Here are all 25 Religion and Tribes; Tribe and Nation State questions asked in UPSC Anthropology Optional Paper II from 1995 to 2026, arranged under the 2 topics of the official syllabus. Within each topic the latest questions come first.
Each question ends with a code such as [2024/15m/3b] – the year, the marks, the word limit (where UPSC set one) and the question number in the paper.
8.1] Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies
16 questions
Discuss the impact of Christianity on the tribal population of Jharkhand. [2026/15m/3b]
Write a short note on: Buddhist tribes of India. [2026/10m/150w/5a]
Evaluate the impact of Christianity on Scheduled Tribe societies of North-East India. [2025/15m/2c]
Explain the social and religious consequences of contact between tribal and non-tribal populations. [2022/15m/7c]
Critically assess the impact of Christianity on tribal culture and identity. [2021/15m/3c]
Explain the impact of Hinduism on Tribal people of India. [2020/15m/3c]
Describe the impact of Buddhism on the tribal populations of India. [2019/15m/2c]
Write a short note on: Impact of Christianity on Indian tribes. [2017/10m/150w/5e]
Discuss the impact of Islam on scheduled tribes of India. [2016/15m/7b]
Critically examine the role of NGOs and missionaries in transformation of scheduled tribes in Central India. [2016/15m/8b]
Discuss the impact of Hinduism on the status of tribal women in Central India. [2015/15m/3b]
Write a short note on: Impact of Christianity on tribes. [2014/10m/150w/5e]
Using ethnographic examples, highlight the processes of religious conversions in Tribal India. [2012/20m/3b]
Discuss the impact of Hindu Society on tribal population in India. [2011/30m/6a]
Analyse the impact of Christianity on tribal communities with special reference to North-East India. [2009/60m/6]
Write a short note on: Impact of Christianity on tribal societies. [2000/20m/200w/5b]
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9 questions
Critically evaluate the concept of Nation-State and describe its impact on indigenous societies. [2025/15m/7c]
Describe ILO’s Convention No. 169 (1989) on Indigenous and Tribal people. Is India a signatory to it? [2024/10m/150w/5b]
Distinguish a ‘Theocratic State’ from a secular, liberal, democratic state. Illustrate your answer with examples from tribal and contemporary societies. [2024/15m/8b]
Discuss with appropriate examples how tribal unrest may be understood as emerging out of an incompatibility between tribes and the nation-state. [2019/20m/8a]
Critically evaluate the term ‘tribe’ (as used in India) as compared to the term ‘indigenous’ in some other countries. [2017/20m/7a]
Tribe as a colonial construct. [2016/10m/150w/5d]
Discuss the concept of ‘indigenous people’ as per the relevant UN convention. Are tribals of India indigenous people? Comment. [2012/20m/2b]
Critically examine the relationship between tribal communities and the Nation-State on issues of governance. [2012/20m/2c]
Write a short note on: Tribes as Indigenous Cultures. [2008/20m/200w/5c]
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Last updated: 30 October 2026