List of Scheduled Tribes in West Bengal

Scheduled Tribes (also known as "tribals" or "adibasi/adivasi") are specific indigenous peoples whose status is acknowledged to some formal degree by national legislation. Scheduled tribes of the Indian state of West Bengal, as recognized by the Constitution of the Indian Republic; a total of 40 distinct tribes. Among those 40 tribes 3 tribes are "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups" (PTGs).^[1][2]

Overview

As per 2001 census scheduled tribes numbering 4,406,794 persons constituted 5.5 per cent of the total population of the state. Santals constitute more than half (51.8 per cent) of the total ST population of the state. Oraons (14 per cent), Mundas (7.8 per cent), Bhumij (7.6 per cent) and Kora (3.2 per cent) are the other major STs having sizeable population. Along with Santal, they constitute nearly 85 per cent of the state's total ST population. The Lodhas, Mahalis, Bhutias, Bedias, and Savars are the remaining STs, and having population of one per cent or more as per 2001 census report.^[3]

District wise Scheduled Tribes demographic map of West Bengal

More than half of the total ST population of the state is concentrated in Medinipur, Jalpaiguri, Purulia, and Bardhaman districts. Of the remaining districts, Bankura, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur have sizable ST population.^[3]

List of tribes

As per the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, the following were listed as scheduled tribes in West Bengal.^[4]

1. Asur
2. Baiga
3. Badia, Bediya
4. Bhumij
5. Bhutia, Sherpa, Toto, Dukpa, Kagatay, Tibetan, Yolmo
6. Birhor
7. Birjia
8. Chakma
9. Chero
10. Chik Baraik
11. Garo
12. Gond
13. Gorait
14. Hajang
15. Ho
16. Karmali
17. Kharwar
18. Khond
19. Kisan
20. Kora
21. Korwa
22. Lepcha
23. Limbu(Subba)
24. Lodha, Kheria, Kharia
25. Lohara, Lohra
26. Magh
27. Mahali
28. Mahli
29. Mal Pahariya
30. Mech
31. Mru
32. Munda
33. Nagesia
34. Oraon
35. Parhaiya
36. Rabha
37. Santal
38. Sauria paharia
39. Subba/Limbu
40. Tamang

Demographics

Scheduled Tribe	Historical Population					Demographics based on latest census
						Latest Population (2011)	Sex ratio	Literacy (%)			Main worker	Marginal worker
	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001			Total	Male	Female
Asur	—	611	4286	3864	4050	4864	1024	45.1	55.2	35	73	27
Baiga	4	—	1606	7624	11681	13423	984	61.4	72.8	50	51.9	48.1
Bedia, Bediya	1191	3339	29396	44875	55979	88772	973	63.5	72.5	54.2	61.2	38.8
Bhumij	91289	169426	233906	291808	336436	376296	980	59.5	70.7	48.1	49.8	50.2
Bhutia, Sherpa, Toto, Ukpa, Kagatay, Tibetan, Yolmo	23595	33912	40192	48196	60091	66627	1002	81.1	86.7	75.5	73.7	26.3
Birhor	100	—	658	855	1017	2241	906	58.2	69.3	46.1	63.9	36.1
Birjia	—	16	913	1238	1654	1123	960	48.4	60	36.2	64.3	35.7
Chakma	1379	2927	141	320	642	466	966	76.8	83.8	69.5	84.4	15.6
Chero	559	175	1648	2283	1968	5477	1034	62.7	73.2	52.5	75.6	24.4
Chik Baraik	—	1627	12624	16030	17824	21376	1014	62.6	74	51.2	72.4	27.6
Garo	2535	2627	3206	3673	1915	2039	1045	77.8	81.8	73.9	64.5	35.5
Gond	735	46	4923	5966	9826	13535	900	74.8	82.9	65.9	77.8	22.2
Gorait	425	481	2191	3024	1436	2498	990	32	41.2	22.6	51.2	48.8
Hajang	426	244	1081	1527	597	621	882	74.4	85.3	61.9	82.8	17.2
Ho	1075	1036	3202	11640	15540	23483	992	54.3	65.2	43.2	57.4	42.6
Karmali	1023	94	1418	7101	1317	2466	974	67.9	79.6	55.9	63.8	36.2
Kharwar	1142	134	11726	20514	17625	20270	942	64.5	73.8	54.7	65.2	34.8
Khond	41	—	639	829	226	660	953	59.I	67.2	50.7	85.3	14.7
Kisan	3	716	5370	5827	4788	98434	934	53.4	62.4	43.9	58.8	41.2
Kora	62029	93586	96835	113564	142789	159404	1000	56.5	68	45.1	54.8	45.2
Korwa	2891	3222	2493	4948	5371	2912	1012	53.9	62.8	45.3	74.3	25.7
Lepcha	15309	14568	23408	27888	32377	33962	981	82.4	86.8	77.9	59.5	40.5
Lodha, Kharia, Kharia	40898	45906	53718	68095	84966	108707	988	45.5	54.6	36.2	55.2	44.8
Lohara, Lohra	3031	2388	23799	29750	20683	24783	997	55.3	65.4	45.2	68.5	31.5
Magh	790	3257	1020	4332	8214	8032	989	88.3	91.6	85.1	87.8	12.2
Mahali	28233	47247	50288	69542	76102	81594	1003	55	66.3	43.6	63.5	36.5
Mahli	5075	998	10827	19075	1831	2609	963	50.7	59.8	41.3	53.9	46.1
Mal Pahariya	15706	31018	17020	34302	37440	44538	992	42.8	49	36.5	74.1	25.9
Mech	13915	10862	26959	29904	35996	41242	978	74.2	80.8	67.6	67.5	32.5
Mru	1477	836	1231	1546	271	197	1074	61.7	70.2	53	62.5	37.5
Munda	160245	198701	230016	289091	341542	366386	990	57.7	67.1	48.3	62.8	37.2
Nagesia	4875	2516	42521	10069	8373	16378	987	61.8	70.1	53.5	72.8	27.2
Oraon	297394	291173	437574	536919	617138	643510	993	59	68.1	49.9	69.2	30.8
Parhaiya	487	108	3745	7889	688	921	1042	38.2	42.3	34.1	70.2	29.8
Rabha	6053	2466	11256	15204	15014	27820	952	61.3	68.4	53.8	65.7	34.3
Santal	1200091	1376980	1666610	1997222	2280540	2512331	1012	54.7	66.1	43.5	53.5	46.5
Sauria Paharia	28	158	4253	4590	2332	3480	1029	44	49.2	38.9	78.1	21.9
Savar	2181	4986	37247	46216	43599	40374	1012	40.6	49.9	31.5	45.6	54.4
Limbu (Subba)	—	—	—	—	—	46847	1011	81.2	87.8	74.7	64.6	35.4
Tamang	—	—	—	—	—	146203	1014	80.4	87.7	73.3	72.5	27.5
Total Scheduled Tribe	2,054,081[a]	2,532,969[a]	3,070,668[a]	3,808,760[a]	4,406,794[a]	5,296,953[a]	999	57.9	68.2	47.7	57.9	42.1

1. Including ambiguous Scheduled Tribes.

See also

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes