Since the syllabus on anthropology has several segments, it is necessary to read at least some basic books on each specific segment. Let me suggest some basic reading: Indrani Basu Roy, Anthropology: The Study of People; Stein Rowe, Physical Anthropology; B. M. Das, Outlines of Physical Anthropology; R.M. Sarkar, Fundamentals of Physical Anthropology; Miller & Weitz, Introduction to Anthropology; L.P.Vidyarthi, Applied Anthropology in India; Vidyarthi & Rai, Tribal Culture in India; Majumdar & Madan, An Introduction to Social Anthropology; M.N.Srinivas, Social Structure and Caste & Other Essays; NCERT text-book on Indian society; reports of the SC/ST and Social Welfare Departments of the Government of India. One must remember that for the second paper, in particular, conceptual clarity is essential to score well.

Public administration

Public administration is another popular choice. It is largely non-technical and can be offered by students of both science and humanities/social science streams. Another attraction of this subject is the common ground it shares with many other subjects like commerce, psychology, management, sociology and economics. The section on Indian administration, planning and public expenditure will help in the preparation of the general studies paper as well.

Both the papers have two sections. The first paper deals with administrative theory. The first section addresses meaning, scope and significance of public administration, theories of administration, structure of public organisations, administrative behaviour, accountability and control and administrative law.

Section B includes administrative reforms, comparative public administration, development administration, public policy, personnel administration and financial administration. The second paper is on Indian administration. Section A has the following units: evolution of Indian administration, constitutional framework, union government and administration, state government and administration, district administration, local government, and public sector. Units in section B are: public services, control of public expenditure, administrative reforms etc.

Common sense and regular reading of the newspapers will automatically help you to be prepared for this subject.

Suggested reading list: Mohit Bhattacharya, Public Administration: Structure, Process & Behaviour; Henry, Public Administration & Public Affairs; Nigro & Nigro, Modern Public Administration; Sharma & Sadana, Public Administration: Theory & Practice; Singh, Management Thought and Thinkers; Terry & Franklin, Principles of Management; S.P. Robbing, Organisation Behaviour; Tyagi, Personnel Administration; Thavaraj, Financial Administration in India; Jain, Administrative Law; Arora, Comparative Public Administration; Madan, Policy Making in Government; B.N.Puri, Administrative History of India; D.D.Basu, An Introduction to the Constitution of India; Awasthi, Central Administration; Paranjape, Planning Commission; Laxmi Narayan, Principles and Practice of Public enterprise Management; Sharma, Law and Order Administration in India; Shukla, State Administration; Khera, District Administration etc.

Political science is a major subject, and continues to be offered by many students. It has the advantage of sharing a lot of common ground with the paper on general studies. This subject is also offered by those who did not read it earlier. It may also prepare you for the essay paper, where it is not uncommon to be asked to write an essay on Indian polity. The full title of the paper is political science and international relations.

Sample Test Paper

Anthropology

Short Notes (200 words). 1. Ecological anthropology. 2. Problems of dating prehistoric archaeology. 3. Anthropology of sports. 4. Longitudinal growth. 5. Role of the anthropologist as an administrator

Essay-type. 1. Examine family both as a social group and as an institution. Describe the functions of family and household, indicating therein the recent changes. 2. Define religion in anthropological perspective. Bring out the impact of Christianity on the converted and non-converted tribal groups of India.

Public administration

Short Notes. 1. A theory of public administration means in our time a theory of politics also. 2. A major problem with comparative public administration is that it has been behavioural. 3. ?The Indian Constitution is a bag of borrowed materials?. 4. ?The most important feature of the second generation panchayats is their change from local developmental organisations to local political institutions?.

Essay-type. 1. Describe the methods by which the Public Accounts Committee and the Estimates Committee control administration. 2. Critically review the relationship between the district magistrate and the superintendent of police in the field of law and order management in a district.