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Context:

The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) across the country have comprehensively categorised 268 denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes.

About the Denotified Tribes (DNTs)

Denotified Tribes (DNTs) are communities that were historically labeled as "criminal tribes" under the British colonial-era Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. These communities were stigmatized and branded as habitual criminals based on their traditional occupations and lifestyles.

After India gained independence in 1947, the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed in 1949, and the communities previously labeled as "criminal tribes" were "denotified." However, the repeal did not erase the social stigma or discrimination faced by these communities.

DNTs constitute a significant portion of India's population, with estimates suggesting that around 10% of the population belongs to these communities.

Classification of denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes

The classification of 268 denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes by the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) is a landmark effort to address historical injustices and ensure these communities gain access to governmental benefits and social schemes.

Successive commissions, such as the Kaka Kalelkar Commission (1953), Lokur Committee (1965), Mandal Commission (1980), and Idate Commission (2017), attempted to classify these tribes but failed to complete the task. This delay left many communities without access to welfare schemes.

Significance of the categorization

Inclusion in SC, ST, or OBC categories will enable these communities to access reservations, education, employment, and other welfare programs.

Proper classification will recognize their unique identities and empower them to participate fully in socio-economic development.

The classification will help reduce the stigma associated with these tribes, particularly those labeled as "criminal" under colonial laws.

Access to resources and opportunities will improve the livelihoods of these communities, helping them break the cycle of poverty and marginalization.

What was the process followed to classify these tribes?

Formation of a Special Committee: In 2019, the Prime Minister’s Office formed a Special Committee with experts like Bhiku Ramji Idate and Dr. J.K. Bajaj to oversee the study.

Ethnographic Study: The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) conducted an ethnographic study starting in February 2020 and concluding in August 2023.

Recommendations: The study identified 268 tribes, recommended 179 tribes for inclusion in SC, ST, or OBC categories, and classified 85 communities for the first time. It also found that 63 tribes were "not traceable" due to assimilation, migration, or name changes.

What Next?

A Special Committee under NITI Aayog’s Vice-Chairperson will review the findings. After approval, state governments will update SC/ST/OBC lists to include these tribes, which will allow access to welfare schemes, education, and employment reservations.

Way Forward

The classification of denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes is an essential step toward achieving social justice and inclusive development and rectifies historical injustices, empowers marginalized communities, and strengthens the country’s social justice framework.

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Source: 

THE HINDU