Anthropology
B.A. major
Anthropology as a major studies human beings in two broad strands: social and cultural anthropology (kinship, religion, tribes and communities) and biological or physical anthropology (human evolution, genetics and variation). Fieldwork among communities is a core part of training, and some universities also teach archaeological and forensic anthropology.
After Anthropology, you can
How you get in
Class 12 in any stream. Central and many other universities admit through CUET-UG; others admit on Class 12 marks or their own test. Relatively few universities teach anthropology, and some offer it in a B.Sc (with more biology) as well as a B.A.
At a glance
- A small subject — check which colleges near you offer it before planning around it.
- Anthropology is an optional subject in the UPSC Civil Services exam.
- Fieldwork and qualitative-research skills carry into development-sector, social-research and market-research work.
- Research and teaching posts usually need a master's, and often UGC-NET or a Ph.D.
In numbers
Postgraduate (not B.A.) enrolment, shown as a guide to how many continue in the subject. AISHE counts only responding institutions, and coverage varies by year.