Denotified tribes

Published on 30 Jan 2025

Denotified tribes (DNTs) are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminal’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act 1871 and 1947. The Criminal Tribes Act was repealed in 1949 and thus ‘de-notified’ the tribal communities. As per National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, there are 1262 such communities in India.

Problems faced by denotified tribes in India

Social stigma and discrimination: They face social ostracization due to historical stereotypes associated with criminality which affects their integration into mainstream society, leading to exclusion and marginalisation.

Example: Bedia is a folk artist DNT community. Many actresses in the Indian film industry are forced to hide their caste identity due to social stigma associated with the Bedia community.

Economic marginalisation: They often engage in traditional occupations like street vending, itinerant labour, and petty trading; thus, they often live in poverty.

Example: Boya community are forest gatherers, Yerukula are basket makers, Shikari community are hunters, Pamula are snake catchers etc.

Landlessness: Many of them are landless or have insecure land tenure which leads to a lack of economic stability and hinders their ability to engage in agriculture or other land-based livelihoods.

Example: Pardhi tribes of Mumbai are forced to live on pavements due to landlessness.

Healthcare challenges: They have limited access to healthcare facilities, leading to poor health outcomes and lack of awareness, inadequate healthcare infrastructure socio-economic factors contribute to health disparities.
Lack of education: Inadequate infrastructure, lack of schools, and socio-economic constraints contribute to the low educational attainment within these communities.

Example: Based on a study by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, 615 of the members surveyed were illiterate.

Identity crisis: The removal of the 'criminal tribe' label did not automatically erase the historical prejudices, so they face an identity crisis and struggle to establish a positive self-image in the face of societal prejudices.
Lack of social benefits: Since many of these communities are nomadic, they lack proper social security cover and do not even possess Ration cards, Aadhar cards etc.

Example: Many DNT nomads in Rajasthan miss out on vaccination due to lack of Aadhar and identity proof.

No caste categorization: DNTs are spread across SC, ST and OBC communities in various states. Some of them are not categorised under any of these caste groups.

Example: Banjaras are recognized as ST in Andhra Pradesh, SC in Punjab and as OBC in Gujarat. Bharwad community does not even have a recognition in Maharashtra.

Legal issues: Members of denotified tribes may face arbitrary arrests, police harassment, and systemic bias within the criminal justice system, so some of the legal issues persist.

Example: Based on a study by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, 6.5% of the DNT children had to visit a police station at least once during their study year.

Limited political representation: DNTs hold little political power as they are not properly classified under any caste groups. Moreover, the nomadic nature of their employment also restricts their voting rights.

Government initiatives and legislations for the upliftment of denotified tribes

National Commission for Denotifed, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes: To identify and prepare a state-wise list of DNT/NT, apart from assessing the status of their inclusion in SC/ST/OBC, identification of areas where they are densely populated, reviewing the progress of development and suggesting appropriate measures for their upliftment.
Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs: A centrally sponsored scheme for the welfare of those DNT students who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC.
Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls: To provide hostel facilities to those DNT students who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC to enable them to pursue higher education.
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs: To provide free competitive exam coaching, health insurance, housing assistance, and livelihood initiatives.
Assistance to voluntary organisations working for the welfare of OBCs: This scheme has been extended for DNTs and Economically Backward Castes (EBCs) as the Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Skill Development of OBCs/ DNTs/ EBCs.

Way Forward

Community empowerment: Empower denotified tribes by involving them in the decision-making processes related to policies that affect their lives and strengthen community-based organisations to promote leadership within the communities.
Education and skill development: Enhance access to quality education and skill development opportunities for denotified tribes which includes improving school infrastructure, providing scholarships, and implementing vocational training programs.
Awareness campaigns: Conduct awareness campaigns to challenge stereotypes and eliminate social stigma associated with denotified tribes.
Cultural preservation: Support initiatives that preserve and promote the cultural heritage of denotified tribes which includes efforts to document traditional knowledge, languages, and customs, as well as promoting cultural exchange and awareness.
Land reforms: Address landlessness among denotified tribes by implementing land reforms that secure land rights and this can contribute to economic stability that enhance opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

By combining these strategies and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, there is potential to make significant progress in improving the socio-economic conditions of denotified tribes in India. It is essential to prioritise the agency and voice of the communities themselves in shaping their own development trajectories.