DRISHTI IAS Sociology Paper-II | Optional Course for Civil Services Examination

• Comprehensive coverage of Sociology Paper-II for Civil Services Examination preparation
• Focuses on Indian Society, Social Structure and Social Change in India
• Covers major perspectives on Indian society, including A.R. Desai’s Marxist Sociology
• Includes the Impact of Colonial Rule on Indian Society, Indian Nationalism, Modernisation and Social Reform
• Detailed coverage of Rural Social Structure, Agrarian Classes, Village Studies, Land Reforms and Green Revolution
• Covers the Caste System through G.S. Ghurye, M.N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont and Andre Beteille
• Includes Tribal Communities in India, integration, autonomy and colonial policies
• Covers Social Classes in India – Agrarian, Industrial and Middle Class
• Detailed coverage of Kinship, Family, Descent, Patriarchy and Sexual Division of Labour
• Includes Religion and Society, Religious Minorities and Communalism
• Covers Visions of Social Change in India, Development Planning, Mixed Economy, Constitution and Education
• Includes Industrialisation and Urbanisation in India
• Covers Politics and Society, Democracy, Political Parties, Pressure Groups, Elites, Regionalism and Secularisation
• Detailed section on Social Movements in Modern India
• Covers Population Dynamics, Family Planning, Ageing, Sex Ratio and Reproductive Health
• Includes Challenges of Social Transformation such as Poverty, Displacement, Violence Against Women, Caste Conflict and Educational Disparity
• Structured specifically for Sociology Optional Paper-II

The uploaded PDF is titled Sociology (Paper-II) and is presented as part of the Drishti IAS Optional Course for Civil Services Examination.

About this Book

Drishti IAS Sociology Paper-II is a structured study resource designed for aspirants preparing Sociology as an Optional subject for the Civil Services Examination.

The book focuses on Indian Society, beginning with sociological perspectives for studying India and the impact of colonial rule. It then moves through rural and agrarian structure, caste, tribes, social classes, kinship, religion and major processes of social transformation.

The later chapters cover development planning, industrialisation, urbanisation, politics, social movements, population dynamics and contemporary challenges of social transformation, giving broad Paper-II coverage in a single resource.

Key Areas Covered

• Perspectives on Indian Society
• A.R. Desai & Marxist Sociology
• Colonial Rule & Indian Society
• Indian Nationalism
• Modernisation of Indian Tradition
• Rural Social Structure
• Agrarian Class Structure
• Village Studies
• Land Tenure & Land Reforms
• Green Revolution
• Cooperatives
• Caste System
• G.S. Ghurye
• M.N. Srinivas
• Louis Dumont
• Andre Beteille
• Untouchability
• Tribal Communities
• Integration & Autonomy
• Social Classes in India
• Family & Kinship
• Descent
• Patriarchy
• Religion & Society
• Communalism
• Development Planning
• Mixed Economy
• Constitution, Law & Social Change
• Education & Social Change
• Industrialisation
• Urbanisation
• Working Class
• Slums & Urban Deprivation
• Democracy
• Political Parties
• Pressure Groups
• Social & Political Elites
• Regionalism
• Secularisation
• Social Movements
• Women’s Movement
• Peasant & Farmers’ Movements
• Dalit & Backward-Class Movements
• Environmental Movements
• Ethnicity & Identity Movements
• Population Dynamics
• Population Pyramid
• Family Planning
• Ageing
• Sex Ratio
• Reproductive Health
• Development & Displacement
• Poverty & Inequality
• Violence Against Women
• Caste Conflict
• Educational Disparities

Table of Contents

1. Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society

The book begins with Marxist Sociology and the relevance of A.R. Desai’s perspective for understanding Indian society.

A.R. Desai’s approach emphasises property relations, class relations and socio-economic structures while also recognising institutions such as caste, religion, language and tribal groups.

The notes explain that this perspective can be applied to areas such as industrial relations, rural development, urban development, education and the political economy of the state.

2. Impact of Colonial Rule on Indian Society

Social Background of Indian Nationalism • Modernisation of Indian Tradition • Social Reforms

The chapter traces different phases of the Indian nationalist movement and links them with social reform, political consciousness, class participation and changing colonial conditions.

3. Rural Social Structure

Social Structure • Rural Social Structure in India • Caste Groups • Agrarian Class Structure • Village Studies • Land Tenure System • Land Reforms • Green Revolution • Community Development Programme • Cooperatives

The book defines social structure as a relatively stable pattern of interrelated statuses, roles, rights and obligations within society.

It also discusses rural settlement patterns such as:

Nucleated Villages • Linear/Scattered Villages • Dispersed Homesteads.

The rural-family section covers nuclear and joint families, coresidentiality, common kitchen, joint property and generational depth.

Caste System

4. Caste in Indian Society

Features of Caste System • G.S. Ghurye • M.N. Srinivas • Louis Dumont • Andre Beteille • Untouchability

The book presents G.S. Ghurye’s six features of caste:

Segmental Division • Hierarchy • Restrictions on Food & Social Intercourse • Endogamy • Civil & Religious Disabilities • Occupational Restrictions.

The chapter also examines caste hierarchy, social distance, purity and impurity, caste panchayats, caste councils and marriage restrictions.

Tribal Communities in India

5. Tribal Community

Definitional Problems • Colonial Policies for Tribes • Issues of Integration & Autonomy

The book discusses the difficulty of defining a tribe through any single criterion and considers factors such as religion, geographical isolation, language, economic backwardness and political organisation.

It also examines Animism, Totemism, language and geographical location as possible markers of tribal identity while highlighting their limitations.

Social Classes in India

6. Agrarian, Industrial & Middle Classes

Agrarian Class Structure • Industrial Class Structure • Middle Class in India

The agrarian-class section explains class location through a person’s position in the social organisation of production, particularly in relation to land and agriculture.

The book discusses agrarian categories including:

Landlords • Tenants • Agricultural Landowners • Agricultural Labourers • Sharecroppers.

It also examines how colonial land policies contributed to increased stratification in rural India.

Systems of Kinship in India

7. Family, Descent & Patriarchy

Family • Descent • Types of Kinship Systems in India • Household Dimensions of Family • Patriarchy, Entitlements & Sexual Division of Labour

The book treats the family as a basic and universal social institution and discusses definitions by Burgess & Lock, G.P. Murdock, MacIver, Kingsley Davis, Malinowski and Talcott Parsons.

Major characteristics include:

Universality • Emotional Basis • Limited Size • Formative Influence • Central Position in Social Structure.

Religion & Society

8. Religion in Indian Society

Religious Communities in India • Problems of Religious Minorities • Communalism in India

This section connects religion with questions of community identity, minority status and communal relations within Indian society.

Visions of Social Change in India

9. Development Planning & Mixed Economy

Idea of Development Planning and Mixed Economy • Mixed Economy • Constitution, Law & Social Change • Education & Social Change

The book traces the beginning of Indian planning from the Planning Commission and Five-Year Plans and discusses goals such as growth, economic stability, self-reliance, social justice and modernisation.

It also covers the transition from the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog and discusses planning in relation to India’s socio-economic development.

Industrialisation & Urbanisation in India

10. Industrial and Urban Transformation

Evolution of Modern Industry • Growth of Urban Settlements • Working Class • Informal Sector • Child Labour • Slums & Deprivation in Urban Areas

The book examines both the colonial and post-independence phases of industrialisation, including deindustrialisation, economic drain, the growth of Indian capitalists and the post-independence mixed-economy model.

It also discusses the emphasis placed on heavy industry and the public sector under the Second Five-Year Plan and Mahalanobis model.

Politics & Society

11. Democracy and Political Processes

Democracy • Political Parties • Pressure Groups • Social & Political Elite • Regionalism & Decentralisation of Power • Secularisation

The democracy section distinguishes between:

Procedural Democracy • Substantive Democracy.

Procedural democracy is discussed through elections, participation, competition and universal adult franchise, while substantive democracy goes beyond electoral mechanisms to broader social conditions.

Social Movements in Modern India

12. Major Social Movements

The book covers:

Peasants & Farmers’ Movements • Women’s Movement • Backward Classes & Dalit Movements • Environmental Movements • Ethnicity & Identity Movements.

This section helps connect collective action with class, gender, caste, environment, ethnicity and identity politics in modern India.

Population Dynamics

13. Population & Demographic Change

Population Size, Growth, Composition & Distribution • Birth • Death • Migration • Population Pyramid • Population Policy • Family Planning • Ageing • Sex Ratios • Child & Infant Mortality • Reproductive Health

The Paper-II syllabus also explicitly links population dynamics with population growth, migration, family planning and emerging demographic issues.

Challenges of Social Transformation

14. Contemporary Social Challenges

The final chapter covers:

Crisis of Development • Development-Induced Displacement • Environmental Problems • Sustainability • Poverty • Deprivation • Inequality • Violence Against Women • Caste Conflicts • Illiteracy & Educational Disparities.

The syllabus also includes broader challenges such as ethnic conflict, communalism and religious revivalism within the transformation of Indian society.

Suitable For

Sociology Optional • UPSC Sociology Optional • Civil Services Examination • Sociology Paper 2 • Indian Society • Caste System • Rural Sociology • Tribal Sociology • Social Classes • Kinship • Social Change • Industrialisation • Urbanisation • Political Sociology • Social Movements • Population Sociology