Gujarat: Schedule Tribes | Gujarat State PSC (GPSC) Preparation: All subjects - GPSC (Gujarat) PDF Download

SC and ST Population in Gujarat

• SC and ST Population in Gujarat (Census 2011): According to the 2011 Census, the population of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Gujarat was 40.74 lakh, accounting for 6.7% of the state's total population. The Scheduled Tribes (STs) population was 89.17 lakh, making up 14.8% of the state's population. In comparison, the national proportions for SCs and STs were 16.6% and 8.6%, respectively. The proportionate share of Gujarat's SC and ST populations relative to India's total SC and ST populations was 2.0% and 8.6%, respectively. Approximately 56.0% of the SC population resided in rural areas, while 44.0% lived in urban areas. For the ST population, 90.0% were in rural areas, and only 10.0% were in urban areas.
• SC and ST Literacy Rate: The literacy rate among the Scheduled Castes in Gujarat was 79.2%, while the literacy rate for Scheduled Tribes was 62.5%, as reported in the 2011 Census.
• SC and ST Sex Ratio: The sex ratio for the Scheduled Castes in Gujarat was 931 females per 1,000 males, while the sex ratio for the Scheduled Tribes was higher at 981 females per 1,000 males, according to the 2011 Census.

List of Scheduled Tribes

Various tribes in India are officially recognized as Scheduled Tribes, based on historical disadvantage and distinct cultural practices.

• Barda
• Bavacha, Bamcha
• Bharwad (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
• Bhil, Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil, Dungri Bhil, Dungri Garasia, Mewasi Bhil, Rawal Bhil, Tadvi Bhil, Bhagalia, Bhilala, Pawra,Valvi, Vasava, Vasave.
• Charan (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
• Chaudhari (in Surat and Valsad districts)
• Chodhara
• Dhanka, Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi
• Dhodia, Dhodi
• Dubla Talavia, Halpati
• Gamit, Gamta, Gavit Mavchi, Padvi
• Gond, Rajgond
• Kathodi, Katkari, Dhor Kathodi, Dhor Katkari, Son Kathodi, Son Katkari
• Kokna, Kokni, Kukna
• Omit
• Koli Dhor, Tokre Koli, Kolcha, Kongha
• Kunbi (in the Dang Districts
• Naikda, Nayaka, Cholivala Nayaka, Kapadia Nayaka, Mota Nayaka, Nana Nayaka,
• Padhar
• Omit
• Pardhi, Advichincher, Phanse Pardhi (excluding Amreli, Bhavanagar, Jamnagar, Jungadh, Kutch, Rajkot and Surrendranagar district)
• Pateliya
• Pomla
• Rabari (in the Nesses of the forest of Alech, Barada and Gir)
• Rathwa
• Siddi, Siddi-Badshan (in Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot and Surendranagar Districts)
• Omit
• Varli
• Vitolia, Kotwalia, Barodia
• Bhil, Bhilala, Barela, Patelia
• Tadvi Bhil, Bawra, Vasave,
• Padvi

Population in 2011

In 1972, the Tribal Development Department was established to ensure the effective implementation of Tribal Welfare Schemes. In 1976, the Tribal Development Commissionerate was created, and in 1984, a separate Tribal Department was formed.

• Barda: The term Barda refers to people from hilly regions. It is believed that the Barda migrated to Gujarat from the Khandesh region, which is why they are also known as the Khandeshi Bhil. They are considered a subdivision of the Bhil tribe at the regional level.
• Bawcha: Little written evidence exists about the origins of the Bawcha tribe, apart from some historical information. It is presumed that the Bawcha may have originated from the Yadav or Pandav dynasty, based on their custom of marriage between maternal cousins.
• Bharwad: The term Bharwad is thought to be a modified form of the word 'Badawad.' In Gujarati, 'bada' refers to sheep and 'wada' means compound or enclosure. In this caste of shepherds, those who owned enclosures or pens were known as Badawad.
• Bhil: The Bhil is the second-largest tribe in India. According to the 2001 census, the Bhil population was 34,41,945, with 17,49,813 males and 16,95,132 females. The Bhil community primarily resides in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• Charan: The Charan is a small tribe in Gujarat, with a total population of 2,481 (including 1,299 males and 1,182 females) in 2001. They are also called Gadhvi. According to Enthoven (1920), the name Charan is derived from the word "char," which means grazing.
• Choudhuri / Choudhury: The Choudhury community is well-documented, with studies conducted on them since 1900. The term Choudhra is also used for this community, though it was more commonly used during the 1961 census.
• Chodhara: In the 1981 and 2001 Censuses, the Chodhara tribe was classified by caste and district. The Chodhara population is primarily found in the Narmada, Bharuch, and Surat districts.
• Dhodia: The name Dhodia is derived from 'Dhulia,' a place in Maharashtra where two Rajput princes, Dhan Singh and Roop Singh, are said to have come from. They married two beautiful Naika women from this area.
• Gamit: The Gamit community believes they are descended from the Sun dynasty of the Rajput community. It is thought that they may have migrated to India via the Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass in the Sindh region before moving on to the Marwad areas.
• Gond: The name Gond may have been used as a kind of code. The Gond people speak dialects of Gondi, which are derived from a mix of Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu, suggesting that they may have originated from South India before migrating to Madhya Pradesh.
• Halpati: The term "Dubla" in Hindi means 'thin' or 'weak,' even though the Halpati people are generally stout. They claim descent from the Rajputs but remained economically weak due to their long-term dependency on landlords, whom they served as hali (bonded laborers).
• Kukana: Unlike other tribes, there is no legend or prevalent belief about the origins of the Kukana tribe, making it difficult to trace their historical background. However, some inferences can be drawn from the name 'Kukana.'
• Kunbi: The term 'Kunbi' is derived from 'kun,' meaning people, and 'bi,' meaning seeds, so Kunbi refers to those who germinate more seeds from one. The community identifies as Kunbi, and others recognize them as such. Kukana is a synonymous term for Kunbi.
• Naikda: The Naikas are also known as Mota Naika in Chikhli Taluka and Navsari district, and Nana Naika in other parts of Surat district, including Mahuva, Surat, and Songadh talukas.
• Patelia: The name 'Patelia' is derived from the term 'Patel,' which locally means 'headman.' The Patelia community is mostly concentrated in Panchmahal district, with smaller populations in Surat, Kheda, Sabarkantha, and Ahmedabad districts.
• Pomla: The Pomla people call themselves by that name, while others refer to them by different synonyms like Pomla, Topiwala, Chabriwala, etc. They are believed to have migrated from Indore city in Madhya Pradesh, where they are known as Barguda by other communities.
• Rabari: The word 'Bhopa' is derived from 'Bhumi Palak,' meaning ruler of the land, while 'Rabari' may refer to someone who is wealthy or beyond rules and regulations. However, the exact etymology of these terms remains unclear.
• Rathwa: The name Rathwa is derived from the term "Rathbistar," which means forest and hilly areas. The people who inhabit these regions are called Rathwas. They are also known as Rathawa Koli.
• Warli: The Warli is a well-known tribe, primarily residing in the mountainous regions of Dharampur and Vansda talukas and in the coastal region of Umbergaon taluka in Valsad district. Their main concentration is in Umbergaon taluka.
• Tadvi: The Tadvi people are also known as Dhankas, and there are various beliefs about their different surnames. One popular belief is that during a famine, they ate horse meat and were subsequently known as Tadvi, meaning one who rides a horse.