(a) A fresh engineering graduate gets a job in a prestigious chemical industry. She likes the work. The salary is also good. However, after a few months she accidentally discovers that a highly toxic waste is being secretly discharged into a river nearby. This is causing health problems to the villagers downstream who depend on the river for their water needs. She is perturbed and mentions her concern to her colleagues who have been with the company for longer periods. They advise her to keep quite as anyone who mentions the topic is summarily dismissed. She cannot risk losing her job as she is the sole bread-winner for her family and has to support her ailing parents and siblings. At first, she thinks that if her seniors are keeping quiet, why should she stick out her neck. But her conscience pricks her to do something to save the river and the people who depend upon it. At heart she feels that the advice of silence given by her friends is not correct though she cannot give reasons for it. She thinks you are a wise person and seeks your advice. What arguments can you advance to show her that keeping quiet is not morally right? (b) What course of action would you advise her to adopt and why?

Does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensure effective mechanism for empowerment and inclusion of the intended beneficiaries in the society? Discuss.

Rakesh is a responsible district level officer, who enjoys the trust of his higher officials. Knowing his honesty, the government entrusted him with the responsibility of identifying the beneficiaries under a healthcare scheme meant for senior citizens. The criteria to be a beneficiary are: (a) 60 years of age or above, (b) Belonging to a reserved community, (c) Family income of less than ₹ 1 lakh per annum, (d) Post-treatment prognosis is likely to be high to make a positive difference to the quality of life of the beneficiary. One day, an old couple visited Rakesh's office with their application. They have been the residents of a village in his district since their birth. The old man is diagnosed with a rare condition that causes obstruction in the large intestine. As a consequence, he has severe abdominal pain frequently that prevents him from doing any physical labour. The couple have no children to support them. The expert surgeon whom they contacted is willing to do the surgery without charging any fee. However, the couple will have to bear the cost of incidental charges, such as medicines, hospitalization, etc., to the tune of ₹ 1 lakh. The couple fulfills all the criteria except criterion 'b'. However, any financial aid would certainly make a significant difference in their quality of life. How should Rakesh respond to the situation?

(a) Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If not, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. - Swami Vivekanand. What does this mean to you? (b) The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mahatma Gandhi. What does this mean to you? (c) A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true. - Socrates. What does this mean to you?

How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse.

Do you think marriage as a sacrament is loosing its value in Modern India?

(a) "Corruption is the manifestation of the failure of core values in the society." In your opinion, what measures can be adopted to uplift the core values in the society? (b) In the context of work environment, differentiate between 'coercion' and 'undue influence' with suitable examples.

(a) Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision-making? Discuss. (b) 'Probity is essential for an effective system of governance and socio-economic development.' Discuss.

Do you think digital technology promotes social empowerment? Explain with examples.

(a) Religious pluralism is the order of present-day societies. Explain by giving suitable examples. (b) Discuss the contemporary trends in family as a response to social change in modern society. (c) To what extent revolution replaces the existing order of society? Discuss.

(a) Salient features of A.R. Desai's Marxist Sociology (b) Significance of Village Studies in Indian Sociology (c) 'Isolationism' as a dominant feature of colonial tribal policy (d) Anti-Brahmanical movements during the colonial period (e) Patriarchy as a form of dominance

(a) How has B.R. Ambedkar identified the features of caste system? How is it different from the mainstream treatment of caste features? (b) Discuss Andre Beteille's account of the relationship between caste, class and power as a change from symmetrical to asymmetrical one. (c) Analyse the major components of Land Reform Acts. Show their effectiveness in curbing rural inequality.

(a) Bring out the significance of the difference between family and household. (b) Elucidate the concepts of 'majoritarianism' and 'minoritarianism' in accentuating communal tensions in India. (c) Comment on the increasing significance of caste in politics.

(a) How is the tribal question related with the issues of integration and autonomy in modern India? (b) Comment on the factors behind the changing status of women in urban India. (c) What accounts for the growth and consolidation of the middle classes in modern India?

(a) Privatization of education and increasing inequalities (b) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for rural development (c) Different forms of Dalit assertion (d) Empowerment through 'Right to Education' (e) Differential sex-ratio and its implications

(a) The main objectives of socio-religious movements during the colonial rule in India were reforming and synthesizing Hinduism. Write on any two such important movements. (b) Discuss Yogendra Singh's thesis on Modernisation of Indian Tradition, and evaluate its applicability in the present day context. (c) What are the changes in the cultural and structural aspects of the caste system since independence?

(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) "The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relationship between the two in a society." — C.W. Mills. Explain. (b) What are sects? Discuss their role in multi-religious societies with empirical examples. (c) In what way did Durkheim perceive religion as functional to society?

(a) Write a note on G. S. Ghurye's Indological perspective of understanding Indian society. (b) Give a critical analysis of Andre Beteille's study of Tanjore village. (c) Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. Discuss. (d) Write a note on the changing roles of middle-class women in India. (e) Discuss the growth of religious sects in India.

(a) What do you understand by discrete castes and muddled hierarchies? Substantiate your answer with suitable illustrations. (b) Discuss development-induced displacement in the context of tribal uprising in India. Substantiate your answer with any one detailed illustration from India. (c) Illustrate the importance of 'Kanyadan' and 'Kulabadhu' in changing institutions of marriage and family.

(a) Elaborate the concept of constitutional morality as given by B. R. Ambedkar. (b) Construct a sociological narrative on the increasing trend of child abuse in India. (c) Explain the dynamics of neo-farmers' movement in contemporary India. (d) Assess the role of the State in promoting education of girl child. (e) Elaborate the 'Me Too' Movement and its impact in India.

(a) How do you relate the growth of development of metropolis and its impact on the mental and social life of people in India? (b) Has 'Green Revolution' led to the formation of new power elite in rural India? Elaborate your answer. (c) Write a note on Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development (IHSD) programmes provided for the urban poor.

(a) What are the issues relating to male migration and its impact on birthrate? Does it necessarily result in skewed sex ratio? (b) Western patriarchy which surrenders feminine principles is the new development project in India. Do you agree with this view? Why? (c) Assess the impact of ban on 'Triple Talak' on marriage and divorce among the Muslim community in India.

(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) Differentiate between 'Life-chances' and 'Life-style' with suitable examples. (b) Discuss the issues of access and exclusion in higher education in India. (c) What is civil society? Present a note on civil society engagement with science and technology policy in India. (d) Critique A.G. Frank's 'development of underdevelopment'. (e) How well do you think Tonnies, Durkheim, Weber and Marx predicted the character of modern society? Critique.

(a) In the light of judicial intervention on 'Live-in relationships', discuss the future of marriage and family in India. (b) How, according to Merton, are deviant subcultures generated? (c) How is terrorism a new form of asymmetrical warfare? What are some of the challenges in trying to win the war on terrorism?

(a) Comment on the critical issues of commercialization of higher education in India. (b) Discuss the challenges in implementing the Rural Development Programmes in India. (c) Elaborate urbanism as a way of life in India. (d) Comment on the changing democratic profile of India. (e) Elucidate the concerns of growing urban displacement dynamics in India.

(a) Elaborate A. R. Desai's perspective to the study of Indian society. (b) Banning practice of 'Sati' is attributed to annihilation of a major social evil in colonial India. Comment. (c) How do you justify Dumont's deliberate stress on ideology that produced intellectualized account of Indian society? (d) Explain the definitional problems concerning the tribal communities in India. (e) Secularism was an outcome of 20th century humanistic radicalism. Comment on this statement.

(a) Indian caste system is unique and has been unhealthy for the growth of sociology of India. How far do you agree with this view? (b) Discuss Whitehead's contention that caste has potential to displace class and colonial contradiction. (c) Indian rural society is a faction-ridden society. Discuss.

(a) Discuss the conceptual issues about lineage and descent in India. Give suitable illustrations. (b) Analyze household dimensions of family in India. (c) Write a note on 'cultural pluralism' in multi-religious society like India.

(a) Capitalism has brought increasing informalisation of work in society. Substantiate your answer. (b) Critically analyse Durkheim's views on elementary forms of religious life and role of religion. Also discuss the consequences of religious revivalism in contemporary society. (c) Discuss the consequences of Across Region marriage on kinship system in modern Indian society.

(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) Explain the concept of social mobility. Describe with suitable illustrations how education and social mobility are related to each other. (b) How has the idea of 'Work From Home' forced us to redefine the formal and informal organisation of work? (c) With suitable examples, explain how conformity and deviance coexist in a society as propounded by R.K. Merton.

(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) Discuss in detail the major contribution of Prof. Yogendra Singh in theorizing India's modernization. (b) Examine the factors responsible for the rural unrest in contemporary India. (c) Discuss the changing dimensions of family structure in urban India.

(a) Critically examine the relevance of Durkheim's views on religion in contemporary society. (b) Discuss various theoretical perspectives on the family. (c) Explain the implications of feminization of work in the developing societies. (d) Write a note on global trends of secularization. (e) Trace the trajectory of development perspectives on social change.

(a) According to Mead the idea of self develops when the individual becomes self-conscious. Explain. (b) Analyse the nature of transition from ideology to identity politics in India. (c) How do little tradition and great tradition coexist in contemporary Indian society?

(a) Critically analyse Parsons views on society as a social system. (b) Discuss how 'environmentalism' can be explained with new social movements approach. (c) Illustrate with examples the role of pressure groups in the formulation of social policies.

(a) Sociologists argue for democratization of science and technology for inclusive development. Comment. (b) Are traditional social institutions getting weakened as agents of social change in the contemporary society? Substantiate. (c) How do you understand the relationship between patriarchy and social development?

(a) Elaborate on M.N. Srinivas's structural-functionalist approach to the study of Indian society. (b) Do you agree that the agrarian class structure in India is changing? Justify your answer with illustrations. (c) Elucidate the challenges of integration for tribal communities in India. (d) In the context of the changing Indian society, how do you view Andre Beteille's conceptions of harmonic and disharmonic social structures? (e) Explain Leela Dube's concept of "Seed and Earth".

(a) Critically examine Yogendra Singh's thesis on 'Modernisation of Indian Tradition'. (b) Discuss the material basis of patriarchy as an ideological system. (c) Explain different forms of untouchability in India.

(a) Discuss law as an important instrument for women's empowerment. (b) Examine different understandings of secularisation in India. (c) How do you view the growth of informal sector in India? (d) Discuss the role of pressure groups in strengthening democracy. (e) What role do co-operatives play in poverty alleviation in rural India?

(a) Examine whether rural bondage still continues to be a social reality. Give your argument. (b) Define ethnicity. Discuss the factors responsible for the growth of ethnic movements in India. (c) Discuss the changing nature of structure of political elites.

(a) Highlight the significant features of A.R. Desai's 'Dialectical Perspective' to study Indian Society. (b) The decade of 1950s was the golden period of village studies in Indian Sociology. Explain the statement. (c) Analyse the differences between the attributional and interactional approach in studying the caste system. (d) Are Tradition and Modernity antithetical to each other? Comment. (e) Discuss the main features of Land Reforms in post-independence India.

(a) Do you agree with the view of Andre Beteille that India's villages are representative of Indian society's basic civilizational values? Present a sociological overview. (b) Elaborate the salient features and the role of middle class in India's democracy and development. (c) Analyse the role of market and modern forces in understanding the changing trends in marriage systems in India.

(a) Contextualize Louis Dumont's concept of 'binary opposition' with reference to caste system in India. (b) Define the concepts of 'Descent' and 'Alliance'. Differentiate between North Indian and South Indian Kinship systems with examples. (c) Critically examine the concept of Sanskritization with suitable illustrations.

(a) Analyse the perspectives of Isolation, Assimilation and Integration in understanding the trajectories of Indian Tribal Development. (b) Explain the implications and the impact of globalization in situating the changing agrarian class structure in India. (c) Critique the victory narratives of Green Revolution in the context of Indian society.

(a) Citing some case studies, expand the concept of 'Development-induced Displacement'. (b) Examine the concept of 'Cultural Pluralism' in the context of India's Unity in Diversity. (c) Highlight the salient features of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. (d) Analyse the sociological interconnections between Social Media and Mass Mobilization in India. (e) Discuss the nature of regional variations in sex ratio in India, stating reasons thereof.

(a) How do you account for the increasing significance of religion in public and personal spheres in the context of secularization thesis in India? Explain. (b) In the face of rising global climatic concerns, how do you contextualize the relevance of Chipko Movement and its Gandhian tone? Answer analytically. (c) What actionable measures would you suggest to curb the recurrent child labour menace in India?

(a) Do you think that the decades of Dalit political mobilizations and movements have helped in strengthening India's democracy? Substantiate your arguments with facts. (b) What is 'reverse migration'? Discuss its features, causes and consequences in India. (c) Discuss the phenomenon of rural-urban continuum with suitable examples.

(a) Modern families have not just become nuclear and neo-local, but also filiocentric. How do you explain this trend? (b) Discuss various theories of social change. Explain the limitations of unilinear theory of social change. (c) Critically examine the World-Systems theory of Immanuel Wallerstein in terms of development and dependency of various nations.

(a) What, according to you, are the factors responsible for the continuance of caste system in India? Explain. (b) Discuss the changes taking place in the industrial class structure in India. (c) Is patriarchy a key to understanding different forms of inequalities in Indian society? Elaborate. (d) Do you think that family bondings are being affected by the changing kinship patterns in India? Comment. (e) Despite the efforts of the government, bonded labour still continues in India. Discuss.

(a) Why is the study of marriage important in Sociology? Analyse the implications of changing marriage patterns for Indian society. (b) Do you think that the constitutional provisions for women have led to their uplift? Give reasons for your answer. (c) Education is a key to social development. Elucidate.

(a) Examine with suitable examples the recent trends in the growth of urban settlements in India. (b) Is there a connection between labour migration and informal sector? Justify your answer with reference to Indian context. (c) Are slums the manifestations of industrialisation and urbanisation in India? Explain. (d) Discuss the changing nature of political elites in India. (e) What is your assessment about the recent farmers' movement in India? Elaborate.

(a) Discuss the major challenges related to women's reproductive health in India. What measures would you suggest to overcome these challenges? (b) What is sustainable development? How can sustainability be achieved in India where livelihood needs conflict with environmental protection? (c) Critically examine the relevance of development planning in India.

(a) Analyse the trilogy between environmental movement, development and tribal identity. (b) To what extent have the legal provisions been effective in curbing violence against women in India? Give your argument. (c) Trace the social and historical origins of Dalit movements in modern India.

(a) Give an account of the recent trends of marriage in the Indian context. How are these different from traditional practices? (b) What would you identify as the similarities and differences in the elite theories of Mosca, Michels and Pareto? Discuss their main/crucial issues. (c) Critically analyze the sociological significance of informal sector in the economy of developing societies.

(a) Textual perspective is important in understanding of Indian Social System. Discuss. (b) Justify that the Indian traditions are modernizing. Also discuss its contributing factors. (c) According to you, which social reform movement has played the most effective role in uplifting the status of women? Explain. (d) How did Colonial Policies for the tribes affected their socio-economic conditions in India? Discuss. (e) How would you appropriate to characterise G. S. Ghurye as a practitioner of 'theoretical pluralism'?

(a) Who is said to be the pioneer of village studies in India? Illustratively describe contributions of some Indian sociologists on village studies. How their approaches are distinct from each other? (b) Industrial class structure is a function of social structure of Indian society. Do you agree with this statement? Analyze. (c) What is kinship? Briefly explain G. P. Murdock's contribution to the study of the kinship system.

(a) In what ways do class and caste intersect and overlap in shaping social structure? (b) Critically examine the position of women in the informal economy. (c) Discuss the role of geographical factors in social change and development. (d) Although sociology, as a subject of study, overarches all disciplines in social sciences yet it maintains its distinctiveness. Comment. (e) Explain in brief the relationship between social movement, collective action and revolution in bringing about social and political changes.

(a) Describe the impact of capitalist mode of production on society. (b) Differentiate between social hierarchy and social exclusion and substantiate your answer with reference to the caste system. (c) 'Data without theory is blind and theory without data is empty.' Comment.

(a) Examine the challenges of applying micro-level village studies to macro-level village structure of Indian society. (b) Explain the emergence of middle class in agrarian society in India. What have been the socio-structural implications of the emergence of this middle class? (c) When land reform was a paradigm shift, then what type of land reforms would you recommend to make India a more equitable society?

(a) How does the Constitution of India promote education? Do you think that education can be a major instrument of social change? Clarify. (b) Draw the current population pyramid of India. What policy measures would you recommend for population dynamics to achieve sustainability? (c) Compare G. S. Ghurye's and A. R. Desai's approaches used in understanding Indian society.

(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.

(a) Examine any two theories of social change in detail. (b) Critically analyse the role of science and technology in bringing about social change. (c) Elaborate on various types of religious practices prevalent in Indian society.