UPPSC Sociology Assistant Professor Syllabus, Eligibility – GDC Examination 2025

September 17, 2025

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducts the Assistant Professor Recruitment Exam for Government Degree Colleges (GDC) in various subjects, including Sociology. The Sociology syllabus covers the foundations of sociology, social theories, research methodology, Indian society, rural sociology, and contemporary social issues.

UPPSC Sociology Assistant Professor Syllabus 2025:

Unit I: Basic Sociological Concepts

  • Historicity of Sociology

  • Institution, Association, Status and Role

  • Reference Group, Norms and Values

  • Ideology and Utopia

  • Community and Virtual Community

  • Society and Network Society

  • Culture, Groups & Types

Unit II: Social Processes

  • Cooperation, Competition, Conflict

  • Diffusion, Assimilation, Acculturation, Enculturation

  • Alienation, Integration

  • Social Exclusion and Social Inclusion

  • Digitalization

  • Socialization

Unit III: Classical Sociological Theories

  • Evolutionary Theory

  • Structural Theory

  • Functional Theory

  • Interactionist Theory

  • Conflict Theory

Unit IV: Contemporary Sociological Theories

  • Phenomenology

  • Ethnomethodology

  • Neo-functionalism

  • Neo-Structuralism

  • Critical Theory

  • Neo-Marxism

  • Postmodernism

  • Exchange Theory

  • Network Theory

  • Macro-Micro Integration

Unit V: Research Methodology

  • Social Survey vs Social Research

  • Epistemology and Logic of Inquiry

  • Objectivity vs Subjectivity

  • Quantitative vs Qualitative Methods

  • Positivism vs Hermeneutics

  • Research Design and Sampling

  • Hypothesis

  • Ethical Issues in Social Research

  • Plagiarism and Copyright

  • PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal)

  • Case Study

Unit VI: Social Change – Concepts and Processes

  • Concepts: Development, Progress, Transformation

  • Theories of Social Change: Classical and Contemporary Theories

  • Social Movements: Traditional and Neo-Social Movements

  • Processes of Change:

    • Industrialization, Urbanization, Westernization

    • Liberalization, Modernization, Privatization, Globalization

    • Role of Technology & Social Media

    • Social Mobility

Unit VII: Indian Society – Concepts, Perspectives & Processes

  • Concepts: Class, Caste, Kinship, Religion, Ethnicity, Marriage, Family

  • Perspectives: Indological, Structural Functional, Civilizational, Subaltern, Marxist, Cultural

  • Processes: Sanskritization, Westernization, Secularization, Planned Change, Rurbanization, Role of NITI Aayog

Unit VIII: Contemporary Issues and Problems

  • Gender, Caste and Regional Inequality

  • Family Disharmony, Crime, White Collar Crime

  • Corruption and Ecological Degradation

  • Communalism, Ethnic Diversity, Poverty, Unemployment

  • Drug Addiction, Internet Addiction, Cybercrime

  • Deviance, Black Money in India

  • Juvenile Delinquency (JJ Act), POCSO Act 2012

  • Feticide (भ्रूण हत्या)

Unit IX: Rural Society in India

  • Caste System & Jajmani System

  • Agrarian Relations, Mode of Production

  • 73rd Amendment & Panchayati Raj

  • Rural Development & Rural Transformation

  • Marginalization of Peasantry

  • Little and Great Tradition

  • Universalization & Parochialization

  • Peasant Movements, Migration

Unit X: Other Important Issues

  • Empowerment: SCs, STs, Women, OBCs – Constitutional Provisions and their Consequences

  • Ecology & Sustainability

  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

  • Population and Society

  • Honour Killing

  • Tribal Society

General Studies (Common for All Subjects)

Apart from the subject syllabus, candidates must prepare for General Studies, which is common for every subject in the UPPSC GDC Assistant Professor Examination.

  • General Science

  • Current Events of National and International Importance

  • History of India (Including Indian National Movement)

  • Indian Polity & Economy

  • Geography – Indian & World

  • Mental Ability & Statistical Analysis
    (Special reference to Uttar Pradesh is expected)

UPPSC Sociology Assistant Professor Eligibility 2025

Option A: Master’s Degree + NET/SET/SLET

A Master’s degree with 55% marks (or equivalent grade) in Sociology or a relevant/allied subject from an Indian University,
OR an equivalent degree from an accredited foreign university.

Additionally, candidates must have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by UGC/CSIR or an equivalent accredited test like SLET/SET.

Candidates with a Ph.D. Degree as per UGC Regulations (2009/2016 & amendments) are exempt from NET/SLET/SET, provided they fulfill the following conditions (for Ph.D. registered before July 11, 2009):

  • Ph.D. awarded in regular mode.

  • Thesis evaluated by at least two external examiners.

  • Open Ph.D. viva voce conducted.

  • At least two research papers published from Ph.D. work (one in a refereed journal).

  • At least two papers presented in UGC/ICSSR/CSIR-sponsored seminars/conferences.

Certification must be provided by the Registrar/Dean (Academic Affairs) of the awarding University.

Note: NET/SLET/SET exemption applies to subjects where these tests are not conducted.

Option B: Ph.D. from Top 500 Foreign Universities

A Ph.D. degree from a foreign university/institution ranked among the top 500 in global rankings by:

    • QS (Quacquarelli Symonds)

    • Times Higher Education (THE)

    • Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) by Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Conclusion

The UPPSC Sociology Assistant Professor Syllabus 2025 covers a wide range of topics, including basic sociological theories, Indian society, social change, rural sociology, and contemporary social problems. Aspirants should focus on understanding core concepts, theoretical frameworks, and current socio-economic developments to excel in the examination.

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