The Scheduled Tribe accounts for 5.71% of the Himachal Pradesh with a population 392,126 out of 6,864,602 people, as per 2011 census. There are 11 communities recognized as Scheduled Tribes in the state, with latest being Hattis who were added in the state's list in 2023.
History Himachal Pradesh was created as union territory comprising four districts in the year 1948. The first Scheduled Tribe list of Himachal was passed under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribe) Order, 1950 and had eight communities (namely Bhot, Gurjar, Gaddi, Jad, Kinnaura, Lahaula, Swangla, Pangwala) and being part of Part C states, the list was re-arranged in 1951 and Bhot (or Bodh) were merged with Jad with Swangla being removed from the list due to territorial restrictions.
In 1966, after the reorganization of Punjab, many districts were added to Himachal Pradesh and in 1970, the state of Himachal Pradesh came to existence. Swanglas were re-added to the list after the recommendation of the Lokur Committee (1965), though Gurjars and Gaddis were restricted to status of Scheduled Tribes only in the 4 districts which were part of the union territory of Himachal Pradesh.
In 1975, Scheduled Areas were created in Himachal which includes district of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, and tehsils of Bharmour and Pangi Valley in Chamba district.
In the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendments) 2002 removed the restrictions of districts for Gujjars and Gaddis with the communities being Scheduled Tribes across the state and added two other communities Beda and Domba (or Zoba, Garo) in the Scheduled Tribes list of the state.
In 2023, a new community residing in the Trans-Giri region (also called Giripaar) of Sirmaur district named Hatti, who are similar to the Jaunsaris of Uttarakhand were added to the Scheduled Tribes through The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fouth Amendment) Act, 2022. Though in the year 2023, the Himachal Pradesh High Court put a stayed on the members of the community to avail ST (Scheduled Tribe) certificates after the opposition of Gujjars and Scheduled Castes of the Trans-Giri region.
List
Demographics
Community wise Scheduled TribesPopulationCodeTribal communityTotal (2011)Percent501Bodh, Bhot27,1916.93502Gaddi178,13045.43503Gujjar92,54723.60504Jad, Lamba, Khamba1,9740.50505Kanaura, Kinnara50,99413.01506Lahaula2,8860.74507Pangwala17,5624.48508Swangla9,6302.46509Beta, Beda2260.05510Domba, Garo, Zoba2310.06Generic tribes, etc. (those who identified them as Adivasi, Girijan or Anusuchit Janjati)10,7552.74392,126
District wise DistrictScheduled TribesLargest community (Top 3)DistrictPopulation (2011)PopulationPercentBilaspur381,95610,6932.79Gujjar (10,278); Bodh (52); Jad (33) Chamba519,080135,50026.10Gaddi (105,064); Pangwala (17,063); Gujjar (9,784)Hamirpur454,7683,0440.67Gujjar (2,736); Gaddi (73); Kanaura (55)Kangra1,510,07584,5645.60Gaddi (71,499); Gujjar (11,390); Kanaura (116)Kinnaur84,12148,74657.95Kanaura (43,788); Bodh (332); Gaddi (33)Kullu437,90316,8223.84Bodh (7,456); Swangla (2,626); Kanaura (1,753)Lahaul and Spiti31,56425,70781.44Bodh (17,843); Swangla (6,856); Lahaula (363)Mandi999,77712,7871.29Gujjar (11,278); Gaddi (615); Bodh (270)Shimla814,0108,7551.07Kanaura (4,141); Gujjar (3,157); Bodh (312)Sirmaur529,85511,2622.12Gujjar (10,545); Kanaura (90); Beta (50)Solan580,32025,6454.42Gujjar (23,728); Kanaura (588); Jad (300)Una521,1738,6011.65Gujjar (8,379); Gaddi (46); Pangwala (13)6,864,602392,1265.71
References