UPSC Anthropology Optional Paper 2 2026 PYQ

Section a · Q1 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Dravidian language family and its tribal speakers.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section b · Q1 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Seed Eaters Model of hominid differentiation.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section c · Q1 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Tana Bhagat movement.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section d · Q1 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of Andaman islands.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section e · Q1 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Kumar Suresh Singh's contribution in studying tribal movements.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section a · Q2 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

What are the major debates related to the concept of jajmani system?

Caste system in India

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Section b · Q2 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

'Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan aims to meet some of the Sustainable Development Goals'. Discuss

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section c · Q2 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

What are the evidences available regarding crops and domesticated animals of Indus Valley Civilization? What are the views of the scholars regarding Indus script?

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section a · Q3 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

Critically examine the salience of F. G. Bailey's study on Bisipara village of Odisha

Indian Village

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Section b · Q3 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss the impact of Christianity on the tribal population of Jharkhand

Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies.

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Section c · Q3 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss with examples, how general comparative analogy has been used for ethnoarchaeological studies in India

Emergence, growth and development of Anthropology in India

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Section a · Q4 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

Write an account on the contribution of Verrier Elwin in developing policies for the tribal populations in post-independent India

The concept of ethnicity

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Section b · Q4 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Why have the classifications of Indian populations, based on somatometric and somatoscopic characteristics, failed to develop a common understanding of the population diversity?

Demographic profile of India

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Section c · Q4 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Make a critical appraisal of Niyamgiri movement against mining-induced displacement

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section a · Q5 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Buddhist tribes of India.

The concept of ethnicity

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Section b · Q5 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Debate regarding the phylogenetic position of Narmada Man.

Palaeo-Anthropological evidences from India with special reference to Siwaliks and Narmada basin (Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus and Narmada Man).

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Section c · Q5 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Article 371A of the Indian Constitution.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section d · Q5 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Nature-Man-Spirit-Complex.

Sacred Complex and Nature-Man-Spirit Complex.

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Section e · Q5 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 10 marks · Solution

Contribution of L. K. Ananthakrishna Iyer in Anthropology.

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section a · Q6 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

Make a critical appraisal of the mesolithic culture of Ganga basin with reference to artifacts, faunal and human skeletal remains excavated from different sites

Evolution of the Indian Culture and Civilization

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Section b · Q6 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss the impact of democratic institutions on the tribal populations of India

Social change and contemporary tribal societies

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Section c · Q6 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Write an account on the prevalence of sickle cell disease among the tribal populations of India. What are the initiatives undertaken by the affected states to tackle this disease?

Tribal situation in India

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Section a · Q7 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

Assess the contribution of colonial scholars in studying the tribal populations of North-East India

Tribal situation in India

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Section b · Q7 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Does caste as a social category exist among the non-Hindu communities in India? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples

Indian Village

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Section c · Q7 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

Write an account on Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)

Problems of exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Constitutional safeguards for Scheduled Tribes and…

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Section a · Q8 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 20 marks · Solution

Make a critical appraisal of Surajit Sinha's line of argument that tribes and castes may not be isolated social categories, but are a part of the great Indian civilization

Indigenous and exogenous processes of socio-cultural change in Indian society

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Section b · Q8 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

What are the major challenges tribal communities are facing in contemporary India?

The concept of ethnicity

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Section c · Q8 · UPSC 2026 · Anthropology GS 2 · 15 marks · Solution

What are the provisions given in the Constitution of India for the safeguard of the Scheduled Caste populations?

Caste system in India

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