sociology

Sociology Q&A 2023

Topical Test - 13

SOCIOLOGY
Time Allowed: 1:30 Hrs. Max. Marks: 100

1. The changing demographic profile of India warrants immediate action to effectively accommodate
the aged population. Examine the situation sociologically.

2. New technology carries with itself potential implication on national and global stratification.
Examine through sociological lens.

3. Do you agree with the contention that climatic changes are a result of human action? Examine
through sociological lens.

4. Lately India has witnessed an influx of political refugees. In this light, evaluate the concept of
nation- state construction in modern societies.

5. Ethno-nationalism has assumed renewed importance in the face of growing demands. Illustrate
suitable examples from the Indian context.

6. The new labour laws indicate a solution against 'time slavery' in the IT industry. Scrutinize the
4 day work week in this light.

7. Examine the contention that Capitalism thrives on immigrant or refugee labour economy.

8. The field of sports has been marred by gender bias. Critically examine.

9. Analyze the incidence of rising domestic violence in the context of shadow pandemic.

10. Media is a double edged sword as it plays an instrumental role in moral panic as well as in
mass mobilisations. Support your answers with suitable illustrations.

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Remarks
 Sociology Q&A 2023
Topical Test - 13

SOCIOLOGY
Ans
Answwer Hints
1. The changing demographic profile of India warrants immediate action to effectively
accommodate the aged population. Examine the situation sociologically.
Hints:
With a population of 1.4 billion, India accounts for about 17.5 per cent of the world’s population, i.e.
1 of every 6 people on the planet live in India. Further, according to the 2022 edition of the United
Nations’ World Population Prospects (WPP), India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most
populous country in 2023. Moreover, India is currently at a stage of demographic transition with a
substantial percentage of the youth population. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) has released ‘Youth in India 2022’ Report, which shows that the population
share of the youth is starting to decline whereas the share of the elderly is expected to increase
during 2021-2036.
The proportion of elderly population to the total population has increased from 6.8% in 1991 to 9.2%
in 2016 and is projected to reach 14.9% in 2036. On the contrary, youth in the age group of 15-29
years comprise 27.2% of the population for the year 2021 which is expected to decrease to 22.7 by
2036. This means that the changing demographic profile of India warrants immediate action to
effectively accommodate the aged population.
What is India’s Demographic Dividend?
While India is a young country, the status and pace of population ageing vary among States. Southern
States, which are advanced in demographic transition, already have a higher percentage of older
people. While Kerala’s population is already ageing, in Bihar the working age cohort is predicted to
continue increasing till 2051. The differences in age structure reflect differences in economic
development and health of the states.
There are ways we can take advantage from the Demographic Dividend:
• Fiscal resources can be diverted from spending on children to investing in modern physical and
human infrastructure that will increase the economic sustainability of India.
• With more than 65% of the working age population, India can rise as an economic superpower,
supplying more than half of Asia’s potential workforce over the coming decades.
• Increase in the Labour Force that enhances the productivity of the economy.
• Rise in Women’s Workforce that naturally accompanies a decline in fertility, and which can be a
new source of growth.
• India ranked at 131st position by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human
Development Index 2020, which is alarming. Therefore, health and education parameters need
to be improved substantially to make the Indian workforce efficient and skilled.
• There is mounting concern that future growth could turn out to be jobless due to de-
industrialization, de-globalization, and the industrial revolution 4.0. As per the NSSO Periodic
Labour Force Survey 2017-18, India’s labour force participation rate for the age-group 15-59
years is around 53%, that is, around half of the working age population is jobless.
• Without proper policies, the increase in the working-age population may lead to rising
unemployment, fuelling economic and social risks.
• A greater proportion of elderly in the population in future will create a demand for better
healthcare facilities and development of welfare schemes/programmes for elderly people.
What should India do moving forward:
• Fulfilling Health Related Requirements: More finance for health as well as better health facilities
from the available funding needs to be ensured and reproductive healthcare services need to be
made accessible on a rights-based approach.
• Bridging Gender Gaps in Workforce: New skills and opportunities for women and girls befitting
their participation in a 3 trillion dollar economy is urgently needed. This can be done by:
- Legally compulsory gender budgeting to analyse gender disaggregated data and its impact
on policies
- Increasing childcare benefits
- Boosting tax incentives for part-time work
• Federal Approach for Diverse States: A new federal approach to governance reforms for

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demographic dividend will need to be put in place for policy coordination between States on
various emerging population issues such as migration, ageing, skilling, female workforce
participation and urbanisation. Inter-ministerial coordination for strategic planning, investment,
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monitoring and course correction should be an important feature of this governance arrangement.
• Inter-Sectoral Collaborations: Moving forward towards accommodating the elderly workforce, it
is imperative to put in place mechanisms for better inter-sectoral collaboration.
2. New technology carries with itself potential implication on national and global
stratification. Examine through sociological lens.
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Approach:
• Introduction with the sociological understanding on global stratification .
• Conextualise the argument regarding human and technology through sociological perspective.
• Highlight how technology create global stratification on various area through sociological
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perspective.
Hints:
While stratification in the refers to the unequal distribution of resources among individuals, global
stratification refers to this unequal distribution among nations.
Global stratification refers to the unequal distribution of wealth, power, prestige, resources, and
influence among the world’s nations.
Countries Stratified into 3 levels:
• Core (wealthy, highly developed, slow population growth , high standard of living)- U.S., Europe
• Periphery (poor, less developed, rapid population growth, lower standard of living)- Africa
• Semi- periphery (beginning to develop ; may become core) India and China.
Technology and human life cannot be separated; society has a cyclical co-dependence on technology.
We use technology; depend on technology in our daily life and our needs and demands for technology
keep on rising. Technology has enhanced productivity, accelerated economic growth, enabled
knowledge and information sharing and increased access to basic services.
Positive impact of technology
1. Technology has mechanized agriculture: Technology allows a small number of people to grow
vast quantities of food in a short period of time with less input which results into high yields and
RIO “return on investment”.
[2] Hints: Sociology
2. A good example is Egypt, this is a desert country which receives little rain, but small and big
farmers have used automated sprinklers to irrigate their farms. In Egypt, they grow a lot of rice,
yet this crop needs sufficient water to grow well. The water is pumped from River Nile to the
rice fields on a daily basis.
3. Technology has improved communication: Communication is used for a number of purposes.
Both society and organizations depend on communication to transfer information. People use
technology to communicate with each other.
4. Technology has improved education and learning process: Education is the backbone of every
economy. People need well and organized educational infrastructures so that they can learn
how to interpret information.
5. Automobiles, for example, had a significant impact on social interactions. Workers were no
longer required to live near their place of employment. Housewives could easily handle errands.
As overall productivity and efficiency improved, people had more time for leisure and recreation.
Families could pay regular visits to distant relatives. It provided a new way for people to socialise,
particularly adolescents. The technology, family structure, and social values of a society all interact
strongly.
Technology also carries stratification:

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• Functionalist perspective is a macroanalytical view that assert that we have global inequality
because some nation are better than other at adapting a new technology and profiting from a
globalized economy , and that when core nation companies locate in peripheral nations, they
expand the local economy and benefits the workers.
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• Robinson refers to “digital disparities,” which manifest as differences in ability and participation
in the digital world, People without Internet access face disadvantages in areas such as academic
performance and labour market success.
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• A conflict theorist addressed the systematic inequity created when core nations exploit the
resources of peripheral nations. Many American businesses, for example, exploit foreign workers
who lack the same legal protections and minimum wage guarantees as those found in the United
States.
• Gordon Childe gave an evolutionary theory in terms of technological advance. He described its
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sequence in terms of advancement of tools making capabilities of man. After the discovery of
iron the surplus started to accumulate in agriculture. Development of wheel and script led to
Urban revolution followed by industrial revolution.
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AI investment will benefit countries that are more likely to adopt new technologies. By giving those
with the necessary infrastructure, access, investments, and knowledge revolutionary opportunities
while leaving those who have not adopted new technologies behind.
Mobile technology promotes financial inclusion in countries with underdeveloped financial
infrastructure, and international marketplaces facilitate trade.
Rising inequality, on the other hand, is harming high- and middle-income countries by displacing a
large number of well-paying blue-collar jobs in favour of labor-saving technology.
Technology gaps in developing countries: In the United States, even people from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds have access to the Internet and a basic understanding of the digital world. In developing
countries, however, access to technology is more limited.
In India, technological changes have impacted the lives of people in many ways. It includes gender
equality as women are getting employment, economic growth with increase in efficiency, secularization
of life goals is happening and new methods of learning has opened new vistas for the young generation.
Although science and technology accelerates the social change but it will be more peaceful if these
changes are indigenous and slow. Also, they must be acceptable to all. Otherwise some affected
groups can use the same technology to stop its spread.

Hints: Sociology [3]

Impact on social structure: Similar to the domino effect that occurred during the automobile industry’s
boom, consumer goods demand fueled the growth of other industries and increased demand for
labour, resulting in higher worker wages (Gordon and Gordon). Technology has elevated women’s
status, but it has also contributed to the stresses and strains in male-female domestic relationships.
3. Do you agree with the contention that climatic changes are a result of human action?
Examine through sociological lens.
Approach:
• Define Climate change through sociological perspective.
• Highlight various factor which are responsible for climate change and its impact.
• Give a suitable conclusion to which highlight the topic.
Hints:
Climate change is a critical problem, spanning across national boundaries and socioeconomic political
spheres.
Sociologist Kari Marie Norgaard advocates Climate change is caused by people acting in groups.
Norgaard found that people who appeared apathetic about the climate crisis actually knew and

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cared about it, but they avoided the subject because it caused painful emotions like helplessness, fear,
and guilt. OR
Humans are responsible for climate change largely due to our greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse
gases trap heat from the sun as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere.
1. Deforestation:
• Plants are the primary source of oxygen on the planet. They absorb CO2 and emit oxygen,
thereby maintaining environmental balance.
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• Forests are being depleted for a variety of domestic and commercial reasons. This has resulted
in an environmental imbalance, which has contributed to global warming.
2. Vehicle Use:
• Vehicles emit a large amount of carbon dioxide and other toxins into the atmosphere, resulting
in a temperature increase.
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3. Chlorofluorocarbon:
• With the excessive use of air conditioners and refrigerators, humans have been adding CFCs
into the environment which affects the atmospheric ozone layer.
• The ozone layer protects the earth surface from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the
sun.
• The CFCs have led to ozone layer depletion making way for the ultraviolet rays, thereby
increasing the temperature of the earth.
4. Industrial Development:
• The earth’s temperature has been rapidly rising since the advent of industrialization. The
harmful emissions from factories contribute to the global warming.
• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global temperature
increased by 0.9 degrees Celsius between 1880 and 2012.
• When compared to the pre-industrial mean temperature, the increase is 1.1 degrees Celsius.
5. Overpopulation: C. Wright Mills argue just one person was experiencing climate change it
would be a personal trouble, but the fact that climate change is experienced, in some way, by all
means that it is a public issue. As the population grows, so do the number of people breathing.

[4] Hints: Sociology

 This raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is the primary cause of global
warming.
Impact of Climate Change:
• Extreme events, health effects, food security, livelihood security, water security, and cultural
identity all pose disproportionate challenges to millions of vulnerable people.
• Climate change is a social as well as an environmental crisis.
• It creates inequality on many levels: between wealthy and poor countries, within countries,
between men and women, and across generations.
• For more effective development outcomes, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) has emphasised the need for climate solutions that adhere to climate justice principles
(i.e., recognition and procedural and distributive justice).
Conclusion:
Climate change is an accepted social, political, and scientific fact. It’s also a social drama with
intertwined plots and characters. As much as hard scientific or political realities, this drama shapes
perceptions of the problem. Drs. Smith and Howe investigate the public sphere’s meaningful and

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visible surface of climate change through the lens of cultural sociology and Aristotle’s timeless theories
about narrative and rhetoric.
4. Lately India has witnessed an influx of political refugees. In this light, evaluate the concept
of nation- state construction in modern societies.
Hints:
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Historically, India has witnessed an inflow of refugees from many neighboring countries. However,
the political refugee issue has recently started to pose a problem for the state as it puts an economic
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burden, and may trigger demographic changes in the long term, and pose security risks. But, taking
care of refugees is the core component of the human rights paradigm. Further, in any case, refugee
flows to India are unlikely to end any time soon given the geopolitical, economic, ethnic, and religious
contexts of the region.
Hence, there is an urgent need today to understand and address the issue of political refugees in
India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures. India lacks specific legislation to
address the problem of refugees, in spite of their increasing inflow. The Foreigners Act, 1946, fails to
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address the peculiar problems faced by refugees as a class. It also gives unbridled power to the
Central government to deport any foreign citizen. Further, the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019
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(CAA) strikingly excludes Muslims from its purview and seeks to provide citizenship only to Hindu,
Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh, and Buddhist immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and
Afghanistan. Moreover, India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol,
the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection.
Thus, here, it becomes imperative to understand the concept of nation-state to fully grasp the situation
of political refugees. A nation-state is a territorially bounded sovereign polity—i.e., a state—that is
ruled in the name of a community of citizens who identify themselves as a nation. Further, a nation-
state is a type of state that conjoins the political entity of a state to the cultural entity of a nation,
from which it aims to derive its political legitimacy to rule and potentially its status as a sovereign
state if one accepts the declarative theory of statehood as opposed to the constitutive theory.
These are the characteristics of nation-states:
• They have a different attitude to their territory when compared with dynastic monarchies: it is
semi sacred and non-transferable.
• They have a different type of border, in principle defined only by the area of settlement of the
national group, although many nation states also sought natural borders (rivers, mountain ranges)
• They are constantly changing in population size and power because of the limited restrictions of
their borders

Hints: Sociology [5]

• The most noticeable characteristic is the degree to which nation states use the state as an instrument
of national unity, in economic, social and cultural life
• The nation states typically had a more centralised and uniform public administration than its
imperial predecessors: they were smaller, and the population less diverse.
• Nation-state resulted in creation of a uniform national culture, through state policy.
• The model of the nation state implies that its population constitutes a nation, united by a common
descent, a common language and many forms of shared culture.
Nevertheless, there are challenges faced by the modern nation-states. For several decades now,
accelerating processes of globalization have challenged nation-states’ capacity to contain, control,
and harness flows of people, economic capital, and cultural materials and to confine politics to public
spheres and institutions and to relationships with other nation-states. Among the pressures imposed
in varying degrees on all nation-states are the following:
• Immigration: The influx of migrant workers and refugees to nation-states has tended to increase
cultural and ideological fragmentation and tension, especially in cases where the immigrants’
religion and culture are very different from those of the host society, where immigrants are
concentrated in urban ethnic enclaves, and where immigrants do not assimilate.

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• Global capitalism and neoliberalism: The globalization of production, consumption, and finance
in the late 20th century and the concurrent growth of rich and powerful multinational corporations
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has reduced the capacity of states to impose national protectionist policies and limited their
ability to restrict the movement of people across their borders.
• Minorities’ challenge to nation-based citizenship: In some nation-states, ethnic minorities have
challenged the traditional model of nation-based citizenship because they claim rights based on
principles alternative to citizenship: that is, they rely on international conventions that recognize
individual human rights or the collective rights of minorities and indigenous peoples
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• Global civil society: New social movements and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that
highlight issues such as the rights of indigenous peoples, the rights of sexual (LGBTQ) minorities
(see gay pride), animal rights, and environmentalism present challenges to nation-states.
Conclusively, many experts believe that, despite notable challenges, the nation-state will remain, for
the foreseeable future, the primary model of political-territorial organization and the locus of political
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power and authority in the world.

5. Ethno-nationalism has assumed renewed importance in the face of growing demands.
Illustrate suitable examples from the Indian context.
Hints:
At the time of independence, the idea of Indian nationalism took birth from the very forces in
opposition to which it was mobilised, i.e. the British powers. Their more progressive ideological aspect,
along with European Enlightenment, provided rationalisations. It is true that some ideologues of
Indian nationalism maintain that the idea of an Indian nation, indeed the reality of a complexly
structured and administered Indian state, goes back deep into history, to historical figures like Mauryan
king Ashoka, if not to pre-historic figures of myth and legend like Ramachandra of Ayodhya. Gandhiji
evoked Ramarajya as the ideal state for which a free India should aspire.
While such nationalist mythology had its uses in the mobilisation of the anti-colonial struggle, in
independent India the nationalist discourse has followed a far more complex path. For instance, the
very term ‘nation’ which, in most of the country, stands for the Indian nation state, the structure
inherited from the British, has a rather different meaning and connotation in Assam where the
expression, ‘Assamese nation’ (asomiya jati), exists in an ambivalent relation with ‘Indian nation.’
This idealised interdependent correlation between Mother Assam and Mother India has other nuances,
affirming or challenging the ‘Indian’ identity at different points of time, reflecting the constant tensions,
inevitable in the unequal relationship between the Indian state and its component parts that animate
this relationship.

[6] Hints: Sociology

The reorganisation of States on a linguistic basis took the edge off strident regional assertions. However,
regionalism has since taken other, more complicated, forms — some deriving and, in turn, contributing
to other ideological and theoretical formulations. In some states, regionalism as an idea almost inevitably
evolved into demands for political autonomy and, in course of time, more militant forms of nationalist
assertion. The reasons for such evolution are rooted in both geography and history. Historical factors
like late entry into British India through a prolonged incremental process involving both conquest
and annexation (1826-95), and the realities of geographical isolation from the rest of India have
influenced this trajectory. However, this too is a pan-Indian phenomenon, subdued in some cases,
strident in some others, like the Dravidian movements.
This leads to the concept of ‘great nationalism’ of India viz a viz the ‘little nationalists’. These little
nationalisms are very similar to the sub-nationalist narrative that was only reclaiming the history of
a people that had been subsumed by the ‘great nationalist narrative.’ The ‘sub-nationalist narrative’
evolved in due course as assertions of ‘ethnic identity,’ the reclaimed history now serving a political
end. These terms have evolved, or been created, to explain the past and provide a theoretical framework
for future action, that is to mobilise popular discontent and press political demands. The demands
vary greatly, from the modest and attainable through negotiations to those that are perhaps not even
intended to be attained but are nevertheless pressed to advance other objectives. The attainable
objectives include greater autonomy, modification of the existing identities of caste or tribe, protective
discrimination, re-denomination of nomenclatures of historically recognised communities, creation of

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exclusive political spaces, and extension of constitutional provisions.
However, such compromise seems impossible in instances of sovereignty assertion, based on the
‘inalienable right of a people for self-determination,’ which in practice exclude the ‘Other.’ The dilemma
facing these movements is that such exclusionary theories of sovereignty and self-determination have
never matched their practice. Rather, these are animated more by the fear and hatred of the ‘Other,’
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especially those that are part of the territorial and political space they claim as their own, than by
any genuine democratic commitment to the theory and practice of self-determination.
6. The new labour laws indicate a solution against 'time slavery' in the IT industry. Scrutinize
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the 4 day work week in this light.

Approach:
• Approach : Give a short introduction about labour code
• Highlight the benefit and challenge on implementing new law.
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• Give a suitable conclusion with respect to the topic

Hints:
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Labour Code is the ultimate results of Labour Law reform and solution against the time Slavery in
India . Indian Government has decided to form 4 Labour Code that covers all the Labour Laws and
Acts exist in the country.
When the new rules are implemented , employers will no longer be require to seek government
permission to shift to a four days or five days in a weak if their employees approve the arrangement.
The weakly 48 hours work limit will stay but employers will be able to deploy people on four, 12 -
hours workdays per weak; or five, around 10 hours in a day.
Benefits:
• A four-day workweek is designed to produce the same results in fewer hours, giving people
more time to pursue other interests, spend time with loved ones, and manage their lives.
• Companies can also benefits from labour office rental costs and more energized and productive
staff.
• Sectors like Information technology and shared services ,banking and financial services industry,
20-30% people can use the long working hours template for four days and enjoy a longer break.
• Companies may benefit from increased sales, reduced employee burnout, and lower turnover,
among other advantages.
Hints: Sociology [7]
• Because the emphasis is on results rather than hours logged, there is no need to reduce pay or
benefits.
• A significant shift in how we think about and approach work is required before we can
standardize a four-day workweek.
• It will substantially reduce the number of minimum wages in the country from the existing more
than 2000 rates of minimum wages.
• This would ensure that every worker gets a minimum wage which will also be accompanied by
an increase in the purchasing power of the worker thereby giving a fillip to growth in the
economy.
• It will provide a big boost to industry & employment and will reduce multiplicity of definition
and multiplicity of authority for businesses.The codes provide for a single licensing mechanism.It
will give fillip to industries by ushering in substantive reform in the licensing mechanism.
Currently, industries have to apply for their licence under different laws.
• According to the industry and some economists, such reform shall boost investment and improve
ease of doing business.

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• It drastically reduces complexity and internal contradictions, increases flexibility & modernizes
regulations on safety/working conditions.
Challenges:
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• Under the 4/10 work week concept, employees would have to put in more time each day to
maintain a 38–40 hour work week in just four days.
• While some workers may find it beneficial to take an extra day off. Employees who work longer
shifts may feel stressed and worn out. Workplace productivity may consequently suffer.
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• Some employees may become comfortable as a result of working four days per week because
there isn’t a core full-time work ethic present.
• Working more hours raises your risk of stress, migraines, stroke, ischemic heart disease, obesity,
and repetitive stress injuries, according to the World Health Organization.
Conclusion:
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While implementing the new work arrangements, employees need to understand that to get the full
social, emotional, and physical benefits of a 4-day work week, they need to ensure all required work
can be completed with the new work arrangement and results should be delivered.
7. Examine the contention that Capitalism thrives on immigrant or refugee labour economy.
Approach:
• Relevance of immigrant or refugee labour in the realm of capitalism is a good way to start
with.
• Can quote any principal thinker showing relevance – Marx, Keith Hart
• Data or statistics to support the argument
• Related issues or suggestion in brief
• Conclude accordingly.
Hints:
Migrant labour has been a feature of global capitalism since the beginning. Capitalism needed labour
from colonies, semi-colonies, and other parts of the world. Thus besides Atlantic slavery supplying
labour across the ocean there was an increase in the mobility of labour in post-manumission age,
when capital became global and global trade became a defining feature of global capitalism.

[8] Hints: Sociology

While discussing primitive accumulation Marx wrote that labour was like an army in encampment
waiting to move wherever ordered. He also said that much of the capital had no birth-ticket attached
to it, and it moved from Great Britain to the United States with traffic of child labour and women’s
labour across the ocean.
Most studies do suggest however that despite undergoing forced migration and often living in destitute
conditions, refugees have productive capacities and assets, and they actively interact with host-
country economies.
One survey found that while refugee households accounted for 5.5% of total income within a 10-km
radius of the three camps, 17.3% of surveyed businesses outside the camps reported that their main
customers were refugees from the camps. The increase in refugee demand raises host-country incomes
and spending which, in turn, generates additional rounds of spending impacts in the local economy.
Michael J Piore’s classic study, Birds of Passage (1979) argued that the conventional push and pull
theory is simply wrong, and industrial development in one place always creates informal, low paid
economy, and calls for the import of informal, low wage labour for jobs that otherwise would not
be performed.
The refugee economy too is a footloose economy, whose relevance to global capitalism today lies in
the salience of the informal mode of production and circulation.
As Keith Hart also mentioned that informal sector is largely composed of immigrant labour.

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Alex Betts’ and his colleagues’ recently co-published book Refugee Economies, they maintained -
Refugees are not economically isolated; they are part of complex systems that go beyond their
communities and the boundaries of particular settlements. Their report tells us of corn grown in
settlements then exported across borders to neighbouring countries, and Congolese jewellery and
textiles imported from as far as India and China. Somali shops import tuna from Thailand, via the
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Middle East and Kenya.
Classic is the case of carpet making by Tibetan refugees in Nepal or Syrian refugees making leather
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and other garment products in Turkey or Bangladeshi immigrants in India engaged in garment making
as in Kidderpore in Kolkata.
Governments have realised that labour market integration calls for investment and viewing the arrival
of refugees and other forced migrants as opportunities, triggering further growth. Labour market
integration helps fiscal sustainability for the host country, given the specific skill base of the migrants
say from Syria. Companies therefore call for more efficient refugee policy, so that admitting refugees
and other forced migrants becomes a matter of both short-term and long-term investment rather
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than sunk cost.

Yet migrant economies create problems for any policy of facilitating labour market integration, because
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these economies carry the signatures of informal economy, and subsume refugee economies and other
labour market actors like climate migrants, illegal immigrants, and economic migrants and are in
turn subsumed in the dynamics of informal economy.
However migrant labour is relevant to global supply chains of commodities, it is the global nature of
the supply chains that produces footloose informal labour and ensures that various categories of the
displaced finally add up to the reserve army of labour to be deployed where and when necessary to
the extent that big refugee camps look like townships with specific economies linked to various
commodity chains.
8. The field of sports has been marred by gender bias. Critically examine.
Hints:
Today, even as we stand in the 21st century, it is deplorable that men and women are treated so
differently, especially in sport. Women make up for almost 50% of the world’s population but are not
given equal opportunities. Men are still considered the more suitable sex for physical sports and this
is one of the reasons why sports is one area where gender inequality is strongly evident. However,
the problem is more socio-psychological than anything else.
In India, gender equity in sports is a complex issue. India has a 48.04% female population, i.e. they
make up for almost half of India’s population. However, female participation in sport has always

Hints: Sociology [9]

been discouraged and those who play often times face innumerable problems. Just to keep playing
against the wishes of the family and the society is a Herculean task. Excelling in sport is even more
courageous.
The major factors that lead to the said gender bias in sports are as follows:
Economic prosperity:
The economic prosperity of a nation and the general standard of living in a nation could be seen as
good indicators of the nation’s sports prowess. This is because a decent standard of living will help
people take up sports as a hobby and this is what gives rise to a sporting culture. Only when people,
and especially women, will have economic stability will they feel encouraged to take up sports as a
hobby or professionally. Further, the economic strength of the nation in providing quality sports
infrastructure and training facilities for its upcoming athletes has a major impact on the performance
of the athletes.
Societal conceptions:
In Indian society, as well as most societies, sports are considered under a man’s domain. Women are
taught against it since childhood, and are rather encouraged to take up other activities like cooking
or sewing that are considered more appropriate for females.
Availability of sports infrastructure:

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Quality infrastructure and world-class training provide an edge to sportspersons and their performance.
While the lack of infrastructure is an obstacle to sports in general, varied facilities provided to men
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and women make sports more problematic to be pursued by women. Examples here are differential
pay and facilities provided to men and women athletes of the same sport.
It is worthwhile to note here that the advantages of sport are manifold. Thus, in order for India to
become a stronger and a more wholesome nation, we need to fight gender inequality in sports as
much as in other fields. The following are some steps that could be taken:
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Start with an initial focus on a few sports: Some sports where women are already doing well, e.g.
badminton, tennis, hockey, wrestling, archery etc., could be encouraged initially. This will help
prioritize the present resources, while gradually taking steps to increase resources and awareness.
Work with the states: The states need to be integrated into India’s sports policy. Given that people of
different states have different food habits and build, there is a need to develop different states as
centers of excellence for different sports. This involves developing training infrastructure for different
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sports in different parts of the country depending on the inclination of people of that area and their
habits and build.
Government initiatives: The government has an important role in this regard by setting up a suitable
ecosystem for sports development in India. This could involve appropriate policy measures and schemes
to promote the uptake of sports from a very young age. There is also the need to provide adequate
sporting infrastructure and training facilities. There need to be regular sporting events right from
school levels up to the national level. A bottom-up approach to identifying young sporting talents
and their grooming needs to be prioritized.
9. Analyze the incidence of rising domestic violence in the context of shadow pandemic.
Approach:
• Introduction: Concept of ‘Shadow Pandemic’
• Risk Factors that led to increase in Domestic Violence cases during Covid-19 lockdown
• Conclusion
Hints:
Violence against women increased to record levels around the world following lockdowns to control
the spread of Covid-19 virus. The United Nations in a 2021 report about domestic violence in 13
nations, referred to the rise in domestic violence as ‘shadow pandemic’. The countries in question are
in Africa, Asia, South America, Eastern Europe & the Balkans. According to the American Journal of
[10] Hints: Sociology
Emergency Medicine, the domestic violence cases increased by 25 % to 33% globally. The concept
aims to show the unintended consequence of the lockdown and that there should be focus on resources
to address the secondary impacts as well.
Several risk factors came into play during lockdowns that led to increase in domestic violence:
(i) Financial stressors because of income loss due to unemployment
(ii) Loss of opportunity for having a breathing space for those who are in risky relationships: when
people work outside their home, the interactions with their partner are limited to certain hours
of the day and potential time for conflict is also limited. The lockdown increases the scope of
more friction and violence
(iii) Limited private space and ability to call for help and support/family/friends
(iv) Gaps in the court’s system and reduced access to legal help for victims
(v) Restricted mobility, greater isolation & limited access to essential services
One of the important myths debunked by the concept of shadow pandemic by the UN is that the
west or the so-called developed countries are no different from the rest of the world & that domestic
violence is prevalent everywhere. However, support in such cases available to women in India is far
more limited than in countries like the USA. There is a self-empowerment group called the Jugnu

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Club formed by tea pluckers & factors workers in Assam. With support with UN Women, the clubs
in select locations in Assam help to make agricultural work safe & equal for women. They also
assisted women in cases of domestic violence during the Covid-19 lockdown but such initiatives
remain far & few in India, which is a matter of serious concern.
10. Media is a double edged sword as it plays an instrumental role in moral panic as well as in
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mass mobilisations. Support your answers with suitable illustrations.
Approach:
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• Introduction: Role of media in a Democracy

• Media’s role in creating panic: illustrations (Covid 19 has been chosen for this answer-
contemporary example)
• Media’s role in mass mobilization (Colonialism & role of media in Indian independence
movement-historical example & a case of Vietnam-international example)
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• Conclusion: highlight issues with social media that is difficult to regulate

Hints:
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The media has been known as the fourth pillar of democracy simply because the media is strong and
potent tool to disseminate facts and allow citizens to be better informed about the issues of concern.
It can also provide a platform for criticism and debate to ensure that information is tested and examined
from all points of view. However, as intended, the media rarely operates as a neutral, objective
source of information which makes the media a double-edged sword where in it can play a critical
role in mass mobilization at the same time, it can create unnecessary and avoidable panic amongst
the citizens.
As recently as during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was seen that the electronic media in India often
created panic amongst public instead of informing them to take necessary precautions to protect
themselves or manage the symptoms at their residence. Several people began to seek admission in
hospitals as soon as they turned positive which also led to shortage of space to accommodate patients
who had a genuine requirement for hospitalization.
For instance, there is also an instance of media playing an active role in Vietnam in promoting issues
of concern in the case of Thi Vai river. The media reporting not only highlighted the issue but also
forced the manufacturer to pay compensation to the affected local residents and businesses. The
power of the media to mobilize the masses is best seen during British India where the freedom of the
press was legally restricted by way of the Vernacular Press Act, Censorship of Press Act 1799 etc
primarily because newspapers and magazines in regional languages flourished & played an important

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role in forming a collective opinion against the British. Freedom activists illegally shared information
through secret radio messages & cyclostyled sheets. Underground publications also started working
due to these restrictions.
Thus, it is seen that the managers of media agencies need to actively ensure that information being
disseminated is objective, critically sound and informative rather than being biased, lacking in credibility
and pushing for political agendas. The larger issue with media today is social media which is much
harder to regulate and is not run by any agency in particular that could be regulated/controlled/
managed by law. While laws are in place, these are much harder to exercise given the nature of
social media per se. Unfortunately, it is seen that fake news, rumours and misinformation spreads
faster than reliable information which then requires appropriate discernment at the end of the
consumer i.e. the citizen.

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[12] Hints: Sociology