Scheduled Tribes in India- Definition, and criteria:
The ST full form is Scheduled Tribes, The tribes are the indigenous or native inhabitants of the area who are thought to have been the Indian Peninsula’s first settlers. Their common name, Adivasis, connotes that they are the original occupants. Numerous Indian tribes are mentioned in ancient and medieval literature.
The Constitution’s drafters were aware of the significant social, educational, and economic backwardness experienced by several people in India. They required special treatment in order to protect their interests and advance their socioeconomic status. According to Clause 1 of Articles 341 and 342 of the Constitution, these communities were notified that they were Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively.
Explain about Article 342:
The President may designate the tribes or tribal communities, or portions of or groups within tribes or tribal communities, which shall, for this constitution, be deemed to be scheduled tribes concerning that state or Union Territory, as the case may be, after consulting with the Governor of such state or Union territory.
Any tribe or tribal community, or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, may be included in or excluded from the list of Scheduled tribes or ST specified in a notification issued under clause (1) by law.
Why are they referred to as “Scheduled Tribes”?
The ST full form is Scheduled Tribes, under “Schedule 5” of the constitution, the Indian Constitution recognizes the tribal communities in that country. So-called “Scheduled Tribes” are the tribes that the Constitution recognizes. Scheduled tribes are those that are “those tribes or tribal communities or such sections of or divisions within such tribes or indigenous tribes as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the objectives of this constitution,” according to Article 366 (25) of the Constitution.