UPSC Mains 2026 Anthropology Paper I

Section A

1. 1

   Write notes on the following in about 150 words each:

   50marks
   1. 1(a)

      Health as a cultural construct

      10marks
   2. 1(b)

      Canalization and catch-up growth

      10marks
   3. 1(c)

      Myth as oral literature

      10marks
   4. 1(d)

      Genetic polymorphism and natural selection

      10marks
   5. 1(e)

      Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology

      10marks
2. 2

   Question 2

   50marks
   1. 2(a)

      What is meant by a somatotype? Discuss the Heath-Carter anthropometric method, giving its advantages over that of Sheldon's method. How can somatotyping be applied in sports sciences?

      20marks
   2. 2(b)

      How do religious beliefs help people to devise cultural mechanisms to adapt to their environment? Discuss in detail with appropriate examples.

      15marks
   3. 2(c)

      How is the theory of structuralism helpful in understanding the concepts of caste and gender?

      15marks
3. 3

   Question 3

   50marks
   1. 3(a)

      How do the concepts of power, authority, legitimacy and social control change with changing political organization? Discuss in detail giving suitable examples.

      20marks
   2. 3(b)

      Human evolution is a product of both biological and cultural factors. Elaborate.

      15marks
   3. 3(c)

      Give the distribution of Palaeolithic sites around the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan areas, highlighting the typo-technologies of the tools.

      15marks
4. 4

   Question 4

   50marks
   1. 4(a)

      Discuss the phylogenetic status, characteristic features, geographical distribution and lifeways of Paranthropus.

      20marks
   2. 4(b)

      Discuss 'incest taboo' as the basis of development of kinship systems in human societies.

      15marks
   3. 4(c)

      Numerical chromosomal aberrations can be due to abnormalities in autosomes as well as sex chromosomes. Elaborate in terms of the effects these have on human body, giving suitable examples.

      15marks

Section B

1. 5

   Write notes on the following in about 150 words each:

   50marks
   1. 5(a)

      Ethics in anthropological fieldwork

      10marks
   2. 5(b)

      Distinguishing features of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA

      10marks
   3. 5(c)

      Feminist movement and family

      10marks
   4. 5(d)

      Anthropometry in ergonomics

      10marks
   5. 5(e)

      Thermoluminescence dating method

      10marks
2. 6

   Question 6

   50marks
   1. 6(a)

      How would you find out that a particular disease/disorder is inherited and, if so, in which manner? Elaborate with suitable examples.

      20marks
   2. 6(b)

      Critically discuss how culture determines human behaviour in the light of Leslie White's theory.

      15marks
   3. 6(c)

      What are Strepsirhini Primates? Describe their geographical distribution and mention the characteristics that distinguish them from Haplorhini Primates.

      15marks
3. 7

   Question 7

   50marks
   1. 7(a)

      Discuss the mixed method approach in anthropological research.

      20marks
   2. 7(b)

      What do you understand by fertility and mortality? How are these influenced by biological and socio-ecological factors?

      15marks
   3. 7(c)

      Write a detailed note on the characteristic features, chronology, geographical distribution, tool types and lifeways of Magdalenian cultural tradition of Europe.

      15marks
4. 8

   Question 8

   50marks
   1. 8(a)

      Compare Edmund Leach's structuralism with interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz.

      20marks
   2. 8(b)

      In what manner is our understanding of serogenetics and cytogenetics useful in reproductive biology? What are the major ethical issues involved in reproductive technology?

      15marks
   3. 8(c)

      Discuss, with appropriate examples, how basic personality types may lead towards building up of national character.

      15marks

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