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Indian Sociologists – Class 11 Sociology notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 11 Sociology, chapter 9. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Indian sociology was shaped by pioneers who studied Indian society in its own context. G. S. Ghurye studied caste and race; D. P. Mukerji emphasised tradition and change in Indian culture; A. R. Desai analysed Indian nationalism and the state from a Marxist perspective; and M. N. Srinivas studied village society and introduced concepts such as Sanskritisation and dominant caste. L. K. Ananthakrishna Iyer and Sarat Chandra Roy were early anthropologists.

Pioneers and G. S. Ghurye

L. K. Ananthakrishna Iyer and Sarat Chandra Roy were among the first to study tribes and castes; Roy studied the tribes of Chota Nagpur.
G. S. Ghurye, often called the father of Indian sociology, headed the Bombay department and described six features of caste, including segmentation, hierarchy, restrictions on food and social intercourse, civil and religious privileges and disabilities, restrictions on occupation and restrictions on marriage.
Ghurye also argued that tribes were 'backward Hindus' to be integrated, a view debated by others.

D. P. Mukerji, A. R. Desai and M. N. Srinivas

D. P. Mukerji stressed the importance of Indian traditions, emphasising that change should come from within the tradition, and saw the middle class as important for change.
A. R. Desai used a Marxist approach in 'Social Background of Indian Nationalism' and examined the welfare state critically.
M. N. Srinivas used fieldwork in Rampura and introduced the concepts of Sanskritisation (lower castes adopting customs of higher castes), Westernisation and dominant caste.

Key terms

Sanskritisation: the process by which lower castes adopt customs and rituals of higher castes to raise status
Dominant caste: a caste that is numerically large, owns land and has political power in a region
Westernisation: changes in Indian society due to contact with Western culture
Welfare state: a state that takes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens
Segmental division: division of society into closed groups, a feature of caste

Important questions with answers

What is Sanskritisation?2 marks

Sanskritisation, a concept given by M. N. Srinivas, is the process by which a lower caste or tribe adopts the customs, rituals, beliefs and way of life of a higher caste, usually Brahmin, in order to claim a higher position in the caste hierarchy.

What is a dominant caste?3 marks

A dominant caste, according to Srinivas, is a caste that is numerically strong, owns a large share of land, has economic and political power, and has a relatively high ritual status in a region, such as the Jats of Punjab or the Vokkaligas of Karnataka.

Describe G. S. Ghurye's features of caste.5 marks

G. S. Ghurye, one of the founders of Indian sociology, described six features of the caste system. First, segmental division: society is divided into closed segments or castes, membership of which is determined by birth. Second, hierarchy: castes are ranked in a hierarchy of purity and pollution, with Brahmins usually at the top and so-called untouchables at the bottom. Third, restrictions on feeding and social intercourse: detailed rules govern what kinds of food can be accepted from which castes and who can mix socially with whom. Fourth, civil and religious disabilities and privileges: some castes had privileges, while lower castes faced restrictions such as being denied access to temples, wells and public places. Fifth, lack of choice of occupation: castes were traditionally linked to hereditary occupations, restricting freedom to choose work. Sixth, restrictions on marriage: castes practise endogamy, marrying within the caste, though some sub-castes and exogamous rules within caste exist. Ghurye's account was influential, though later sociologists noted that caste has been changing with education, urbanisation, democracy and economic change, and that caste practices varied regionally.

Quick revision

Pioneers: Ananthakrishna Iyer, S. C. Roy.
Ghurye: caste features; tribes.
D. P. Mukerji: tradition; A. R. Desai: Marxist approach.
Srinivas: Sanskritisation, dominant caste, Westernisation.

Exam tips

Match each sociologist with one key work or concept.
Learn Ghurye's six features of caste.

Practice MCQs

The concept of Sanskritisation was given by
1. G. S. Ghurye
2. A. R. Desai
3. M. N. Srinivas
4. D. P. Mukerji
Show answer
Answer: (c) M. N. Srinivas. He studied Rampura village.
'Social Background of Indian Nationalism' was written by
1. S. C. Roy
2. Ghurye
3. Srinivas
4. A. R. Desai
Show answer
Answer: (d) A. R. Desai. It uses a Marxist approach.
Who is often called the father of Indian sociology
1. M. N. Srinivas
2. G. S. Ghurye
3. D. P. Mukerji
4. A. R. Desai
Show answer
Answer: (b) G. S. Ghurye. He headed the Bombay department.
Sarat Chandra Roy is known for studying the tribes of
1. Chota Nagpur
2. Kerala
3. Nilgiris
4. Andaman
Show answer
Answer: (a) Chota Nagpur. He worked in present-day Jharkhand.
A caste that is numerically large, owns land and has political power is called a
1. Sanskritised caste
2. dominant caste
3. scheduled caste
4. backward caste
Show answer
Answer: (b) dominant caste. Srinivas introduced this idea.
D. P. Mukerji emphasised the importance of
1. Western models only
2. Indian tradition and change from within
3. class conflict only
4. ignoring culture
Show answer
Answer: (b) Indian tradition and change from within. He studied culture and tradition.
Sanskritisation refers to
1. higher castes adopting Western habits
2. abolition of caste
3. lower castes adopting customs of higher castes to claim higher status
4. tribal conversion only
Show answer
Answer: (c) lower castes adopting customs of higher castes to claim higher status. It brings positional change, not structural change.
Ghurye's view that tribes were 'backward Hindus' was criticised because
1. it denied tribal identity and distinctiveness
2. it supported tribal autonomy
3. it ignored Hinduism
4. it was based on statistics only
Show answer
Answer: (a) it denied tribal identity and distinctiveness. Others argued for protecting tribal culture.

All chapters of Class 11 Sociology

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.