Anthropology is the most popular optional subject in the UPSC Civils exam for the exam aspirants. The reasons are its overlap with GS (General Studies) and relatively less syllabus. It has one of the highest success rates in UPSC. However, scoring high will not be possible without knowing the Anthropology syllabus for UPSC. That’s the topic of discussion today.

Anthropology optional is divided into two papers in mains. It consists of 21 major topics in the syllabus– 12 in Paper I and 9 in Paper II. Learn more about the Anthropology syllabus for UPSC, success rates, anthropology UPSC optional syllabus books, and more in this article.

Anthropology Syllabus for UPSC

The anthropology syllabus for UPSC is rather less compared to that of other optional subjects in the UPSC Civils. Find the detailed topics below.

Anthropology Paper I

1.1 Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology.

1.2 Relationships with other disciplines: Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Earth Sciences and Humanities.

1.3 Main branches of Anthropology, their scope and relevance:

(a) Social-cultural Anthropology.

(b) Biological Anthropology.

(d) Linguistic Anthropology.

1.4 Human Evolution and Emergence of Man:

(a) Biological and Cultural factors in human evolution.

(b) Theories of Organic Evolution (Pre-Darwinian, Darwinian and Post-Darwinian).

(c) Synthetic theory of evolution; Brief outline of terms and concepts of evolutionary biology (Doll’s rule, Cope’s rule, Gause’s rule, parallelism, convergence, adaptive radiation, and mosaic evolution).

1.5 Characteristics of Primates; Evolutionary Trend and Primate Taxonomy; Primate Adaptations; (Arboreal and Terrestrial) Primate Taxonomy; Primate Behaviour; Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates; Living Major Primates; Comparative Anatomy of Man and Apes; Skeletal changes due to erect posture and its implications.

1.6 Phylogenetic status, characteristics and geographical distribution of the following:

(a) Plio-Pleistocene hominids in South and East Africa—Australopithecines.

(b) Homo erectus: Africa (Paranthropus), Europe (Homo erectus (heidelbergensis), Asia (Homo erectus javanicus, Homo erectus pekinensis.

(d) Rhodesian man.

(e) Homo sapiens—Cromagnon, Grimaldi and Chancelade.

1.7 The biological basis of Life: The Cell, DNA structure and replication, Protein Synthesis, Gene, Mutation, Chromosomes, and Cell Division.

1.8 (a) Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology. Chronology: Relative and Absolute Dating methods.

(b) Cultural Evolution—Broad Outlines of Prehistoric Cultures:

(i) Paleolithic

(ii) Mesolithic

(iii) Neolithic

(iv) Chalcolithic

(v) Copper-Bronze Age

(vi) Iron Age

2.1. The Nature of Culture: The Concept and Characteristics of culture and Civilization; Ethnocentrism vis-a-vis Cultural Relativism.

2.2. The Nature of Society: Concept of Society; Society and Culture; Social Institution; Social groups; and Social stratification.

2.3. Marriage: Definition and universality; Laws of marriage (endogamy, exogamy, hypergamy, hypogamy, incest taboo); Type of marriage (monogamy, polygamy, polyandry, group marriage). Functions of marriage; Marriage regulations (preferential, prescriptive and proscriptive); Marriage payments (bride wealth and dowry).

2.4. Family: Definition and universality; Family, household and domestic groups; functions of family; Types of family (from the perspectives of structure, blood relation, marriage, residence and succession); Impact of urbanisation, industrialization and feminist movements on family.

2.5. Kinship: Consanguinity and Affinity; Principles and types of descent (Unilineal, Double, Bilateral Ambilineal); Forms of descent groups (lineage, clan, phratry, moiety and kindred); Kinship terminology (descriptive and classificatory); Descent, Filiation and Complementary Filiation; Descent and Alliance.

3. Economic Organisation: Meaning, scope and relevance of economic anthropology; Formalist and Substantive debate; Principles governing production, distribution and exchange (reciprocity, redistribution and market), in communities, subsisting on hunting and gathering, fishing, swiddening, pastoralism, horticulture, and agriculture; globalisation and indigenous economic systems.

4. Political Organization and Social Control: Band, tribe, chiefdom, kingdom and state; concepts of power, authority and legitimacy; social control, law and justice in simple Societies.

5. Religion: Anthropological approaches to the study of religion (evolutionary, psychological and functional); monotheism and polytheism; sacred and profane; myths and rituals; forms of religion in tribal and peasant Societies (animism, animatism, fetishism, naturism and totemism); religion, magic and science distinguished; magico-religious functionaries (priest, shaman, medicine man, sorcerer and witch).

6. Anthropological theories:

(a) Classical evolutionism (Tylor, Morgan and Frazer)

(b) Historical particularism (Boas) Diffusionism (British, German and American)

(d) Structuralism (Levi-Strauss and E. Leach)

(e) Culture and personality (Benedict, Mead, Linton, Kardiner and Cora-du Bois)

(f) Neo—Neo-evolutionism (Childe, White, Steward, Sahlins and Service)

(g) Cultural materialism (Harris)

(h) Symbolic and interpretive theories (Turner, Schneider and Geertz)

(i) Cognitive theories (Tyler, Conklin)

(j) Postmodernism in anthropology.

7. Culture, Language and Communication: Nature, origin and characteristics of language; verbal and non-verbal communication; social context of language use.

8. Research Methods in Anthropology

(a) Fieldwork tradition in anthropology

(b) Distinction between technique, method and methodology

(c) Tools of data collection: observation, interview, schedules, questionnaire, case study, genealogy, life history, oral history, secondary sources of information, and participatory methods.

(d) Analysis, interpretation and presentation of data.

9.1. Human Genetics: Methods and Application: Methods for the study of genetic principles in the man-family study (pedigree analysis, twin study, foster child, co-twin method, cytogenetic method, chromosome and karyotype analysis), biochemical methods, immunological methods, D.N.A. technology and recombinant technologies.

9.2. Mendelian genetics in man-family study, single factor, multifactor, lethal, sub-lethal and polygenic inheritance in man.

9.3. Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection, Mendelian population, Hardy-Weinberg law; causes and changes which bring down frequency-mutation, isolation, migration, selection, inbreeding and genetic drift. Consanguineous and non-consanguineous mating, genetic load, genetic effect of consanguineous and cousin marriages.

9.4. Chromosomes and chromosomal aberrations in man, methodology.

(a) Numerical and structural aberrations (disorders).

(b) Sex chromosomal aberration- Klinefelter (XXY), Turner (XO), Super female (XXX), intersex and other syndromic disorders.

(d) Genetic imprints in human disease, genetic screening, genetic counselling, human DNA profiling, gene mapping and genome study.

9.5. Race and racism, biological basis of morphological variation of non-metric and characters. Racial criteria, racial traits in relation to heredity and environment; biological basis of racial classification, racial differentiation and race crossing in man.

9.6. Age, sex and population variation as genetic markers: ABO, Rh blood groups, HLA Hp, transferring, Gm, blood enzymes. Physiological characteristics level, body fat, pulse rate, respiratory functions and sensory perceptions in different cultural and socio-economic groups.

9.7. Concepts and methods of Ecological Anthropology: Bio-cultural Adaptations—Genetic and Non-genetic factors. Man’s physiological responses to environmental stresses: hot desert, cold, high altitude climate.

9.8. Epidemiological Anthropology: Health and disease. Infectious and non-infectious diseases, Nutritional deficiency-related diseases.

10. Concept of human growth and Development: Stages of growth—prenatal, natal, infant, childhood, adolescence, maturity, senescence.

—Factors affecting growth and development genetic, environmental, biochemical, nutritional, cultural and socio-economic.

—Ageing and senescence. Theories and observations

—Biological and chronological longevity. Human physique and somatotypes. Methodologies for growth studies.

11.1. Relevance of menarche, menopause and other bio-events to fertility. Fertility patterns and differentials.

11.2. Demographic theories-biological, social and cultural.

11.3. Biological and socio-ecological factors influencing fecundity, fertility, natality and mortality.

12. Applications of Anthropology: Anthropology of sports, Nutritional anthropology, Anthropology in designing of defence and other equipment, Forensic Anthropology, Methods and principles of personal identification and reconstruction, Applied human genetics—Paternity diagnosis, genetic counselling and eugenics, DNA technology in diseases and medicine, sero-genetics and cytogenetics in reproductive biology.

Anthropology Paper II

1.1. Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization— Prehistoric (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Neolithic-Chalcolithic), Protohistoric (Indus Civilization). Pre-Harappan, Harappan and post- Harappan cultures. Contributions of the tribal cultures to Indian civilization.

1.2. Palaeo—Anthropological evidence from India with special reference to Siwaliks and Narmada basin (Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus and Narmada Man).

1.3. Ethno-archaeology in India: The concept of ethno-archaeology; Survivals and Parallels among the hunting, foraging, fishing, pastoral and peasant communities including arts and crafts producing communities.

2. Demographic profile of India—Ethnic and linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution. Indian population—factors influencing its structure and growth.

3.1. The structure and nature of the traditional Indian social system—Varnashrama, Purushartha, Karma, Rina and Rebirth.

3.2. Caste system in India— Structure and characteristics Varna and caste, Theories of origin of caste system, Dominant caste, Caste mobility, Future of caste system, Jajmani system. Tribe-caste continuum.

3.3. Sacred Complex and Nature-Man-Spirit Complex.

3.4. Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian society.

4. Emergence, growth and development in India— Contributions of the 18th, 19th and early 20th Century scholar-administrators. Contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies.

5.1. Indian Village—Significance of village study in India; Indian village as a social system; Traditional and changing patterns of settlement and inter-caste relations; Agrarian relations in Indian villages; Impact of globalisation on Indian villages.

5.2. Linguistic and religious minorities and their social, political and economic status.

5.3. Indigenous and exogenous processes of socio-cultural change in Indian society: Sanskritization, Westernization, Modernization; Inter-play of little and great traditions; Panchayati Raj and social change; Media and Social Change.

6.1. Tribal situation in India—Bio-genetic variability, linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of the tribal populations and their distribution.

6.2. Problems of the tribal Communities—Land alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, poor educational facilities, unemployment, under-employment, health and nutrition.

6.3. Developmental projects and their impact on tribal displacement and problems of rehabilitation. Development of forest policy and tribals. Impact of urbanisation and industrialisation on tribal populations.

7.1. Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

7.2. Social change and contemporary tribal societies: Impact of modern democratic institutions, development programmes and welfare measures on tribals and weaker sections.

7.3. The concept of ethnicity; Ethnic conflicts and political developments; Unrest among tribal communities; Regionalism and demand for autonomy; Pseudo-tribalism. Social change among the tribes during colonial and post-independent India.

8.1. Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies.

8.2. Tribe and nation-state—a comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries.

9.1. History of administration of tribal areas, tribal policies, plans, programmes of tribal development and their implementation. The concept of PTGs (Primitive Tribal Groups), their distribution, and special programmes for their development. Role of N.G.O.s in tribal development.

9.2. Role of anthropology in tribal and rural development.

9.3. Contributions of anthropology to the understanding of regionalism, communalism and ethnic and political movements.

Anthropology Optional Success Rates in Civils Exam

Year	Number of Candidates	Number of Candidates Selected	Success Rate (%)
2020	1211	100	8.30
2019	1189	108	9.1
2018	797	65	8.2
2017	880	85	9.7

Anthropology Books for UPSC

There are plenty of good books to prepare for UPSC Anthropology. But choose only one or two at any point in time. The best way is to take the advice of toppers if possible.

Paper I

An Introduction to Social-Cultural Anthropology – N.K. Vaid.
Biology NCERT Class XII.
Measuring Time (Chapter 2) of Indian Prehistory – D.K. Bhattacharya.
Physical Anthropology – P. Nath.
Sociology NCERT Class XI.
IGNOU MA Course for Anthropology.
An Introduction to Social Anthropology – D.N. Majumdar and T.N. Madan.
Anthropological Theories – Makhan Jha.
Biology NCERT book for Class XII (Chapters 5, 6, 7).

Paper II

The Tribal Culture of India – L.P. Vidyarthi
Anthropology Simplified – Vivek Bhasme
Xaxa Report
January 2014 edition of Yojana – Tribal and Marginalised Communities
Indian Society – NCERT Class XII
Tribal India – Nadeem Hasnain
History of Anthropology Thought – Gaya Pandey & Vijay S. Upadhyay
Indian Society – NCERT Class XII
Indian Anthropology – Nadeem Hasnain

Points to Remember

Anthropology as an optional subject in the UPSC Civil Services Examination has some interesting aspects to it. Here are a few:

Interdisciplinary Nature: While many see Anthropology as primarily about human evolution and tribal studies, it’s highly interdisciplinary, incorporating elements of biology, sociology, psychology, and even economics.

Overlap with GS papers: Anthropology syllabus for UPSC has significant overlap with General Studies papers, especially in areas like social issues, Indian society, and world cultures. This can be advantageous for overall preparation.

Recent Additions: The anthropology syllabus for UPSC has been updated to include more contemporary topics like medical anthropology, developmental anthropology, and anthropology of tourism.

Regional Focus: There’s a strong emphasis on Indian anthropology. It can be beneficial for candidates already familiar with India’s diverse cultural landscape.

Diagram Advantage: The subject allows for and often rewards the use of diagrams and illustrations in answers, which can help in scoring better.

Evolving Field: Anthropology is a rapidly evolving field, requiring candidates to stay updated with recent research and discoveries.

Conclusion

To excel in the Anthropology syllabus for UPSC, candidates should focus on developing a holistic understanding by connecting theories to real-world examples and staying updated on current research. Analysing previous years’ questions and joining study groups can enhance preparation.

Anthropology’s unique perspectives on human societies make it valuable beyond just UPSC preparation. You can apply the concepts in various aspects of public service and policy-making. So, study with long-term benefits.

FAQs

What is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the scientific study of human beings, their behaviour, and societies, both past and present. It explores human diversity, culture, evolution, and social relationships across time and space.q

Is Anthropology a good optional for UPSC?

Yes, Anthropology optional for UPSC has one of the highest success rates. Selecting this subject is even more beneficial if you come from a Biology background. With minimal preparation, you can maximise your UPSC Civils score.

Are there any changes in the Anthropology UPSC syllabus recently?

Yes, there have been some changes in the Anthropology syllabus for UPSC. New topics like digital and medical anthropology have been added, alongside an increased focus on interdisciplinary approaches and contemporary issues such as globalisation and climate change. The syllabus now emphasises diverse research methodologies and the application of anthropological concepts to current global challenges.

What is the easiest optional in UPSC Civils?

There’s no universally “easiest” optional in UPSC Civil Services. The best choice depends on individual background, interests, and strengths. Popular options include Public Administration, Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, and Political Science.