UPSC Civil Services Examination Social Justice, Society and International Relations Syllabus

Social Justice, Society and International Relations syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Social Justice, Society and International Relations in UPSC Civil Services Examination, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Indian Society

   4 topics

   • Salient Features of Indian Society and Diversity
     • Caste, religion and regionalism
     • Unity in diversity
   • Role of Women and Women's Organisations
   • Population, Poverty and Developmental Issues
   • Urbanisation, Globalisation and Social Change
     • Effects of globalisation on Indian society
     • Communalism, regionalism and secularism
2. 2

   Social Justice and Welfare

   4 topics

   • Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections
     • SC, ST, OBC, minorities and PwD
     • Mechanisms, laws and institutions
   • Health, Education and Human Resources
     • Public health policy and challenges
     • Education sector reforms and NEP
   • Poverty and Hunger Issues
   • Role of NGOs, SHGs and Civil Society in Development
3. 3

   India and the World

   4 topics

   • India and its Neighbourhood
     • Relations with Pakistan, China and SAARC nations
     • Neighbourhood First and Act East policies
   • Bilateral and Regional Groupings
     • Groupings involving India and their mandate
     • India and major powers
   • Indian Diaspora
   • Effect of Foreign Policies on India's Interests
4. 4

   International Institutions and Global Issues

   3 topics

   • United Nations and its Agencies
     • UNSC, UNGA and reform demands
     • Specialised agencies
   • Important International Institutions and Fora
     • IMF, World Bank, WTO
     • G20, BRICS, QUAD, SCO
   • Global Groupings, Agreements and their Structure

Social Justice, Society and International Relations flashcards for UPSC Civil Services Examination

22 of 51 cards from the Social Justice, Society and International Relations deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the salient features of Indian society?

   Unity in diversity, multi-religious and multi-lingual character, caste system, joint family system, patriarchy, rural-agrarian base, spirituality and tolerance, and synthesis of tradition and modernity.

2. What is meant by 'unity in diversity' in the Indian context?

   Despite vast diversity in religion, language, region, caste, and ethnicity, India maintains an underlying cultural and emotional unity bound by a common civilizational heritage and constitutional framework.

3. How many languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

   22 languages are recognized in the Eighth Schedule.

4. What is the difference between 'sanskritisation' and 'westernisation' (M.N. Srinivas)?

   Sanskritisation is a lower caste adopting the customs, rituals, and lifestyle of a higher caste to raise status within the caste hierarchy; westernisation is the adoption of Western technology, institutions, values, and lifestyle due to contact with the West.

5. Define 'secularism' as practiced in India.

   Indian secularism means equal respect for all religions (sarva dharma sambhava) and state non-discrimination on religious grounds, rather than strict separation of religion and state as in Western models.

6. What constitutional provisions empower women in India?

   Article 14 (equality), Article 15(3) (special provisions for women), Article 16 (equal opportunity), Article 39(d) (equal pay), Article 42 (maternity relief), and 73rd/74th Amendments (33% reservation in local bodies).

7. What is the significance of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments for women?

   They reserve at least one-third of seats for women in Panchayats (73rd) and Municipalities (74th), enabling grassroots political participation.

8. Name three major women's organisations in India.

   Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), and the National Commission for Women (NCW).

9. What does the term 'feminisation of agriculture' mean?

   The increasing share of women in agricultural labour as men migrate to non-farm and urban work, leaving women to do the bulk of farm work, often without land ownership rights.

10. What is India's sex ratio as per Census 2011?

    943 females per 1000 males overall; the child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 919 females per 1000 males.

11. What are the three stages of demographic transition theory?

    Stage 1: high birth and high death rates (stable, low growth); Stage 2: high birth and falling death rates (rapid growth); Stage 3: low birth and low death rates (stable, low growth).

12. What is the 'demographic dividend'?

    The economic growth potential resulting from a rising share of working-age population (15-64 years) relative to the dependent population, which India is currently experiencing.

13. What is Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and India's current level?

    TFR is the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime; India's TFR is about 2.0 (NFHS-5), below the replacement level of 2.1.

14. What is the difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty?

    Absolute poverty is the inability to meet minimum basic needs (a fixed threshold); relative poverty is deprivation compared to the rest of society's average standard of living.

15. What is the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)?

    An index by UNDP/OPHI measuring poverty across three dimensions—health, education, and standard of living—using 10 indicators, capturing deprivations beyond income.

16. Which committee defined the poverty line in India most recently?

    The Rangarajan Committee (2014), which raised the poverty line estimates above those of the earlier Tendulkar Committee.

17. What is urbanisation?

    The increasing concentration of population in urban areas and the process by which towns and cities grow due to migration, natural increase, and reclassification of rural areas.

18. What is a 'census town' in India?

    A settlement classified as urban based on criteria: minimum population of 5,000, density of at least 400 persons/sq km, and at least 75% of male workers in non-agricultural activities, even without municipal status.

19. Define globalisation.

    The process of increasing interconnection and integration of economies, cultures, and societies across the world through trade, capital flows, technology, and movement of people and ideas.

20. What is 'cultural homogenisation' as a consequence of globalisation?

    The tendency for local cultures to become similar to a dominant (often Western) global culture, leading to loss of cultural diversity and distinct local identities.

21. Name three welfare schemes targeting Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

    Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Stand Up India (for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs), and the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana.

22. What is the objective of MGNREGA?

    The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005) guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment per year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.

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