Educational Safeguards For Tribals In The Constitution Of India

Hera Fatima, KIIT School of Law

ABSTRACT

The education of tribal communities in India has been a topic of concern for several decades. Historically, these communities have been excluded from mainstream education and have faced several barriers to accessing quality education. To address this issue, the Indian government has implemented several educational safeguards for tribal communities. This paper aims to provide an overview of these safeguards and their impact on the education of tribal communities in India.

The educational safeguards for tribal communities in India are primarily enshrined in the Indian Constitution, which recognizes the unique socio-cultural and educational needs of these communities. One of the most significant safeguards is the provision of reservation in educational institutions, both at the central and state levels. This reservation ensures that a certain percentage of seats in educational institutions are reserved for students belonging to tribal communities. Additionally, the government has set up several specialized educational institutions for tribal students, such as Tribal Residential Schools and Ashram Schools. These institutions provide free education, boarding, and lodging facilities to tribal students. Another important educational safeguard is the provision of scholarships and financial assistance to tribal students. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs runs several scholarship schemes for tribal students, including the National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students and the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for ST Students. These schemes provide financial assistance to students to pursue higher education and cover the cost of tuition fees, books, and other related expenses. This paper has elaborately discussed the challenges in implementation and recommended few suggestions for the swift governance of the safeguards guaranteed to the tribal under the law of the land.

Keywords: Education, tribal, constitutional safeguards, scheduled tribes