Scheduled Tribes in Higher Education: Problems & Perspectives

Abstract

Education is a key indicator of the human development index. The basic need of life is not only food, clothe, and shelter but also education. The tribal community also has a right to life with dignity, and the dignity comes from education. After seven decades of independence, the tribal community is still considered a marginalized section of society, which makes a big question mark on our development system. The tribes are the country's indigenous people, with a large population that contributes 8.6 percent of the nation's population. (Census, 2011). Under the flagship program of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Government of India and the Tribal Welfare Department of different states launched many programs and schemes such as scholarships, fellowships, education at abroad, reservation of sheets, coaching for competitive exams, hostels, etc., for the educational upliftment of the tribal students but still, the high dropout rate, high number of school dropout, low GER in school, collages and other higher education institute found within the tribal community. A smaller number of students enrolled in higher education, and the dropout rate is increasing with increased schooling. Tribal students face many problems in higher education institutes. This paper will discuss the issues and changes of ST students in higher education and the facts and figures of the government policies, programs, and schemes for the higher education of ST students of Madhya Pradesh.