M.A. in Anthropology

The School of Social Sciences comprises the following Departments and Centres.

1) Department of Economics
2) Department of History
3) Department of Political Science
4) Department of Sociology
5) Department of Anthropology
6) Centre for Regional Studies
7) Centre for Folk Culture Studies
8) Centre for the Study of Indian Diaspora
9) Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy
10) Centre for Gandhian Economic Thought

Among these, the Departments of Economics, Political Science and Sociology have been recognised by the University Grants Commission for the Special Assistance Programme.

In addition, the School has Human Rights Programme functioning under the auspices of Political Science Department and a Centre for Indian Diaspora. The School of Social Sciences also has a interdisciplinary Women's Studies Cell which takes up research projects on gender issues. An Archival Cell with the support of the UGC is functioning under the auspices the Department of History for preservation of rare and valuable manuscripts. The Department of Anthropology has developed a museum as a teaching aid for students. All the departments are equipped with e-mail and internet facilities.

From the Academic Year 2007-2008 the School of Social Sciences is starting a Five Year Integrated Programme in Social Sciences leading to masters degree in Economics, History, Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology. For the first three years the students admitted to the programme will do courses offered by various departments in the School and other schools in the University. At the end of three years students will branch out to departments of Economics, History, Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology after fulfilling the credit requirement, stipulated by the departments.

Department of Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology started functioning from the academic year 1988-89. It imparts training in both theoretical and applied research in Anthropology, which equips students to meet the academic challenges in urban/rural/tribal field studies. Apart from studying ethnographic diversity, the department is oriented towards application of anthropological knowledge to the understanding of social problems and development issues. The department has developed a small museum as a teaching aid for students.

The Department offers M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in Anthropology (Social/Cultural).

M.A. in Anthropology

The M.A. course is a two-year programme consisting of a total of 16 courses of 4 credits each spread over four semesters with four courses per semester. Of them, 11 are compulsory courses and the remaining 5 are optional courses. The compulsory courses are:

1. Introduction to Social Anthropology
2. Physical Anthropology
3. Archaeological Anthropology
4. Physical and Archaelogical Anthropology Practicals
5. Field work and Research Methods
6. Theories of Culture
7. Theories of Social Structure
8. Applied Anthropology and Tribal Welfare
9. Indian Society
10. Anthropology of Complex Societies
11. Field Work Dissertation and Viva-voce

The Department offers optional courses in Development Anthropology, Ecological Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Peasant Society, Economic Anthropology, Anthropology of Communication, Anthropological Linguistics, Natural Resource Management and livelihood Systems, etc. The students are permitted to opt for some inter-disciplinary courses from other departments and schools in consultation with the department.

"Field work" is an important component of the compulsory courses; the students must conduct field-work on a chosen topic for a period of about one month under the supervision of faculty and submit a dissertation for Viva-voce examination. This "field work" is usually conducted during the winter vacation at the end of the third semester. This course is largely subsidised by the University and the students have to pay Rs.250/- towards nominal fieldwork fees during the concerned semester.