sociology – Anthony Giddens
• Sociological Theory – George Ritzer
• Society In India: Concepts, Theories And Recent Trends – Ram Ahuja
• Modernization Of Indian Tradition – Yogendra Singh
• Caste, Its Twentieth Century Avatar – MN Srinivas
• Social Change In Modern India – MN Srinivas
• Social Background of Indian Nationalism – AR Desai
• Persistence and Change in Tribal India – MV Rao

Tamil Literature – Optional Subject for UPSC Civil Service Mains Exam

Tamil Literature is one of the optional subjects offered by the UPSC in the civil services mains exam. It is a reasonably popular literature optional subject taken by IAS aspirants. It also sees a decently high success rate. This article gives you the pros and cons of taking Tamil Literature as your optional paper as well as a comprehensive list of reference books.

Aspirants would find this article very helpful while preparing for the IAS Exam.“When the rare chance comes, seize it to do the rare deed.” – Thiruvalluvar, Thirukkural Tamil is one of the oldest languages in the world and is also considered the oldest living language in the world. It is a Dravidian family language and is predominantly spoken by the Tamil population in India and Sri Lanka. Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu state and also the Union Territory of Puducherry. It is also an official language in Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Who Should take Tamil Literature Optional?

Candidates with a good command over the language can take up this subject. Another factor that will ease up the preparation process is a genuine interest in it. It is recommended that if you don’t have any background in Tamil, do not take up this optional.

Pros of taking Tamil Literature Optional

1. The UPSC Syllabus for Tamil Literature is small as compared to many other subjects.
2. You don’t have to update regularly for this optional. The syllabus is pretty much static.
3. There is no current affairs in the literature optionals.
4. In grammar, you can score full marks.
5. If you like Tamil literature, your preparation can be lighter as you have to read many stories, poetry, etc.
6. There is less competition as compared to other subjects like history, public administration, geography, etc.

Cons of taking Tamil Literature Optional

1. Unless you have a strong grasp of the language, you cannot take up this optional subject.
2. It has been observed that in the past few years, even the literature optionals have got unexpected questions and questions with an analytical bent.
3. There is a dearth of coaching in literature as compared to other conventional subjects.,

Tamil Literature – Optional Book List for UPSC Mains Exam
Suggested reference books for Tamil Literature optional subject is listed below. It is advised that candidates stick to 1 or 2 books and not over burden themselves with too many books.

1. Tamil mozhivaralaru – Su. Sakthivel
2. Tamil ilakkiyavaralaru – Mu. Varadarasanar
3. Mozhinool – Mu. Varadarasanar
4. Mozhivaralaru – Mu. Varadarasanar
5. Tamil ilakkiyavaralaru – Thamizannal
6. Naatupuraiyalaaivu – Su.Sakthivel
7. Oppilakkiyakotpaadu – Ka.Na.Kailasapathy
8. Tamil ilakkiyavaralaru – MadhuSa. Vimalanandam
9. Ulagasevviyalmozhigalinvarisaiyiltamil – V.C. Kulandaisamy
10.Tamil mozhiyumvaralarum – Devira
11. Valluvarpadaikkumvaiyathusorkkam – V.C. Kulandaisamy
12. Tamil thiranaaivumpanpaadum – Devira
13. Tamizharvalarthaazhagukalaigal – MayilaiseeniVengadasamy
14. Tholkappiarkandasamudaayam – Dr. Natesan
15. Ithazhiyal – Su. Sakthivel
16. Idhazhiyalkalai – Dr. Ma.Pa. Gurusamy
17. IlakkiyaMarabu – Mu. Varadarasanar
18. Tamilaganaatupuraviyal – Dr. Sargunavathy
19. Sangailakkiyam: ilakkiyavalamumvazhviyalaramum – Dr. R. Chandrasekaran
20. SilappathikaraThiranaaivu – Dr. Ma.Po.Sivagnanam
21. Kurunthogai – PuliyurKesikanurai
22. Silappathigaraurai – Gna. Manickavasagan
23. Thirukkural – Parimelazhagarurai
24. Kumbakarunavadhaipadalam – Dr. DuraiRasaramUrai
25. Thiruppavai – C.Subramanian
26. Vanakkamvalluva – Erode Tamilanban
27. Thiruvasagam – A. S. Gnanasambandan
28. KambarkaatumKumbakarnan – Arunagiri
29. Mozhiiyal – Dr. Srinivasan
30. Tamil ilakkiyavaralaru – MuthamizhSelvan
31. Puthiyanokkiltamililakkiyavaralaru – Tamilanban
32. Tamilarnagarigamumpanpaadum – Thatchinamoorthy
33. Tamil kaadhal – V. Subamanickam
34. SilapathikaramTamizhagam – Sami Chidambaranar
35. Thambiyariruvar – A. S. Gnanasambandan
36. Silambosilambu – ArasanSanthuvanar