Indian Society - Syllabus, Strategy Overview [UPSC Exam]

Indian Society is one of the important subjects in the UPSC syllabus. The subject finds its mention in Prelims, Mains and Optional papers of the IAS Exam. This article will help you get an overview of the Indian Society syllabus, the right strategy to prepare for it and also relevant notes’ articles for UPSC preparation.

Indian Society Syllabus – What is asked in the IAS paper?

Indian Society & UPSC Prelims

In prelims examination, candidates know that UPSC has not mentioned an elaborative syllabus but has mentioned major topics from which questions are asked. The table below mentions all those topics that are related to the Indian Society subject so that candidates know which segment to focus on for its UPSC Syllabus completion. Though the topics that can be related to Indian Society are also relevant to Economy & Social Development, hence, aspirants should take a wider view while covering these.

#Indian Society & UPSC Mains

After prelims, there are nine subjective papers in UPSC Mains. Indian Society is covered under its syllabus of General Studies Paper 1 and certain facets are also covered in Mains General Studies Paper 2. The table below will mention what topics related to Indian Society are mentioned by the commission in GS 1 and 2 syllabi:

Indian Society & UPSC Optionals

Candidates should know that there is no such subject called ‘Indian Society,’ but there is a Sociology subject that covers important fragments of Indian Society. Under paper-II of the Sociology subject, topics related to structure and changes of Indian Society are mentioned. You can get the full Sociology Optional Syllabus from the linked article. Some of the Indian Society topics that are covered in UPSC Sociology optional syllabus are mentioned in the table below:

Indian Society Questions Trend Analysis – Prelims & Mains

In Prelims, questions are majorly asked from social sector schemes, or welfare schemes that the central government or state government flag off for the attainment of development goals.

Check the kind of questions asked in UPSC Prelims on topics related to Indian Society:

Points to note for Indian Society Questions asked in UPSC Prelims:

Referring to the above-mentioned questions that have been asked in Prelims 2019, 2018, 2017 respectively, candidates can take note of the points mentioned below:

1. Questions are majorly targeted at the social sector schemes that are for the welfare of people.
2. Questions on basic concepts like social capital, equality in the society have also found a place in UPSC Prelims.
3. Unlike in the Mains exam where questions on Indian Society are general in nature, in Prelims Indian Society questions will need good factual understanding so as to opt for the correct option while answering.

Indian Society Questions – UPSC Mains

The graph below explains the trend in a number of questions that are asked from the Indian Society topic in UPSC Mains:

As the graph suggests, UPSC Mains GS 1 has seen an increase in questions related to Indian Society or Social Issues. For reference and practice of the Indian Society questions related to different topics, one can get all the previous years’ Indian Society Questions of UPSC Mains GS 1, in the linked article.

For complete preparation of UPSC Mains GS 1, candidates can refer to the links below:

How to Prepare Indian Society Topic for UPSC?

Prelims Strategy:

The IAS candidates can take help of the points mentioned below before they start their preparation of GS 1 topic – Indian Society:

1. The topics related to Indian Society are not technical in nature rather general. Hence, aspirants should focus on:
   1. What is the topic?
   2. Why is it important?
   3. Has the topic been in the news?
2. Cramming the figures for the topics related to social issues is not very important from the exam perspective, rather aspirants should try to focus on the root causes of social issues. For issues like women’s safety, social empowerment, poverty, urbanization, health; an aspirant should know the background of such topics with the current initiatives taken up by the government (central or state) for the improvement of the same.

Mains Strategy:

While practicing Mains answer writing, aspirants should know what will make it easier for them when they write answers on questions related to Indian Society and its issues:

1. Focus on the crux of social issues like casteism, communalism, poverty, gender inequality, hunger issues and other similar Indian Society issues. An aspirant should be aligned with the development initiatives relating to these issues.
2. A general view on social issues is important rather than an extreme view. An aspirant should try to find answers to these issues by analysing the problems recurring in the Indian Society.
3. A holistic view of the social issue is desired in the UPSC exam by an aspirant. A candidate who knows what, where, why, which, who and how of a social issue, becomes a desirable candidate.
4. An aspirant should always keep in mind that his/her aim will be to crack the exam and not change the world that day; hence he/she should shy away from writing unfeasible and unrealistic solutions to the social issues in the Indian society.
5. A desirable candidate is who knows how to connect culture, society, polity, geography, and economics with the issues of the Indian Society. Hence, one should always try to read from different perspectives and try to form a balanced opinion.

To get the best books for the Indian Society, you can check the linked article. Here, you will get a list of books that are useful for both prelims and mains.