ESO-15 IGNOU Guess Paper 2026-27

ESO-15 Guess Paper: Society and Religion (Term-End Exam Preparation)

This structured guess paper aligns with the IGNOU B.A. (English) Sociology and Social Anthropology curriculum for ESO-15, covering key blocks from previous year exam patterns (June/Dec sessions). Focus areas include sociological theories of religion, religious pluralism, and social functions of religion, with time management tips for the 3-hour exam.

Key Blocks & Scoring Topics

• Block-3: Religion and Related Aspects
  • Discuss the role of religion in socialization, rituals, and moral regulation (30-35 marks).
  • Compare Durkheim’s functionalist perspective with Weber’s rationalization theory (20-25 marks).
  • Analyze case studies: Indian caste and religious identity or globalization’s impact on local religious practices (15-20 marks).
• Block-5: Religious Pluralism-II
  • Evaluate secularism in India vs. Western models (25-30 marks).
  • Examine conflicts between religious and secular institutions (15-20 marks).
  • Short-answer focus: Assimilation vs. accommodation in plural societies (10-15 marks).
• Block-6: Religious Movements (Medieval & Modern)
  • Compare Bhakti/Sufi movements with modern revivalist trends (25-30 marks).
  • Analyze the role of gurus/saints in social reform (15-20 marks).
• Block-7: Social Significance of Religion
  • Discuss religion’s role in social change (e.g., Dalit movements, women’s rights) (30-35 marks).
  • Case study: Religion and political mobilization in contemporary India (20-25 marks).

Exam Strategy & Time Management

• Allocate 45 minutes for essay-type questions (Blocks 3, 5, 7). Use PESTEL framework (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) for structured answers.
• Dedicate 30 minutes to short-answer questions (Blocks 4, 6), prioritizing religious pluralism and movement comparisons.
• For descriptive questions, cite 2-3 sociological theories (e.g., Marx, Weber, Durkheim) and 1 real-world example (e.g., Ram Janmabhoomi movement).

Subject-Specific FAQs

• Q: Are previous year papers available for ESO-15?

  A: Yes, IGNOU provides solved papers for June/Dec sessions on eGyanKosh. Focus on 2018–2023 papers for recurring question patterns (e.g., secularism debates, caste and religion).

• Q: How to balance theory and case studies?

  A: Allocate 60% weight to theory (e.g., Weber’s rationalization) and 40% to case studies (e.g., Ayyavazhi movement in Tamil Nadu). Use Block-3 and Block-7 for deeper analysis.

Note:

This guess paper excludes nursing, medicine, or programming topics and strictly adheres to Sociology and Social Anthropology syllabus entities.