Which of the following are the classifications of tribal societies based on ‘permanent’ traits?
(A) Region
(B) Language
(C) Physical characteristics
(D) Mode of livelihood
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (B) and (C) only
(A) Region Correct. Region is a permanent trait: about 85% of the tribal population lives in ‘middle India’, a band from Gujarat and Rajasthan to West Bengal and Odisha, and over 11% lives in the North Eastern states. Where a tribe lives does not change with its way of earning a living.
(B) Language Correct. Tribes are grouped by their language family – Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Austric and Tibeto-Burman. A tribe is born into its language, so this too is a permanent trait.
(C) Physical characteristics Correct. In physical-racial terms tribes are classified as Negrito, Australoid, Mongoloid, Dravidian and Aryan. These physical characteristics are fixed by descent and form the third permanent trait.
(D) Mode of livelihood Incorrect. Livelihood is an acquired trait, not a permanent one. On this basis tribes are grouped as fishermen, food gatherers and hunters, shifting cultivators, peasants, and plantation and industrial workers, and a tribe can move from one of these to another. With the extent of incorporation into Hindu society, it is one of the two criteria of acquired traits.
NCERT (2025-26): “Classifications of Tribal Societies In terms of positive characteristics, tribes have been classified according to their ‘permanent’ and ‘acquired’ traits. Permanent traits include region, language, physical characteristics and ecological habitat.…” “Acquired Traits … Classifications based on acquired traits use two main criteria – mode of livelihood, and extent of incorporation into Hindu society – or a combination of the two.” “Acquired Traits … On the basis of livelihood, tribes can be categorised into fishermen, food gatherers and hunters, shifting cultivators, peasants and plantation and industrial workers.…” |