DENOTIFIED, NOMADIC, SEMI-NOMADIC TRIBES (DNTs)
1. Context
On January 30, the Union government assured community leaders from Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) that the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India had agreed to enumerate these communities in the upcoming second phase of the Census due in 2027.
2. Who are the Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs)?
- Communities now described as denotified, nomadic, and semi-nomadic tribes were once branded as “criminal” by colonial authorities. British administrators believed that certain groups were inherently inclined toward criminal activity.
- This belief was formalized through the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) of 1871, enacted in the same year as the commencement of systematic population censuses in India.
- The CTA of 1871 aimed at the registration, monitoring, and regulation of communities labelled as criminal tribes and eunuchs. It defined such groups as tribes, gangs, or classes of people supposedly predisposed to committing non-bailable offences.
- While presenting the Act, the then Member for Law and Order, T.V. Stephens, argued that India’s caste-based social structure justified this approach. He claimed that “professional criminals” were entire tribes whose ancestors had been offenders for generations, whose social customs compelled them to commit crimes, and whose descendants would inevitably violate the law.
- The Government of India repealed the CTA in 1952, after the law had undergone multiple amendments. With its repeal, the communities earlier classified as criminal were officially “denotified,” and subsequently came to be known as Denotified Tribes (DNTs).
- However, the same year also witnessed the enactment of habitual offender laws across various States. Although these laws removed the idea of inherited criminality, they introduced the category of “habitual offenders.”
- In practice, this resulted in the continued surveillance and marginalisation of the same communities—no longer labelled as criminals by birth, but still subjected to systemic targeting under a different legal framework
3. History of their Enumeration
- Although both the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) and the first synchronous Census operations in India commenced in 1871, Census documents began explicitly referring to “criminal tribes” only from 1911 onward.
- The provincial Census reports of 1911 and 1931 shed light on how these communities were officially recorded and categorized under that label. The 1931 Census marked the final instance when such groups were distinctly enumerated.
- After the repeal of the CTA and the subsequent denotification of these communities, later Censuses discontinued their separate identification. This decision was consistent with the post-Independence policy that caste enumeration—except for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes—was unnecessary.
- Efforts to address the condition of these communities, however, had already begun prior to their formal denotification. In 1949, the government established the Ayyangar Commission to examine related issues.
- By 1952, with the recognition of “backward classes” as a category distinct from SCs and STs, many denotified groups were included in such lists under the term “Vimukt Jatis.”
- Over the decades following Independence, most of these communities were gradually incorporated into the categories of SCs, STs, or Other Backward Classes.
- In 1998, noted writer Mahasweta Devi and scholar G. N. Devy initiated the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes Rights Action Group (DNT-RAG).
- Their advocacy contributed to the creation of a technical advisory group and eventually led to the formation of the first National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes under the chairmanship of B. S. Renke.
- This Commission submitted its recommendations for the welfare of DNTs in 2008. Subsequently, another national commission was constituted under Bhiku Ramji Idate, which presented its report in 2017.
- Each of these commissions underscored the fundamental challenge of properly identifying and classifying DNT communities, emphasizing that comprehensive and accurate categorization would require a dedicated Census enumeration.
- According to the Idate Commission’s most recent assessment, nearly 1,200 communities were identified as belonging to the DNT category, most of which had already been placed within the existing SC, ST, or OBC lists.
- In addition, the Commission identified approximately 268 denotified communities that remained unclassified. A study commissioned by NITI Aayog and conducted by the Anthropological Survey of India recommended appropriate classification for these 268 groups. However, the findings of this study have not been implemented and currently remain pending consideration
4. What is their Status now?
- In several States, Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) have been included within backward class categories, as well as in the SC and ST lists. In some instances, they have benefited from reservation policies, particularly where sub-classification has ensured targeted distribution of benefits.
- Additionally, certain State governments have introduced welfare measures designed specifically for these communities.
- Despite these initiatives, DNT representatives contend that the social stigma attached to them has persisted even after their denotification, largely due to the continued enforcement of laws such as the Habitual Offenders Act.
- They argue that such legal frameworks have perpetuated discrimination, leaving most DNT communities socially, economically, educationally, and politically marginalized.
- Only a limited number of relatively settled groups have managed to achieve some degree of advancement by leveraging available opportunities.
- Although the Idate Commission had proposed the establishment of a permanent national body dedicated to DNTs, the first government led by Narendra Modi concluded that a Welfare Board would be adequate, given that most DNT communities had already been accommodated within the SC, ST, or OBC categories.
- Subsequently, the Ministry of Social Justice introduced the SEED (Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs) programme to support livelihood generation, education, housing, and healthcare initiatives for these groups.
- However, only a small portion of the allocated ₹200 crore budget has reportedly been utilized over the past five years. A major implementation challenge has been the requirement that beneficiaries obtain a DNT certificate for eligibility.
- This certification is meant to exist alongside SC, ST, or OBC status where applicable. Community leaders across various States have consistently raised concerns that DNT certificates are not being issued in most regions, despite repeated communications from the Central government.
- Official data indicates that only a limited number of districts across a handful of States currently provide such certification.
- This administrative bottleneck has intensified demands among DNT groups for a distinct constitutional category, equivalent to SC, ST, and OBC classifications. Advocates argue that such recognition would standardize the issuance of DNT certificates nationwide.
- There have also been calls for internal sub-categorisation within the DNT grouping to address disparities in levels of backwardness among different communities.
- Furthermore, leaders and organizations such as the All India Denotified Nomadic Tribes Development Council have framed their campaign for separate classification as a quest for formal acknowledgment of the historical discrimination and stigma imposed upon them.
- They maintain that colonial authorities branded them as “criminal” primarily because of their resistance to foreign rule.
- Some community representatives also emphasize that their ancestors had served as defenders against external invasions, including during periods preceding colonial rule, and had histories of opposing certain Islamic regimes
5. Way Forward
Beyond verbal commitments to community representatives that they would be included in official counts, there has been no clarity regarding the methodology or mechanism for carrying out such enumeration.
Organizations representing Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) have explicitly called for the inclusion of a dedicated column or question in Census questionnaires to enable their proper identification. This position has also been supported by scholars such as G. N. Devy, who have consistently advocated for a separate Census exercise specifically focused on DNT communities.
Nevertheless, official statements from the Union Government suggest that there is currently no plan to introduce a separate classification category for DNTs in the Census
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For Prelims: Scheduled Tribes, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Kudmis, Mundas, Oraons, Santhals, Article 366 (25), Article 342, Backward Classes Commission 1955, the Advisory Committee (Kalelkar), on Revision of SC/ST lists (Lokur Committee), 1965 and the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Bill 1967 (Chanda Committee), 1969, Goa, Daman & Diu Reorganization Act 1987
For Mains:
1. Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups? Discuss the criterion for the specification of a community as Scheduled tribes. (250 Words)
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Previous Year Questions 1. Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (UPSC 2019)
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3 B. 2, 3 and 4 C. 1, 2 and 4 D. 1, 3 and 4
Answer: C 2. With reference to the history of India, "Ulgulan" or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events? (UPSC 2020) A. The Revolt of 1857
B. The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
C. The Indigo Revolt of 1859 - 60
D. Birsa Munda's Revolt of 1899 - 1900
Answer: D 3. When did the Tana’ Bhagat Movement start? (Jharkhand Civil Service 2015)
A. April 1912 B. April 1913 C. April 1914 D. April 1915
Answer: C
4. Consider the following statements about the Santhal Hool of 1855 - 56: (UPSC CAPF)
1. The Santhals were in a desperate situation as tribal lands were leased out
2. The Santhal rebels were treated very leniently by British officials
3. Santhal inhabited areas were eventually constituted separate administrative units called Santhal parganas
4. The Santhal rebellion was the only major rebellion in mid-19th century India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 C. 1, 3 and 4 D. 1 and 3 only
Answer: D
5. After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government? (UPSC 2018)
1. The territories called 'Santhal Paraganas' were created.
2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
6. The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was formed by insertion of Article ______ in the Constitution of India. (SSC CGL 2020)
A. 328B B. 338A C. 338B D. 328A
Answer: B
7. With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation? (UPSC 2018)
A. Committee on Government Assurances
B. Committee on Subordinate Legislation
C. Rules Committee
D. Business Advisory Committee
Answer: B
8. Justice Madan B Lokur committee was set up to take steps to (Haryana Civil Services 2021)
A. Look into violation of environment rules.
B. Prevent stubble burning
C. Draft new water policy
D. Regulate digital lending
Answer: B
9. Match the pairs - (Committees on Media) (MPSC 2019)
(A) (Name) (B) (Year)
(a) Chanda Committee (i) 1982
(b) Kuldip Nayar Committee (ii) August, 1977
(c) Verghese Committee (iii) March, 1977
(d) P.C. Joshi Committee (iv) 1964
1. (a) – (i), (b) – (ii), (c – (iii), (d) – (iv)
2. (a) – (i), (b) – (iii), (c – (ii), (d) – (iv)
3. (a) – (iv), (b) – (iii), (c – (ii), (d) – (i)
4. (a) – (iv), (b) – (ii), (c – (iii), (d) – (i)
Answer: 3
10. Consider the formation of the following States and arrange these in chronological order : (UPPSC Combined State Exam 2021)
1. Goa
2. Telangana
3. Jharkhand
4. Haryana
Select the correct answer from the codes given below.
A. 1, 2, 3, 4 B. 4, 1, 3, 2 C. 3, 2, 4, 1 D. 4, 3, 1, 2
Answer: 2
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Source: The Hindu
