TNPSC Anthropology Exam Syllabus : Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission

Organisation : Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC)
Exam Name : TNPSC Anthropology Examination
Standard : PG Degree Standard
Code : 312
Announcement : TNPSC Anthropology Exam Syllabus
Website : https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/new_syllabus.html

TNPSC Anthropology Exam Syllabus

The TNPSC Anthropology Exam Syllabus are given below,

Related / Similar Syllabus : TNPSC Town Planning Exam Syllabus

UNIT- I: FOUNDATIONS OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Meaning and scope of Anthropology – Major branches of Anthropology – and Contemporary divisions. The relevance of holistic perspective and its interrelations with other disciplines. Indian Anthropologists and their contribution to the society and cultures of India.

UNIT –II: PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Branches of physical anthropology, Organic Evolution, Human Evolution, Human Variations, Race & Ethnicity, Ethnology and Biology, Biological and Physiological Anthropology, Anthropometry, Forensic Anthropology, DNA techniques and the prevention of genetic diseases.

UNIT- III: ARCHEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Broad outlines of pre-historic cultures (India and Europe), Palaeolithic – Mesolithic – Neolithic – Chalcolithic – Iron age – Geological time scale – A brief account of stone tool Typology and Technology and methods of problems of dating, Prehistoric and excavated sites in Tamil Nadu and recent findings: Athrampattinam, Adhichanallur, and Keezhadi.

UNIT- IV: BASIC THEORIES OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Evolutionary School of Thought, Diffusion School of Thought, Functionalism, Structure Functionalism, Structuralism, Symbolism, Culture and Personality, Postmodernism.

UNIT- V: BASIC CONCEPTS OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Family: Universality of family – structure, organization, and functions of family – changes in Indian family, Hindu joint family system and its transition.
Marriage: Definition of Marriage, Problems in Universal definition of Marriage – Marriage Regulations Exogamy and Endogamy – Types of Marriages – Preferential and Prescribed forms of marriage – Functions of Marriage – ways of Acquiring Mates, Marriage payments, Divorce, Marriage patterns in Hindu, Muslims and Christians.
Kinship and Descent: Definition, Kinship in social structure, Terminology, types of kinship systems, Rules of Descent, Descent groups, kinship usages and Analysis of kinship.
Culture: Definition, sub-culture, ethnocentrism, acculturation, assimilation, culture shock, culture loss, enculturation, patterns and configuration.

UNIT –VI: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Meaning, scope and Relevance of Economic Anthropology; Principles governing production, distribution and consumption in communities subsisting on Hunting and gathering, Fishing, Pastoralism, Horticulture Agriculture and Industrial society. Modes of exchange, barter, ceremonial exchange, reciprocity, and redistribution, market and trade in tribal communities. Substantivism vs. Formalism. Meaning and scope of Political Anthropology, power, leadership, Legitimacy – differences between State and Stateless societies. Social control system, Law and
Justice in simple and contemporary societies, New States, Nation building.

UNIT –VII: RESEARCH METHODS AND FIELD WORK TECHNIQUES
Fieldwork tradition in Anthropology, Participant Observation , Case Study, Focus Groups, Key informant interview, questionnaire and schedule, Genealogical method, Ethnographic approach, Visual Ethnography, , Life histories and personal documents. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, Basic statistics; graphical representation of data and sampling methods. Qualitative data analysis techniques: Content analysis, Narrative analysis and Discourse analysis. Writing culture and postmodernism.

UNIT -VIII: SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND RELIGION
Principles of social stratification, Caste, Class and Power systems, The basis of Indian social System: varna, purushartha, karma and rebirth. Religion: Definition and functions of religion – Theories of origin of Religion – Religion and it’s forms, Animism, Animatism, Totemism, Naturalism, Monotheism, Polytheism- Different strands of religion, Folk, Popular and Classical- Religious Functionaries: Cult formation- Religion, Magic and Science, Totem and Taboo and
their ritual significance- Religion and world view – Religion, Economy and political system.

UNIT- IX: TRIBE AND THEIR CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN INDIA
Definition of Tribe, Education, Health, Poverty, Land alienation, Issues of identity: Different Committees and their recommendations, island communities, PVTGs, Tribe and State conflict and compromise, Non-Scheduled Tribes, TRIs and their role in Tribal Development.
Constitutional Safeguards for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Tribal Movements in India.

UNIT –X: DEVELOPMENT ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology of Development and Developmental Anthropology, Applied Anthropology, Action Anthropology, Engaged Anthropology, Business Anthropology, Development Projects and Anthropological Contributions, Top down vs. Bottom up models, Participatory Approaches, Rapid Research Appraisals and other recent trends.

Download Syllabus

Download Syllabus Link : http://www.syllabus.gen.in/uploads/pdf2022/2850-syllabus.pdf