Scheduled Tribes in Kerala and their Education

Dr.Baiju K.Nath
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Education
University of Calicut

and

Hima.T
M,Ed. Student (2014 - 15)
Dept. of Education, University of Calicut

Key Terms : Scheduled tribes, tribal education, tribes in India

 Abstract

The Scheduled tribes is one of the socially disadvantaged sections in India, who are
backward, educationally, economically, socially and culturally, as compared to the rest of
the people. Lack of education is a major factor for the slow development of programs
among the tribes. Disparity in the quality of education always produces wider gaps within
the society because of the development of two parallel systems of education. The tribals are
destined to get only quantitative education and qualitative education is only a dream for
them. Article 366 (25) of the Constitution of India refers to Scheduled tribes as those
communities, who are scheduled in accordance with article 342 of the Constitution. In India,
the tribal groups live in North- Eastern region, Eastern and Central region and Southern
region. The tribal population of the country, as per 2011 census, is 10.43 crore, constituting
8.6% of the total population. 89.97% of them live in rural areas and 10.03% in urban areas.
Scheduled tribes are notified in 30 states and number of individual ethnic group etc notified
as scheduled tribes is 705. Education for the tribal people has today become a matter of
great concern. Ever since India gained independence, a considerable amount of money has
been spent so that the tribal people who are under developed and neglected could get a fair
deal.

Introduction

The Scheduled tribes is one of the socially disadvantaged sections in India, who are
backward, educationally, economically, socially and culturally, as compared to the rest of
the people. Lack of education is a major factor for the slow development of programs
among the tribes. For the promotion of educational interest of the scheduled tribes, the
constitution includes an article in the chapter relating the directive principles of the state
policy stating that the state shall promote with special care the educational and economic
interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular of SCs and STs and shall
protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. Article 46 says that the state
shall endeavor to provide free and compulsory education for all children until they complete
the age of fourteen years. But it is a bare fact that the target date has been successively
postponed several times and the sacred wish of the constitution could not be fulfilled even
now. In spite of all the endeavors, the position of tribal education is still very alarming.
Disparity in the quality of education always produces wider gaps within the society
because of the development of two parallel systems of education. The tribals are destined to
get only quantitative education and qualitative education is only a dream for them. This dual
quality of education in India has always been a subject of criticism. So education of tribes is
a factor which needs special care and attention.
Tribes – Meaning and Definition
The term tribe has been derived from the Latin word ‘tribes’ [equivalent ‘tribu’ (fr),
‘Phule’ (gr)] meaning a social group. A social group may be defined as an aggregate of
individuals in which
a. Definite relations exist between the individuals comprising it; and
b. Each individual is conscious of the group itself and its symbols.
In other words, “a social group has at least a rudimentary structure and organization
(including rules, rituals etc) and a psychological basis in the consciousness of its members”
(Bottomore, 1962).In the Imperial Gazetteer the term tribe has been defined as “a
collection of families bearing a common name, speaking common dialect, occupying or
professing to occupy a common territory and is not usually endogamous though originally
it might have been so.”
Article 366 (25) of the Constitution of India refers to Scheduled tribes as those
communities, who are scheduled in accordance with article 342 of the Constitution. Article
342 says that only those communities who have been declared as such by the President
through an initial public notification or through a subsequent Amending Act of Parliament
will be considered to be scheduled tribes.
Some definitions of tribes
A tribe is defined as:
1. (a). “ A group of people in a primitive or barbarous stage of development
acknowledging the authority of a chief and usually regarding themselves as having
common ancestry”.
(b). a set of people, theoretically of common descent: an aggregate of families, forming
a community: a race: a bridge: a class or set of people: loosely a classificatory
division”. (Oxford Dictionary)
2. “A social group comprising of numerous families, clans, or generations together with
 slaves dependents or adopted strangers” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary)
In compiling various conflicting definitions of tribe, Naik (1968) suggests the
following being the criteria of a tribe.
1) A tribe to be a ‘tribe’ would have the least functional interdependence within the
community.(The Hindu Caste)
2) It should be economically backward means
i. The full import of monetary economics should not be understood by its
members.
ii. Primitive means of exploiting natural resources should be used.
iii. Tribe’s economy should be in an underdeveloped stage.
iv. It should have multifarious economic pursuits.
3) There should be a comparative geographic isolation of its members from other.
4) Culturally, members of a tribe should have a common dialect which may be
subjected to regional variations.
5) A tribe should be an influential institution.
6) The tribe members should have the least desire to change. They should have a sort of
psychological conservations making them stick to their old customs and traditions.
7) Tribes should have customary laws and its members might have to suffer in a law
court because of these laws.
The essential characteristics first lay down by the Lokur Committee, for a community
to be identified as scheduled tribes are:
 Indications of primitive traits.
 Distinctive culture
 Shyness of contact with the community at large;
 Geographical isolation ; and
 Backwardness
Prof. Dube (1977) has pointed out the following characteristic features of tribes
• Their roots in the soil dates back to a very early period, if they are not original
inhabitants, they are at least some of the inhabitants of land.
• They live in the relative isolation of the hills and the forests.
• Their sense of history is sallow for among them, the remembered history of 5 to 6
generations tends to get merged in mythology.
 • They have a low level of techno-economic development.
• In terms of their cultural ethos, language, institutions, beliefs and customs, they
stand out from the other section of the society.
• If they are not egalitarian, they are at least non-hierarchic and undifferentiated.
Status of tribes in India
Tribal societies have been found in all parts of the world. Next to Africa, the major
concentration of these tribes is found in India.
In India, the tribal groups live in:
 North- Eastern region
 Eastern and Central region and
 Southern region.
According to 1961 Census, there were 212 different types of tribes in India with a
population of 29.88 million. By 1971, the total population of these tribes was 7 percent of
the total population of 40 million. According to 1981 Census, the total population of these
tribes was little more than 7 percent of the population of 68 million and according to 1991
Census; the total population of these tribes was 8.08 percent of the total population of 85
million. According to 2001 Census, the total population of the tribes is 8.2 percent of the
total population of 843 million and according to 2011 Census; they constitute 8.6 percent of
the total population of 104.3 million.
The tribal population of the country, as per 2011 census, is 10.43 crore, constituting
8.6% of the total population. 89.97% of them live in rural areas and 10.03% in urban areas.
Scheduled tribes are notified in 30 states and number of individual ethnic group etc notified
as scheduled tribes is 705. The total population of Kerala as per Census 2011 is 3, 34,
06,061 with a scheduled tribe population of 4, 84,839 which constitutes 1.45 percent of the
total population. The highest proportion of scheduled tribe has been recorded in Wayanad
(18.53 %) and the lowest in Thrissur (0.30%). The highest number of scheduled tribe has
been recorded in Wayanad (1, 51, 443) and the lowest in Alappuzha (6,574).
The tribes in Kerala hills are:
 Adiyan
 Arandan , Aranadan
 Eravallan
 Hill Pulaya, Mala Pulayan, Kurumba Pulayan, Karavazhi Pulayan, Pamba
Pulayan
 Irular, Irulan
 Kadar, Wayanad Kadar
 Kanikaran, Kanikkar
 Kattunayakan
 Kochuvelan
 Koraga
 Kudiya, Melakudi
 Kurichchan, Kurichiyan
 Kurumans , Mullu Kuruman, Mulla Kuruman, Mala Kuruman
 Kurumbas, Kurumbar, Kurumban
 Maha Malasar
 Malai Arayan, Mala Arayan
 Malai Pandaram
 Malai Vedan, Malavedan
 Malakkuravan
 Malasar
 Malayan, Nattu Malayan, Konga Malayan (excluding the areas comprising the
Kasargode, Connanore, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts)
 Malayarayar
 Mannan
 Muthuvan, Mudugar, Muduvan
 Palleyan, Palliyan, Palliyar, Paliyan
 Paniyan
 Ulladan , Ullatan
 Uraly
 Mala Vettuvan (in Kasargode and Kannur districts)
 Ten Kurumban, Jenu Kurumban
 Thachanadan, Thachanadan Moopan
 Cholanaickan
 Mavilan
 Karimpalan
  Vetta Kuruman
 Mala Panickar
The total literacy rate as per 2011 Census is 74 with Kerala State having the highest
literacy rate (93.92%). In Kerala, Kottayam district has recorded the highest literacy rate
and Wayanad district with 89.03 % having the lowest literacy. In a highly literate state like
Kerala, about half of the total population of the tribes lives in Wayanad District which
stands lowest in literacy rate. So the educational needs of people in Wayanad district have to
be given due consideration.
Tribal Education
Realizing the need to improve the overall status of tribals, their education has
emerged at the forefront of recent development efforts. Empirical evidence suggests that
tribal children possess the basic cognitive abilities and psychological dispositions for
successful participation in schools, and their low achievement levels are attributed to school
related variables as would apply to non- tribal students (Gautam, 2003). Most children tend
to be first generation learners whose education is not reinforced or supported in their home
environments. Some of these issues can be addressed through appropriate program design
and strategy.
Education for the tribal people has today become a matter of great concern. Ever since India
gained independence, a considerable amount of money has been spent so that the tribal
people who are under developed and neglected could get a fair deal. Both the Central and
State Governments are extending facilities in various shapes for the promotion of tribal
education. Generally, the facilities have been extended by providing school buildings,
teachers, free text books, and at selected places, free boarding and lodging facilities and
mid-day meals. Education Commission [1964-1966] states, “It is necessary to pay special
attention to the education of children from the backward classes which include the
Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, de-notified communities and a few nomadic and
semi- nomadic groups.
In spite of all the measures done by the Central and State Governments in the field of
Tribal education, their condition is still pathetic. The disinterest shown by tribal folk
towards education is fairly evidenced by the alarming rate of drop out of tribal students. In
any tribal school in India, there are many children in the rolls who are never attending
schools. Wastage due to drop out and stagnation is severe in tribal schools. Lack of proper
and adequate consciousness for the need of formal education, parents’ apathy for education,
poor economic conditions, and house hold work by children, inadequacy, inefficiency and
insincerity on the part of teachers, curriculum and teaching methods were some of the
factors for wastage and stagnation.

Educational planning of tribes is done by non- tribes in India, who cannot grasp their
actual problems. Most of the teachers in tribal schools are from higher strata of the society,
with whom the tribal students feel a sense of detachment, the teachers do not get specialized
training for working in the backward areas and they cannot provide appropriate educational
environment to the SC/ST students.

The long experience of tribal education leads us to realize that its implementation
process has to be changed or replaced by a new educational system. After so many years of
the Government’s attempts, the tribals remain even today an educationally backward
community. It is a matter of serious concern since today they constitute 8.6% of the total
population of our country. As such, they simply can’t be neglected any more.
All children and young people of the world with their individual strengths and
weaknesses, with their hopes and expectations, have the right to education. It is not our
education systems that have a right to certain types of children. Therefore, it is the school
system of a country that must be adjusted to meet the needs of all children. Empirical
evidence suggests that tribal children possess the basic cognitive abilities and psychological
dispositions for successful participation in schools, and their low achievement levels are
attributed to school related variables as would apply to non- tribal students (Gautam, 2003).
In most of the tribal cultures, learning is an active, pleasurable event mostly carried
on among peers. Tribal children are initiated into new life experiences through songs,
dances, riddles and folk- tales, which slowly merge them with the society of adults. But the
existing system of education does not take into account their learning styles. Learning in the
existing educational system which is geared to urban, non- tribal, middle class cultures, is
painful and difficult for them which is partly responsible for the little spread of education
among them.