The Tribal Communities of India
India’s tribal communities constitute a large part of the country’s national population. The percentage of tribal population was 8.6% (about 10,42,81,034 people) according to the census of 2011. There are 645 tribes & the government of India has recognized some tribal groups as being primitive and special plans have been granted and sanctioned for their development.
The study & integration of tribal people of India have been broadly classified on the basis of geographical presence, language & ethic roots including their culture, social norms and traits. Based on regional habitat, the table below is a close representation of the various Indian tribal presence today:
| Sn. | Region | State | Tribe |
| 1 | North Eastern | Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura | Gora, Kuki, Mizo, Khasi, Munda, Sema, Nages, Riyang, Miri, Apa-Tani. |
| 2 | The Sub-Himalayan | North and north-west India, Himachal Pradesh | Gurjar, Gaddi, Theru, Jaunsari |
| 3 | The central and East India | West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh | Baiga, Bondo, Juang, Kol, Khond, Santhal, Uraon, Ho, Munda, Lepcha, Korwa, Bhils, Pahadiya |
| 4 | South India | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka | The Tod, Kol, Kadar, Chenechu, Koya, Gonds, Cholanaiken, Gadaba |
| 5 | Western India | Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra | Bhils, Garasia, Gonds, Kolams, Pardhans, Korku, Koli, Thakar, Kathari, Warli, Pawra, Munda, Kol, Khond, Dubla |
Bringing the benefits of the latest developments in science, technology, healthcare, education & livelihood to the tribal communities has been a constant struggle due to a lack of proper analytical data. Tribal ecology, traditional occupation, indigenous knowledge and social parameters have typically been omitted while formulating policies & implementation of various tribal welfare programs.
Lack of anthropological experiences amongst researchers, inadequate administrative frameworks for proper implementation of welfare policies at grass root level & inadvertent politicization of the tribal issues further led to reduced assistance provided to tribal communities for their improvements.
The number of problem that the tribal communities of India are facing today are ever increasing. Illiteracy, land alienation, undocumented migration, unemployment, health, hygiene, communication, housing & high levels of poverty are the major ones. While most of the tribal communities had preserved their cultural ethnicity for a long time, that too is challenged by urbanization, modernization of education, dialect & the modern democratic & political processes prevalent in India nowadays.
The Indian national law makers have amended the Constitution of India with various Articles with the objective of promoting and safe guarding the interest of the scheduled tribes. These laws may be broadly divided into two parts (a) protection and (b) development. The protective provisions are contained in Articles 15(4), 16(4), 19(5), 23, 29, 46, 164, 330, 332, 334, 335, 336, 339(1), 371(a), 371(b), 371(c), Fifth schedule and Sixth schedule.
Articles 16(4) and 19(5) are exceptions to the Fundamental Rights, Rights of Equality and Freedom guaranteed under part III of the constitution. Provisions relating to development of scheduled tribes are contained mainly in article 271(1) Firth provision and 339(2).
Many anthropologists acknowledge that the preamble of our constitution eulogizes lofty principles of social, economic and political justice for the tribal population of India. However, unless there are translated into measurable & implementable actions, real development & organic prosperity of the diverse Indian tribal communities would be hard to achieve.
