KeralaSociologist 2019, Vol. 47(1) 1 @ Kerala SociologicalSociety Sociology, Society and Social Engagements* Antony Palackal University of Kerala Introduction Indwelling on the theme of the 45th National Conference of Kerala Sociological Society, my attempt is to embark upon a line of enquiry on the perspective, agenda and terrains in understanding the linkage between sociology, society and social engagements. I have observed that though a young discipline, Indian sociology has had a chequered trajectory in the short span of its growth and development from its textually blended, Western, colonial and indological origins to the empirical and field based growth through nationalistic struggle and nation building projects to the age of globalization and after (Palackal 2015). This being the case, at the outset, I wish to situate sociology in the Indian higher educational milieu in general and Kerala in particular. Hence, prior to going into the paradigmatic contours of sociology per se, let me outline the general purview of higher education in the country. It is to be noted that the higher education sector in the neo-liberal era is largely oriented to producing a certificate society; certificate for lucrative employment, making education a job oriented enterprise, generating certificate holders who are desperately competing in the globalised job market. Exams have become a gateway to certificates and so it becomes exam oriented too, and hence, education is geared to producing unemployed ‘knowledge consumers’ and ‘technocrats’, making students primarily job seekers and cut throat competitors which reduces the goal of education to seeking comfortable jobs. Education, thus primarily becomes a means to an end (job and career), rather than an end in itself, which is operating under the logic of Instrumental rationality (Joseph 2015, Dhruv & Sivaramakrishan 2006, Prasad 2006, Vasavi 2006) . Corresponding author : Antony Palackal, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Kerala, is the President of Kerala Sociological Society. , antonypalackal@gmail.com