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UPSC Sociology — Previous Year Questions

Every question from Sociology papers in UPSC Civil Services Mains (2021–2026), organised by year. 96 questions in total, each with directive-word analysis, model answer points, and a full evaluation rubric.

96Questions
6Years covered

2026 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2026

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) In what ways do class and caste intersect and overlap in shaping social structure ? (10 marks) (b) Critically… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Describe the impact of capitalist mode of production on society. (20 marks) (b) Differentiate between social… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Discuss the relationship between religion and science in modern society. Do they necessarily remain in conflict ?… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Elaborate major sociological theories of power. How do power elite shape the political process in modern societies… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) The major challenge for sociology researchers is to analyze social reality objectively. Critically analyze. (10… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Discuss the intellectual origins of sociology and the historical antecedents of its evolution as a distinct field… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Compare and critically assess 'the grounded theory' with 'theory-driven research method' in sociology. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) How are the concepts of nation, state and citizenship interrelated in a democracy ? Elaborate. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) In what respect is M. N. Srinivas' study of Indian village society based on structural and functional perspective?… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Indological approach, advocated by G. S. Ghurye, focuses on the study of Indian society through Indian texts. How… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Examine the challenges of applying micro-level village studies to macro-level village structure of Indian society… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) How does the Constitution of India promote education? Do you think that education can be a major instrument of… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Discuss the challenges faced by the aged people in receiving ‘elder care’. (10 marks) (b) Examine the transiting… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Differentiate between protests and movements. Discuss some of those movements which changed the fabric of Indian… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Urbanisation in Independent India has been characterized by over-urbanization and rural push. Explain with… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) How has colonial rule transformed Indian society? If it (Indian society) had not undergone colonial rule, then what… 50 marks

2025 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2025

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) What is common sense? How are common knowledge and sociology related to each other? Explain. (10 marks) (b) What is… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What is positivism? Critically analyze the major arguments against it. (20 marks) (b) Highlight the main features… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Compare capability deprivation approach with that of social capital deprivation in understanding chronic poverty… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Give an account of the recent trends of marriage in the Indian context. How are these different from traditional… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) In what way is the scope of sociology unique? Explain. (10 marks) (b) Does the structural-functionalist perspective… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What is science? Do you think that the methods used in natural sciences can be applied to sociology? Give reasons… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) What is sampling in the context of social research? Discuss different forms of sampling with their relative… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What do you understand by sustainable development? Discuss the elements of sustainable development as proposed in… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) 'Textual perspective is important in understanding of Indian Social System.' Discuss. (10 marks) (b) Justify that… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Do you think that in a society like India orthogenetic changes take place through differentiation? Do you observe… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What do you mean by nation building? What is the role of religion in nation building? Elaborate your answer. (20… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Who is said to be the pioneer of village studies in India? Illustratively describe contributions of some Indian… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) 'The transfer of land from cultivating to the non-cultivating owners is bringing about transformation in Indian… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) In what respects have the constitutional provisions changed the socio-economic and political conditions of… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) What are the Private and Public network and support systems operative in Indian society for the aged? Suggest… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Is it possible to have sustainable development in India? Cite major environmental issues and suggest a few measures… 50 marks

2024 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2024

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) Discuss the nature of Sociology. Highlight its relationship with Social Anthropology. (10 marks) (b) Analyse the… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Sociology is the product of European enlightenment and renaissance. Critically examine this statement. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) How do you view and assess the increasing trend of digital ethnography and use of visual culture in sociological… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) What do you understand by 'mixed method'? Discuss its strengths and limitations in social research. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Describe various characteristics of a 'social fact'. How is rate of suicide a social fact according to Durkheim?… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Underline the role of social media in contemporary social movements and describe its challenges. (20 marks) (b) How… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Do modernization and secularization necessarily go together? Give your views. (20 marks) (b) How do you understand… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Modern families have not just become nuclear and neo-local, but also filiocentric. How do you explain this trend?… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) What, according to you, are the factors responsible for the continuance of caste system in India? Explain. (10… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Differentiate between 'Western' and 'Indological' perspectives on the study of Indian society. Bring out the major… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Why is the study of marriage important in Sociology? Analyse the implications of changing marriage patterns for… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) How do religious communities contribute to the cultural diversity of India? (20 marks) (b) What do you understand… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Examine with suitable examples the recent trends in the growth of urban settlements in India. (10 marks) (b) Is… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Discuss the major challenges related to women's reproductive health in India. What measures would you suggest to… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Analyse the trilogy between environmental movement, development and tribal identity. (20 marks) (b) To what extent… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Highlight the major contributions of the reform movements in pre-independent India. (20 marks) (b) Identify… 50 marks

2023 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2023

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) What is the distinctiveness of the feminist method of social research? Comment. (10 marks) (b) Discuss the… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What, according to Robert Michels, is the iron law of oligarchy? Do lions and foxes in Vilfredo Pareto's theory… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What are the characteristics of scientific method? Do you think that scientific method in conducting sociological… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Do you think that common sense is the starting point of social research? What are its advantages and limitations?… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Examine the relevance of corporate social responsibility in a world marked by increasing environmental crises. (10… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What are the different dimensions of qualitative method? Do you think that qualitative method helps to gain a… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Explain how economic globalization has brought changes in the patterns of employment in the 21st century. (20… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What is Taylorism? Analyze its merits and demerits. (20 marks) (b) What are new religious movements? Elaborate… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Highlight the significant features of A.R. Desai's 'Dialectical Perspective' to study Indian Society. (10 marks)… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Do you agree with the view of Andre Beteille that India's villages are representative of Indian society's basic… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Contextualize Louis Dumont's concept of 'binary opposition' with reference to caste system in India. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Analyse the perspectives of Isolation, Assimilation and Integration in understanding the trajectories of Indian… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Citing some case studies, expand the concept of 'Development-induced Displacement'. (10 marks) (b) Examine the… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) How do you account for the increasing significance of religion in public and personal spheres in the context of… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Do you think that the decades of Dalit political mobilizations and movements have helped in strengthening India's… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Explain the thematic linkages between 'Patriarchy' and 'Honour killing' in India, citing some recent cases. (20… 50 marks

2022 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2022

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) Delimit the scope of Sociology in relation to other social sciences. (10 marks) (b) How does a researcher achieve… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What aspects of 'Enlightenment' do you think paved way for the emergence of sociology ? Elaborate. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What are the shortfalls of positivist philosophy that gave rise to the non-positivist methods of studying social… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) What characterizes degradation of work in capitalist society according to Marx ? (20 marks) (b) Social… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Critically examine the relevance of Durkheim's views on religion in contemporary society. (10 marks) (b) Discuss… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) According to Mead the idea of self develops when the individual becomes self-conscious. Explain. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Critically analyse Parsons views on society as a social system. (20 marks) (b) Discuss how 'environmentalism' can… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Sociologists argue for democratization of science and technology for inclusive development. Comment. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Elaborate on M.N. Srinivas's structural-functionalist approach to the study of Indian society. (10 marks) (b) Do… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Critically examine G.S. Ghurye's Indological approach to the understanding of Indian society. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Critically examine Yogendra Singh's thesis on 'Modernisation of Indian Tradition'. (20 marks) (b) Discuss the… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Examine the social background of growth of Indian nationalism. (20 marks) (b) Explain how land reforms brought… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Discuss law as an important instrument for women's empowerment. (10 marks) (b) Examine different understandings of… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Examine whether rural bondage still continues to be a social reality. Give your argument. (20 marks) (b) Define… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) "Instead of promoting equality in society, the present system of education itself has contributed to increased… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Bring out the various issues involved in Dalit movements in India. (20 marks) (b) Critically examine the dialectics… 50 marks

2021 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2021

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) Europe was the first and the only place where modernity emerged. Comment. 10 (b) Do you think ethnomethodology… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) From the viewpoint of growing importance of multidisciplarity, how do you relate sociology to other social sciences… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) How do qualitative and quantitative methods supplement each other in sociological enquiry ? 20 (b) Critically… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Explain the concept of social mobility. Describe with suitable illustrations how education and social mobility are… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Explain the emerging challenges in establishing gender equality in the informal sector. 10 (b) Critically examine… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Elucidate the main problems and challenges faced by the migrant labourers in the recent 'Lockdown period'. 20 (b)… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Explain how the pattern of patriarchy is being altered in a family and at the workplace in the present context. 20… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Discuss the changing nature of kinship relations in the contemporary world. 20 (b) Describe the role of Science and… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Caste system studies in India have been dominated by the "book-view" initially. How did the entry of "field-view"… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What is identity politics ? Discuss the main trends in Dalit movements in India. (20 marks) (b) Is Indian society… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Discuss in detail the major contribution of Prof. Yogendra Singh in theorizing India's modernization. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) What are the sociological reasons and implication of "reverse migration" during the recent pandemic in India ? (20… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Analyze the idea of developmental planning in India. (10 marks) (b) Comment on the role of co-operatives in rural… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Explain the sociological significance of the New Education Policy and its thrust on vocationalization and skill… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The problem of displacement is inherent in the idea of development. Analyze the statement critically. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Discuss the role of social media in communal polarisation. Suggest ways to combat it. (20 marks) (b) Urban… 50 marks

How Sociology answers are marked

The shape the examiner expects, what earns the marks and the traps that lose them: the same card our rubrics for this subject are written from.

Answer skeleton

  1. Define
  2. Thinker
  3. Argument
  4. Indian illustration

What earns the marks

  • Name the thinker before the idea, not after
  • Contrast two perspectives, then take a position
  • Paper II: Indian data and contemporary example
  • Use concepts as tools, not decoration

What earns the extra mark

  • One statistic such as FLFPR or NFHS
  • A current debate

Traps that cost marks

  • Common-sense opinion
  • Name-dropping without the argument
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