Listing of Scheduled Tribes

Context:

Current procedure for inclusion of communities in Scheduled Tribes list adequate, Centre tells Rajya Sabha

Process for Listing of Scheduled Tribes:

• State Government Proposal –
  • State/Union Territory governments identify the community requesting Scheduled Tribe status; They conduct ethnographic studies and submit the proposal to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry.
  • The Ministry forwards the proposal to the Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI).
• Review by the Registrar General of India (RGI) –
  • The RGI (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) examines the claim using historical, cultural, and anthropological evidence.
  • Upon approval, the proposal is sent to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
• Review by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST):
  • The NCST evaluates the community’s socio-economic status, cultural uniqueness, and degree of isolation from mainstream society.
  • If satisfied, it recommends the community’s inclusion to the Union Government.
• Final Approval and Implementation:
  • After obtaining concurrence from all involved institutions, the proposal is sent to the Cabinet for amending the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
  • The final decision lies with the President, who issues a notification under Articles 341 and 342.

Current criteria for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe List:

• Adopted from the Lokur Committee (1965)
• Criteria include –
  • Presence of primitive or early traits.
  • Culturally distinct characteristics.
  • Geographical isolation of the community.
  • Limited contact or shyness of interaction with the wider society.
  • Economic underdevelopment or backwardness.
• Issues –
  • Outdated and Rigid Framework – The criteria emphasize “primitive traits” and “isolation,” which are seen as archaic and condescending.
    • These descriptors fail to recognize the dynamic nature of tribal societies, many of which have evolved significantly.
  • Oversimplified Approach – The binary classification of “tribe” or “non-tribe” does not accommodate the diversity within and across tribal communities.
    • Experts have suggested adopting a “spectrum of tribalness” for more nuanced assessments.

Source: TH

---

Previous Year Question

Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India:
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4

Answer: (c)

---