Sociology Optional : Resources, strategy etc
Thread for aspirants with sociology optional to discuss strategy, resources, answer writing and everything else
some basic learnings from previous failures:
1) It’s very important to FINISH the syllabus.
There are 2 parts to the syllabus. One is the CORE part - this includes THINKERS plus some HIGH VALUE topics. Most of the serious aspirants have a decent grasp on these topics. The trend is that not more than 50% of the paper is from this section. The other section has PERIPHERAL topics which appear very general. If you write a general answer here - it won’t work. Must make “Sociological” notes on these general topics.
2) Examples seem to work!
Found in multiple topper copies that they spend 30-40% of the space writing contemporary examples. For ex: If sacred-Profane is asked - you can write about Sabarimala and profanity of menstrual blood.
3) Interlinkage between 2 papers seems to work.
Found in multiple topper copies that when something from Paper-2 is asked, it is linked with some theory or concept in Paper-1.
4) Value of diagrams and flow charts is questionable in Sociology.
Didnt find many diagrams etc in topper copies in Sociology. Most of them wrote in standard 3-line paragraphs combined with points where necessary.
5) Dropping Names works!
For everything you say - if it’s substantiated with the name of a Sociologist or Sociological study - it seems to work. One topper copy had as many as 45 Names in Paper-2. This is a common feature of all topper copies.
6) 75% of paper is from PYQ. Practice them instead of writing random test series.
Equalizer,Reznick99
Augustya_Shrivastava,Reznick99
What test series are you all planning to join?
I had previously joined (before prelims) a reputed coaching's test series after some topper's video but hardly gained commensurate to the price paid. I could hardly contact the checker and was unable to figure out how to improve beyond a certain point. In addition, the teacher did not believe in giving model answers.
When I called the main professor of the Institute, he told me he can do nothing as I was not in Delhi.
So I do not want to join such a centralized opaque Institute where I cannot even figure out how to improve.
Kindly suggest and advice
Brave,neonaren
ShinchanNohara,12432TrivendrumRajdhani
Emerald24,Augustya_Shrivastavasome basic learnings from previous failures:
1) It’s very important to FINISH the syllabus.
There are 2 parts to the syllabus. One is the CORE part - this includes THINKERS plus some HIGH VALUE topics. Most of the serious aspirants have a decent grasp on these topics. The trend is that not more than 50% of the paper is from this section. The other section has PERIPHERAL topics which appear very general. If you write a general answer here - it won’t work. Must make “Sociological” notes on these general topics.
2) Examples seem to work!
Found in multiple topper copies that they spend 30-40% of the space writing contemporary examples. For ex: If sacred-Profane is asked - you can write about Sabarimala and profanity of menstrual blood.
3) Interlinkage between 2 papers seems to work.
Found in multiple topper copies that when something from Paper-2 is asked, it is linked with some theory or concept in Paper-1.
4) Value of diagrams and flow charts is questionable in Sociology.
Didnt find many diagrams etc in topper copies in Sociology. Most of them wrote in standard 3-line paragraphs combined with points where necessary.
5) Dropping Names works!
For everything you say - if it’s substantiated with the name of a Sociologist or Sociological study - it seems to work. One topper copy had as many as 45 Names in Paper-2. This is a common feature of all topper copies.
6) 75% of paper is from PYQ. Practice them instead of writing random test series.
How to make sociological notes on general topics
There is no simple way to do it. I usually do the following 3 things:
1) I check if any content is available for the topic in Harlambos and Giddens
2) I try to see if any of the Thinkers that we have already studied can be applied to the topic
3) I search on Internet --->I join "Sociology" as a keyword beside the topic I'm looking for -->usually some JSTOR article pops up --I try to read it and make notes.
JessicaPearson,EqualizerWhat is caste politics? Substantiate your answer with examples of how identities are defined by caste dynamics.In this question for example if you write:a) Basic definition of Caste Politicsb) Some examples of Caste Politicsc) Some issues with Caste Politicsd) Examples of how identities are defined by Caste Politics.You’ll get average marks.You must at least include some big perspectives of Indian thinkers:a)D.L. Sheth - Politicisation of Casteb) M.N. Srinivas - Vote Bank Politicsc) Rajni Kothari - Caste as Organisational basis for Indian Democracy.d) G.S.Ghurye - Fossilisation of Identities around Caste Politics.e) Eleanor Zelliot - Dalit identity formation and Caste politics.Etc etc etc
The difference is this:
Average Answer: By participation in politics former untouchable castes have started identifying with the Dalit Identity.
Sociological Answer: Eleanor Zelliot through her studies on Mahar sub Caste has shown that Caste Politics leads to simultaneous identification with Dalit, Buddhist as well as the Mahar identity.
Joy101,Vinay12
PrinKed,@PrinKed You may download it from here.https://upscpdf.com/2018/03/sociology-previous-year-question-paper/
PrinKed,
Literally all the advice is out there, my own personal reality over successive failures is that I didn't implement it to the fullest extent.
Vision no longer has a socio test series, na?
I'll probably stick with ForumIAS. Vajiram's faculty are brilliant but I had bad experiences with the actual answer-writing part of their tests, even if their question papers are fantastic (so will try to get my hands on those probably). No experience with Praveen Sir's system, but my problem with these places has always been that you need to really establish a connection with the profs to stick out and get enough personalised etc feedback, and I've never been good at that.
Augustya_Shrivastava,Augustya_Shrivastava,My marks in sociology 2019
P1 - 121 and P2 - 98
Started my journey with 204 in 2016 , 267 in 2017....now 2019 back to same level in 2016... completely shattered... don't know what to do in 2020...
Gather lots of Indian sociologists perspectives. At least 2 names for each subtopic. You’ll see a rise in marks.
Equalizer,My marks in sociology 2019
P1 - 121 and P2 - 98
Started my journey with 204 in 2016 , 267 in 2017....now 2019 back to same level in 2016... completely shattered... don't know what to do in 2020...
Gather lots of Indian sociologists perspectives. At least 2 names for each subtopic. You’ll see a rise in marks.
Sorry to disagree with it. I literally quoted no thinkers other than 4-5 mentioned in the syllabus. I got 135 in p2. And burdened the paper with at least thinkers in paper 1 got 100. Last year I didn't quoted only core thinkers of syllabus still got decent in paper 1.
So I don't think quoting more thinkers works for all. Just telling it didn't work for me this year. Though there is no Clear correlation available from marks .
Well...I didn’t mean to say you have to drop names randomly. You have to add perspectives of Sociologists when you write answers in Paper-2. This definitely helps as long as you do it correctly.
Equalizer,
Equalizer,Equalizer,For current affairs value additions in socio, u can join this telegram group. Its quite good and it's updated daily.
I'm pasting the link here
Smart Sociology Guidance Program
Under the mentorship of S. Sivarajavel (maker of all India sociology topper since 2011)
I'm also attaching a pic from that telegram. No commercial intention and it's good. 
PrinKed,
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