Sociology 2022 Paper I 50 marks Critically assess

Q4

(a) What characterizes degradation of work in capitalist society according to Marx ? (20 marks) (b) Social stratification is claimed to contribute to the maintenance of social order and stability in society. Critically assess. (20 marks) (c) What is reliability ? Explain the different tests available to social science researcher to establish reliability. (10 marks)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a) पूंजीवादी समाज में कार्य की गिरावट को मार्क्स के अनुसार कैसे चिह्नित किया जाता है ? (20 अंक) (b) ऐसा दावा किया जाता है कि समाज में सामाजिक स्तरीकरण सामाजिक व्यवस्था और स्थिरता के अनुक्षण में योगदान देता है । समालोचनात्मक मूल्यांकन कीजिए । (20 अंक) (c) विश्वसनीयता क्या है ? इसे स्थापित करने के लिए सामाजिक विज्ञान शोधकर्ता के लिए उपलब्ध विभिन्न परीक्षणों की व्याख्या कीजिए । (10 अंक)

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Directive word: Critically assess

This question asks you to critically assess. 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 directive 'critically assess' in part (b) demands the highest analytical rigour, so allocate ~40% of time/words to part (a) on Marx's degradation of work (20 marks), ~35% to part (b) on stratification and social order requiring balanced argumentation, and ~25% to part (c) on reliability tests (10 marks). Structure: brief unified introduction acknowledging the three distinct domains; three separate well-demarcated sections with clear sub-headings; conclusion that synthesises insights on power, measurement, and social reproduction.

Key points expected

  • Part (a): Four dimensions of alienation (product, process, species-being, fellow workers); deskilling thesis; fragmentation of labour; reserve army of labour and casualization
  • Part (a): Concrete mechanisms—Taylorism/Fordism, Babbage principle, real subsumption of labour under capital
  • Part (b): Functionalist defence (Davis-Moore, Parsons' pattern variables, value consensus); meritocracy and role allocation
  • Part (b): Critical counter-positions—Marx (class exploitation), Weber (closure and monopolisation), Dahrendorf (conflict and authority); evidence of stratification-generated instability
  • Part (c): Definition of reliability (consistency/stability); test-retest, parallel forms, split-half, inter-rater reliability; threats to reliability in Indian context (linguistic diversity, interviewer variability)

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Demand-directive understanding20%10For (a), treats 'what characterizes' as demanding analytical exposition, not mere listing; for (b), 'critically assess' is executed through balanced weighing of functionalist and conflict positions with explicit evaluative judgment; for (c), 'explain' produces clear operational distinctions between reliability tests.Recognises the three directives but treats (b) as descriptive comparison rather than critical assessment; (c) conflates reliability with validity.Misreads (b) as 'explain the functions of stratification' without critique; omits 'critically' entirely; confuses reliability tests in (c).
Theoretical framing20%10Deploys Marx's 1844 Manuscripts and Capital Vol. I for (a); uses Davis-Moore, Parsons, plus Marx/Weber/Dahrendorf for (b); cites Kirk-Miller or Lincoln-Guba on reliability in (c); no theoretical errors.Names theorists correctly but misapplies concepts (e.g., conflates alienation with exploitation); uses generic 'functionalism' without specific theorists.No named theorists; relies on textbook summaries; confuses Marx with Weber on stratification; omits theoretical grounding in (c).
Indian / empirical examples20%10For (a): gig economy, platform labour, garment sector deskilling (Bangalore/ Tiruppur); for (b): caste-class nexus, reservation debates, NCRB data on caste violence as stratification-generated disorder; for (c): NSSO/ASER reliability challenges, translation protocols.Mentions 'IT sector' or 'caste system' without specific data or mechanism; generic reference to 'surveys' in (c).No Indian examples; uses Western factory studies exclusively; (c) remains entirely abstract.
Multi-paradigm analysis20%10For (a): acknowledges Braverman's deskilling thesis and subsequent critiques (Burawoy's 'manufacturing consent', post-Fordist flexibility); for (b): presents functionalist case then systematically dismantles with conflict evidence; for (c): notes positivist vs interpretivist reliability conceptions.One counter-argument mentioned briefly in (b) without development; (a) and (c) single-paradigm.Entirely one-sided presentation; no recognition of theoretical contestation anywhere.
Conclusion & sociological imagination20%10Synthesises across parts: connects degradation of work (a) to stratification outcomes (b) and measurement challenges in studying these (c); demonstrates sociological imagination by linking personal troubles of workers to public issues of capitalist transformation and knowledge production.Three separate mini-conclusions without cross-connection; final paragraph merely summarises.No conclusion section; ends abruptly with last sub-part; or restates question without analytical development.

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