The term "Scheduled Tribes" signifies specific indigenous groups whose status is formally acknowledged to some extent by Indian legislation, often colloquially referred to as "tribals" or "adibasi." In adherence to the Constitution of the Indian Republic, the state of Odisha officially recognizes a total of 64 distinct tribes as Scheduled Tribes. Among these 64 tribes, 13 hold the designation of "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups" (PVTGs).
According to the 2011 census, Odisha counted 9,590,756 Scheduled Tribes, ranking as the third-largest state in India in terms of its Scheduled Tribes population, trailing behind Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. These tribal communities collectively make up around 22.84% of the state's total population, 9.20% of the nation's Scheduled Tribes population, and about 0.79% of the nation's entire population.
Main Tribes
The Kondha or Kandha is the largest tribe of the state in terms of population. They have a population of about one million and are based mainly in the Kandhamal and adjoining districts namely Rayagada, Koraput, Balangir and Boudh. The Santals with a population over 800,000, inhabit the Mayurbhanj district. The Ho people with a population more than 100,0000 inhabit in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Anugul, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Kandhamal district. The Saura, with a population over 300,000, are found mainly in the undivided , Gajapati,Ganjam and Puri district. The Bonda, are known as 'the Naked People', and have a population of about 5,000 and live in Malkangiri district formerly part of undivided Koraput. The Kisans are the main residents of Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Keonjhar.
List of scheduled tribes As per the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, amended by Modification Order 1956 and subsequent modification order the following were listed as Scheduled Tribes in Odisha;
Bagata (Bhakta) Baiga Banjara (Banjari) Bathudi (Bathuri) Bhottada (Dhotada, Bhotra, Bhatra, Bhattara, Bhotora, Bhatara) Bhuyan (Bhuinya) Bhumia Bhumij (Teli Bhumij, Haladipokhria Bhumij, Haladi Pokharia Bhumija, Desi Bhumij, Desia Bhumij, Tamaria Bhumij) Bhunjia Binjhal (Binjhwar) Binjhia (Binjhoa) Birhor (Mankidi, Mankirdia) Bondo Poraja (Bonda Paroja, Banda Paroja) Chenchu Dal Desua Bhumij Dharua (Dhuruba, Dhurva) Didayi (Didai Paroja, Didai) Gadaba (Bodo Gadaba, Gutob Gadaba, Kapu Gadaba, Ollara Gadaba, Parenga Gadaba, Sano Gadaba] Gandia Ghara Gond (Gondo, Rajgond, Maria Gond, Dhur Gond) Ho Holva Jatapu Juang Kandha (Khond, Kond, Nanguli Kandha, Sitha Kandha, Kondh, Kui, Buda Kondh, Bura Kandha, Desia Kandha, Dungaria Kondh, Kutia Kandha, Kandha Gauda, Muli Kondh, Malua Kondh, Pengo Kandha, Raja Kondh, Raj Khond) Kandha Gauda Kawar (Kanwar) Kharia (Kharian, Berga Kharia, Dhelki Kharia, Dudh Kharia, Erenga Kharia, Munda Kharia, Oraon Kharia, Khadia, Pahari Kharia) Kharwar Kisan (Nagesar, Nagesia) Kol Kolah (Loharas, Kol Loharas) Kolha (larka) Koli (Malhar) Kondadora Kora Korua Kotia Koya (Gumba Koya, Koitur Koya, Kamar Koya, Musara Koya) Kulis (Kuli) Lodha (Nodh, Nodha, Lodh) Madia Mahali Mankidi Mankirdia (Mankria, Mankidi) Matya (Matia) Mirdhas (Kuda, Koda, Mirdha) Munda (Munda Lohara, Munda Mahalis, Nagabanshi Munda, Odia Munda) Mundari Omanatya (Omanatyo, Amanatya) Oraon (Dhangar, Uran) Parenga Paroja (Parja, Bodo Paroja, Barong Jhodia Paroja, Chhelia Paroja, Jhodia Paroja, Konda Paroja, Paraja, Ponga Paroja, Sodia Paroja, Sano Paroja, Solia Paroja) Pentia Rajuar Santal Saora Shabar Lodha Sounti Tharua (Tharua Bindhani) Muka Dora, Mooka Dora, Nuka Dora, Nooka Dora (in Koraput, Nowrangapur, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts) Konda Reddy, Konda Reddi
Among the 64 Scheduled Tribes listed, many are subsections of larger Scheduled Tribes.
List of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
Birhor Bondo Chukutia Bhunjia Didayi Dangria Khond Juangas Kharias Kutia Kondh Lanjia Sauras Lodhas Mankidias Paudi Bhuyans Soura
Demographics
Sl no Scheduled Tribe Segments/ Synonyms Population (2011) Literacy rate1BagataBhakta 8,813 53.892Baiga 338 67.253Banjara Banjari18,257 62.284Bathudi Bathuri 2,17,395 63.715Bhottada Dhotada, Bhotra, Bhatra, Bhattara, Bhotora, Bhatara 4,50,771 40.036Bhuiya Bhuyan, Paudi Bhuyan3,06,129 63.147Bhumia 1,25,977 41.948Bhumij Teli Bhumij, Haladipokhria Bhumij, Haladi Pokharia Bhumija, Desi Bhumij, Desia Bhumij, Tamaria Bhumij 2,83,909 52.069Bhunjia Chuktia Bhunjia12,350 44.9310Binjhal Binjhwar 1,37,040 57.1611Binjhia Binjhoa 11,419 57.8612Birhor 596 47.2413Bondo Bonda Paroja, Banda Paroja 12,231 36.5114Chenchu 13 54.5515Dal 25,598 43.2016Desua Bhumij 404 56.9817Dharua Dhuruba, Dhurva 18,151 31.3918Didayi Didai Paroja, Didai8,89034.5619Gadaba Bodo Gadaba, Gutob Gadaba, Kapu Gadaba, Ollara Gadaba, Parenga Gadaba, Sano Gadaba 84,689 39.3020Gandia 1854 35.8121Ghara 195 71.4322Gond Rajgond, Maria Gond, Dhur Gond, Gondo8,88,58159.6523Ho 8,06,008 54.7924Holva 28,149 48.9025Jatapu 14,890 47.2226Juang 47,095 42.8527Kandha Gauda 26,403 56.4928Kawar Kanwar 5225 64.4429Kharia Kharian, Berga Kharia, Dhelki Kharia, Dudh Kharia, Erenga Kharia, Munda Kharia, Oraon Kharia, Khadia, Pahari Kharia (Hill Kharia)2,22,84458.4630Kharwar 2,265 62.4931Khond Kond, Kandha, Nanguli Kandha, Sitha Kandha, Kondh, Kui, Buda Kondh, Bura Kandha, Desia Kandha, Dungaria Kondh, Kutia Kandha, Kandha Gauda, Muli Kondh, Malua Kondh, Pengo Kandha, Raja Kondh, Raj Khond 16,27,48646.9532Kisan Nagesar, Nagesia 3,31,589 64.2133Kol 4,058 46.2634Kolah Loharas Kol Loharas 9,558 52.6835Kolha 6,25,009 42.2336Koli Malhar 6,423 57.5737Kondadora 20,802 48.2738Kora Khaira, Khayara 54,408 68.5439Korua 499 32.6040Kotia 7,232 44.3641Koya Gumba Koya, Koitur Koya, Kamar Koya, Musara Koya 1,47,137 29.8742Kulis 13,689 78.8843Lodha Nodh, Nodha, Lodh 9,785 43.0844Madia 2,243 48.3645Mahali 18,625 51.2446Mankidi 31 35.7147Mankirdia Mankria, Mankidi 2,222 21.1448Matya Matia 30,169 51.0549Mirdhas Kuda, Koda 75,940 62.3150Munda Munda Lohara, Munda Mahalis, Nagabanshi Munda, Oriya Munda 5,58,691 54.9251Mundari 25,655 59.8952Omanatya Omanatyo, Amanatya 28,736 36.2753Oraon Dhangar, Uran 3,58,112 67.5754Parenga 9,445 32.7855Paroja Parja, Bodo Paroja, Barong Jhodia Paroja, Chhelia Paroja, Jhodia Paroja, Konda Paroja, Paraja, Ponga Paroja, Sodia Paroja, Sano Paroja, Solia Paroja 3,74,628 34.9256Pentia 10,003 44.9357Rajuar 3,518 51.9758Santal 8,94,764 55.5759Saora Savar, Saura, Sahara, Arsi Saora, Based Saora, Bhima Saora, Bhimma Saora, Chumura Saora, Jara Savar, Jadu Saora, Jati Saora, Juari Saora, Kampu Saora, Kampa Soura, Kapo Saora, Kindal Saora, Kumbi Kancher Saora, Kalapithia Saora, Kirat Saora, Lanjia Saora, Lamba Lanjia Saora, Luara Saora, Luar Saora, Laria Savar, Malia Saora, Malla Saora, Uriya Saora, Raika Saora, Sudda Saora, Sarda Saora, Tankala Saora, Patro Saora, Vesu Saora 5,34,751 54.9960ShabarLodha 5,16,402 53.2961Sounti 1,12,803 59.5862Tharua Tharua Bindhani 9,451 50.44 (Note : PVTGs of Odisha are bold texted)
Language
According to the 2011 Census of India, Odisha's Scheduled Tribes constitute 22.84% (9,590,756) of the state's total population. Among them, Odia is spoken by 44.98% of the population, Kui by 10.17% (including 106,101 Khond speakers), and Santali by 8.81%. Sambalpuri is spoken by 5.63%, Munda by 4.64% (including 121,391 Mundari speakers), and Ho by 4.23%. Additionally, Savara is spoken by 3.07%, Sadan/Sadri by 2.56%, and Kisan by 2.01%. Proja is spoken by 1.54%, Koya by 1.48%, and Kurukh/Oraon by 1.37%. Desia is spoken by 1.35%, and Kharia by 1.26% of the population. Furthermore, Bhatri is spoken by 81,413 individuals, Telugu by 50,375, and Gondi by 45,042. Laria is spoken by 40,893, Bhumijali by 34,131, Chhattisgarhi by 33,342, and Gadaba by 32,534 individuals. Juang is spoken by 30,217, Bhuiya/Bhuyan by 28,275, and Halabi by 19,722. Hindi is spoken by 17,924, Bengali by 9,080, and Kuvi by 6,374. Banjari is spoken by 5,218, Ladakhi by 3,020, Urdu by 2,658, Koda/Kora by 1,995, Rai by 1,788, and Coorgi/Kodagu by 1,305 individuals.
Inclusion in and exclusion from Scheduled list Initially, the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha consisted of 42 tribes. The implementation of the Scheduled Tribes Modification Order in 1956 brought significant changes, including the inclusion of 21 new tribes as Scheduled Tribes, such as Bhottada, Bhumia, Bhumij, Bhunjia, Desua Bhumij, Dharua, Didayi, Gandia, Holva, Kandha Gauda, Kol, Kotia, Lodha, Madia, Matya, Omanatya, Parenga, Pentia, Rajuar, Sabar Lodha, and Sounti. Additionally, the tribe named Gorait was excluded from the list and enlisted in Scheduled Castes. However, after the establishment of the Tribal Research Institute, it was discovered that six communities viz. Chenchu, Ghara, Kandha Gauda, Kuli, Saunti had been mistakenly included in the list due to a lack of accurate local information when the list was originally drawn up in 1950 and revised in 1956. As they did not meet the basic criteria for tribal status, the Odisha government later proposed their exclusion from the list. However, this proposal faced opposition from members in Parliament, and as a result, there were no changes made to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha. In the same way, 169 communities are proposed by the state government for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list since 1970. These are mostly synonyms, segments and phonetic variations of existing Scheduled Tribes, such as Kandha Kumbhar, Jodia, Chuktia Bhunjia, Saara, Mankidia, Porja, Banda Paraja, Durua, and Paharia. As of 2023, the central government has rejected 81 communities, returning them to the state government due to a lack of supporting documents. In 2024, two more Dravidian tribal communities, namely Muka Dora (with area restrictions) and Konda Reddy, were scheduled to the Tribal list of Odisha.
Footnotes
References
Further reading
External links