Classification of the 32 Tribes
Classification of the 32 Tribes
Jharkhand has 32 Scheduled Tribes, and they make up about 26.2 percent of the state's population. The standard classification used in state material is L. P. Vidyarthi's four-fold division based on the way a community makes its living.
Scheduled Tribes — 32 | ST share of population — about 26.2 percent (Census 2011)
Basic facts
- The state has 32 Scheduled Tribesबार-बार पूछा जाता है
- ST population in 2011 was about 86 lakh, roughly 26.2 percent of the state
- The largest tribe by population is the Santhal
- Other large tribes — Oraon, Munda and Ho
- Kanwar and Kol were added to the list in 2003, taking the count to 32
- Tribes are spread unevenly — the south and east have the highest concentrations
Vidyarthi's four-fold classification
| Category | Way of life | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter and gatherer type | Forest collection and hunting | Birhor, Korwa, Hill Kharia |
| Shifting cultivation type | Slash and burn farming on slopes | Sauria Paharia |
| Simple artisan type | Craft and metal work | Mahli, Lohra, Karmali, Chik Baraik |
| Settled agriculturist type | Settled farming villages | Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Ho, Bhumij |
Language families of the tribes
- Austroasiatic (Munda group) — Santhali, Mundari, Ho, Kharia, Bhumij
- Dravidian — Kurukh of the Oraon and Malto of the Paharia
- Indo-Aryan — some communities have shifted to regional languages
- Santali is in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and uses the Ol Chiki script
- Language, not just occupation, is a common basis for grouping these communities
Where the main tribes live
| Tribe | Main districts |
|---|---|
| Santhal | Santhal Pargana districts and the east |
| Oraon | Ranchi, Gumla, Lohardaga, Simdega |
| Munda | Khunti, Ranchi, Seraikela side |
| Ho | West Singhbhum, the Kolhan tract |
| Kharia | Simdega and Gumla |
| Bhumij | East Singhbhum and Seraikela |
Points that get asked
- Number of Scheduled Tribes — 32
- ST share of the state's population — about 26.2 percent
- Largest tribe — Santhal
- Scholar who gave the four-fold classification — L. P. Vidyarthi
- Language of the Oraon — Kurukh, a Dravidian language
Tribes grouped by size
- Very large — Santhal, Oraon, Munda and Ho together form the bulk of the ST population
- Medium — Kharia, Bhumij, Lohra, Mahli, Chero, Gond and Kharwar
- Small and vulnerable — the nine groups classed as particularly vulnerable
- Some names on the list, such as Gond and Kol, extend well beyond the state
- Some, such as Ho and Sauria Paharia, are concentrated almost entirely within it
- Size matters in exams mainly for the ranking question on the largest tribe
Terms used with tribal society
- Adivasi — the term communities use for themselves, meaning original inhabitant
- Janjati — the official Hindi term used in law and administration
- Sadan — the non-tribal communities native to the region
- Dikku — outsider, historically the landlord or trader from outside
- PVTG — particularly vulnerable tribal group, an administrative category
झारखंड में अनुसूचित जनजातियों की संख्या 32 है और उनका वर्गीकरण प्रायः एल. पी. विद्यार्थी की जीविका-आधारित चार श्रेणियों में किया जाता है।
Memory hook — Char shreni ka jod — Shikari, Jhoom, Karigar, Kisan. Aur char bade naam — Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Ho. Do line me poora topic.
Yahan confuse hote hain — Sabse badi janjati aur sabse prasiddh janjati alag ho sakti hain.
✗ Munda is the largest tribe of Jharkhand | ✓ Santhal is the largest by population; Munda is smaller but historically prominent
✗ Oraon ki bhasha Austroasiatic hai | ✓ Oraon ki bhasha Kurukh hai, jo Dravidian parivar ki hai
Exam pointer — JSSC CGL, JTGLCCE, JKCE aur JTET me sankhya, sabse badi janjati aur bhasha ka matching seedha aata hai. JPSC me Vidyarthi ka vargikaran aur janjatiya arthvyavastha ka badlav Mains me aata hai. Ye chapter ka sabse scoring topic hai.
Ek nazar me
- 32 Scheduled Tribes in the state
- ST share — about 26.2 percent of population
- Largest tribe — Santhal
- Other large tribes — Oraon, Munda, Ho
- Kanwar and Kol added to the list in 2003
- Classification by L. P. Vidyarthi in four categories
- Hunter-gatherer, shifting cultivator, artisan, settled farmer
- Munda languages — Santali, Mundari, Ho, Kharia
- Dravidian languages — Kurukh and Malto
- Santali is in the Eighth Schedule, written in Ol Chiki