Officially defined tribal communities in India’s Constitution refer to communities that historically inhabit areas and call themselves Adivasi. The 2011 Census put the population of Adivasi at 104 million (8.6%) in India (IWGIA, The Indigenous World 2024, India). This paper defines the term, describes the list process, differentiates Adivasi from Dalit, and provides the legal protections provided to them.
What are Scheduled Tribes?
It is a legal process. Article 366 (25) of the Constitution of India provides the legal definition (Constitution of India, Article 366 (25), as quoted by Wikipedia, “Adivasi”). Article 342 of the Constitution gives the President of India the power to determine Scheduled Tribes (Hindu-Marathi.com, “Scheduled Tribes”). Our article on the ranking system explains where the Scheduled Tribes rank relative to the other social groupings.
It is a political process as well. Sometimes recognition as a Scheduled Tribe becomes a contentious issue as the status confers special privileges (Wikipedia, “Adivasi”). IWGIA maintains that there are several ethnic groups that should be recognized as Scheduled Tribes, and hence the real number is more than the official numbers.
What does Adivasi mean?
Adivasi is a modern word that comes from the Sanskrit roots ādi meaning ‘first’ or ‘beginning’ and vāsin meaning ‘dweller’. So literally it means first dweller (Wikipedia, “Adivasi”). It first began to appear in print in the 1930s and was coined by social and political activists (Wikipedia, “Adivasi” citing Barnes, Gray and Kingsbury, Indigenous Peoples of Asia, 1995). The social reformer Thakkar Bapa had previously written in Gujarati in the late 1920s that the Bhils, Santhals and Gonds were the original inhabitants of India (Wikiwand, “Adivasi”).
Forest dwellers and mountain people are other terms used to refer to tribal communities, but Adivasi contains more significance, and is self-descriptive of many of the groups (Wikipedia, “Adivasi”). In central India, scheduled tribes are called Adivasis (IWGIA). Historians mention that the claim of being the first inhabitants is disputed, and most Adivasi communities are the result of mixed ancestry over time (Wikiwand, “Adivasi”).
How many Scheduled Tribes are there?
According to the 2011 Census, 8.6% of the total population, about 104.2 million people, were classified as Scheduled Tribes (Wikipedia, “Adivasi”). IWGIA says there are more than 705 ethnic groups listed as Scheduled Tribes. Other sources say that the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, lists 744 tribes across 22 states (Wikipedia, “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”). The number has changed as groups have been added at different times. Please see the log.
They can be found in almost every state. One source mentions they can be found in all states and union territories except Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Puducherry, and Chandigarh with the most prevalent numbers in central and northeast India (Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Scheduled Tribes of India”). The Census of India is the official source for these statistics.
Adivasi and Dalit
Many people often confuse these two groups. These two groups are legally defined and historically different groups of people.
| Dalits (Scheduled Castes) | Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) | |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. Share of population (2011 Census) | About 16.6% | About 8.6% |
| Place in the Caste System | Outside the four varnas; treated as “untouchable” | Generally outside the Caste system |
| Constitutional Basis | Articles 341 and 342 | |
| Central Reservation | 15% and 7.5% (2011 Census) |
The reservation numbers are discussed in our caste reservation in India guide. Dalits’ exclusion was through untouchability which was legally ended by Article 17 as our guide to what Article 17 says states. Adivasi exclusion is historically tied to dispossession of land and forests of India (Legacy IAS, “Tribal Societies of India”).
There are similarities in the protections afforded to both groups. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 (Wikipedia, “SC/ST Act”) provides for both. According to the India National Crime Records Bureau, there were 12,960 reported cases of crime against members of the Scheduled Tribes in 2023 (Deccan Herald, on NCRB Crime in India 2023). As far as politics is concerned, the Dalit Panthers also included members of the Scheduled Tribes in their definition of ‘Dalit’ (Samajweekly), as outlined in our post on the Dalit Panthers. As far as the word ‘Dalit’ is concerned, a person can also be a ‘Dalit’ on a caste and religious basis as well (please see our post on ‘What is Dalit?’).
Land and Forest Rights
Many tribal communities were treated as encroachers on land by the colonial-era forest policy (Legacy IAS). The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognizes that tribal communities have the right over the forest land and other resources (Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Scheduled Tribes of India”). The PESA Act 1996 empowers the Gram Sabhas (village councils) in the areas covered under the Fifth Schedule (Legacy IAS). It is mentioned in one of the study guides that effective implementation of the 1996 Act is lacking in most of the states (Legacy IAS). Please see the log for the status of both these laws.
Reservation for Scheduled Tribes
Scheduled Tribes receive 7.5% reservation in jobs and education at the central level (Testbook, “Reservation in India”). Our guide to caste reservation in India, explains the full system, the 2024 Supreme Court judgment on sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and the debate on the creamy layer.
Why this is important outside of India
There are references to Scheduled Tribes by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) for the purpose of contextualising Indigenous Peoples rights within other countries where such populations are located (IWGIA). The issues that continue to permeate around the world on indigenous land rights, the recognition of indigenous communities, the right to self-governance and the right to autonomy as well as the right of indigenous communities to prior, free, and informed consent are not unique to India. (For communities documenting their history, learning blogging and other digital skills, use of artificial intelligence, and building email marketing lists have become critical. The Ambedkarite Educational Program was initiated to achieve this purpose).
In brief
Scheduled Tribes refer to communities as stated in Article 342 of the Indian Constitution which constituted 8.6% of the total population as of 2011. Many of them identify themselves as Adivasi, which means the original inhabitants of the region. They are generally outside the caste order, which separates them from Dalits. The latter are placed in the bottom of the caste order and hierarchy on the basis of untouchability. The Scheduled Tribes enjoy 7.5% reservation at the central level, forest rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and safeguards under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Not all tribes are counted and recognized by the state, and several more communities claim to qualify for the status of Scheduled Tribes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Scheduled Tribes in India?
These are the tribes and tribal communities that have been enumerated by the President under Article 342 of the Constitution. As of 2011, they comprised around 8.6% of the country’s population, i.e. about 104 million people.
What is the meaning of Adivasi?
This means original inhabitant. The term has its roots in Sanskrit and was coined in the 1930s. A lot of communities belonging to the Scheduled Tribes have adopted this term.
What is the difference between Adivasi and Dalit?
Dalits are the Scheduled Castes who have suffered untouchability and are placed outside the four varnas. Adivasis are the Scheduled Tribes who are often outside the hierarchy of castes, and their disadvantage is mostly because of land and forests. Both are covered by the Atrocities Act.
How many Scheduled Tribes are there?
There are differing opinions on this. IWGIA says there are about 705 groups, while the Scheduled Tribes Order mentions 744 tribes within 22 states. The list changes over a period of time.
What is the reservation for Scheduled Tribes?
There is a 7.5% reservation for them at the central level for education and employment in the government. The state level reservations differ.
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SOURCES
- IWGIA, The Indigenous World 2024: India
- Wikipedia, “Adivasi”
- Wikiwand, “Adivasi”
- Wikipedia, “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Scheduled Tribes of India” (Britannica Students)
- Legacy IAS, “Tribal Societies in India”
- Testbook, “Reservation in India”
- Deccan Herald, on NCRB Crime in India 2023
- Samajweekly, “Dalit Panthers: History, Role and Impact”
- Constitution of India, Articles 342 and 366(25) (link: legislative.gov.in)
