Characteristics of tribes are:
A. Tribes are social groups
B. They are modern and have sufficient resources
C. Tribes have distinctive habitat in the hill and forest
D. They are marked by poverty, powerlessness and stigma by Indian Constitution
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → A, C, D only
A. Tribes are social groups Correct. Like the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes are social groups recognised by the Constitution of India.
B. They are modern and have sufficient resources Incorrect. Tribes are described as groups marked by poverty and powerlessness, which is the opposite of having sufficient resources.
C. Tribes have distinctive habitat in the hill and forest Correct. The jana or tribes were believed to be ‘people of the forest’, whose distinctive habitat in the hill and forest areas shaped their economic, social and political attributes.
D. They are marked by poverty, powerlessness and stigma by Indian Constitution Correct. The Scheduled Tribes are recognised by the Indian Constitution as groups specially marked by poverty, powerlessness and social stigma; the statement is a shortened form of this line.
Note: The words that the Scheduled Tribes are recognised by the Constitution as specially marked by poverty, powerlessness and social stigma, at the opening of ‘Adivasi Struggles’ in the chapter ‘Patterns of Social Inequality and Exclusion’, were there in the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023 (and in the 2023-24 NCERT). They have been deleted from the NCERT book (2025-26), which now says only that the tribes are social groups duly recognised by the Constitution; the section itself is still there.
NCERT (2025-26): “Adivasi Struggles … Like the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes are also social groups that are duly recognised by the Constitution of India. The jana or tribes were believed to be ‘people of the forest’ whose distinctive habitat in the hill and forest areas shaped their economic, social and political attributes. However, ecological isolation was nowhere absolute. Tribal groups have had long and close association with Hindu society and culture, making the boundaries between ‘tribe’ and ‘caste’ quite porous.…” NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “Adivasi Struggles … Like the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes are social groups recognised by the Indian Constitution as specially marked by poverty, powerlessness and social stigma. The jana or tribes were believed to be ‘people of the forest’ whose distinctive habitat in the hill and forest areas shaped their economic, social and political attributes. However, ecological isolation was nowhere absolute. Tribal groups have had long and close association with Hindu society and culture, making the boundaries between ‘tribe’ and ‘caste’ quite porous.…” |