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UPSC CSE Mains 2022 — Anthropology Questions with Answers
All 56 Anthropology previous-year questions from UPSC CSE Mains 2022, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Practise them as a free, timed mock test with instant scoring.
Practice Anthropology as a timed test →- Q1.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Debate between formalist and substantivist approaches.
- Q2.Prehistoric Archaeology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Mesolithic rock art in Indian subcontinent.
- Q3.Anthropological Theories
Write a short note in about 150 words: Radcliffe-Brown's ideas on status, role and institution.
- Q4.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Pedigree analysis in genetic counselling.
- Q5.Research Methods & Fieldwork
Write a short note in about 150 words: Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA).
- Q6.Fundamentals of Anthropology
"Anthropology is the systematic, objective and holistic study of human kind in all times and places." Elaborate the argument.
- Q7.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Discuss different forms of primate social organisation.
- Q8.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Discuss with suitable examples the typo-technological problems in Indian palaeolithic industry with reference to environmental hypotheses.
- Q9.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Discuss how the rules of descent contradict the principles of residence in matrilineal society, mentioning suitable examples.
- Q10.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Enumerate the evidence of animal domestication in Indian microlithic industry.
- Q11.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Should we still distinguish between 'classic' and 'progressive' Neanderthals? Discuss the controversy surrounding Neanderthal's position in human evolution.
- Q12.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Why did Heath and Carter use anthropometric measurements instead of photographs of an individual to assess the somatotype? Elaborate their method.
- Q13.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Discuss the historical and cultural contexts that led to superseding ethnocentrism with cultural relativism in anthropology.
- Q14.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Critically examine various anthropological interpretations about the Kula Ring.
- Q15.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Balanced and transient genetic polymorphism.
- Q16.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Genetic imprinting in human diseases.
- Q17.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Stages of human pre-natal development.
- Q18.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Shaman, sorcerer and medicine man.
- Q19.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Household and domestic group.
- Q20.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Discuss the mechanism of social control in different kinds of political systems.
- Q21.Physical & Biological Anthropology
What is meant by health? Is the burden of life style diseases on the rise? Justify your answer with suitable examples.
- Q22.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Critically evaluate the reasons of reduction in age at menarche in human females over the successive generations.
- Q23.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Discuss the role of evolutionary forces in creating human diversity.
- Q24.Research Methods & Fieldwork
Write the historical development of field work tradition in anthropology till recent times.
- Q25.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Discuss the approaches of Leslie White, Julian Steward and Marshall Sahlins in the light of cultural evolution.
- Q26.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Discuss the contemporary population problems in the light of various socio-cultural demographic theories.
- Q27.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
What do you understand by blood group systems? How is HLA system different from those based on red cell antigens?
- Q28.Applied & Forensic Anthropology
Discuss how anthropological knowledge of the human body may be used in designing equipments and articles of human use.
- Q29.Prehistoric Archaeology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Pit-dwellers of Kashmir.
- Q30.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Varna and Buddhism.
- Q31.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Dharma versus Religion.
- Q32.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Write a short note in about 150 words: Safeguards for linguistic minorities in India.
- Q33.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Westernisation and Modernisation.
- Q34.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Illustrate the contribution of Irawati Karve to Indian Anthropology. Make a special mention of her literary contribution.
- Q35.Physical & Biological Anthropology
What are the arguments for excluding Narmada Man from Homo erectus category?
- Q36.Indian Society & Civilization
Critically describe Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's argument on the origin of Indian caste system.
- Q37.Prehistoric Archaeology
Make a critical appraisal of Megalithic tradition in India with special reference to North-East India.
- Q38.Indian Society & Civilization
Assess the contributions of S. C. Dube in Indian village studies.
- Q39.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Describe the methods adopted by Sir Herbert Hope Risley in classifying Indian populations. What are the criticisms against Risley's classification?
- Q40.Physical & Biological Anthropology
"Globalisation, on one hand has provided opportunities and on the other hand thrown challenges to Indian villages." Elucidate.
- Q41.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Describe briefly the proto-history of Gujarat. Discuss the significance of Gujarat proto-history in international trade.
- Q42.Indian Society & Civilization
Critically examine 'Indigenisation of Christianity' in India.
- Q43.Tribal & Indigenous India
Write a short note in about 150 words: Regionalism as an opportunity and threat to national integration.
- Q44.Tribal & Indigenous India
Write a short note in about 150 words: Issues of tribal agricultural labourers.
- Q45.Tribal & Indigenous India
Write a short note in about 150 words: Major problems of nomadic and semi-nomadic groups.
- Q46.Tribal & Indigenous India
Write a short note in about 150 words: Role of the Governor in the Fifth Schedule areas.
- Q47.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Write a short note in about 150 words: Austroasiatic languages.
- Q48.Tribal & Indigenous India
Discuss the objectives of Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs). How far have these objectives been achieved?
- Q49.Tribal & Indigenous India
Compare the functioning of traditional 'Tribal Council' with that of 'Gram Sabha' under PESA.
- Q50.Tribal & Indigenous India
Explain how British policies impacted the major resources of the tribals.
- Q51.Tribal & Indigenous India
Discuss the views of G. S. Ghurye and Verrier Elwin on the approach towards tribal populations. What are the policies of the Government of India towards Indian tribal populations?
- Q52.Indian Society & Civilization
Discuss the issues and solutions related to the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe populations in India.
- Q53.Tribal & Indigenous India
Explain the social and religious consequences of contact between tribal and non-tribal populations.
- Q54.Tribal & Indigenous India
Compare the nature of tribal movements between North-East and Central India. Briefly mention the current status of existing tribal movements in these areas.
- Q55.Indian Society & Civilization
Briefly describe the anthropological perspective on development. How have anthropologists contributed in India's rural development?
- Q56.Tribal & Indigenous India
How can a balance be struck between livelihood concern and environmental degradation in the context of shifting cultivation?
UPSC CSE Mains 2022 — other subjects
Anthropology — other years
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