Sociology in CSS and PMS is both easy and complex. Sometimes it’s rewarding while sometimes it’s punishing. It’s all about one’s approach how to handle questions .simply, it’s more practical and less theoretical in nature.
1. Questions related to theories
These questions need systemic balance between past and present. Students fail to understand their relevance in current scenario and ends up writing about past only. For example, they forget to extent Khaldun’s and Durkheim’s theories of national integration and suicide to current realities respectively.
So in a bid to convince your examiner, try to transform your answers by keeping salient features of Pakistani and other societies and make them relevant by combining both the past and the present in a
2. Questions related to social and political contours
Majority of candidates attempt questions on socialisation, stratification, addiction, delinquent behaviour, etc., theoretically failing to relate them with Pakistan and local cultures. Examiners ask questions in Pakistan specific context.
It’s better to know about Pakistan’s social, political , economic, religious and cultural orientations and make them part and parcel of your answers.
3. General Questions
These questions require extensive reading and should be elaborated with facts and figures. They include poverty, prostitution, nmigration ,ethnocentrism, urbanisation, etc.
Try to come up with out of the box solutions and displays general intelligence of the intricate issues at hand.
These questions are rewarding in terms of high scores. They are open ended and can be developed in several ways. But do not get distracted as it might result in redundancy and decontextualised materials.
4. Sociology MCQs
They are general in nature. Better to go for authors names and their books. Go through the Economic Survey of Pakistan for recent data in terms of demographic dynamics.
5. Making outline
Make outline consisting of 8 or 10 major points.
6. Questions are of two or three parts
Read questions and answer each part holistically.
7. Headings and subheadings
Give headings so as to facilitate your examiner.
8. References
In a bid to support your answer, give references from books, authors, newspapers and magazines.
9. Suggested readings
Read Abdul Hamid Taga’s book or Jiskani’s booklet.
10. Length versu brevity
I scored more than 70 in CSS and PMS by the grace of Allah Almighty. Try to understand and give answers qualitatively rather than digressing from the main points. So be relevant and precise.
11. Use of Questions
Use quotations and saying of philosophers, intellectuals and great authorities frequently in your answers.
Best regards. Fingers crossed for the best. Trust thyself.
