Who is/are F's immediate neighbour/neighbours?

The author's assumption about scientific research is that

According to the author

Which of the following conclusions is/are valid?

Which of the following statements reflect the logical and rational inferences that can be drawn from the passage?

Which of the following assumptions is/are valid?

(a) An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate. (b) "Integrity is a value that empowers the human being." Justify with suitable illustration.

(a) What are the options available with Vijay? (b) What are the ethical dilemma being faced by Vijay? (c) Critically evaluate and examine each of these options identified by Vijay. (d) Which of the options, do you think, would be most appropriate for Vijay to adopt and why?

(a) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case. (b) Critically examine the options available to Subash in the above situation. (c) Which of the above would be most appropriate and why?

Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success

What is research, but a blind date with knowledge !

(a) Sociology is pre-eminently study of modern societies. Discuss. (b) What is 'value-free sociology'? Clarify. (c) Analyze the importance of qualitative method in social research. (d) Evaluate Marx's ideas on mode of production. (e) Vertical mobility brings structural change even in a closed social system. Comment.

(a) Analyze the manifest and latent functions of 'security of the tenure of bureaucrats' in the light of Merton's theory. (b) Describe the basic postulates of scientific method. How far are these followed in sociological research? (c) Hypothesis is a statement of the relationship between two or more variables. Elucidate by giving example of poverty and illiteracy.

(a) Examine Max Weber's method of maintaining objectivity in social research. (b) Participant observation is the most effective tool for collecting facts. Comment. (c) Discuss the relationship between poverty and social exclusion.

(a) Education is a major source of social mobility in contemporary society. Explain. (b) How is Durkheim's theory of religion different from Max Weber's theory of religion? (c) Distinguish between family and household as sociological concepts.

(a) The focal point of Sociology rests on interaction. How do you distinguish it from common sense? (b) Distinguish between fact and value in Weber's Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism. (c) Do you think 'I' and 'Me' are central terms in Mead's work? (d) What is the difference between natural and social inequality? Give examples from caste and class dimensions. (e) What are the new forms of family in developed societies? Discuss.

(a) Is non-positivistic methodology scientific? Illustrate. (b) Explain Durkheim's basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim's theory? (c) Evaluate if social stratification is functional for society.

(a) Does collapse of functionalism and bankruptcy of Marxism coincide with the rupture of modernity? Discuss. (b) Define patriarchy. How does patriarchy manifest in interpersonal relations? (c) What is the difference between anomie in Merton and Durkheim? Explain.

(a) According to Marx, how are human beings alienated from their human potential and what does he suggest to change this? (b) Schooling does not ensure upward mobility of all members of the society. Discuss with reference to class societies. (c) Discuss the challenges thrown by religious revivalism to a secular nation-state.

(a) Is the theory of cultural lag valid in present times? Discuss. (b) Are social movements primordial in means and progressive in agenda? Explain. (c) Does scientific method make Sociology a science? Illustrate your answer with Durkheim's method. (d) Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection with suitable examples from Indian society. (e) Is social mobility possible in closed systems of stratification? Illustrate from research work.

(a) Discuss the nature of social organisation of work in capitalist society with reference to the 'Limits of the working day'. (b) Distinguish between family and household with reference to the concept of development of the household. (c) Explain with examples, the explanatory and exploratory designs of social research.

(a) Discuss the historical antecedents of the emergence of Sociology as a discipline. (b) Davis and Moore made it clear that social stratification is a functional necessity and also an unconscious device. Discuss. (c) What is the Marxist concept of 'fetishism of commodities'? (d) Present a sociological review on the 'new middle-class'. (e) Explain the probability sampling strategies with examples.

(a) Discuss the importance of interpretative understanding of social phenomena and explain its limitations. (b) Are all world religions patriarchal? Substantiate your answer with examples. (c) What, according to Merton, is the difference between 'unanticipated consequences' and 'latent functions'? Give examples to elaborate.

(a) How did the intellectual forces lead to the emergence of sociology? Discuss. (b) Is sociology a value-free science? Discuss. (c) Methodology is a system of rules, principles and procedures, which forms scientific investigation. Comment. (d) 'Ideal Types' of Max Weber are mental constructs, they do not correspond to the reality. Give your views. (e) Analyse the relevance of 'Pattern variables' in the study of social change.

(a) In the context of globalisation, has the scope of sociology been changing in India? Comment. (b) Discuss the importance and sources of hypothesis in social research. (c) What are the problems in observing social facts in Durkheim's views? (d) State the reasons for the various religious beliefs and practices in pre-modern societies. (e) Does the institution of marriage continue to be sacred in Indian society? Comment.

(a) Discuss the new labour codes and their impact on formal and informal labour in India. (b) According to Mills, "Elites rule in institutional terms rather than psychological terms." Comment. (c) Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of social survey method in social research.

(a) Technology has accelerated the process of development and dependency. Discuss. (b) Phenomenological perspectives in sociology reject many of the assumptions of positivism. Comment. (c) Critically assess the Marxian theory of 'Alienation'.

(a) How does Marx view social conflict as an essential element in social change? (b) What is the impact of gender division of labour on the development of society? (c) Examine how social movements come to an end. Illustrate with examples.

(a) Europe was the first and the only place where modernity emerged. Comment. (b) Do you think ethnomethodology helps us in getting reliable and valid data? Justify your answer. (c) Discuss the challenges involved in collecting data through census method. (d) Explain whether Durkheim's theory of Division of Labour is relevant in the present day context. (e) Critically examine Max Weber's theory of Social Stratification.

(a) From the viewpoint of growing importance of multidisciplinarity, how do you relate sociology to other social sciences? (b) How far are sociologists justified in using positivist approach to understand social reality? Explain with suitable illustrations. (c) How is sociology related to common sense?

(a) How do qualitative and quantitative methods supplement each other in sociological enquiry? (b) Critically examine the dialectics involved in each mode of production as propounded by Karl Marx. (c) Do you agree with Max Weber's idea that bureaucracy has the potential to become an iron cage? Justify your answer.

(a) Elucidate the main problems and challenges faced by the migrant labourers in the recent 'Lockdown period'. (b) Explain how political parties and pressure groups are dialectically related to each other in terms of achieving their goals. (c) Give your comments on the growth of religious revivalism in the present day context.

(a) Explain how the pattern of patriarchy is being altered in a family and at the workplace in the present context. (b) Critically examine the contribution of dependency theories in understanding the present global scenario. (c) Explain the growing salience of ethnicity in the contemporary world with illustrations.

(a) Discuss the changing nature of kinship relations in the contemporary world. (b) Describe the role of Science and Technology in enabling us to face the challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. (c) Highlight the roles and functions of civil society in a democratic system.

(a) Caste system studies in India have been dominated by the "book-view" initially. How did the entry of "field-view" bring about a balance in the study of Indian caste system? Discuss. (b) What does Dr. B. R. Ambedkar mean by the concept of "Annihilation of caste"? (c) Discuss different forms of kinship system in India. (d) Critically examine briefly the phrase "Little Republics" as used to denote India's villages. (e) Caste-like formations are present in Non-Hindu religious communities as well. Discuss with examples.

(a) What is identity politics? Discuss the main trends in Dalit movements in India. (b) Is Indian society moving from "Hierarchy" towards "differentiation"? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. (c) Discuss the salient features of 'new middle class' in India.

(a) Delimit the scope of Sociology in relation to other social sciences. (b) How does a researcher achieve objectivity in interpretative research? (c) The difference between information and data in social science is subtle. Comment. (d) Durkheim argued that society is more than the sum of individual acts. Discuss. (e) How do sociologists construct gender in their analysis on social inequality?

(a) What aspects of 'Enlightenment' do you think paved way for the emergence of sociology? Elaborate. (b) Explain the different types of non-probability sampling techniques. Bring out the conditions of their usage with appropriate examples. (c) Discuss social mobility in open and closed system.

(a) What are the shortfalls of positivist philosophy that gave rise to the non-positivist methods of studying social reality? (b) Critically examine how Durkheim and Merton explicate Anomie. (c) Suggest measures to minimize the influence of the researcher in the process of collecting data through focus group discussion.

(a) What characterizes degradation of work in capitalist society according to Marx? (b) Social stratification is claimed to contribute to the maintenance of social order and stability in society. Critically assess. (c) What is reliability? Explain the different tests available to social science researcher to establish reliability.

(a) Examine the social background of growth of Indian nationalism. (b) Explain how land reforms brought about desired agrarian transformation. (c) Discuss the challenges during village studies in India.

(a) What is the distinctiveness of the feminist method of social research? Comment. (b) Discuss the relationship between sociology and political science. (c) How does the dramaturgical perspective enable our understanding of everyday life? (d) Is reference group theory a universally applicable model? Elucidate. (e) Do you think that the boundary line between ethnicity and race is blurred? Justify your answer.

(a) What, according to Robert Michels, is the iron law of oligarchy? Do lions and foxes in Vilfredo Pareto's theory, essentially differ from each other? Substantiate. (b) What is historical materialism? Examine its relevance in understanding contemporary societies. (c) What are variables? How do they facilitate research?

(a) What are the characteristics of scientific method? Do you think that scientific method in conducting sociological research is foolproof? Elaborate. (b) How do you assess the changing patterns in kinship relations in societies today? (c) Is Weber's idea of bureaucracy a product of the historical experiences of Europe? Comment.

(a) What are the different dimensions of qualitative method? Do you think that qualitative method helps to gain a deeper sociological insight? Give reasons for your answer. (b) Explain Max Weber's theory of social stratification. How does Weber's idea of class differ from that of Marx? (c) What are the ethical issues that a researcher faces in making use of participant observation as a method of collecting data? Explain.

(a) Discuss the nature of Sociology. Highlight its relationship with Social Anthropology. (b) Analyse the changing nature of caste as a status group. (c) Marriage as an institution has undergone a radical transformation from 'ritual' to 'commercial' in its outlook. Explain the factors behind this change. (d) Democracy needs a vibrant culture of civil society in order to strengthen its foundation of citizenship. Comment. (e) What are the 'basic and irreducible' functions of the family as proposed by Talcott Parsons ? Explain.

(a) Sociology is the product of European enlightenment and renaissance. Critically examine this statement. (b) Do you think 'objectivity' is an over-hyped idea in sociological research? Discuss the merits and demerits of non-positivist methods. (c) What is social mobility ? Critically examine the classification of 'closed' and 'open' models of social stratification.

(a) How do you view and assess the increasing trend of digital ethnography and use of visual culture in sociological research? (b) Describe the main idea of Max Weber's book, 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' as a critique of Marxism. (c) Critically explain the salient features of 'alienation' as propounded by Karl Marx.

(a) What do you understand by 'mixed method' ? Discuss its strengths and limitations in social research. (b) Define the concept of 'gig' economy and discuss its impact on labour market and workers' social security net. (c) Critically assess the impact of technological advancement and automation on the nature of work and employment.

(a) What is common sense? How are common knowledge and sociology related to each other? Explain. (b) What is the relationship (similarities and differences) between sociology and history in terms of their area of study and methodology? Discuss. (c) What is a variable in social research? What are their different types? Elaborate. (d) Can Merton's reference group theory be relevant in understanding 'identity making' in digital world? Explain. (e) Is the social stratification theory gender-blind? Elucidate.

(a) What is positivism? Critically analyze the major arguments against it. (b) Highlight the main features of historical materialism as propounded by Marx. How far is this theory relevant in understanding contemporary societies? Explain. (c) What do you mean by reliability? Discuss the importance of reliability in social science research.

(a) Compare capability deprivation approach with that of social capital deprivation in understanding chronic poverty. (b) Are pressure groups a threat to or a necessary element of democracy? Explain with suitable illustrations. (c) What is hypothesis? Critically evaluate the significance of hypothesis in social research.

(a) What is sampling in the context of social research? Discuss different forms of sampling with their relative advantages and disadvantages. (b) How do theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim differ in understanding religion? Explain. (c) What is the nature of relationship between science and religion in modern society? Analyze with suitable examples.

(a) Discuss the relationship between religion and science in modern society. Do they necessarily remain in conflict? (b) Is 'interpretativism' more effective than 'positivism' in analysing social reality? Discuss. (c) How does Emile Durkheim conceptualize religion as a 'social fact'? Explain.

(a) Elaborate major sociological theories of power. How do power elite shape the political process in modern societies? (b) Evaluate the socio-economic impacts of migration on rural households. (c) 'The methods of sociology are inadequate in understanding the complex social phenomena'. Discuss.

(a) The major challenge for sociology researchers is to analyze social reality objectively. Critically analyze. (b) Explain the concept of 'definition of the situation' and its significance in sociology. (c) In what way the concept of 'patriarchal bargain' be applied to the institution of marriage? Comment. (d) How does Max Weber's 'theory of authority' shape bureaucracy? Analyse. (e) How do different theories explain social dimensions of social movements? Discuss.

(a) Compare and critically assess 'the grounded theory' with 'theory-driven research method' in sociology. (b) According to Weber how do class, status and power interact to produce and sustain social inequality? (c) Compare the social organisation of work in industrial capitalism and platform capitalism.

(a) Explain how sociology has emerged as a distinct discipline based on rationality and scientific temper. (b) Examine ethnomethodological and phenomenological perspectives as critique of positivism. (c) Illustrate with example the significance of variables in sociological research. (d) Critically analyse Talcott Parsons' conception of 'Pattern Variables'. (e) Can we equate 'poverty' with 'poor living' ? Elaborate your answer.

(a) Discuss distinct sociological method adopted by Emile Durkheim in his study of 'suicide'. (b) Analyse Marxian conception of historical materialism as a critique of Hegelian dialectics. (c) Examine epistemological foundations of qualitative methods of social research.

(a) What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification ? (b) Examine gender, ethnicity and race as major dimensions of social stratification. (c) How can one resolve the issue of reliability and validity in the context of sociological research on inequality ?

(a) What do you understand by 'informalisation of labour' ? Write your answer with special reference to India. (b) Discuss the changing interface between state and civil society in post-independent India. (c) Give an assessment of Durkheimian notion of 'sacred' and 'profane' in sociology of religion. (d) Examine 'patriarchal bargain' as gendered division of work in contemporary India. (e) Assess the role of mass media as an agent of social change.

(a) Trace the changing nature of organisation of work in capitalist society over the years. (b) What is new in 'new social movements' ? Elaborate your answer with special reference to India. (c) Examine the dynamics of pressure groups in multi-party political system.

(a) Examine the relationship between the contemporary trends in marriage and changing forms of family. (b) Discuss the regional variations of kinship system in Indian society. (c) Problematise the concept of secularism in the present context.

Four friends, A, B, C and D distribute some money among themselves in such a manner that A gets one less than B, C gets 5 more than D, D gets 3 more than B. Who gets the smallest amount?

Decision Making / Situation Test: You are the head of your office. There are certain houses reserved for the allotment to the office staff and you have been given the discretion to do so. A set of rules for the allotment of the houses has been laid down by you and has been made public. Your personal secretary, who is very close to you, comes to you and pleads that as his father is seriously ill, he should be given priority in allotment of a house. The office secretariat that examined the request as per the rules turns down the request and recommends the procedure to be followed according to the rules. You do not want to annoy your personal secretary. In such circumstances, what would you do?

Decision Making / Situation Test: While travelling in a Delhi-registered commercial taxi from Delhi to an adjacent city (another State), your taxi driver informs you that as he has no permit for running the taxi in that city, he will stop at its Transport Office and pay the prescribed fee of forty for a day. While paying the fee at the counter you find that the transport clerk is taking an extra fifty rupees for which no receipt is being given. You are in a hurry for your meeting. In such circumstances, what would you do?

Decision Making / Situation Test: A person lives in a far off village which is almost two hours by bus. The villager's neighbour is a very powerful landlord who is trying to occupy the poor villager's land by force. You are the District Magistrate and busy in a meeting called by a local Minister. The villager has come all the way, by bus and on foot, to see you and give an application seeking protection from the powerful landlord. The villager keeps on waiting outside the meeting hall for an hour. You come out of the meeting and are rushing to another meeting. The villager follows you to submit his application. What would you do?

Decision Making / Situation Test: There is a shortage of sugar in your District where you are the District Magistrate. The Government has ordered that only a maximum amount of 30 kg sugar is to be released for wedding celebrations. A son of your close friend is getting married and your friend requests you to release at least 50 kg sugar for his son's wedding. He expresses annoyance when you tell him about the Government's restrictions on this matter. He feels that since you are the District Magistrate you can release any amount. You do not want to spoil your friendship with him. In such circumstances, how would you deal with the situation?

Decision Making / Situation Test: You are in-charge of implementing the Family Planning programme in an area where there is a strong opposition to the present policy. You want to convince the residents of the need for keeping small families. What would be the best way of communicating this message?

Six books are labelled A, B, C, D, E and F and are placed side by side. Books B, C, E and F have green covers while others have yellow covers. Books A, B and D are new while the rest are old volumes. Books A, B and C are law reports while the rest are medical extracts. Which two books are old medical extracts and have green covers?

A straight line segment is 36 cm long. Points are to be marked on the line from both the end points. From each end, the first point is at a distance of 1 cm from the end, the second point is at a distance of 2 cm from the first point and the third point is at a distance of 3 cm from the second point and so on. If the points on the ends are not counted and the common points are counted as one, what is the number of points?

Out of a total of 120 musicians in a club, 5% can play all the three instruments, guitar, violin and flute. It so happens that the number of musicians who can play any two and only two of the above instruments is 30. The number of musicians who can play the guitar alone is 40. What is the total number of those who can play violin alone or flute alone?

A, B, C, D, E and F are cousins. No two cousins are of the same age, but all have birthdays on the same day of the same month. The youngest is 17 years old and the oldest E is 22 years old. F is somewhere between B and D in age. A is older than B. C is older than D. A is one year older than C. Which one of the following is possible?

What is the number of logically possible orders of all six cousins in terms of increasing age?

In a society it is customary for friends of the same sex to hug and for friends of opposite sex to shake hands when they meet. A group of friends met in a party and there were 24 handshakes. Which one among the following numbers indicates the possible number of hugs?