Consider the following statements regarding the identification and inclusion of Scheduled Tribes in India:

1. Article 366 defines Scheduled Tribes as those deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of the Constitution.

2. The President of India, after consultation with the Governor of a State, may specify tribes or tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes through a public notification.

3. Parliament may by law amend the list of Scheduled Tribes by adding or removing communities specified in the Presidential notification.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is option 4. 

In News

• Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Assam, the Koch-Rajbongshi community has renewed its demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. This demand, pending for decades, is part of a broader push for inclusion in the ST list by several ethnic groups, including Adivasis, Ahoms, Chutias, Mataks, and Morans.

Key Points

• Article 366 defines "Scheduled Tribes" as those designated under Article 342. The Constitution does not define criteria for ST classification, but Article 342 grants the power to notify tribes as Scheduled Tribes. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
• Under Article 342(1), the President, after consulting the Governor of a State, may specify the tribes or tribal communities that will be deemed Scheduled Tribes for that State through a public notification. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
• Article 342(2) states that Parliament has the power to amend the ST list by adding or removing tribes specified in the Presidential notification. This means that while the President issues the initial notification, any changes to the list require Parliamentary approval through legislation. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.

Additional Information

• Process of Inclusion in the ST List:
  • State government recommendation → Tribal Affairs Ministry review → Registrar General of India approval → National Commission for Scheduled Tribes approval → Cabinet decision → Parliament approval → Presidential assent.
• Recent ST Inclusions:
  • Hatti Tribe (Himachal Pradesh)
  • Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran (Tamil Nadu)
  • Binjhia Tribe (Chhattisgarh)
  • Gond Community (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Betta-Kuruba (Karnataka)
• Benefits of ST Status:
  • Reservations in education and employment
  • Post-matric and overseas scholarships
  • Concessional loans from tribal development programs