ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 2010
M.A. (SOCIOLOGY)
TIME: 2 HOURS MAX. MARKS: 100 HALL TICKET NUMBER
Read carefully the following instructions:
1.
This question paper has two parts: Part A and Part B.

2.
Part A consists of 25 objective type questions of one mark each. There is negative marking of 0.33 marks for every wrong answer. Marks obtained by the candidate in this part will be used for resolving tie cases. Part B carries 75 marks.

3.
The entrance test paper is not to be taken out of the examination hall.

4.
Answers should be written in the space provided after each question.

5.
Use the last page for your rough work.


This book contains 16 pages
PART-A
QUESTION 1 COMPREHENSION MARKS: 15
Conformity and Deviance
l-Iuman social life is governed by norms or mles. Our activities would collapse into chaos if we did not stick to mles which define some kinds of behaviour as appropriate in given contexts, and others as inappropriate. Orderly behaviour on the highway, for example, would be impossible if drivers did not observe the rules of driving on the left and other traffic conventions. The nonns we follow in our actions give the social world its orderly and predictable character, and much of sociology is concerned with showing how social order is achieved. But there is another side to the story. Not everyone confirms to social expectations all of-the time. Drivers some time disregard the mles of traffic behaviour even if the lives of others are thereby endangered. When in a great hurry, or under the influence of drink, a person might drive recklessly, perhaps even taking a shortcut up a one way street. People quite often deviate from the rules they are expected to follow.

The study of deviant behaviour is one of the most fascinating tasks of sociology. It is a complex area of analysis because there are many types of rule violation as there are social norms and social values. Since nonns vary between different cultures, and between different subcultures within the same society, what is normal in one cultural setting is deviant in another. Smoking marijuana is a deviant activity in British culture while drinking alcohol is not. Exactly, the reverse is the case in some Middle-Eastern societies.
Deviance may be defined as non-conformity to a given norm, or set of norms, which are accepted by a significant number of people in a community or society. No society can be divided up in a simple way between those who deviate from norms and those who conform to them. Most of us on some occasions transgress generally accepted rules of behaviour. Many people have at some point committed minor acts of theft, like taking something from a shop without paying for it, or appropriating small items from work-such as office note paper -and putting them to private use. Large numbers of individuals have smoked marijuana, purchased alcohol while under-age, used illegal drugs, are taken part in prohibited sexual practices.
The scope of the concept of deviance is very wide, as some examples will illustrate. The American Billionaire Howard Hughes was a highly successful businessman, who bui It up his massive fortune through a mixture of hard work, inventive ideas and shrewd decisions. In terms of his drive to individual success, his activities in business conform to some of the key values in western societies-values emphasizing the desirahility of material rewards and individual achievement. On the other hand, in some areas his hehaviour deviated sharply from orthodox norms. He lived the last few years of his life almost. completely isolated from the outside world, hardly even coming out of the hotel suite, which he had made his home. He let his hair grow very long and cultivated a long straggly beard, making him look more like biblical prophet than a successful businessman.
Hughes was both highly successful and highly deviant in his behaviour. As a contrasting example we might take the career of Ted Bundy. Bundy's way of life, on the face of things, conformed to the norms of behaviour of a good citizen. Bundy led what seemed on the surface to be not only a normal life, but a most worthy one. For example, he played an active role in the Samaritans, an association which organizes a twenty-four hour phone-in service for people who are distressed or suicidal. Yet, Bundy had also carried out a series of horrific murders. Before sentencing him to death, the Judge at his trial praised Bundy for his abilities (he had prepared his own defence), but finished by noting what a waste he has made of his life. Bundy's career shows that a person can seem entirely normal while secretly engaging in acts of extreme deviance.
Deviance does not just refer to individual behaviour, but concerns of the activities of groups as well. An illustration is the Hare Krishna cult, a religious group whose beliefs and mode of life are quite different from those of majority of the people living in the United Kingdom. The cult was established in New York in 1965, when Sri Prabhupada came from India to spread the word of Krishna consciousness to the west.
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He aimed his message particularly at young people who were drug users, proclaiming that one could 'stay high all the time, discover eternal bliss', by following his teachings (Rockford, 1985). The Hare Krishnas became a familier sight to many, dancing and chanting in the streets. They were regarded in a tolerant light by 1110st of the population
even if their beliefs seemed eccentric.
The Hare Krishnas represent an example of a deviant sub-culture. Although their membership today has declined, they have been able to survive fairly easily within the wider society. The organization is wealthy, financed by donations given by members and sympathizers. Their position diverges from that of another deviant sub-culture which might be mentioned here by way of contrast: the homeless. People who are 'down and out' live on the streets by day, spending their time in parks or in public buildings (like Libraries). They may sleep outside as well, or find refuge in dosshouses. Many of the homeless manage to eke out only a miserable existence on the fringes of the wider
society.
Comprehension Questions
1. Norms or rules contribute to the following in social life.
a.
Order and predictability in human actions

b.
Defining behaviour as appropriate or inappropriate

c.
Achieving social order

d.
All of the above.


2. Norms and Values are not part of
a.
the lives of human beings

b.
orderly human behaviour

c.
traffic behaviour

d.
chaos and confusion


3. Sociology is as much concerned with
a.
how social order is achieved as with the basis of deviant behaviour

b.
the rules of traffic behaviour as with the drinking of alcohol

c.
western culture as with non-western culture.

d.
none ofthe above.


4. A society that has no deviants
a.
is a society without norms

b.
only has conformist and non-conformist

c.
is a rule-bound society

d.
is a non-existent


5. Deviance may be defined as
a.
a form of non-conformity

b.
a form of transgressive behaviour

c.
culturally conditioned

d.
all ofthe above.



6. An activity need not be considered as a deviant act throughout the world because
a.
social norms and values are the same.

b.
people followed different religions

c.
different societies have their own unique norms and values.

d.
there are no universally approved views on deviance.


7. The orderly character of the world is because of
a.
human virtues taught by religions

b.
conformity to social expectations

c.
morality

d.
socialization


8. What is normal in one society need not be so in another because
a.
different societies have different cultures

b.
what is normal depends on religious texts

c.
social norms and values are different.

d.
penal and criminal codes are different.


9. All kinds of deviant acts are committed by
a.
a minority

b.
most of us

c.
all ofus

d.
none of us.


10. In western societies, a successful person
a.
does not lead a secluded life

b.
is not materialistic

c.
leads a pious life

d.
is able to accomplish material rewards and individual achievement.


I. Howard Hughes and Ted Bundy represent instances of
a.
successful conformist behaviour

b.
contrasting concepts of deviance

c.
normal deviance

d.
extreme deviance.


12. Group activities
a.
cannot be studied by sociologists of deviance

b.
that are non-conformist may be deviant sub-cultures.

c.
of deviants are studied only by psychologists

d.
of deviants need a separate set of legal institutions.


4

13. Hare Krishna cult is considered as a deviant cult, because its members
a.
indulge in criminal activities

b.
are drug users.

c.
have different beliefs and lifestyles

d.
criticize Christianity.


14. All kinds ofdeviant sub-cultures are
a.
treated by society in different ways.

b.
treated by society in the same way.

c.
disliked by society

d.
banned by the govermnent.


15. The homeless are deviants because
a.
they follow all traffic rules.

b.
they can never be a part of a sub-culture

c.
they live on the fringes of society.

d.
they join the public library.


QUESTION NO.2: ARITHMETIC AND REASONING MARKS: 10
1. A clock strikes once at 1 clock, twice at 2 clock, thrice at 3 clock and so on. How many times will strike in 24 hours?
144 156 288 300
2. lmran is taller than Raj. Nirmala is taller than Pranav but not as tall as Raj. Stephen is taller than Imran. Who is the shortest among them?
Raj Pranav Nirmala Imran
3. The average of XI, Xl, X3 and X4 is 16. Half of the sum of Xl, X3 and X4 is 23. What is the value ofXI
18 19 20 17
4. The wages of an employee were first reduced by 40% and then increased by 50%. What was her percentage of loss?
15 No loss 10 12
5. Complete the series

17-07-2006 24-07-2006 07-08-2006


04-09-2006


5


s-2.k>


18-09-2006 02-10-2006 16-10-2006


30-10-2006


6. IfUGC stands for 21, 3 then HCU stands for?
21 21, 9 21 14,3,9
7. Complete the series
18, 23, 33, 48

36 42 38 43
8. 25 75% of
33 32 30 None of these
9. Statement: A Professor insisted that 'Teacher evaluation' will be valid, if marked

at the end of the term when teaching of all the courses was over.
Inference Mid term evaluations are not valid as the courses are not over. Inference The Professor is afraid of poor evaluation by students Inference The Professor does not approve of students evaluation of teachers
State which of the given inference are valid
1and 2 1and 3 1 only 3 only
10.If4X- 2Y=8and 3Y-2X=20,then l2X-6Yis?
20 22 24 26
PARTB QUESTION NO.1 PRECIS MARKS: 30
"'rite in your own words a summary of the following passage in about 120 words. Also give a title for the summary.
India is a country of enormous linguistic diversity. It has some sixteen major languages, often with different scripts, and over 500 major dialects. Although multilinguaL India choose the numerically dominant Hindi language as the language of Indian State. India continues to rely on English as the all India link language for administrative communication, and also for imparting higher education. In turn, this has
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created a linguistic divide and inequality of opportunities between those who know and those who do not know English.
It is almost unique in modem political history that despite many tensions,
generated by her multi-religious, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural character,
this huge country has managed to consolidate itself increasingly as a nation state over
timc. In the early years of independence, the common focus of an anti-colonial struggle
acted as binding force. The hopes of a better economic and freer political life which
independence from foreign rule brought with it, acted as a further catalyst in this process.
Over the last six decades since independence, some of these hopes and aspirations have
been partially realised; others badly dashed. The story of the post-independence India is
one of spectacular success combined with unforgivable failures.
Our unforgivable failure has been the persistence of mass poverty and destitution.
It is a matter of utter shame that nearly six decades after independence, we have
anywhere between one third to one fourth of our people desperately poor and denied of
the minimum conditions for human existence-the largest number of illiterates, millions
of children crippled or blinded due to malnourishment. At the end of twentieth century,
according to one estimate, India had 260 million people or roughly one fourth of its
population under the so-called 'poverty the very minimum needed for existence.
Of them, nearly two hundred million are in rural areas in the rest in urban areas.
But the number of persons below the poverty line hardly tell the sad story of the failure of our system. For this, we may use another statistic, the so-called 'human development index', which is a composite index meant to take into account health conditions of population (indexed by longevity), access to education, as well as income. Although imperfect, this index gives some idea of living conditions. In 2002, India had the low rank of 127 among 175 countries on the Human Development Index of the United Nations. Compared to the rank of95 in terms of per-capita income in purchasing power parity, this even lower rank of 127 suggests that compared to income, access to education and health probably even worse for the poor in India. Two out of every five adults remained illiterate in India in 2002, and the health indicators tell an equally dismal story. What is even more distressing, these figures are considerably more dismal for women, and for the dalits. They show how economic inequality is reinforced in our society by inequality resulting from acute gender and caste and, compounded at times by religious discriminations. The unforgivable fact remains that the democratic polity of India has been incapable of correcting these gross inequalities despite six decades of
independence.
Start writing from here
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S-2.,b

QUESTION NO. II SHORT NOTE MARKS: 15
Write a short note (150 words) on any ONE of the following topics:
1.
Women's Reservation Bill

2.
Right to education

3.
Social relations and the internet


Start writing from here
10


QUESTION NO. III ESSAY
MARKS: 30
Write an essay of 500 words on any ONE ofthe following:
I. Gandhi and his relevance in contemporary society.
2.
Politics of regionalism in India.

3.
Sports as business and entertainment.


Start writing from here
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