Sociology Optional Enrichment-Advance Test Programme-2024

Features

• Objective: To enable students to have robust preparation for their mains Sociology Optional-2024.
• Duration: 20 week programme
• No. of Tests: 25 Total Tests comprising 5 questions 3 short notes and 2 long answers.
• Mode: Both online and offline modes will be available
• Questions: Based on the UPSC CSE pattern and curated by highly qualified and experienced faculty.
• Current issues based question will be included in the programme.
• Evaluation:
  • Evaluation process focuses on assessing the answers on three dimensions:
    • Concepts
    • Structure
    • Language
  • Answer sheets are evaluated using a tiered system that offers many levels of assessment and cross-checking by the experts to improve the evaluation's depth.

Evaluator - Reviewer - Final Markup

• Focus: Ensures that the students' ability to write answers is improved in a sustainable and comprehensive manner
• Handouts of the test (model answers) will be provided.
• One online live session of 3hrs. With senior faculty of Vajiram and Ravi IAS every month.
• Fortnightly meeting both online and offline with the evaluators for better guidance, review and preparation.

Date of Commencement

• 10th July, 2023

Mode of Test Series

• Available in both Online and Offline Mode

Fee Structure

• Rs. 14,000 + GST(@18%)

Serial No.

Test No.

Date of Test

Discussion Dates

Test Syllabus

1

Test-01

10th July 2023

16th July 2023

(a) Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.

(b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.

(c) Sociology and common sense.

2

Test-02

17th July 2023

23rd July 2023

(a) Science, scientific method and critique.
(b) Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
(c) Positivism and its critique.
(d) Fact value and objectivity.
(e) Non- positivist methodologies.

3

Test-03

24th July 2023

30th July 2023

(a) Qualitative and quantitative methods.
(b) Techniques of data collection.
(c) Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.

4

Test-04

31st July 2023

06th Aug 2023

(a) Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
(b) Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.

5

Test-05

07th Aug 2023

13th Aug 2023

(c) Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.

(d) Talcolt Parsons-   Social system, pattern variables.

6

Test-06

14th Aug 2023

20th Aug 2023

(e) Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups
(f) Mead   - Self and identity.

7

Test-07

21st Aug 2023

27th Aug 2023

(a) Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and  deprivation
(b) Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.

8

Test-08

28th Aug 2023

03rd Sep 2023

(c) Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity     and race.
(d) Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility

9

Test-09

04th Sep 2023

10th Sep 2023

(a) Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society.
(b)  Formal and informal organization of work
(c) Labour and society.

10

Test-10

11th Sep 2023

17th Sep 2023

(a)  Sociological theories of power
(b) Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties. (c)   Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
(d)   Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.

11

Test-11

18th Sep 2023

24th Sep 2023

(a)   Sociological theories of religion.
(b)   Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, and cults.
(c) Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.

12

Test-12

25th Sep 2023

01st Oct 2023

(a)   Family, household, marriage.
(b)   Types and forms of family.
(c)   Lineage and descent (d)   Patriarchy and sexual division of labour
(e)   Contemporary trends

13

Test-13

09th Oct 2023

15th Oct 2023

(a)   Sociological theories of social change.
(b)   Development and dependency.
(c)   Agents of social change (d)   Education and social change.
(e)  Science, technology and social change.

14

Test-14

16th Oct 2023

22nd Oct 2023

(i) Perspectives on the study of Indian society:

(a) Indology (GS. Ghurye).
(b) Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
(c) Marxist sociology (A R Desai).

15

Test-15

23rd Oct 2023

29th Oct 2023

(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society :

(a) Social background of Indian nationalism.
(b) Modernization of Indian tradition (c) Protests and movements during the colonial period.
(d) Social reforms

16

Test-16

30th Oct 2023

05th Nov 2023

(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:

(a) The idea of Indian village and village studies-
(b) Agrarian social structure -
evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.

17

Test-17

06th Nov 2023

12th Nov 2023

(ii) Caste System:

1. Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
2. Features of caste system.
3. Untouchability - forms and perspectives

18

Test-18

13th Nov 2023

19th Nov 2023

(iii) Tribal communities in India:

(a) Definitional problems.
(b) Geographical spread.
(c) Colonial policies and tribes.
(d) Issues of integration and autonomy.

(iv) Social Classes in India:

(a) Agrarian class structure.
(b) Industrial class structure.
(c) Middle classes in India

19

Test-19

20th Nov 2023

26th Nov 2023

(v) Systems of Kinship in India:

(a) Lineage and descent in India.
(b) Types of kinship systems.
(c) Family and marriage in India.
(d) Household dimensions of the family.
(e) Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.

(vi) Religion and Society:

(a) Religious communities in India.
(b) Problems of religious minorities.

20

Test-20

27th Nov 2023

03rd Dec 2023

(i) Visions of Social Change in India:

(a) Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
(b) Constitution, law and social change.
(c) Education and social change.

(ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India:

(a) Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes.
(b) Green revolution and social change.
(c) Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.
(d) Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration

21

Test-21

04th Dec 2023

10th Dec 2023

(iii) Industrialization and Urbanisation in India:

1. Evolution of modern industry in India.
   (b) Growth of urban settlements in India.
   (c) Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
   (d) Informal sector, child labour
   (e) Slums and deprivation in urban areas

22

Test-22

11th Dec 2023

17th Dec 2023

(iv) Politics and Society:

(a) Nation, democracy and citizenship.
(b) Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite.
(c) Regionalism and decentralization of power.
(d) Secularization

23

Test-23

18th Dec 2023

24th Dec 2023

(v) Social Movements in Modern India

(a) Peasants and farmers movements.
(b) Women’s movement.
(c) Backward classes & Dalit movement.
(d) Environmental movements.
(e) Ethnicity and Identity movements.

 (vi) Population Dynamics:

(A) Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
(b) Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
(c) Population policy and family planning.
(d) Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

24

Test-24

26th Dec 2023

31st Dec 2023

(vi) Population Dynamics:

(A) Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
(b) Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
(c) Population policy and family planning.
(d) Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

25

Test-25

02nd Jan 2024

07th Jan 2024

(vii) Challenges of Social Transformation:

(a)  Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
(b) Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
(c) Violence against women.
(d) Caste conflicts.
(e) Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
(f) Illiteracy and disparities in education.