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UPSC CSE Mains 2023 — Anthropology Questions with Answers
All 56 Anthropology previous-year questions from UPSC CSE Mains 2023, 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.Fundamentals of Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Scope and relevance of Social and Cultural Anthropology.
- Q2.Prehistoric Archaeology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Cultural impact of Iron Age.
- Q3.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Race and Ethnicity.
- Q4.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Customary laws and Environmental conservation.
- Q5.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Gene expression.
- Q6.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Discuss major species of Australopithecus discovered from South and East Africa. Describe the discovery, physical features and significance of Taung baby.
- Q7.Prehistoric Archaeology
Discuss the Paleolithic environment in light of available evidences with special reference to India.
- Q8.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Elucidate the different forms of malnutrition. Describe protein-calorie malnutrition with suitable examples.
- Q9.Physical & Biological Anthropology
What is hominization process? Discuss the major trends in human evolution with the help of suitable examples and illustrations.
- Q10.Anthropological Theories
How did Clifford Geertz look at religion? Differentiate between anthropological and psychological approaches to the study of religion.
- Q11.Physical & Biological Anthropology
What is mixed-longitudinal method of studying human growth? Discuss its merits and demerits.
- Q12.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Discuss the role of marriage regulations in traditional societies in India for strengthening social solidarity.
- Q13.Applied & Forensic Anthropology
Discuss various methods of personal identification based on skeletal remains.
- Q14.Prehistoric Archaeology
Identify the major Mesolithic sites and describe the typo-technological features with special reference to India.
- Q15.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Polygenic Inheritance.
- Q16.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Write a short note in about 150 words: Prehistoric significance of Rakhigarhi.
- Q17.Linguistic Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Glottochronology.
- Q18.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Menopausal symptoms.
- Q19.Fundamentals of Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: William Ogburn and Cultural lag.
- Q20.Research Methods & Fieldwork
Critically discuss the controversies related to fieldwork of Bronislaw Malinowski and Margaret Mead.
- Q21.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Discuss the impact of globalization on the economic systems of indigenous communities.
- Q22.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Describe the practical applications of DNA technology in the current scenario.
- Q23.Research Methods & Fieldwork
Describe various methods of qualitative data analysis. Highlight some popular computer softwares used in qualitative analysis.
- Q24.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
What assumptions must be met for a population to be in genetic equilibrium? Explain the importance of genetic equilibrium.
- Q25.Anthropological Theories
Discuss political and methodological aspects of national character studies. Elucidate the contemporary relevance of such studies.
- Q26.Anthropological Theories
Critically examine Arjun Appadurai's conceptualization of global cultural economy.
- Q27.Human Genetics & Molecular Anthropology
Describe the causes of structural abnormalities of chromosomes with suitable examples.
- Q28.Social-Cultural Anthropology
Critically discuss A.L. Kroeber's contribution to kinship studies.
- Q29.Prehistoric Archaeology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Material culture and archaeology.
- Q30.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Interface between Purushartha and Ashrama.
- Q31.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Jajmani system: continuity and change.
- Q32.Prehistoric Archaeology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Prehistoric rock arts from Uttarakhand.
- Q33.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Religious pluralism and social solidarity.
- Q34.Indian Prehistory & Populations
"Tribes are backward Hindus." Critically comment with reference to the contributions of G.S. Ghurye.
- Q35.Indian Prehistory & Populations
"Indus Valley was the first settlement of the big civilization." Comment critically.
- Q36.Indian Society & Civilization
Discuss the basic tenets of Jainism and its impact on Indian society.
- Q37.Indian Society & Civilization
"Sanskritization is a culture-bound concept." Critically comment to assess the strength and limitation of this concept in developing a theoretical framework to study social change.
- Q38.Prehistoric Archaeology
Was Mesolithic culture the first step towards sedentary way of life? Illustrate your answer by citing suitable examples.
- Q39.Tribal & Indigenous India
Critically examine the impact of modern democratic institutions on contemporary tribal societies. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
- Q40.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Elucidate the problems faced by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups and the major challenges in the formulation of special programmes for their development.
- Q41.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Critically compare Risley's and Sarkar's approaches to the classification of peoples of India.
- Q42.Indian Society & Civilization
Is caste mobility a recent phenomenon? Discuss in the light of Indological and Empirical context.
- Q43.Tribal & Indigenous India
Write a short note in about 150 words: Scheduled areas.
- Q44.Physical & Biological Anthropology
Write a short note in about 150 words: Ramapithecus-Sivapithecus debate.
- Q45.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Village as little republic.
- Q46.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Write a short note in about 150 words: Dravidian languages and their subgroups.
- Q47.Indian Society & Civilization
Write a short note in about 150 words: Karma and Rebirth.
- Q48.Indian Society & Civilization
Is annihilation of caste possible? Discuss the future of caste system in the light of various proactive measures taken by the Indian State.
- Q49.Tribal & Indigenous India
Distinguishing between ethnic identity and ethnicity, discuss the factors responsible for ethnic conflict in tribal areas.
- Q50.Physical & Biological Anthropology
"Siwalik deposits show a variety of Neogene fossil primates." Critically examine.
- Q51.Tribal & Indigenous India
Elucidate the shifting terrains of India's tribal policies in colonial and post-colonial periods.
- Q52.Tribal & Indigenous India
Critically examine how the displacement of tribal communities due to hydroelectric river dam projects has affected the women in local context. Illustrate with suitable ethnographic examples.
- Q53.Tribal & Indigenous India
Elucidate the role of anthropology in nation building. Illustrate with suitable examples.
- Q54.Tribal & Indigenous India
Discuss the distribution of tribes in different geographical regions of India. Identify the distinct institutional features of tribal societies of these regions.
- Q55.Indian Prehistory & Populations
Critically evaluate the contributions of S.C. Roy to Indian anthropology.
- Q56.Social-Cultural Anthropology
How are Other Backward Classes identified? Enumerating the important features, elucidate the recent changes in their social and economic life.
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