Gujarat: Scheduled tribes

SC and ST Population : As per Census 2011, the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State was reported at 40.74 lakh (6.7 percent) and 89.17 lakh (14.8 percent) respectively compared to their proportion of 16.6 percent and 8.6 percent respectively in India. The proportionate share of SCs and STs was 2.0 percent and 8.6 percent respectively to the total population of SCs and STs of India. About 56.0 percent of the Scheduled Castes population was enumerated in rural areas and the remaining 44.0 percent was enumerated in the urban areas. The corresponding proportions for Scheduled Tribes were 90.0 percent and 10.0 percent respectively.

SC and ST Literacy Rate : The literacy rate for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was reported to 79.2 percent and 62.5 percent respectively in Census, 2011.

SC and ST Sex Ratio : The sex ratio for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was reported to 931 and 981 respectively in Census, 2011.

List of Scheduled Tribes

Barda
Bavacha, Bamcha
Bharwad (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
Bhil, Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil, Dungri Bhil, Dungri Garasia, Mewasi Bhil, Rawal Bhil, Tadvi Bhil, Bhagalia, Bhilala, Pawra,Valvi, Vasava, Vasave.
Charan (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
Chaudhari (in Surat and Valsad districts)
Chodhara
Dhanka, Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi
Dhodia, Dhodi
Dubla Talavia, Halpati
Gamit, Gamta, Gavit Mavchi, Padvi
Gond, Rajgond
Kathodi, Katkari, Dhor Kathodi, Dhor Katkari, Son Kathodi, Son Katkari
Kokna, Kokni, Kukna
Omit
Koli Dhor, Tokre Koli, Kolcha, Kongha
Kunbi (in the Dang Districts
Naikda, Nayaka, Cholivala Nayaka, Kapadia Nayaka, Mota Nayaka, Nana Nayaka,
Padhar
Omit
Pardhi, Advichincher, Phanse Pardhi (excluding Amreli, Bhavanagar, Jamnagar, Jungadh, Kutch, Rajkot and Surrendranagar district)
Pateliya
Pomla
Rabari (in the Nesses of the forest of Alech, Barada and Gir)
Rathwa
Siddi, Siddi-Badshan (in Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot and Surendranagar Districts)
Omit
Varli
Vitolia, Kotwalia, Barodia
Bhil, Bhilala, Barela, Patelia
Tadvi Bhil, Bawra, Vasave,
Padvi

Population in 2011

SR. No.	Name of the Scheduled Tribe	Total population	Proportion to the total ST population
1	Bhil, Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil, Dungri Bhil, Dungri Garasia, Mewasi Bhil, Rawal Bhil, Tadvi Bhil, Bhagalia, Bhilala, Pawra, Vasava, Vasave	4,215,603	47.28%
2	Chaudhri (in Surat and Valsad districts)	302,958	3.40%
3	Dhanka, Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi	280,949	3.15%
4	Dhodia, Dhodi	635,695	7.13%
5	Dubla, Talavia, Halpati	643,120	7.21%
6	Gamit, Gamta, Gavit, Mavchi, Padvi	378,445	4.24%
7	Kokna, Kokni, Kukna	361,587	4.05%
8	Naikda, Nayaka, Cholivala Nayaka, Kapadia Nayaka, Mota Nayaka, Nana Nayaka	459,908	5.16%
9	Rathawa	642,348	7.20%
10	Varli	328,194	3.68%
11	Other Tribes	668,367	7.50%
	All Schedule Tribes	8,917,174	100.00%

In 1972, the Tribal Development Department established for effective implementation of Tribal Welfare Schemes. In 1976 Tribal Development Commissionerate was established. In 1984 separate Tribal Department.

Barda

The Barda means hilly region. So people from hilly region are called Barda. They are believed to have migrated to Gujarat from the Khandesh region and are hence also known as the Khandeshi Bhil. At the regional level they are regarded as a subdivision of the Bhil.

Bawcha

Except some historical information, no written evidence is available about origin of Bawcha tribe. Bawcha must have their origin in Yadav dynasty or Pandav dynasty. This is presumed on the basis of custom of marriage between maternal cousin.

Bharwad

The term Bharwad is reported to be a modified form of the word ‘Badawad’ and ‘bada’ means sheep and ‘wada’ in Gujarati refers to compound or enclosure. The person who possess compounds or pens in this caste of shepherds were known as Badawad.

Bhil

Bhil is the second largest tribe in India. According to census 2001 the population of Bhil tribe was 34,41,945 out of them were 17,49,813 males and 16,95,132 were female. The Bhil tribal community mainly residence in Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat & Maharashtra.

Charan

The Charan is a small tribe in the state, their total population in year 2001 was 2,481 (0.035), 1,299 male Gujarat: Scheduled tribes and 1,182 female. They are also called Gadhvi. According to Enthoven (1920) the name Charan is derived from the word char which means grazing.

Choudhuri / Choudhury

The Choudhury are a well-documented community, with studies having conducted on this community since 1900. The term Choudhra is also used for the Choudhury community, though during 1961.

Chodhara

Only in 1981 & 2001 Census they classified as Chodhari and Chodhara in caste wise and District wise. Chodhara Tribe Main population in Narmada, Bharuch & Surat District.

Dhodia

The term Dhodia has been derived from ‘Dhulia’, a place in Maharashtra from where two Rajput princes namely Dhan Singh and Roop Singh came to this area. They met two beautiful Naika Women and got married to them.

Gamit

Gamit believe that they belong to The Sun dynasty Rajput community. It is believed that they might have migrated to India via Khaibar Ghat and Bolanghat of Sindh region and then they might have proceeded to Marwad areas.

Gond

Gond must be a kind of code. He used to write Khand in a code word. Gond people speak Gondi dialects which are derived from a mix of Tamil, Kanada and Telugu. It could therefore be presumed that they might have come from South India to MP.

Halpati

Dubla is Hindi means ‘thin’ or ‘weak’, even though physically they are stout. They claim to be the descendants of the Rajputs. Actually they remained economically very weak due to their dependency on the ladlords whom they served as hali for a considerably long time.

Kukana

Unlike other tribes, there has been no legend or no prevalent belief about origin of this tribe. Therefore, special efforts are required to trace out the historical background of this tribe. One inference can be drawn very easily from the name ‘Kukana’.

Kunbi

The term ‘kun’ means people and ‘bi’ means seeds; so Kunbi means those who germinate more seeds from one seed. The community people call themselves Kunbi and others also recognise them as the same. The Kukana is a synonymous term for the Kunbi.

Naikda

The Naikas are also called Mota Naika in Chikhli Taluka and Navsari district and Mahuva, Surat and Songadh taluka in Surat district and Nana Naika in other parts of Surat district respectively.

Patelia

The term ‘Patelia’ has been derived from the term Patel which locally means ‘headman’. The Patelias are mostly distributed in Panchamahal district. They are also distributed in Surat, Kheda, Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad districts.

Pomla

The people call themselves Pomla while other community people refer them by different synonyms like Pomla. Topiwala, Chabriwala etc. In Indore city of Madhya Pradesh state, from where they are said to have migrated other community people refer to them as Barguda.

Rabari

The word bhopa is derived from the words ‘bhumi palak’, i.e. ruler of the land and Rabari is a one who is wealthy. The word Rabari may also mean the one who is beyond rules and regulations. However, the exact etymology of these words is not clearly known.

Rathwa

The name of the tribe has been derived from the term “rathbistar” which means the forest and hilly areas. Thus the people who are the inhabitants of the rathbistar are called Rathwas. They are also known as Rathawa Koli.

Warli

The Warli is a well known tribe who are mostly living in the mountainous regions of Dharampur and Vansda talukas and in the coastal region of Umbergaon taluka of Valsad district. Their main concentration is in Umbergaon’ taluka.

Tadvi

Why Dhankas had different surnames? Why they were known as Tadvi instead of Valvi, or why Tetariya There have been several popular beliefs behind this. According to one such belief, during famine period, they ale the meat of horse and they were known as Tadvi, one who rides over horse.

Scheduled Tribes (STs) are indigenous peoples who are socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged. They are found in all parts of India, but are concentrated in the central and eastern parts of the country. In Gujarat, STs make up about 14% of the population.

The main STs in Gujarat are the Bhil, Dhodia, Gamit, Halbi, Kathodi, Kokna, Kunbi, Naikda, Padhar, Patelia, Rathwa, Vasava, and Warli. These tribes have their own unique cultures and languages. They are mostly engaged in agriculture, forest-based activities, and Animal Husbandry.

STs have been facing discrimination and marginalization for centuries. They have been denied access to Education, healthcare, and other basic Services. They have also been subjected to violence and exploitation.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the rights of STs. The government has taken some steps to improve their situation, but much more needs to be done.

Here are some specific examples of the discrimination and marginalization that STs face:

STs are often denied access to education. In 2011, the literacy rate among STs in Gujarat was only 59%, compared to 73% for the general population.
STs have limited access to healthcare. In 2011, the infant mortality rate among STs in Gujarat was 62 per 1,000 live births, compared to 44 per 1,000 live births for the general population.
STs are often subjected to violence and exploitation. In 2016, there were 1,200 cases of violence against STs reported in Gujarat.

The government has taken some steps to improve the situation of STs. In 2006, the government launched the Scheduled Tribes Development Plan (STDP). The STDP aims to improve the social, economic, and educational status of STs. The government has also enacted a number of laws to protect the rights of STs, such as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

However, much more needs to be done to improve the situation of STs. The government needs to ensure that STs have access to quality education, healthcare, and other basic services. The government also needs to take steps to protect STs from violence and exploitation.

The following are some of the challenges that STs face in Gujarat:

POVERTY: STs are disproportionately poor. In 2011, the poverty rate among STs in Gujarat was 27%, compared to 14% for the general population.
Lack of education: STs have low levels of education. In 2011, the literacy rate among STs in Gujarat was only 59%, compared to 73% for the general population.
Lack of healthcare: STs have limited access to healthcare. In 2011, the infant mortality rate among STs in Gujarat was 62 per 1,000 live births, compared to 44 per 1,000 live births for the general population.
Violence and exploitation: STs are often subjected to violence and exploitation. In 2016, there were 1,200 cases of violence against STs reported in Gujarat.

The following are some of the initiatives that have been taken by the government to improve the situation of STs in Gujarat:

The Scheduled Tribes Development Plan (STDP): The STDP aims to improve the social, economic, and educational status of STs.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: This law protects STs from violence and exploitation.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: This commission is responsible for protecting the rights of STs.

The following are some of the ways in which you can help STs in Gujarat:

Donate to organizations that work with STs.
Volunteer your time to organizations that work with STs.
Raise awareness about the challenges that STs face.
Support policies that promote the rights of STs.

What are Scheduled Tribes?

Scheduled Tribes are indigenous peoples who are considered to be socially and economically backward. They are listed in the Indian Constitution as a group that needs special protection and assistance.

What are the rights of Scheduled Tribes?

Scheduled Tribes have a number of rights under the Indian Constitution, including the right to education, EMPLOYMENT, and land. They also have the right to practice their own customs and traditions.

What are the challenges faced by Scheduled Tribes?

Scheduled Tribes face a number of challenges, including poverty, illiteracy, and discrimination. They are also often at risk of being displaced from their land.

What is the government doing to help Scheduled Tribes?

The government has a number of programs in place to help Scheduled Tribes, including affirmative action programs in education and employment. The government is also working to improve the Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE in Scheduled Tribe areas.

What can be done to help Scheduled Tribes?

There are a number of things that can be done to help Scheduled Tribes, including:

Raising awareness about the challenges faced by Scheduled Tribes
Supporting programs that provide education and employment opportunities for Scheduled Tribes
Advocating for policies that protect the rights of Scheduled Tribes
Working to improve the infrastructure in Scheduled Tribe areas

What is the future of Scheduled Tribes?

The future of Scheduled Tribes is uncertain. However, with the right support, they have the potential to overcome the challenges they face and build a better future for themselves.

Sure, here are some MCQs about Gujarat:

Which of the following is not a scheduled tribe in Gujarat?
(A) Bhil
(B) Koli
(C) Dhodia
(D) Kutchchhi
The largest scheduled tribe in Gujarat is:
(A) Bhil
(B) Koli
(C) Dhodia
(D) Kutchchhi
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat are concentrated in the following districts:
(A) Kutchchh, Dangs, Sabarkantha, and Banaskantha
(B) Kutchchh, Dangs, Sabarkantha, and Surendranagar
(C) Kutchchh, Dangs, Valsad, and Surat
(D) Kutchchh, Dangs, Valsad, and Navsari
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat speak the following languages:
(A) Gujarati, Hindi, and Marathi
(B) Gujarati, Hindi, and Bhili
(C) Gujarati, Hindi, and Dhodia
(D) Gujarati, Hindi, and Kutchchhi
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat have a rich culture and heritage. They are known for their:
(A) Music and dance
(B) Art and craft
(C) Food and cuisine
(D) All of the above
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat have made significant contributions to the state’s economy. They are involved in the following sectors:
(A) Agriculture
(B) Forestry
(C) Mining
(D) All of the above
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat have faced many challenges over the years. They have been discriminated against and marginalized. They have also been victims of violence and exploitation.
The government of Gujarat has taken some steps to improve the lives of the scheduled tribes. These steps include:
(A) Providing them with education and employment opportunities
(B) Providing them with healthcare and housing facilities
(C) Protecting their rights and interests
(D) All of the above
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat have a bright future. They are a resilient and resourceful people. They are determined to improve their lives and contribute to the development of the state.
The scheduled tribes in Gujarat are an important part of the state’s fabric. They are a valuable asset to the state. The government of Gujarat is committed to improving their lives and ensuring that they have a bright future.