Tribal issues

• For almost two decades now, Chellapan and his family have been forced to lead a nomadic life after being ‘banished’ from their tribal colony.
• The punishment came after Chellappan, who belongs to the Muthuvan tribe, married his maternal cousin, which is prohibited in the community. He and his wife Yasodha were ostracised from the Adichilthotty tribal colony in Athirappilly panchayat in the Edamalayar forest range, straddling Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
• Since then the couple lived on the banks of the Edamalayar reservoir scrounging a living by fishing. Their two sons, who study at a tribal hostel at Vazhachal, spend their holidays with them in a hut perched atop a rock facing the reservoir.
• “Being ostracised without permanent address means they also do not possess any document, including Aadhaar or ration card; this has stripped them of all government benefits. The Forest Department tries to help Chellappan by using his services as a watcher.

• As per 1951 census, 5.6% of the total population of the country was tribal. According to Census-2011, the number of scheduled tribes in India is 10, 42, 81,034. It is 8.6% of the total population of India. There are about 550 tribes in India.
• During 2001-2011 the decadal growth rate of the population of India was 17.64%. During this period the decadal growth rate of the scheduled tribes was 23.7%.
• States and union territories having maximum ratio of scheduled tribes, as per Census-2011 (in descending order)- Lakshadweep (94.8%) > Mizoram (94.4%) > Nagaland (86.5%) > Meghalaya (86.1%) > Arunachal Pradesh (68.8%).
• States and Union territories having minimum ratio of Scheduled tribes, as per Census-2011 (in ascending order)- Uttar Pradesh (0.6%) < Tamil Nadu (1.1%) < Bihar (1.3%) < Kerala (1.5%) < Uttarakhand (2.9%).
• Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry have no population of Scheduled tribes.

Sex ratio in STs

• As per Census 2011, the sex ratio in India is 943 whereas it is 990 in scheduled tribes.
• The sex ratio of children (0-6 age group) in India is 919 whereas that of it are 957 in scheduled tribes.
• The sex ratio in scheduled tribes is in favour of females in Goa (1046), Kerala (1025), Arunachal Pradesh (1032), Odisha (1029) and Chhattisgarh (1020).
• In Jammu and Kashmir (924) the sex ratio in scheduled tribes is the lowest in the country.

Literacy of Scheduled Tribes

• As per Census 2011, the rate of literacy in India is 72.99% whereas that of it in scheduled tribes is 59%.
• State-wise, the rate of literacy in scheduled tribes is highest in Mizoram (91.7%) and lowest in Andhra Pradesh (49.2%).
• Among union territories, the highest rate of literacy in scheduled tribes is in Lakshadweep (91.7%).

List of Tribes in India

• Arunachal Pradesh = Aptani, Mishmi, Daffla, Miri, Aka, Sinpho, Khamti etc.
• Assam = Chakma, Mikir, Kachari, Bora etc
• Meghalaya = Garo, Khasi, Jaintia, Hamar etc
• Nagaland = Angami, Konyak, Lotha etc
• Manipur = Kuki, Lepcha, Mugh etc
• Tripura = Bhutia, Chakma, Garo, Kuki etc
• Mizoram = Mizo, Lakher etc
• West Bengal = Asur, Bhumij, Birhor, Lodha, Lepcha, Magh,Mahali, Malpaharia, Polia etc
• Jharkhand = Santhal, Paharia, Munda, Ho, Birhor, Oraon, Kharia, Tamaria etc
• Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand = Tharu, Bhatia, Jaunsari, Bhoksha, Raji, Khasa, Bhuia, Kharwar, Manjhi, Kol etc
• Odisha = Zuang, Sawara, Karia, Khond, Kandh etc
• Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh = Hill Maria, Muria, Dandami, Gond, Baiga. Parja, Bhattra, Agaria, Bhil, Saharia. Korwa, Halba etc
• Himachal Pradesh = Gaddi, Gujjar, Kinnar etc
• Jammu & Kashmir = Gaddi, Bakarwal etc
• Rajasthan = Bhil, Meena. Kathoria, Garasia etc
• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana = Chenchu, Yandai, Kurumba, Khond, Bagdaz, Koya, Bagata, Gadaba etc
• Kerala = Irula, Kurumba, Kadar, Puliyan etc
• Tamil Nadu = Toda, Kota, Kurumba, Badaga etc
• Andaman & Nicobar = Great Andamanese, Nicobarese, Onge, Jarawa, Shompen, Sentenalese etc.