International Journal of Academic Research

ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

1. Understanding Indian Rural Sociology: Its origin,

Development & Prospective trends
Dr. Shashikumar, Asst.Professor & Head, Dept.of Sociology,
Govt.1st Grade Collegs for Women, Hassan, Karnataka

Introduction: called as RS. (Desai. A Rural India

in transition 2005).
At present, there have been
several discernible changes that Main features Indian rural
have affected the Indian rural scene has been under constant
society. These changes have change due to
attracted the sociologists to debate 1) The problem concerning
over the issue. The problems rural agriculture;
folk are undergoing the ground
2) The problem of cottage
realities etc are to be conjectured.
industries;
Several sociologists &
anthropologists are trying to 3) The problem of population and
comprehend this changing the family planning
scenario in rural society this is 4) The problem of rural health
and education;
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

5) The problem of the status of Indian nationalism 2005).There

women, was no significant studies during
this period. Even though the land
6) The problem of child
revenue policy of the British in
marriage,
India was very much damaging to
7) The problem of the Indian rural community, The
traditionalism and
British did not care to undertake
conservatism any serious studies about
8) The problem of changing Indian rural
unemployment communities. Sociologist Henry
Maine published his two
9) The problem of land less
pioneering books on Indian rural
labour
sociology which have been
10) The problem of rural
considered as ground-breaking
indebtedness
books. This was considered as the
11) The problem of nutrition in primary & systematic study of
villages comprehending different aspects

12) The problem of housing of rural Indian society. The books

on Ancient Law 1861 and Ancient
13) The problem of animal
society 1877 highlighted the
husbandry
existence of strong brotherhood
14) The problem of untouchability relationship & kinship in Indian
and caste hierarchy rural villages.

During Colonial Field survey method of rural

Administration scoiology
India was under the colonial Gilbert Slater: Economists like
administration of the British till Gilbert Slater extended the idea of
1947. The British had branded economic survey of villages as a
villages as local republics. They part of the academic activities of
often termed it as static societies. the University of Madras in 1916.
(Desai-A Social background of
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

These villages were resurveyed in toured the whole of Madras

1936 and 1961. presidency & reported about the
village communities & their
Harold Mann: Harold Mann and
working (1916).Charles Metcalf a
G. Keatings in Bombay started
member of GG council studied
intensive survey of several villages
Indian villages. The peasantry, the
and attempted an assessment of
land revenue system, the position
their general agricultural
of rent holders, the standards of
problems
contractual labor system etc were
E.V. Lucas in Punjab started studied (Desai. A Rural India in
intensive survey of several villages transition 2005).
and attempted an assessment of
The Colonial economic & financial
their general agricultural
policies, the new land revenue
problems
system, the colonial
The Report of the Royal administrative and judicial system
Commission on Agriculture: and the ruin of handicrafts leading
The Report of The Royal to the overcrowding of land,
Commission on Agriculture was a transformed the agrarian
pioneering & monumental work structure and impoverished the
which spotlighted the problems in peasantry.
rural society. The reoccurrence of In the vast Zamindari areas the
famine was an initial concern of peasants were left to the mercies
the colonial government as they of the Zamindar who rack-rented
had to shell out huge amount for them and compelled them to pay
the rehabilitation of famine illegal dues and perform beggary.
victims. (Desai. A Social In the Ryotwari areas, the
background of Indian nationalism government itself levied heavy
2005).This Report highlighted the land revenue. This forced the
issues of societal impact of peasants to borrow money from
changing economic policies of the the moneylenders.
government. Holt Mackenzie
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

on rural societies which led to the

RS. (Desai. A Rural India in
Gradually over large areas the
transition 2005).
actual cultivators were reduced to
the status of tenants at will, share Rural changes after
th
croppers and landless labourers independence: By 19 century
while their lands, crops and cattle RS became a serious subject of
passed into the hands to landlords, study. Scholar Sorokin Zimmeran
trader moneylenders and such is considered as a pioneer. Indian
peasants. Society underwent several
When the peasants could take it metamorphic changes during 19th
no longer they resisted against the century this was caused by
oppression and exploitation and Industrialization
they found whether their target
Urbanization
was the indigenous exploiter or
the colonial administration that Migration
their real enemies after the Agricultural transformation
barriers were down was the
New land revenue policy
colonial state.
Big irrigation projects
These rural Indian societal
problems were the major concern New forest polices

of the colonial administrators like Technological inputs

Self sufficiency, Static Stagnant
As a direct result of changing
society, Inadequacy of
scenario, rural issues came to be
infrastructure poor livelihood
debated & this led to the study of
means, sanitation, health and
RS in a more wider perspective.
education
Sociologist A. R. Desai rightly
Only after their departure from observes that the impact of
India there was a scholarly capitalist & socialist economy &
awakening to the problems of its social impact forced the
impact of colonial administration attention of the scholars to study
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

trends of rural India. (Desai. A a desired direction. The studies

Rural India in transition 2005). conducted in the rural context are
of immense help to both rural
Rural sociology as a
sociologists and urban sociologists
systematic branch of study:
in explaining the similarities and
RS developed as a systematic differences between the rural
branch of study after community and the urban
independence in India. With the community. It helps in micro level
emergence of Independent India understanding of rural problems.
national policy makers shifted It is an intellectual discipline; the
their attention to rural societal analysis and interpretation of data
aspects. (Desai. A Social in the rural context are not
background of Indian nationalism influenced by any ideological
2005). With the Five year plans orientation.
rural issues were given national
Indian Rural Sociology
importance. Uplifting the rural
Scholars
society became the agenda of the
national planning commission as The following Indian scholars
well. (Desai. A Rural India in have contributed to the
transition 2005). popularization of RS

Characteristics of rural D. N. Majumdar,

sociology: N.K. Bose,
RS as an empirical discipline R. K. Mukherjee,
asserts propositions and builds up
S. C Dude,
theories neatly on the basis of
observed facts of rural life. It is F. G. Bailey
problem oriented as it tries to G.S. Ghurye.
provide solutions to rural
The efforts of these scholars
problems. The knowledge derived
resulted in the emergence of RS
from the rural studies is directly
as a separate discipline of study.
applied in stimulating changes in
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

(Desai. A Rural India in transition Innovation of value added

2005). consumption pattern

New Dimensions to the study

of RS: There are several Promotion of RS as syllabi:
dimensions to the study of RS
RS is being the concern of the
these days
universities as well. Several
Rural Tribes in transition universities in India have
Increasing rural stratification introduced RS. Post graduate
students study RS as a
Agrarian unrest due to
specialization subjects while UG
Land reforms students of agriculture home
Village community relocation due science economics study it as a
to big irrigation projects, water minor subject.
conservation projects
Methodology of rural
New land revenue policy sociological study: these days
administering tribal, hilly, forest, RS has been studied through a
barren lands variety of approaches.
Changes in revenue collection Individual Survey
pattern
Group Field studies
New structural build in local
Local rural review
governance
Assessment
Increasing migration to urban
centers Examination

Changing farm product & farm Estimation

culture Appraisal reports
Changing trends of food Ground work
conservation
Group study
International Journal of Academic Research
ISSN: 2348-7666 Vol.2, Issue-1(2) (Special), January-March, 2015

Conclusion: Thus Rs has become & arrange new participatory

the important segment of programs.
sociological study RS is cumulative References
amending or expanding on one
Desai. A R -Rural sociology
aspect over other. RS helps in
Popular Prakashan Bombay 1994
micro level understanding of rural
problems hence the analysis and Desai. A Rural India in transition-
interpretation of data in the rural Popular Prakashan Bombay 2005
context are not influenced by any Desai. A Social background of
ideological orientation but by Indian nationalism Popular
practical understanding. As the Prakashan Bombay 2005
RS studies explains the
Desai. A- Society in India Popular
similarities and differences
Prakashan Bombay 1975
between the rural community and
the urban communities policy Desai. A-state & society in India
makers can focus on avoiding Popular Prakashan Bombay 1975
these similarities and differences