GS Paper I 2016 · Q10
12½ marks · 200 words Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism X-Ray · Core #22Why are the tribals in India referred to as ‘the Scheduled Tribes’? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment.
Approach · directive: “why / indicate”
What it asks · Explain the constitutional meaning of ‘Scheduled’ (a listing under Article 342), then list the main protections, representation and administrative safeguards for tribes.
It asks 2 things — answer each
- Why 'Scheduled': the constitutional meaning, listing by Presidential notification under Article 342, and the tests applied
- Indicate the major constitutional provisions for their upliftment: special care, reservation, representation, Scheduled Areas, protection, institutions and funds
Open with · Census 2011 counted 10.45 crore Scheduled Tribes, 8.6% of India's people, in over 705 groups; 'Scheduled' is a legal label, given only to communities placed on the list notified under Article 342.
Cover
- Census 2011: 10.45 crore STs, 8.6% of the population, over 705 groups; the label is legal, not anthropological.
- Article 342: Presidential notification after consulting the Governor; only Parliament alters the list; Article 366(25) defines STs.
- Lokur Committee (1965) tests: primitive traits, distinct culture, isolation, shyness of contact, backwardness.
- Special care and reservation: Articles 46, 15(4), 16(4) and 335.
- Representation and areas: Articles 330, 332, 243D; Article 244 with the Fifth and Sixth Schedules.
- Protection and institutions: Articles 19(5), 164(1), 338A, 275(1); PESA 1996 and Forest Rights Act 2006 by statute.
- Since then: PVTG Development Mission (Budget 2023-24) and PM-JANMAN for the most vulnerable groups.
Close with · Since then, Budget 2023-24's PVTG Development Mission and PM-JANMAN, with around Rs 24,000 crore, target the most vulnerable groups; scheduling fulfils its promise only when these safeguards reach the hamlet.
Add value (verified)
- Article 366(25) ties the label to Article 342: a community is a Scheduled Tribe only if it is deemed so under that article.The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2024), Article 366(25) — Legislative Department ↗““Scheduled Tribes” means such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this Constitution”
- Census 2011 recorded the Scheduled Tribe population at 10.45 crore, 8.6% of India's population.Government Initiatives for Tribal Welfare in India — PIB ↗“the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population recorded at 10.45 crore, or 8.6% of the total population, according to the 2011 Census”
- Scheduled Tribes comprise over 705 distinct groups.Government Initiatives for Tribal Welfare in India — PIB ↗“These communities, comprising over 705 distinct groups”
- Budget 2023-24 announced a PVTG Development Mission to saturate Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group families and habitations with basic facilities; PM-JANMAN was launched with a budget of around Rs 24,000 crore.Year End Review 2023: Ministry of Tribal Affairs — PIB ↗“Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission - to saturate the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) families and habitations with basic facilities”
- PM-JANMAN was launched on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas with a budget of around Rs 24,000 crore.Year End Review 2023: Ministry of Tribal Affairs — PIB ↗“PM- JANMAN with a budget of around Rs 24,000 crores”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2016, GS Paper I — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 16 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 294words · Minimalist IAS
Census 2011 counted 10.45 crore Scheduled Tribes, 8.6% of India's population, in over 705 distinct groups. 'Scheduled' is a legal label, not an anthropological one: a community qualifies only when placed on the list, or schedule, notified under Article 342.
Why 'Scheduled Tribes'
- Presidential notification: the President, after consulting the Governor, notifies a State's tribes (first by the 1950 Order); only Parliament, by law, can alter that list.
- Definition: Article 366(25) defines Scheduled Tribes as those deemed so under Article 342, replacing the 'backward tribes' of the Government of India Act 1935.
- Tests: the Lokur Committee (1965) used primitive traits, distinct culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact and backwardness, so a tribe may be scheduled in one State only.
Constitutional provisions for upliftment
- Special care: Article 46 directs the State to promote their educational and economic interests and shield them from social injustice and exploitation.
- Reservation: Articles 15(4) and 16(4) permit special provisions and reserved posts; Article 335 weighs their claims in appointments.
| Safeguard | Provision | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Representation | Articles 330, 332, 243D | Reserved seats in Lok Sabha, Assemblies, Panchayats |
| Scheduled Areas | Article 244, Fifth Schedule | Tribes Advisory Councils; curbs on land transfer |
| North-East tribal areas | Sixth Schedule | District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| Oversight and funds | Articles 338A, 275(1) | National Commission for STs; special grants |
- Protection: Article 19(5) allows limits on outsiders' movement and settlement in tribal areas; Article 164(1) mandates a tribal welfare minister in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
- Statutory extension: PESA 1996 and the Forest Rights Act 2006 carry these safeguards into gram sabhas and forests.
Since then, Budget 2023-24 announced a PVTG Development Mission, and PM-JANMAN carries around Rs 24,000 crore for the most vulnerable groups; scheduling fulfils its promise only when these safeguards reach the hamlet.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 16 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
