How to Prepare for Sociology?

[Nethra K Putti]

Sociology is presumably amongst the few popular subjects in the civil service. its popularity is based on both facts & fiction. sociology is an interesting subject.

Sociology has a small syllabus & that it takes less time to prepare.
Sociology is scoring subject.

Since sociology optinal is pted by large number of aspirants, the number of students from sociology who are finally in the list is also quite large in comparison to the number of students from some of the less opted subjects.

Subjects like Sociology, History, Public Administration have greater success figures but also slighlty lesser success percentage than other subjects.

Time Factor :
Given the subject matter, syllabus, the books etc., someone who have never made an attempt to study sociology, will take more time than , someone who has at least made an attempt of preliminary examination. if a beginner devotes himself or herself exclusively for sociology , more than 9 to 11 hours everyday, he or she will take at least three months to complete the subejct.

Study & Analysis :
A beginner must decide upon the optinals much in advance than at the time of filling application form. Having once decided upon the particular subject or optinal in advance, the beginner should begin by a preliminary reading to the books recommanded by either coaching centres or anybody.

If you are not at all familiar with sociology, you should give around two or three weeks to familiarise yourself thoroughly with subject-matter.
the beginners may give more emphasis on some of the basic books before they go on to read the other books. NCERT books on sociology for class XI & XII may be found very useful. These books are soical change +2 text book of sociology, Indian society for +2 students NCERT, Sociology: A guide to problems & Literature by T.B. Bottomore, What is sociology by Alex Inkeles.

Sociology is highly conceptual subject. Once you get conceptual clarity, it becomes very easy to understand the crux of sociological parameters in syllabus. to get well acquinted with this sociology subject, you need a stratergy & scientific management for preparation.

A substantial number of questions are directly or indirectly linked with important sociologists who have immensely contributed to the growth & development of the discipline. so first you prepare a lsit of such thinkers like ,Karl Marx, Durkheim, Max Weber & so on. After that you should develop clear concept of their conceptual & theoretical contribution & try to have a clear understanding of them.

you prepare a recap of basic sociological concepts like status & role, norms & values, social groups, culture etc., have an intensive understanding at this level too.

Syllabus :
Since two years the two thinkers Radcliffee Brown & Bronislaw have been omitted , students got a relief from mugging up this subject. you will have the 1st paper consists of thinkers.

you should have atleast 10 years of previous papers for practicing.
if you dint get time to revise all the 10 years previous papers atleast 4-5 you have to do, then only yuou get some idea about how will be the paper 1 & 2. Whether you feel easy or difficult.

Preparing Stratergy :

• Marraige & Family = Hindu & Muslim
• Empowerment of Women
• Education policy of government of india caste creed system
• Religious intolerence
• Tribal societies & planning.
• Child Labour & soical Problems

These are the few things which is focused on. read newspapers as much as possible. get hold of latest news updates in some of atleast 2 channels. By reading newspaper your language will also improve.
Main thing is that your handwriting should be very neat, that the examiner should understand what you have written. Last movement dont scribble saying that you have no time to finsh the paper.

[hanuman]

hello , i m knew in this exciting community.

[bharat.sabni]

Thanks a lot Nethra ..

[vjpaul99]

THe below post by Nethra is from 2007 post is pretty outdated, UPSC has completely changed the format of questions asked....they have made it more more current events oriented.....so jst mugging up on the baisis how people prepared 3 years back , would lead u no where but to complete disaster......So try to work on the baisis of the updated syllabus published in the employment news ths year and synchronise it wth current events .....Best of luck and God bless