INTERVIEW FOR CSE 2019 All ForumIAS members selected for CSE 2019 Personality Test must submit their details and DAF and register below to receive further instructions and guidance from ForumIAS. Click here to register now
INTERVIEW 2020 CHANNEL ForumIAS Channel for Interview Preparation is now Active! Please join the channel by clicking here
Frnds i hve doubt regarding Socio matter. I am confused btw what to buy nd wht to study. Shud i buy Upendra Sir notes or Mohapatra sir notes. Which books shud i study; Srinivas, Ahuja, Ritzer, Bottomore, Y N Singh etc etc. Neither hve that much time nor money to buy sooo much matter. Please help.
I m gvg exam nxt yr nd i m reading 11th ncert nd Haralomboss.
IGNOU BA and MA along with Sociology of 11th-12th NCERT..These should be supported selectively by Harlambos.. U can selectively read thinkers from Ritzer.. Also, for paper-II, you must prepare present case scenarios based on the topics and issues of urgent and grave concern in contemporary world society viz. Poverty in India and World, Gender discriminations, Caste and Religion politics, Demography, Child problems, Old age people's problems, social security, exclusion and inclusion on financial parameters, Dynamism of family and marriage institution, Health issues, Women problems, Terrorism, Migration.. These issues have to be studied from newpapers and magazines like The Hindu, New Indian Express, The Dawn, NYT, Washington Post, Brookings Institution, Economist, Yojana, BBC, The Better India community on facebook, Unicef, WEF, The Ugly Indian, The Diplomat, IDSA, TIME, Outlook, Firstpost, Brahma Chelanny's articles, Vandana Shiva and other such social acivists' blogs etc. Paper-II is always a tricky one..It needs in depth understanding of current world.. The sociological phenomenon and concepts (which u read in paper-I) must be applied to these issues..
Giving below the detailed course study strategy provided by Raz Kr on FB. U might find it useful:
Rajesh Raz Kr Kumar: I am listing the study material that UPSC Sociology Toppers referred, for UPSC Sociology Paper I and Paper II, through this post. Here’s my recommended booklist for Sociology ( Student strictly followed what Mr Upendra Gaur told his batch to read with some modifications which fortunately worked for them) Paper-I 1) Haralambos (V th edition, the large book not the earlier orange covered one) (In my opinion, the most important book for conceptual clarity not only for paper I, but also for paper II).
Here are the page numbers that I read from the book: Page 1 to 21, 23 to 49, 69 to 104, 136 to 141, 145 to 156, 222 to 236, 282 to 286, 291 to 305, 334 to 346, 353 to 362, 372 to 378, 386 to 390, 431 to 439, 446 to 492, 504 to 551, 966 to 990, 991 to 1030 and 1032 to 1079 (Please understand that I am not saying that read only these page numbers and leave the rest, I am merely saying that student read only these pages from the book considering the time that they had).
2) UIES (Upendra Gaur Sir’s notes): Entire paper I notes. 3) Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman (VI edition) (for chapter 4 only, to be read only if you have finished the above two) I referred only those topics which I was not comfortable at.
4) Sindhuri Madam’s notes (UPSC 2008 AIR 43), available in Delhi (especially for Chapters 1,2 and 3).
Paper-II
Please note that there are standard text books available for Paper I but the study material for Paper-II is not found easily. Hence it becomes mandatory to refer to multiple sources.
1) Primarily I relied on Sindhuri Madam’s notes (UPSC 2008 AIR 43) which I got through the xerox shops in Rajendra Nagar (She has very meticulously collected material from various sources and prepared her own analyses as well)
2) UIES class notes (Upendra Gaur Sir’s class notes for Paper II)
3) Newspapers (The Hindu and The Indian Express, select articles)
4) Yojana (the monthly magazine)
5) IGNOU MA Material (MSO Series, selective pages, details I have mentioned below)
6) Contemporary Sociology by M Francis Abraham (Oxford Publications): Chapters 11,14,15 and 17)
7) Society in India by Ram Ahuja (Selective pages from Chapters 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 16)
8) Handbook of Indian Sociology by Veena Das (very very selective, only those topics which are not covered in the above)
Here is the list of some of the articles Student referred for selective topics in paper II (again told to us by Mr Upendra Gaur), (they are available in Delhi or can be taken from any of your friend who has attended sessions of Mr Gaur). I would advise the non Delhi aspirants to ask their friends from Delhi to parcel this material. On a cursory glance this looks mammoth but I believe that many of this have significant overlaps and can be covered in 4 months along with the other optional and GS.
1) Indological Perspective by Ghurye (Lesson 8)
2) Structural Functional Perspective by M N Srinivas (Lesson 10)
3) Marxian Perspective by A R Desai (Lesson 14)
(I don’t know the name of the book from which the above three chapters are taken, apologies, but all three articles are available at any standard book store in Delhi)
4) Modernization of Indian tradition by Yogendra Singh (page 85 to 160, page 208 to 213)
5) Caste its 20th Century Avatar by M N Panini
6) The Political Economy of Caste by M N Panini (pp 28 to 63)
7) Tribal India by Nadeem Husnain (selective pages)
8) India’s Population Policy by Bhende and Kanitkar (selective pages)
9) Principle of Polulation Studies by Bhende and Kanitkar (Appendix C)
10) Indian tribals and search for an indigenous identity by Walter Fernandes
11) Slum problem in India: Magnitude, Genesis and Possible Solution by B K Chakraborty
12) Sixty Years of Development induced Displacement in India by Walter Fernandes
IGNOU booklets that I referred:
MSO 001 Book 1: Block 2, 3 and 4
MSO 001 Book 2: Block 5, 6, 7 and 8
MSO 003 Book 1: block 1 (all the 4 units), block 2 (unit 5), block 3 (unit 9 and 10)
MSO 003 Book 2: block 6 (all the 4 units), block 7 (unit 24, 25), block 8 (unit 27 and 28)
MSO 004 Book 1: Entire booklet
MSO 004 Book 2: Block 5 (Unit 17, 19 and 20), block 6, 7 and 8
MSOE 004 Book 2: Blocks 5, 6 and 7
MPSE 007
Very briefly, I also referred to some of the reference books for the areas which I thought were not covered extensively through the notes. Two of them were ‘Changing India’ by Robert Stern, and ‘India: Development and Participation’ by Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze. (I referred very very selectively and I wouldn’t advise the serious aspirants to go for them if you have only 3 months for the exam and you haven’t read them earlier).
Especially for paper II, stick very strictly to the syllabus and prepare your own pointers/ notes(from the above material coupled with newspaper articles) so that you can revise the syllabus just before the examination.
I think that the understanding of key concepts of Paper-I and ability to apply them to the contemporary scenario comes in handy for scoring good marks in both the papers. Also Paper I and II shouldn’t be studied in isolation. Application of relevant examples from Indian Society and your own family/ personal experiences in Paper I and International studies in Paper II, depending on the demand of the question should fetch good marks.
We are a secret self-moderated community for Civil Services preparation. Feel free to join, start a discussion, answer a question or just to say Thank you.Just dont spread the word ;)Sign in or join with Facebook or Google
ForumIAS is India’s leading Online website for UPSC IAS Exam Online Preparation and guidance. At ForumIAS, we have a dream. Our dream is to make its members achieve their IAS dream. Today thousands of aspirants have joined the elite services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and other central and state services with the right inputs provided by ForumIAS. Take a look at our IAS Toppers
Free IAS Online Preparation Initiatives by ForumIAS
Current affairs is the most important part of UPSC IAS exam. ForumIAS provides a detailed analysis of important news articles through its 9PM brief. In current affairs reading Editorials Online needs an in-depth focus and hence we provide a separate analysis of daily editorials which is not found in any other website. Click the following link to access these free preparation initiatives in Portal . ForumIAS also provides compilations and Free downloads for UPSC IAS preparation
Knowing is never enough for IAS exam. An IAS aspirant must be engaged in answer writing practice to do well in UPSC IAS Mains Exam. ForumIAS has launched a Mains Marathon initiative for IAS mains Online answer writing. Click here to access UPSC Mains Marathon initiative . For Daily Must Read Newspaper articles, Visit Must Read Newspaper page here. Must Read Newspaper is an Initiative by Team ForumIAS to provide Current Affairs links to the Must Read Articles of The Day from Newspaper.
UPSC Syllabus
The most important part of UPSC IAS exam is its syllabus and there is a need to take an in-depth look at it. Click here to view the UPSC IAS Prelims syllabus. Visit UPSC IAS syllabus page here
UPSC IAS Study Material
ForumIAS is the repository of many toppers’ Online study materials for GS Mains and Optional subjects. The most unique thing about it is that they are handwritten by toppers themselves. Click here for UPSC sample notes
Interview Preparation for IAS
Interview is the last and crucial stage for becoming an IAS officer. How to prepare for it? We provide a solution. ForumIAS is the only online website where quality IAS interview preparations happen. Online Current affairs from an interview perspective are extensively discussed and specific preparation based on candidate’s profile and hobbies can be done. Please visit this link for UPSC Interview Preparation
At ForumIAS we have an exclusive Online page to read the UPSC Interview Transcripts
Indian Forest Service (IFoS)
IFoS is one of the most sought after All India Service. ForumIAS provides the right approach to excel in this exam through their toppers who have shared their success mantras and their study materials in an elaborate manner.
About Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
IAS is considered as one of the best jobs on earth. IAS officers hold the most important positions in Central and State Governments and in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). They also represent India in international organizations. They take the most important decisions in the administration of Government policies and development programs.
About Indian Police Service (IPS)
IPS officers occupy higher positions in the State Police Departments, Central Armed Police Forces and Intelligence Agencies. Their most important responsibilities are maintenance of Law and Order and internal security.
About Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
IFS officers serve as diplomats in international missions and embassies of India around the world and in prominent international organizations like United Nations (UN), World Bank, and IMF. They work to promote India’s interests from a bilateral and a global perspective.
The Study portal is a single point of online IAS preparation through its several initiatives like the Must Read News Articles, the 9 PM Brief, the Mains Marathon. If you are preparing for IAS exam online, ForumIAS is the place to go. ForumIAS is proud of ForumIAS Alumni in UPSC Service who have secured top Ranks in past 5 years.
Visit Us At
ForumIAS - Offline Guidance Centre
ForumIAS Academy, 1st Floor, IAPL House, 19, Pusa Road, Opposite Metro Pillar 95-96, Karol Bagh, New Delhi-110005,
View Google Map Location
Comments
These issues have to be studied from newpapers and magazines like The Hindu, New Indian Express, The Dawn, NYT, Washington Post, Brookings Institution, Economist, Yojana, BBC, The Better India community on facebook, Unicef, WEF, The Ugly Indian, The Diplomat, IDSA, TIME, Outlook, Firstpost, Brahma Chelanny's articles, Vandana Shiva and other such social acivists' blogs etc. Paper-II is always a tricky one..It needs in depth understanding of current world.. The sociological phenomenon and concepts (which u read in paper-I) must be applied to these issues..
Rajesh Raz Kr Kumar:
I am listing the study material that UPSC Sociology Toppers referred, for UPSC Sociology Paper I and Paper II, through this post.
Here’s my recommended booklist for Sociology ( Student strictly followed what Mr Upendra Gaur told his batch to read with some modifications which fortunately worked for them)
Paper-I
1) Haralambos (V th edition, the large book not the earlier orange covered one) (In my opinion, the most important book for conceptual clarity not only for paper I, but also for paper II).
Here are the page numbers that I read from the book: Page 1 to 21, 23 to 49, 69 to 104, 136 to 141, 145 to 156, 222 to 236, 282 to 286, 291 to 305, 334 to 346, 353 to 362, 372 to 378, 386 to 390, 431 to 439, 446 to 492, 504 to 551, 966 to 990, 991 to 1030 and 1032 to 1079 (Please understand that I am not saying that read only these page numbers and leave the rest, I am merely saying that student read only these pages from the book considering the time that they had).
2) UIES (Upendra Gaur Sir’s notes): Entire paper I notes.
3) Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman (VI edition) (for chapter 4 only, to be read only if you have finished the above two) I referred only those topics which I was not comfortable at.
4) Sindhuri Madam’s notes (UPSC 2008 AIR 43), available in Delhi (especially for Chapters 1,2 and 3).
Paper-II
Please note that there are standard text books available for Paper I but the study material for Paper-II is not found easily. Hence it becomes mandatory to refer to multiple sources.
1) Primarily I relied on Sindhuri Madam’s notes (UPSC 2008 AIR 43) which I got through the xerox shops in Rajendra Nagar (She has very meticulously collected material from various sources and prepared her own analyses as well)
2) UIES class notes (Upendra Gaur Sir’s class notes for Paper II)
3) Newspapers (The Hindu and The Indian Express, select articles)
4) Yojana (the monthly magazine)
5) IGNOU MA Material (MSO Series, selective pages, details I have mentioned below)
6) Contemporary Sociology by M Francis Abraham (Oxford Publications): Chapters 11,14,15 and 17)
7) Society in India by Ram Ahuja (Selective pages from Chapters 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 16)
8) Handbook of Indian Sociology by Veena Das (very very selective, only those topics which are not covered in the above)
Here is the list of some of the articles Student referred for selective topics in paper II (again told to us by Mr Upendra Gaur), (they are available in Delhi or can be taken from any of your friend who has attended sessions of Mr Gaur). I would advise the non Delhi aspirants to ask their friends from Delhi to parcel this material. On a cursory glance this looks mammoth but I believe that many of this have significant overlaps and can be covered in 4 months along with the other optional and GS.
1) Indological Perspective by Ghurye (Lesson 8)
2) Structural Functional Perspective by M N Srinivas (Lesson 10)
3) Marxian Perspective by A R Desai (Lesson 14)
(I don’t know the name of the book from which the above three chapters are taken, apologies, but all three articles are available at any standard book store in Delhi)
4) Modernization of Indian tradition by Yogendra Singh (page 85 to 160, page 208 to 213)
5) Caste its 20th Century Avatar by M N Panini
6) The Political Economy of Caste by M N Panini (pp 28 to 63)
7) Tribal India by Nadeem Husnain (selective pages)
8) India’s Population Policy by Bhende and Kanitkar (selective pages)
9) Principle of Polulation Studies by Bhende and Kanitkar (Appendix C)
10) Indian tribals and search for an indigenous identity by Walter Fernandes
11) Slum problem in India: Magnitude, Genesis and Possible Solution by B K Chakraborty
12) Sixty Years of Development induced Displacement in India by Walter Fernandes
IGNOU booklets that I referred:
MSO 001 Book 1: Block 2, 3 and 4
MSO 001 Book 2: Block 5, 6, 7 and 8
MSO 003 Book 1: block 1 (all the 4 units), block 2 (unit 5), block 3 (unit 9 and 10)
MSO 003 Book 2: block 6 (all the 4 units), block 7 (unit 24, 25), block 8 (unit 27 and 28)
MSO 004 Book 1: Entire booklet
MSO 004 Book 2: Block 5 (Unit 17, 19 and 20), block 6, 7 and 8
MSOE 004 Book 2: Blocks 5, 6 and 7
MPSE 007
Very briefly, I also referred to some of the reference books for the areas which I thought were not covered extensively through the notes. Two of them were ‘Changing India’ by Robert Stern, and ‘India: Development and Participation’ by Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze. (I referred very very selectively and I wouldn’t advise the serious aspirants to go for them if you have only 3 months for the exam and you haven’t read them earlier).
Especially for paper II, stick very strictly to the syllabus and prepare your own pointers/ notes(from the above material coupled with newspaper articles) so that you can revise the syllabus just before the examination.
I think that the understanding of key concepts of Paper-I and ability to apply them to the contemporary scenario comes in handy for scoring good marks in both the papers. Also Paper I and II shouldn’t be studied in isolation. Application of relevant examples from Indian Society and your own family/ personal experiences in Paper I and International studies in Paper II, depending on the demand of the question should fetch good marks.
Besides, u must be a regular reader of :
1) Rajiv Ranjan Singh’s blog on Sociology (AIR 191, CSE 2009): http://intellection-rajiv.blogspot.in
2) Tanvi Sundriyal’s (AIR 6, CSE 2009) blog: http://thecivilservicesdream.blogspot.in/
3) Anay Dwivedi’s (AIR 5, CSE 2009) blog: http://anaydwivedi.wordpress.com/