Tribal people are indigenous communities with distinct social, cultural, linguistic, and territorial identities, typically living in forest, hill, or remote areas.
- In India, officially designated as Scheduled Tribes (STs) under Article 342 of the Indian Constitution
- India has over 700 recognized tribal groups — approximately 8.6% of the total population (~104 million, Census 2011)
- Major tribal groups: Gonds, Bhils, Santhals, Munda, Oraon, Naga, Mizo, Bodo, Toda, Khasi
- Largest tribal populations: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Gujarat
Constitutional protections:
- Fifth Schedule (mainland tribal areas)
- Sixth Schedule (northeast tribal areas)
- PESA Act (1996) — self-governance in scheduled areas
- Forest Rights Act (2006) — land and forest rights
