UPSC Mains 2024 Anthropology Optional Paper I questions

26 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Anthropology Optional PYQs

1. Attributes of culture

2. Critical perspective on avoidance and joking relationship

3. Lethal and sublethal genes

4. Hemoglobin in health and disease

5. Discuss historical particularism as a critical development to the classical evolutionism.

6. Describe the evidences of food production and domestication of animals with special reference to Mehrgarh. Throw light on its significance.

   15 marks

7. Critically comment on the lifestyle diseases and their impact on human health.

   15 marks

8. What is meant by karyotype? How does its analysis help in diagnosis of the chromosomal aberrations in man?

   20 marks

9. Define urbanization and discuss its impact on family in India with examples.

   15 marks

10. Discuss the contemporary challenges in fieldwork method in anthropological research.

    15 marks

11. Critically discuss the characteristics of the psychological types in the cultures of the American South-West as observed by Ruth Benedict.

    20 marks

12. Discuss the Acheulian and Oldowan traditions of Indian Paleolithic cultures with suitable illustrations.

    15 marks

13. What is genetic counselling? Briefly discuss various steps involved in it.

    15 marks

14. Cultural relevance of the Kula

15. Heritability and its estimation

16. Authority and forms of political organization

17. Single-gene mutation disorders in man

18. Discuss the geographical distribution of Homo erectus. Taking into account its physical features, where does it fit in human evolutionary line?

    20 marks

19. Discuss the applications of forensic anthropology with suitable examples.

    15 marks

20. How does Lévi-Strauss look at the Tsimshian myth of Asdiwal? Critically discuss Lévi-Strauss' theory of structuralism in the light of his study of mythologies.

    15 marks

21. Critically explain the notion of 'deconstruction' in the light of the postmodern works of Jacques Derrida.

    20 marks

22. What is a multifactorial trait? Illustrate your answer with suitable human examples.

    15 marks

23. Discuss the applicability of various sampling techniques in selecting the study group.

    15 marks

24. Examine critically the concept of social stratification as a basis for sustaining social inequality.

    20 marks

25. Describe the genetics and inheritance patterns of the ABO and Rh blood groups in man.

    15 marks

26. Critically discuss the synergistic effect of biological and cultural factors in human evolution.

    15 marks