1.

1 – Indian Prehistory, Indus Civilisation, Contribution of

tribal cultures, etc.
 Primary Source: Indian Anthropology Nadeem Hasnain

 Value addition: DK Bhattacharya (Selective Reading only

for this topic)

 Diagrams: Anthropology Simplified by Vivek Bhasme

 Prepare notes for each topic under various subheads

 Climate

 Tools, Tool-types, Tool-technology, Tool material

 Practice the diagrams of tools

 Prominent sites, their excavators, any uniqueness in the

sites, etc.
 Draw India map and locate the sites in all your answers

 For the sub-topic “Contribution of Tribal Cultures”, I

referred to Anthropology Simplified

1.2 – Indian Fossils

 Prepare notes for a comprehensive 15 marker on

Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus and Narmada Man

 For all answers, you should quote the archaeologist name,

the site and the year of discovery and its significance

 Draw a phylogenetic to illustrate where that particular fossil

fits in the whole chain

1.3 – Ethno-archaeology in India

 I skipped this topic for lack of time

2 – Demographic and Linguistic Profile

 Source: Nadeem Hasnain and Brain Tree
  Thoroughly prepare map of profile distribution – both ethnic
and linguistic
 Cram Risley’s and Guha’s Classification i.e., memorise the
physical characteristics and other features of each of the race
they described. Also prepare on criticism of their
classification. Basically you need to have holistic content
for a 15 marker question from this section

3.1 – Indian Social System- Varnashram, Karma, Rina,

Rebirth etc.
 Core material: Indian Anthropology by Hasnain

 You can refer to Anthropology Simplified for

diagrams/schematics and value addition

3.2 – Caste system in India, Varna and Caste, Theories,

Caste Mobility, Dominant Caste etc
 Indian Anthropology by Hasnain and Internet to understand

about Sociology theories little more deeply

 You can prepare notes for easy revision. It’s a static part and

so if a question comes from this section, you must answer

well.
 Have a solid grip over the works of MN Srinivas, Ghurye,

Louis Dumont and other sociologists. Use internet to make

in-depth notes.
 When discussing a concept, always remember to quote the

relevant anthropologist name, tribe’s name, village name,

and the name of their publication. Eg: Wiser’s work on
Jajmani system, Bailey’s on Tribe-caste continuum etc. Also
mention scholarly criticism of that concept by other
anthropologists etc. You must answer like a specialist, not a
generalist.
  Write about contemporary relevance of these social systems
in Indian Society with examples to substantiate the concept.

3.3 Sacred Complex, Nature Man Spirit

 Indian Anthropology by Hasnain

 Also mention about BN Saraswati’s work. You can use

internet for getting details

 Link it to contemporary relevance too. Mention how when

tribes that get displaced the balance inherent between NMS

get disturbed.
 Use schematic to improve presentation.

3.4 – Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity

on Indian Society
 Indian Anthropology – Nadeem Hasnain.

 Anthropology Simplified – Vivek Bhasme

 This is a static part. Prepare comprehensive notes for a 15

marker.

4 – Emergence and growth of Anthro in India,

Contributions, etc.
 I completely relied on Anthropology Simplified for this topic

 Cramm important Anthropologists and their work

5.1 – Indian Village Studies etc.

 I did not find any concrete material for this topic. I prepared

very basic stuff from BrainTree.

 Apart from it, wherever relevant I used to quote important

village studies of major anthropologists like Redfield and

interlink with the concepts that emerged out of their studies.
  Also prepare scholarly criticisms of these concepts. Adding
a brief line or two about the relevance of these studies on
contemporary Indian society would enrich your answer.

5.2 – Linguistic and religious minorities etc.

 Prepared completely from Anthropology Simplified

 Wherever relevant quote Constitutional provisions regarding

minorities
 Give some contemporary relevance. For instance, when you

talk about any minority community, try and quote any govt
scheme specifically designed to benefit the community and
its evaluation.

5.3 – Indigenous and exogenous processes of socio-cultural

change Sanskritization etc..
 Indian Anthropology by Nadeem Hasnain + Anthropology

Simplified
 Use schematic/diagrams to improve presentation (Eg:

Interplay between GT and LT)

 For Panchayati Raj and Social Change, Media and social

change etc., use internet to prepare case studies

6.1 – Tribal Situation in India – bio-genetic variability etc.

 Tribal India by Nadeem Hasnain

6.2 and 6.3 – Tribal Problems

 Tribal India + Anthropology Simplified

 Prepare notes from Xaxa report to enrich your answers

 Always be mindful of being specific. Don’t just say tribes

are afflicted with ill-health and indebtedness. Tell the

examiner which specific tribe suffers from which problem,
 its underlying cause, latest statistics, govt schemes,
criticisms, and way forward. Quote relevant case studies
with separate side heading to draw examiner’s attention.

7.1 – Problems of SC/STs, OBCs etc, Constitutional

Safeguards
 Tribal India + Anthropology Simplified

 Memorize all the Constitutional safeguards, articles, etc.

 Xaxa report has excellent content for this topic.

7.2 – Social change and contemporary tribal societies

 Source: Hasnain’s Tribal India

 The problem with this topic is that the questions would be

very generic. The challenge is to make your write answers

that stand out.
 You can do this through value addition. Memorize tribal

examples, case studies and explain the specificity of the

problem of a certain tribe and how it was/is being impacted
by development. For instance, some tribes suffer from ill
health while others from outright displacement. Be specific
when you quote your examples. That’s how you make a
mark on the examiner’s mind.
 Suggest a good way forward as conclusion (Xaxa committee

report has many good recommendations)

7.3 – Ethnicity, Tribal Unrest, Regionalism, etc

 I prepared this topic from Tribal India and Anthropology

Simplified

8.1 – Impact of religions on tribes

  I prepared this topic from LP Vidyarthi’s The Tribal Culture
of India
 Value addition: Tribal India – Nadeem Hasnain
 Cram examples and case studies

8.2 – Tribe and nation state

 I skipped it for lack of time

9.1 – History of tribal administration, PVTGs, role of NGOs

etc.
 I prepared this topic from Tribal India and Xaxa report.

 Names of important PVTGs, how they are defined, their

location, specific problems, current statistics, govt schemes

related to them must be on your finger tips. Have a rough
idea of which PVTGs reside in which part of the country.
Wherever relevant, draw India map to illustrate.
 Value addition: Yojana 2014 edition on Tribals

 Watch out for latest news/legislations related to PVTGs and

quote them in your answers. PRS website is a good resource.

 Use internet for understanding about important NGOs doing

work in this sector

9.2 – Role of anthropology in tribal and rural development

 Tribal India + Anthropology Simplified

 Value addition: Yojana 2014 edition on Tribals

 Write about Action Anthropology content of Paper I and the

thinkers associated with it. Enrich your answer with

examples and case studies in Indian context.

9.3 – Contribution of Anthro to understanding of

regionalism, etc.
  Prepare a generic GS answer on each topic.
 Quote examples of regionalism and ethnic movements (you
can give any tribal movement as an example) and underlying
causes
 Way forward as conclusion

Endnote: In Anthro Paper II, you can inculcate the following

things to NOT make your write up look like a GS answer.
1. Always quote names of relevant anthropologists, their
publication, tribe/village name on which they worked etc
2. Have compilation of case studies (can be sourced from Xaxa
report)
3. Interlinkage with theories of Paper-I
4. Contemporary relevance of the question and link it with
current affairs
5. Use diagrams/Schematics for better presentation
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