You need to consider many factors for the Optional paper of the UPSC Mains Exam. This is the only paper that aspirants get to choose at their will. When you decide on a subject for this paper, you must be mindful of several factors. Some of the factors are as follows: Is the subject scoring? The student’s background, their interest in the subject, the length of the syllabus, and much more. After careful consideration, students choose their optional subjects. One such popular optional subject is Anthropology. Let’s talk about how to prepare for anthropology and score the maximum marks that you can in the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE).

Why Anthropology?

The optional anthropology paper is a popular choice among aspirants for two primary reasons: The syllabus is not lengthy, and the subject matter is a mix of social science and science. As a result, the subject becomes interesting. Aspirants of any background can appear for this paper. This optional paper also has a success rate of approximately ten percent. Hence the popularity of the subject. This optional subject is easy to prepare and takes about four months to complete preparation. The questions asked are generally repeated. With appropriate time and practice, you can achieve a good score.

Pros of Anthropology

• They ask direct questions, and it is easier to score in this subject compared to other humanities subjects.
• This subject also has elements of science and social science, which makes it very interesting to study. Due to elements of science, you can write answers with flowcharts and diagrams, which score you extra points.
• The time required to complete the syllabus of Anthropology Optional Paper is much less, around four months.
• It is a lucrative option for aspirants with backgrounds in science and engineering.
• The subject matter is very easy to understand.
• Overall performance of this subject has been relatively consistent as compared to other popular optional subjects.
• There is an overlap with the General Studies Paper (1,2 and 3). Small sections of each paper overlap with Anthropology. So when you prepare for Anthropology, you cover a good chunk of General Studies Papers as well.

Cons of Anthropology

• As a subject that has elements of science and social science, you will need to be crystal clear with the concepts. You cannot score good marks in this paper simply by rote learning.
• There is limited guidance for this subject. You need to search for good material, which may take some time out of your preparation.

There are multiple pros and limited cons when it comes to Anthropology as an optional subject in the UPSC Mains Exam. However, you must go through the subject matter before you finalise anything.

Topics Covered in Optional Anthropology Paper

The Optional Anthropology Paper is conducted as two papers: Paper 1 and Paper 2. The syllabus for each paper is different. Let us look into the topics covered in each paper to have a better understanding of the subject.

Topics Covered in Paper 1

• Meaning, Scope, and Development of Anthropology
• The Nature of Culture and Society
• Economic Organisation
• Political Organisation and Social Control
• Religion
• Anthropological Theories
• Culture, Language, and Communication
• Research Methods in Anthropology
• Human Genetics
• 10 Concept of Human Growth and Development
• 11 Applications of Anthropology

Topics Covered in Paper 2

• Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilisation
• Demographic Profile of India
• Caste System in India
• Emergence, Growth, and Development in India
• Indian Villages
• Tribal Situation in India
• Social Change and Contemporary Tribal Societies
• Impact of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Other Religions on Society
• Role of Anthropology in Tribal and Rural Development

Books You Can Use to Prepare for Anthropology

The Anthropology Optional Books for UPSC provide in-depth information and explain critical concepts of topics like Religion, Human Genetics, the Application of Anthropology, the Caste System in India, and much more. It is in the aspirant’s best interest to go through these books and concepts to strengthen their foundation.

Books for Paper 1

• Introducing Sociology Class XI
• Biology NCERT Class XII (Chapters 5,6,7)
• Measuring Time of Indian Prehistory by Dr. D.K. Bhattacharya
• Physical Anthropology by P.Nath
• Anthropological Theories by Makhan Jha
• An Introduction to Social-Cultural Anthropology by N.K Vaid
• An Introduction to Social Anthropology by D.N. Majumdar and T.N. Madan

Books for Paper 2

• Indian Anthropology by Nadeem Hasnain
• Indian Society of NCERT Class XII
• Tribal India by Nadeem Hasnain
• History of Anthropology Thought by Gaya Pandey and Vijay S Upadhyay
• The Tribal Culture of India by LP Vidyarthi
• Anthropology Simplified by Vivek Bhasme

Tips For General Preparation

• You must be familiar with the subject beforehand. This will help you understand the conceptual topics faster and save you time.
• Make as many visual aids, like diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, and others, as you can.
• Aspirants must be well-versed in the economics and sustainability of the topics they are preparing.
• Aspirants must always be up to date with the latest government data.
• Read the newspaper every day to understand topics from an Anthropological perspective.
• Remember, the best way to prepare is to solve as many question papers as you can.

Conclusion

The Optional Anthropology Paper requires a lot of time and dedication on your end to prepare. As scoring as the subject is, the concepts of the subject require you to put in a tremendous amount of effort to clear the paper with flying colours. We have mentioned all the details of the paper. Ensure you study well and follow these steps for a good score. Your persistent dedication will define your results. Put in a sincere effort to make yourself proud. All the best for your preparation.