Abstract
The term Scheduled Tribes refers to community of specific indigenous people whose status as such is recognized under the Constitution of India, 1950. The primary criterion adopted for delimiting Indian backward communities as STs include their traditional occupations of a whole range of tribal modes of life which is reflected in their language, customs, traditions, religious beliefs, arts and crafts, archaic traits, occupational pattern and economic development According to the 2011 census, the number of Scheduled Tribes in India is 10,42,81,034 which is 8.6 per cent of the total population. Approximately 9,38,19,162 people belonging to Scheduled tribes live in rural India and 1,04,61,872 resides in urban India. In India, there exist labyrinth of laws for the protection of STs namely the Constitution of India,1950 Articles 15,16 17 , 19, 43,338,340-342 along with schedule V and VII. Beside this there exist independent Commissions,Ministry and Acts exclusively dealing with the overall development of Scheduled Tribes such as National Commission for Scheduled Tribes,MOTA, TAC,PESA1996,The Scheduled Tribes and Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, Scheduled Castes And The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and so on. Despite activism shown by legislative and administrative authorities still there exist issue of up liftment of ST population in India .The present research is a Doctrinal study based on secondary methods of data collection.. The secondary methods are based upon a collection of material from various sources such as the government surveys, reporters, Indian and foreign journals, International Conventions, research articles, newsweeklies, newsletters, internet, books newspaper clippings and various cases on the subject etc. The present research paper will try to critically analyse the limitations of existing statutory provisions and procedural implications and will explore legal possibilities of making amendment.