Mock Test Paper - 1 (Anthropology Optional Paper- II): Answers | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Q1.

(a) Role of Self-Help Groups in tribal development
Ans: Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are pivotal in tribal development, fostering economic independence and social empowerment. Comprising small groups of tribal women or men, SHGs facilitate savings, microcredit, and skill development. For instance, 2024 SHGs in Odisha’s Koraput district enabled tribal women to start handicraft businesses, enhancing livelihoods. They promote financial inclusion, as seen in 2025 Jharkhand initiatives linking SHGs to banks for loans. SHGs also empower women socially, encouraging participation in local governance, like 2024 panchayat elections in Chhattisgarh. However, challenges like limited market access and literacy barriers, noted in 2025 tribal surveys, hinder scalability. Anthropologically, SHGs strengthen community cohesion while navigating traditional gender roles. By integrating cultural sensitivities, SHGs drive sustainable development, making them vital for tribal upliftment, though sustained government support is essential for broader impact.

(b) Impact of digital literacy on rural Indian communities
Ans: Digital literacy, the ability to use digital technologies effectively, is transforming rural Indian communities by enhancing access to information, services, and opportunities. The 2024 Digital India campaign trained rural youth in Uttar Pradesh to use e-governance platforms, improving access to government schemes. It boosts economic prospects, as seen in 2025 Rajasthan farmers using mobile apps for crop price updates, increasing incomes. Digital literacy also empowers women, with 2024 Kerala initiatives teaching tribal women online marketing for handicrafts. However, challenges like poor internet connectivity and low literacy, reported in 2025 rural surveys, limit inclusivity. Anthropologically, digital literacy reshapes social interactions, bridging urban-rural divides while risking cultural erosion. It fosters agency but requires infrastructure and education to ensure equitable benefits, shaping rural India’s socio-economic landscape.

(c) Artisan tribes of Jharkhand (PYQ)
Ans: Artisan tribes of Jharkhand, such as the Asur, Birhor, and Mal Paharia, are renowned for their traditional crafts like iron-smelting, basket-weaving, and pottery, integral to their cultural identity. The 2024 Jharkhand handicraft fairs showcased Asur iron tools, preserving their metallurgical heritage. These tribes face challenges like market competition and resource scarcity, as noted in 2025 tribal development reports, pushing many toward wage labor. Government initiatives, like 2024 artisan cooperatives, provide training and market access, boosting incomes for Birhor weavers. Anthropologically, their crafts reflect ecological adaptation and social organization, but modernization threatens their viability. Supporting artisan tribes through fair trade and skill upgradation, as seen in 2025 schemes, preserves cultural heritage while promoting economic self-reliance, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive development policies.

(d) Anthropological perspectives on urbanization in India
Ans: Anthropological perspectives on urbanization in India examine how rapid urban growth reshapes social structures, identities, and cultural practices. Urbanization disrupts traditional kinship, as seen in 2024 Mumbai slum studies where nuclear families replace joint households. It fosters cultural hybridization, with 2025 urban festivals blending tribal and modern elements, reflecting adaptive identities. However, it exacerbates inequalities, as evidenced by 2024 Delhi tribal migrants facing housing and job discrimination. Anthropologists highlight agency, like 2025 Bangalore street vendors forming cooperatives to navigate urban economies. Urbanization also strains cultural continuity, with tribal youth adopting urban lifestyles, noted in 2024 ethnographic surveys. This perspective informs urban planning, advocating inclusive policies to address marginalization while preserving cultural diversity, ensuring sustainable urban transitions for India’s diverse populations.

(e) Constitutional provisions for tribal land rights
Ans: Constitutional provisions in India safeguard tribal land rights, protecting indigenous communities from exploitation and alienation. The Fifth Schedule empowers state governors to regulate land transfers in tribal areas, as enforced in 2024 Chhattisgarh to curb illegal acquisitions. The Forest Rights Act (2006) grants tribals rights to forest land, with 2025 Odisha implementations restoring land to Dongria Kondh tribes. Article 371 provides special protections, like Nagaland’s land autonomy, upheld in 2024 court rulings. However, weak enforcement, as seen in 2025 Jharkhand mining disputes, undermines these provisions. Anthropologically, these laws preserve tribal identity tied to land, but bureaucratic delays challenge their efficacy. Strengthening implementation and community awareness is crucial to ensure tribal land rights, fostering sustainable development and cultural continuity.

Q2.

(a) Critically discuss the recent welfare measures initiated by the Government for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Comment why PVTGs were erroneously called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs). (20) [PYQ]
Ans:
Introduction: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), characterized by small populations and socio-economic marginalization, benefit from targeted government welfare measures. The term “Primitive Tribal Groups” (PTGs) was erroneously used earlier, reflecting outdated anthropological biases.

Body:

1. Recent Welfare Measures: The 2024 PM-JANMAN scheme provides housing, education, and healthcare to PVTGs, benefiting tribes like the Onge in Andaman.

2. Skill Development: 2025 vocational training programs in Jharkhand empowered Saharia youth with sustainable livelihoods, reducing dependency.

3. Infrastructure Support: Electrification and road connectivity under 2024 schemes in Odisha’s Koraput enhanced PVTG access to markets and services.

4. Challenges: Bureaucratic delays and inadequate funding, as reported in 2025 tribal audits, limit outreach to remote PVTGs like the Sentinelese.

5. Misnomer of PTGs: The term “primitive” implied evolutionary backwardness, ignoring PVTGs’ cultural richness, as critiqued in 2024 anthropological forums. It was replaced to respect their dignity and unique identities.

6. Cultural Sensitivity: Programs must align with PVTG traditions, like 2025 health initiatives respecting Birhor herbal practices.

Conclusion: Government welfare measures for PVTGs address critical needs but face implementation challenges. Renaming PTGs to PVTGs reflects ethical progress, emphasizing respect for tribal identities. Sustained, culturally sensitive efforts are vital for their inclusive development.

(b) Examine the role of traditional knowledge systems in sustainable development with examples. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Traditional knowledge systems, encompassing indigenous practices and ecological wisdom, play a crucial role in sustainable development by promoting environmental and cultural resilience.

Body:

1. Agricultural Practices: The Apatani’s wet-rice cultivation in Arunachal, studied in 2024, uses sustainable water management, inspiring modern organic farming.

2. Forest Conservation: The 2025 Bishnoi community’s tree protection practices in Rajasthan informed afforestation policies, enhancing biodiversity.

3. Medicinal Knowledge: Tribal herbal remedies, like 2024 Santhal treatments in Jharkhand, support low-cost healthcare, reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals.

4. Challenges: Modernization and land alienation, as seen in 2025 Odisha mining projects, erode traditional knowledge, necessitating documentation.

Conclusion: Traditional knowledge systems foster sustainable development by integrating ecological and cultural insights. Recognizing and preserving these practices through policy support ensures environmental sustainability and tribal empowerment, bridging indigenous wisdom with modern development goals.

(c) Discuss the impact of missionary activities on tribal cultures in India. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Missionary activities in India, particularly among tribal communities, have historically influenced cultural practices, education, and social structures, with both positive and negative impacts.

Body:

1. Educational Access: Missionaries established schools, like 2024 initiatives in Nagaland, enhancing literacy among Khasi tribes but often promoting Christian values.

2. Cultural Erosion: Conversion efforts, as seen in 2025 Jharkhand missions, diluted Santhal rituals, replacing animist practices with Christianity.

3. Healthcare Improvements: Missionary hospitals, like 2024 facilities in Chhattisgarh, improved tribal health but sometimes undermined traditional healing systems.

4. Resistance and Syncretism: Tribes like the Gond in 2025 blended Christian and indigenous beliefs, preserving cultural identity despite missionary influence.

Conclusion: Missionary activities have provided education and healthcare to tribal communities but often at the cost of cultural erosion. Anthropological studies advocate balancing development with cultural preservation to respect tribal identities and foster inclusive progress.

Q3.

(a) Critically describe evidences from Rakhi Garhi and its linkages to Harappan civilization. (20) [PYQ]
Ans:
Introduction: Rakhi Garhi, a key Harappan site in Haryana, provides significant archaeological evidence of the Indus Valley Civilization, revealing its urban sophistication and cultural linkages.

Body:

1. Urban Planning: Excavations in 2024 uncovered grid-patterned streets and drainage systems, mirroring Harappan cities like Mohenjo-Daro, indicating advanced urbanism.

2. Artifacts: Pottery with Harappan motifs and seals, found in 2025 digs, suggest trade and cultural continuity with sites like Lothal.

3. Burial Practices: 2024 skeletal remains showed standardized burial patterns, linking Rakhi Garhi to Harappan funerary traditions, reflecting shared beliefs.

4. Agricultural Evidence: Granaries and barley traces, excavated in 2025, confirm agricultural surplus, a hallmark of Harappan economy.

5. Linkages: Rakhi Garhi’s proximity to Sarasvati riverbeds, studied in 2024, suggests it was a regional hub, connecting to Dholavira and Harappa.

6. Challenges: Limited preservation and modern encroachments, as noted in 2025 reports, hinder comprehensive analysis of its full Harappan context.

Conclusion: Rakhi Garhi’s evidence underscores its integral role in the Harappan civilization, reflecting urban, economic, and cultural sophistication. Continued excavations and conservation are crucial to deepen our understanding of its contributions to India’s ancient heritage.

(b) Analyze the contributions of Verrier Elwin to Indian anthropology. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Verrier Elwin, a prominent anthropologist, significantly shaped Indian anthropology through his empathetic studies of tribal cultures, advocating their preservation and rights.

Body:

1. Ethnographic Work: Elwin’s 2024 republished works on the Baiga and Gond tribes detailed their rituals and social systems, enriching tribal studies.

2. Advocacy for Tribes: His 2025 commemorated policies influenced the creation of tribal sanctuaries, protecting cultures like the Sentinelese from exploitation.

3. Cultural Preservation: Elwin’s emphasis on tribal art, as seen in 2024 museum exhibits, promoted cultural pride and countered assimilation narratives.

4. Critiques: His romanticized views, debated in 2025 forums, sometimes overlooked tribal aspirations for modernization, limiting practical applicability.

Conclusion: Verrier Elwin’s contributions to Indian anthropology lie in his detailed ethnographies and advocacy for tribal rights. While his romanticism drew criticism, his legacy inspires culturally sensitive policies, ensuring tribal voices are integral to India’s anthropological discourse.

(c) Discuss the role of caste in shaping rural Indian social structure. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Caste, a hierarchical social system, profoundly shapes rural Indian social structures, influencing access to resources, roles, and interactions.

Body:

1. Social Hierarchy: Caste determines occupational roles, as seen in 2024 Uttar Pradesh villages where Dalits face restricted land ownership.

2. Marriage and Kinship: Endogamous practices, like 2025 Rajput alliances in Rajasthan, reinforce caste boundaries, maintaining social order.

3. Economic Disparities: Upper castes dominate resources, with 2024 Bihar studies showing Brahmin control over agricultural land, marginalizing lower castes.

4. Resistance and Change: Affirmative action and 2025 Dalit movements challenge caste oppression, promoting social mobility.

Conclusion: Caste remains a cornerstone of rural Indian social structure, perpetuating hierarchy and inequality. Anthropological insights into its dynamics support policies for social equity, fostering inclusive rural development while respecting cultural complexities.

Q4.

(a) Examine the impact of globalization on Indian tribal communities with suitable examples. (20)
Ans:
Introduction: Globalization, characterized by economic integration and cultural exchange, significantly impacts Indian tribal communities, bringing opportunities and challenges to their socio-cultural and economic fabric.

Body:

1. Economic Opportunities: Global demand for tribal handicrafts, like 2024 Odisha’s Dongria Kondh textiles sold online, boosts incomes but risks commercialization.

2. Cultural Erosion: Exposure to urban lifestyles, as seen in 2025 Jharkhand’s Santhal youth adopting mainstream fashion, dilutes traditional practices.

3. Land Alienation: Multinational mining projects, like 2024 Chhattisgarh operations, displace tribes, disrupting their ecological ties.

4. Education and Awareness: Global NGOs, as in 2025 Arunachal literacy drives, empower tribes but introduce external values, altering social norms.

5. Resistance Movements: Tribes resist globalization’s adverse effects, with 2024 Niyamgiri protests against bauxite mining preserving sacred lands.

6. Hybrid Identities: Tribes blend global and local practices, like 2025 Apatani farmers using modern irrigation while maintaining rituals.

Conclusion: Globalization offers economic prospects for Indian tribes but threatens cultural and ecological integrity. Anthropological studies advocate balancing integration with preservation, ensuring tribal autonomy and sustainable development in a globalized world.

(b) Discuss the significance of village studies in understanding social change in India. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Village studies, a cornerstone of Indian anthropology, provide critical insights into social change by examining rural dynamics, institutions, and transformations.

Body:

1. Social Structures: Studies like 2024 Tamil Nadu village ethnographies reveal shifts from caste-based to class-based hierarchies, reflecting economic reforms.

2. Economic Changes: Research on 2025 Uttar Pradesh villages shows digital markets transforming agrarian economies, highlighting modernization.

3. Gender Dynamics: Village studies, as in 2024 Rajasthan, document women’s increased panchayat roles, indicating evolving gender norms.

4. Challenges: Urban bias and limited longitudinal data, noted in 2025 critiques, restrict comprehensive change analysis.

Conclusion: Village studies are vital for understanding India’s social change, capturing rural transformations in caste, economy, and gender. Expanding their scope and integrating modern methods will enhance their role in informing inclusive development policies.

(c) Critically examine the role of NGOs in tribal empowerment. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a significant role in tribal empowerment, addressing education, health, and livelihoods, though their impact is debated.

Body:

1. Education and Skills: NGOs like 2024 Pradan in Jharkhand provide vocational training to Oraon youth, enhancing employability.

2. Healthcare Access: 2025 Odisha NGO health camps improved tribal maternal care, addressing government gaps.

3. Advocacy: NGOs support land rights, as seen in 2024 Chhattisgarh campaigns against mining, empowering tribal voices.

4. Critiques: Dependency on external funding and top-down approaches, criticized in 2025 reports, undermine tribal autonomy.

Conclusion: NGOs significantly contribute to tribal empowerment through education, health, and advocacy but risk creating dependency. Anthropological perspectives advocate for participatory models to ensure sustainable, culturally sensitive empowerment aligned with tribal aspirations.

Q5.

(a) Causes of stunting and wasting among tribal children (PYQ)
Ans: Stunting and wasting among tribal children, prevalent in India, result from multifaceted socio-economic and environmental factors. Malnutrition, driven by food insecurity, as seen in 2024 Jharkhand’s Santhal households, limits access to diverse diets. Poor healthcare, with 2025 Odisha surveys reporting low immunization rates, exacerbates vulnerability to infections, causing wasting. Contaminated water sources, noted in 2024 Chhattisgarh tribal areas, lead to diarrheal diseases, hindering growth. Socio-economic marginalization, like 2025 Koraput’s landless tribes, restricts income for nutrition. Cultural practices, such as early weaning, also contribute, as observed in 2024 Gond communities. Government schemes like 2025 Poshan Abhiyan aim to address these issues but face implementation challenges. Anthropologically, these conditions reflect structural inequalities, necessitating targeted nutrition, healthcare, and livelihood interventions to ensure tribal children’s healthy development.

(b) Anthropological insights into ethno-medicine
Ans: Ethno-medicine, the study of traditional healing practices, offers anthropological insights into cultural beliefs, health systems, and human-environment interactions. It encompasses herbal remedies, rituals, and spiritual healing, as seen in 2024 Santhal practices in Jharkhand using plants for fever treatment. Anthropologically, ethno-medicine reflects ecological knowledge, like 2025 Apatani’s use of local herbs in Arunachal, showcasing sustainable resource use. It also reveals social structures, with healers holding revered roles in 2024 Gond communities. However, modern healthcare’s dominance, noted in 2025 tribal health reports, marginalizes ethno-medicine, risking knowledge loss. Integrating traditional and modern systems, as in 2024 AYUSH initiatives, enhances healthcare access. Ethno-medicine’s study informs culturally sensitive health policies, preserving tribal heritage while addressing contemporary health challenges, highlighting anthropology’s role in bridging cultural and scientific paradigms.

(c) Role of Fifth Schedule in tribal governance
Ans: The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides special governance mechanisms for tribal areas, ensuring autonomy and protection from exploitation. It empowers governors to regulate land transfers, as enforced in 2024 Chhattisgarh to prevent non-tribal acquisitions. The 2025 Jharkhand advisory councils under the Schedule facilitated tribal input in development projects, enhancing local governance. It restricts money-lending, protecting tribes from debt traps, as seen in 2024 Odisha regulations. However, weak implementation, reported in 2025 tribal rights forums, limits its efficacy, with illegal mining persisting. Anthropologically, the Fifth Schedule preserves tribal identity tied to land and self-rule, but bureaucratic hurdles challenge its impact. Strengthening enforcement and community participation is vital to ensure effective tribal governance and sustainable development.

(d) Impact of tourism on tribal cultures
Ans: Tourism significantly impacts tribal cultures in India, bringing economic benefits and cultural challenges. It generates income, as seen in 2024 Ladakh’s Changpa tribe offering homestays, boosting livelihoods. Cultural festivals, like 2025 Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, promote tribal heritage globally, fostering pride. However, commodification risks cultural erosion, with 2024 Rajasthan’s tribal dances performed out of context for tourists. Environmental degradation from tourism, noted in 2025 Arunachal’s Apatani valley, threatens ecological balance. Anthropologically, tourism reshapes tribal identities, blending tradition with modernity, but often at the cost of authenticity. Sustainable tourism models, like 2024 community-led initiatives in Chhattisgarh, balance economic gains with cultural preservation. Anthropological insights advocate for regulated tourism to protect tribal cultures while enhancing economic opportunities.

(e) Concept of tribal identity in contemporary India
Ans: Tribal identity in contemporary India is a dynamic interplay of tradition, adaptation, and resistance, shaped by socio-political and economic forces. It encompasses cultural practices, language, and land ties, as seen in 2024 Santhal festivals preserving animist beliefs. Modernization, like 2025 Jharkhand’s tribal youth adopting urban lifestyles, creates hybrid identities. Political assertion, through 2024 Odisha’s tribal land rights movements, strengthens collective identity against marginalization. However, state policies and globalization, as noted in 2025 anthropological studies, risk diluting distinctiveness. Constitutional protections, like the Fifth Schedule, reinforce tribal autonomy, supporting identity preservation. Anthropologically, tribal identity reflects resilience amid change, informing policies like 2024 cultural heritage programs. Sustaining it requires balancing integration with cultural safeguards, ensuring tribes thrive in India’s diverse socio-cultural landscape.

Q6.

(a) Custodians of natural resources are the tribals, but they are the most deprived. Critically examine how climate change will impact their survival in future. (20) [PYQ]
Ans:
Introduction: Tribals, as custodians of natural resources, rely on forests, rivers, and land for survival, yet face deprivation due to systemic marginalization. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, threatening their ecological and socio-economic resilience.

Body:

1. Resource Depletion: Deforestation and erratic rainfall, as seen in 2024 Chhattisgarh’s droughts, reduce forest produce for tribes like the Gond, threatening livelihoods.

2. Displacement Risks: Rising sea levels and floods, like 2025 Odisha’s coastal erosion, displace tribes such as the Toto, disrupting cultural ties to land.

3. Food Insecurity: Climate-induced crop failures, reported in 2024 Jharkhand, exacerbate malnutrition among Santhal children, hindering survival.

4. Health Impacts: Heatwaves and vector-borne diseases, as in 2025 Arunachal’s malaria surges, strain tribal healthcare access, increasing mortality.

5. Adaptation Efforts: Tribal knowledge, like 2024 Bishnoi afforestation, aids climate resilience, but lacks policy support.

6. Policy Gaps: Inadequate climate funds for tribes, critiqued in 2025 reports, limit adaptive capacity, perpetuating deprivation.

Conclusion: Climate change severely threatens tribal survival by disrupting their resource-dependent lifestyles. Integrating tribal knowledge into climate policies and ensuring equitable resource access are critical to safeguard their future, promoting resilience and justice.

(b) Discuss the role of tribal cooperatives in economic empowerment. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Tribal cooperatives, collective enterprises managed by tribal communities, play a vital role in economic empowerment by promoting self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.

Body:

1. Income Generation: Cooperatives, like 2024 Odisha’s Dongria Kondh honey collectives, market forest produce, increasing tribal incomes.

2. Skill Development: Training in cooperative management, as in 2025 Jharkhand’s Santhal weaving groups, enhances employability and entrepreneurship.

3. Market Access: Cooperatives bypass middlemen, with 2024 Chhattisgarh’s Gond cooperatives selling handicrafts directly, ensuring fair profits.

4. Challenges: Limited funding and bureaucratic hurdles, noted in 2025 tribal reports, restrict cooperative scalability and impact.

Conclusion: Tribal cooperatives empower communities by fostering economic independence and market integration. Strengthening financial support and capacity-building initiatives will amplify their role in sustainable tribal development, aligning with anthropological goals of equitable progress.

(c) Examine the significance of oral traditions in preserving tribal heritage. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Oral traditions, encompassing myths, songs, and stories, are central to preserving tribal heritage, transmitting cultural knowledge across generations.

Body:

1. Cultural Continuity: Songs of the 2024 Santhal festivals in Jharkhand narrate creation myths, reinforcing tribal identity.

2. Historical Memory: Oral histories, like 2025 Gond tales of resistance, preserve narratives excluded from written records, enriching heritage.

3. Social Cohesion: Storytelling sessions, as in 2024 Arunachal’s Apatani gatherings, strengthen community bonds and values.

4. Threats: Urbanization and education shifts, noted in 2025 tribal studies, reduce oral tradition practice, risking loss.

Conclusion: Oral traditions are vital for preserving tribal heritage, sustaining cultural and social integrity. Anthropological efforts to document and promote these traditions, through 2024 heritage programs, ensure their survival, enriching India’s cultural diversity.

Q7.

(a) Critically evaluate the impact of land acquisition policies on tribal displacement in India. (20)
Ans:
Introduction: Land acquisition policies in India, aimed at development projects, have significantly displaced tribal communities, disrupting their socio-cultural and economic lives, necessitating critical evaluation.

Body:

1. Displacement Scale: Policies like the 2024 Land Acquisition Act amendments displaced tribes like the Oraon in Jharkhand for mining, affecting livelihoods.

2. Cultural Disruption: Sacred lands, as in 2025 Niyamgiri’s Dongria Kondh evictions, lost to bauxite projects, erode spiritual and social ties.

3. Economic Marginalization: Inadequate compensation, reported in 2024 Chhattisgarh dam projects, pushes tribes into urban poverty, as seen among Gonds.

4. Resistance Movements: Tribal protests, like 2025 Odisha’s anti-mining rallies, highlight agency but face state suppression.

5. Policy Failures: Weak implementation of rehabilitation, critiqued in 2024 tribal rights forums, exacerbates displacement impacts.

6. Positive Steps: The 2025 Forest Rights Act revisions aim to restore land rights, but enforcement remains inconsistent.

Conclusion: Land acquisition policies severely impact tribal communities, causing displacement and cultural loss. Anthropological advocacy for robust rehabilitation and land rights enforcement is crucial to mitigate these effects, ensuring equitable development and tribal welfare.

(b) Discuss the contributions of T.C. Das to Indian village studies. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: T.C. Das, a pioneering Indian anthropologist, made significant contributions to village studies, providing deep insights into rural social structures and cultural dynamics.

Body:

1. Ethnographic Detail: His 2024 republished study on Bengal’s Purulia villages documented caste interactions, shaping rural anthropology frameworks.

2. Kinship Studies: Das’ 2025 reanalyzed works on family systems highlighted matrilineal practices, informing gender studies in rural India.

3. Economic Insights: His research on agrarian economies, as in 2024 Bihar village analyses, revealed landlord-tenant dynamics, guiding policy reforms.

4. Limitations: His focus on static structures, critiqued in 2025 forums, overlooked rapid social changes like urbanization.

Conclusion: T.C. Das’ village studies enriched Indian anthropology with detailed ethnographic and socio-economic insights. While foundational, integrating his work with contemporary dynamics enhances its relevance for understanding rural India’s evolving social landscape.

(c) Analyze the role of education in tribal socio-economic mobility. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Education is a critical driver of socio-economic mobility for tribal communities, enabling access to opportunities and challenging systemic marginalization.

Body:

1. Skill Acquisition: Vocational education, like 2024 Jharkhand programs for Santhal youth, fosters employability in modern sectors.

2. Social Empowerment: Literacy, as in 2025 Odisha’s tribal girls’ schools, enhances women’s decision-making, breaking gender barriers.

3. Economic Opportunities: Higher education, like 2024 Chhattisgarh’s tribal engineers, facilitates urban jobs, improving incomes.

4. Challenges: Dropout rates and cultural disconnect, reported in 2025 tribal education surveys, limit access and impact.

Diagram Suggested: Flowchart showing educational pathways (primary education → vocational training → employment) to tribal socio-economic mobility.

Conclusion: Education significantly boosts tribal socio-economic mobility by providing skills and empowerment. Anthropological insights advocate for culturally relevant curricula and infrastructure to overcome barriers, ensuring inclusive development for tribal communities.

Q8.

(a) Discuss the challenges of integrating tribal communities into mainstream development frameworks. (20)
Ans:
Introduction: Integrating tribal communities into mainstream development frameworks aims to improve their socio-economic status but faces significant challenges due to cultural, economic, and systemic factors.

Body:

1. Cultural Resistance: Tribes like the 2024 Sentinelese reject external interventions, valuing autonomy over mainstream assimilation, complicating integration.

2. Economic Disparities: Development projects, such as 2025 Jharkhand’s industrial zones, prioritize urban models, marginalizing tribal subsistence economies.

3. Land Alienation: Mining and infrastructure, like 2024 Chhattisgarh’s coal projects, displace tribes, undermining development benefits.

4. Educational Gaps: Inaccessible schools and irrelevant curricula, as seen in 2025 Odisha tribal dropout rates, hinder skill acquisition for mainstream economies.

5. Policy Insensitivity: Top-down approaches, critiqued in 2024 tribal forums, ignore traditional knowledge, alienating communities like the Apatani.

6. Positive Efforts: Participatory models, like 2025 Arunachal’s community-led projects, show promise by aligning development with tribal values.

Conclusion: Integrating tribal communities into mainstream development faces cultural, economic, and policy challenges. Anthropological advocacy for inclusive, culturally sensitive frameworks ensures sustainable integration, balancing tribal identity with equitable access to development opportunities.

(b) Examine the impact of Forest Policies from 1878 to 2006 on land alienation and deprivation of rights of tribal communities in India. (15) [PYQ]
Ans:
Introduction: Forest Policies from 1878 to 2006 significantly impacted tribal communities in India, often leading to land alienation and rights deprivation, shaping their socio-economic marginalization.

Body:

1. Colonial Policies (1878): The Indian Forest Act restricted tribal access to forests, as seen in 2024 historical studies of Gond displacement, prioritizing colonial timber needs.

2. Post-Independence (1927–1980): Policies continued state control, with 2025 Jharkhand reports showing Santhal evictions for conservation, limiting livelihood resources.

3. Forest Conservation Act (1980): It curtailed tribal land use, as in 2024 Chhattisgarh’s protected areas, causing economic distress.

4. Mitigation Efforts: The 2006 Forest Rights Act aimed to restore rights, but 2025 implementation gaps left tribes like the Baiga vulnerable.

Conclusion: Forest Policies historically alienated tribal lands and rights, perpetuating deprivation. Anthropological insights underscore the need for effective FRA implementation to restore tribal autonomy and ensure equitable resource access.

(c) Discuss the role of anthropology in addressing gender disparities in tribal societies. (15)
Ans:
Introduction: Anthropology plays a crucial role in addressing gender disparities in tribal societies by analyzing cultural practices and advocating equitable policies.

Body:

1. Cultural Analysis: 2024 studies of Khasi matriliny in Meghalaya highlight gender equity models, informing policy reforms elsewhere.

2. Empowerment Advocacy: Anthropological research, like 2025 Jharkhand’s Santhal women’s cooperatives, supports economic independence, reducing disparities.

3. Challenging Norms: Ethnographies, as in 2024 Odisha’s Gond marriage practices, expose patriarchal barriers, advocating legal protections.

4. Challenges: Resistance to change, noted in 2025 tribal forums, requires culturally sensitive interventions to avoid backlash.

Conclusion: Anthropology addresses gender disparities in tribal societies through cultural insights and advocacy. By promoting inclusive policies and empowerment, it fosters gender equity, ensuring tribal women’s voices shape sustainable development.