Anthropology 2021 Paper I 50 marks Elaborate

Q4

(a) Elaborate the scope of anthropology and elucidate its uniqueness in the field of other social sciences. (20 marks) (b) Mention the major branches of linguistic anthropology and discuss language use in social and cultural settings. (15 marks) (c) "Chromosomal aberrations can play havoc with the human body and mind." Explain with suitable examples. (15 marks)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a) नृविज्ञान के दायरे को विस्तारपूर्वक प्रस्तुत कीजिए और अन्य सामाजिक विज्ञानों के क्षेत्र में इसकी विशिष्टता को स्पष्ट कीजिए । (20 अंक) (b) भाषाई नृविज्ञान की प्रमुख शाखाओं का उल्लेख कीजिए तथा सामाजिक और सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि में भाषा के उपयोग पर चर्चा कीजिए । (15 अंक) (c) "क्रोमोसोमल विपथन मानव शरीर और दिमाग पर कहर बरपा सकते हैं ।" उपयुक्त उदाहरणों सहित स्पष्ट कीजिए । (15 अंक)

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Directive word: Elaborate

This question asks you to elaborate. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The primary directive 'elaborate' in part (a) demands comprehensive expansion with depth, while parts (b) and (c) require 'mention' and 'explain' respectively. Allocate approximately 40% of word budget (~400-450 words) to part (a) given its 20 marks, and roughly 30% each (~300-350 words) to parts (b) and (c). Structure: integrated introduction covering anthropology's holistic nature; body addressing all three parts sequentially with clear sub-headings; conclusion synthesizing how biological and cultural dimensions converge in anthropological practice.

Key points expected

  • Part (a): Holistic and comparative nature of anthropology; four fields (physical, archaeological, cultural, linguistic); diachronic and synchronic dimensions; uniqueness via interdisciplinary bridge between natural and social sciences
  • Part (a): Distinction from sociology (micro-ethnography vs macro), history (oral traditions vs documents), psychology (cultural context vs individual), economics (substantivist vs formalist)
  • Part (b): Four branches of linguistic anthropology—historical/descriptive, ethno-linguistics, socio-linguistics, applied; language as social action, speech communities, code-switching, linguistic relativity
  • Part (b): Language use in cultural settings: kinship terminology, ritual language, gendered speech, diglossia in Indian context; ethnography of communication
  • Part (c): Types of chromosomal aberrations—numerical (aneuploidy: Down's, Turner's, Klinefelter's; polyploidy) and structural (deletions, duplications, translocations, inversions)
  • Part (c): Phenotypic and cognitive manifestations: intellectual disability, physical dysmorphisms, behavioral disorders; genetic counseling and public health relevance

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Concept correctness20%10Precise definitions of anthropology's scope (holism, comparativism, fieldwork tradition); accurate classification of linguistic anthropology branches; correct genetic mechanisms of chromosomal aberrations with proper nomenclature (trisomy 21, monosomy X, etc.)Broadly correct definitions with minor errors; some confusion between chromosomal and gene-level mutations; incomplete branch classificationFundamental misconceptions about anthropology as 'study of ancient people'; conflation of linguistic anthropology with general linguistics; incorrect genetic mechanisms or misidentified syndromes
Theoretical framing20%10For (a): Boas's four-field integration, Malinowski's functionalism; for (b): Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, Hymes's SPEAKING model, Bourdieu's linguistic habitus; for (c): cytogenetic theory, Hardy-Weinberg application to chromosomal disordersMentions major theorists without clear linkage to question; superficial treatment of theoretical frameworksAbsent or incorrect theoretical references; random name-dropping without conceptual connection
Ethnographic / Indian examples20%10For (a): Indian village studies (Srinivas, Dumont), tribal studies (Verrier Elwin); for (b): Indian linguistic diversity (Dravidian kinship terms, Sanskrit-Prakrit diglossia, Gondi ritual speech); for (c): ICMR data on Down syndrome prevalence, Indian genetic counseling programsGeneric or limited Indian examples; over-reliance on Western ethnography; missing context-specific illustrationsNo Indian examples; irrelevant or fabricated case studies; exclusively Euro-American references
Comparative analysis20%10For (a): systematic comparison with sociology, history, psychology, geography showing anthropology's synthetic position; for (b): contrast between structural and functional approaches to language; for (c): comparison of autosomal vs sex-chromosomal aberration outcomesSome comparative elements but poorly developed; listing similarities without analytical depthNo comparative dimension; descriptive treatment only; failure to establish anthropology's distinctiveness
Conclusion & applied angle20%10Synthesizes biological and cultural dimensions showing anthropology's unique integrative value; applied linguistics (language revitalization, forensic linguistics); public health genetics (prenatal screening, genetic counseling); policy relevance for tribal welfare and health planningGeneric conclusion without synthesis; limited applied perspective; mechanical summary of pointsAbsent or abrupt conclusion; no applied dimension; contradictory or unsupported claims

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