Major Tribes of India: State-wise List PVTGs, Constitutional Safeguards & Prelims Traps
India is home to over 700 notified Scheduled Tribes, about 8.6% of the population. This guide maps the major tribes of India state by state and adds the PVTG list and the constitutional framework UPSC keeps testing.
Every November 15, India marks Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in memory of Birsa Munda. And almost every year, UPSC slips in a question that asks you to match a tribe with its state, or to spot which group is a PVTG. Aspirants who memorised random lists get it wrong. Aspirants who understand the pattern get it right.
This blog gives you the major tribes of India organised state by state and region by region. It also covers the PVTGs, the census numbers and the constitutional safeguards that turn a list into a Mains answer.
At Legacy IAS Academy, we teach tribes through geography first. Once you know where a tribe lives, its economy, festivals and history fall into place.
Scheduled Tribes in India: The Numbers That Matter
Scheduled Tribes are notified by the President under Article 342, state by state. Parliament alone can add or remove a community. As per Census 2011, India's ST population was about 10.43 crore.
- Largest ST population (absolute): Madhya Pradesh (~1.53 crore), followed by Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Highest ST share (%): Lakshadweep (94.8%) and Mizoram (94.4%), followed by Nagaland and Meghalaya.
- No notified STs: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry.
- Largest tribes: Bhil (~1.7 crore) first, Gond (~1.3 crore) second.
- Most ST communities: Odisha, with 62 notified tribes.
- Tribal-majority districts: 87 districts have at least 50% ST population (Census 2011).
Don't confuse "largest ST population" with "highest ST percentage." Madhya Pradesh wins on absolute numbers; Mizoram and Lakshadweep win on share. UPSC loves to test this distinction.
Major Tribes of India: State-wise List
Use this table as your master revision sheet. It covers every state with notified STs and highlights the tribes most likely to appear in Prelims.
Central and Western India
| State | Major Tribes |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhil, Gond, Baiga, Korku, Bharia, Sahariya, Kol |
| Chhattisgarh | Gond, Muria, Maria (Bison-horn Maria), Halba, Baiga, Kamar, Abujhmaria |
| Maharashtra | Bhil, Gond, Warli, Katkari, Kolam, Madia Gond, Korku |
| Gujarat | Bhil, Dubla, Dhodia, Gamit, Rathwa, Kolgha, Siddi |
| Rajasthan | Bhil, Meena, Garasia, Sahariya, Damor |
| Goa | Gawda, Kunbi, Velip |
Eastern India
| State | Major Tribes |
|---|---|
| Jharkhand | Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Ho, Kharia, Asur, Birhor, Sauria Paharia |
| Odisha | Kondh, Santhal, Gond, Munda, Bonda, Juang, Saura, Dongria Kondh |
| West Bengal | Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Bhumij, Lodha, Toto |
| Bihar | Santhal, Oraon, Tharu, Kharwar |
North-Eastern India
| State | Major Tribes |
|---|---|
| Assam | Bodo, Mising (Miri), Karbi, Dimasa, Rabha, Deori |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Adi, Nyishi, Apatani, Monpa, Mishmi, Galo, Tagin |
| Meghalaya | Khasi, Garo, Jaintia (Pnar) |
| Nagaland | Angami, Ao, Konyak, Sema (Sumi), Lotha, Chakhesang |
| Manipur | Tangkhul, Kuki, Thadou, Mao, Marram Naga |
| Mizoram | Mizo (Lushai), Chakma, Lai, Mara |
| Tripura | Tripuri, Reang (Bru), Jamatia, Chakma, Halam |
| Sikkim | Lepcha, Bhutia, Limboo, Tamang |
Southern India and the Islands
| State / UT | Major Tribes |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Chenchu, Koya, Savara, Gadaba, Konda Dora, Yanadi |
| Telangana | Gond, Koya, Lambada (Banjara), Kolam, Chenchu |
| Karnataka | Soliga, Jenu Kuruba, Koraga, Siddi, Hakki Pikki |
| Tamil Nadu | Toda, Kota, Irular, Badaga*, Kurumba, Paniyan |
| Kerala | Paniyan, Kurichiya, Kadar, Cholanaickan, Muthuvan |
| Andaman & Nicobar | Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese, Shompen, Nicobarese |
| Lakshadweep | Islander communities notified as ST (Aminidivi, Koyas, Malmis, Melacheris) |
*Badagas are not a notified ST; they are a common Prelims distractor alongside the Toda and Kota of the Nilgiris.
Northern Himalaya
| State / UT | Major Tribes |
|---|---|
| Jammu & Kashmir | Gujjar, Bakarwal, Gaddi, Pahari (added in 2024) |
| Ladakh | Bot (Bodh), Brokpa (Drokpa), Changpa, Balti, Purigpa |
| Himachal Pradesh | Gaddi, Kinnaura, Lahaula, Pangwala, Gujjar |
| Uttarakhand | Tharu, Bhotia, Jaunsari, Buksa, Raji |
| Uttar Pradesh | Tharu, Buksa, Kharwar, Sahariya (some districts) |
"Don't memorise 700 names. Learn twenty tribes deeply: where they live, what they grow, what they celebrate. Prelims options are usually built around exactly those twenty." — Legacy IAS Faculty
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
PVTGs are the most marginalised sub-groups within Scheduled Tribes. The category began as "Primitive Tribal Groups" after the Dhebar Commission (1960–61). Fifty-two groups were identified in 1975, and 23 more were added in 1993, taking the total to 75. The groups were renamed PVTGs in 2006.
Criteria for Identification
- Pre-agricultural level of technology
- Stagnant or declining population
- Extremely low literacy
- Subsistence-level economy
The 75 PVTGs are spread across 18 states and the UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Odisha has the most (13). Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have the largest PVTG populations.
| State / UT | Notable PVTGs |
|---|---|
| Odisha | Bonda, Dongria Kondh, Juang, Lanjia Saura, Didayi, Hill Kharia |
| Andaman & Nicobar | Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese, Shompen |
| Jharkhand | Asur, Birhor, Birjia, Korwa, Mal Paharia, Sauria Paharia |
| Madhya Pradesh | Baiga, Bharia, Sahariya |
| Tamil Nadu | Toda, Kota, Kurumba, Irular, Paniyan, Kattunayakan |
| Kerala | Cholanaickan, Kadar, Kattunayakan, Kurumba, Koraga |
| Gujarat | Kathodi, Kotwalia, Kolgha, Padhar, Siddi |
| Rajasthan | Sahariya (the state's only PVTG) |
| Tripura / Manipur | Reang (Bru) / Marram Naga |
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has asked the Registrar General of India to count PVTGs separately in the upcoming Census. Separate PVTG data was not collected in 2011, which has made targeted planning harder.
Constitutional and Legal Safeguards for Tribes of India
- Article 342: President notifies STs; Parliament can modify the list.
- Article 366(25): defines Scheduled Tribes.
- Articles 330 & 332: reservation of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
- Article 338A: National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (89th Amendment, 2003).
- Article 275(1): grants-in-aid for tribal welfare.
- Fifth Schedule: Scheduled Areas in 10 states, including Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan; Tribes Advisory Councils.
- Sixth Schedule: Autonomous District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
- PESA Act, 1996: extends Panchayati Raj to Fifth Schedule areas, with Gram Sabha powers.
- Forest Rights Act, 2006: individual and community forest rights, with habitat rights for PVTGs.
Major Government Schemes
- PM-JANMAN (2023): launched on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas from Khunti, Jharkhand; ₹24,104 crore for PVTG habitations.
- Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan / PM-JUGA (2024): launched 2 October 2024; converges 17 ministries across about 63,000 tribal-majority villages.
- Eklavya Model Residential Schools: quality education in tribal areas.
- Van Dhan Vikas Kendras: value addition to minor forest produce.
Common Prelims Traps on Major Tribes of India
- Toda (Nilgiris) are pastoral buffalo herders; Badaga are not an ST.
- Sentinelese (North Sentinel Island) remain uncontacted; the island is protected.
- Siddis of Gujarat and Karnataka trace African ancestry.
- Apatani (Arunachal) are known for wet-rice cultivation with fish farming in Ziro valley.
- Dongria Kondh are linked to the Niyamgiri hills and the landmark Gram Sabha consent decision.
- Warli (Maharashtra) are famous for their geometric painting tradition.
- Khasi and Garo are matrilineal societies.
Practice Mains Question
Q. Despite constitutional safeguards, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups continue to lag behind other Scheduled Tribes. Discuss the reasons and evaluate recent policy measures. (15 marks, 250 words)
For structured answer-writing on GS1 Society and GS2 Social Justice, explore the Legacy IAS UPSC programmes.
FAQs on Major Tribes of India
Which is the largest tribe in India?
The Bhil are the largest tribe, with about 1.7 crore people (Census 2011), mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. The Gond are second.
Which state has the largest tribal population in India?
Madhya Pradesh has the largest ST population in absolute terms. Mizoram and Lakshadweep have the highest ST share of their population.
How many PVTGs are there in India?
There are 75 PVTGs across 18 states and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Odisha has the highest number, 13.
Which states have no Scheduled Tribes?
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry have no notified Scheduled Tribes.
Key Takeaways
- Revise tribes region by region; geography makes the matching questions easy.
- Separate absolute numbers (MP) from percentage share (Mizoram, Lakshadweep).
- Know the 75 PVTGs, their four criteria, and that Odisha has the most (13).
- Link tribes to Fifth vs Sixth Schedule, PESA and FRA for GS2 answers.
- Use PM-JANMAN and PM-JUGA as current examples in Mains.
- Watch for distractors like Badaga in Nilgiris-based questions.
Ready to begin? Legacy IAS offers both Classroom and Online batches across Bengaluru and pan-India.
