# List of Scheduled Tribes in West Bengal

Scheduled Tribes (also known as "tribals" or "adibasi/adivasi") are specific indigenous peoples whose status is acknowledged to some formal degree by national legislation. Scheduled tribes of the Indian state of West Bengal, as recognized by the Constitution of the Indian Republic; a total of 40 distinct tribes. Among those 40 tribes 3 tribes are "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups" (PTGs).

## Overview

As per 2001 census scheduled tribes numbering 4,406,794 persons constituted 5.5 per cent of the total population of the state. Santals constitute more than half (51.8 per cent) of the total ST population of the state. Oraons (14 per cent), Mundas (7.8 per cent), Bhumij (7.6 per cent) and Kora (3.2 per cent) are the other major STs having sizeable population. Along with Santal, they constitute nearly 85 per cent of the state's total ST population. The Lodhas, Mahalis, Bhutias, Bedias, and Savars are the remaining STs, and having population of one per cent or more as per 2001 census report.
More than half of the total ST population of the state is concentrated in Medinipur, Jalpaiguri, Purulia, and Bardhaman districts. Of the remaining districts, Bankura, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur have sizable ST population.

## List of tribes

As per the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, the following were listed as scheduled tribes in West Bengal.
* Asur
* Baiga
* Badia, Bediya
* Bhumij
* Bhutia, Sherpa, Toto, Dukpa, Kagatay, Tibetan, Yolmo
* Birhor
* Birjia
* Chakma
* Chero
* Chik Baraik
* Garo
* Gond
* Gorait
* Hajang
* Ho
* Karmali
* Kharwar
* Khond
* Kisan
* Kora
* Korwa
* Lepcha
* Limbu(Subba)
* Lodha, Kheria, Kharia
* Lohara, Lohra
* Magh
* Mahali
* Mahli
* Mal Pahariya
* Mech
* Mru
* Munda
* Nagesia
* Oraon
* Parhaiya
* Rabha
* Santal
* Sauria paharia
* Subba/Limbu
* Tamang

## Demographics

| Scheduled Tribe | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census | Demographics based on latest census |
| Scheduled Tribe | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Historical Population | Latest Population (2011) | Sex ratio | Literacy (%) | Literacy (%) | Literacy (%) | Main worker | Marginal worker |
| Scheduled Tribe | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | Latest Population (2011) | Sex ratio | Total | Male | Female | Main worker | Marginal worker |
| Asur | — | 611 | 4286 | 3864 | 4050 | 4864 | 1024 | 45.1 | 55.2 | 35 | 73 | 27 |
| Baiga | 4 | — | 1606 | 7624 | 11681 | 13423 | 984 | 61.4 | 72.8 | 50 | 51.9 | 48.1 |
| Bedia, Bediya | 1191 | 3339 | 29396 | 44875 | 55979 | 88772 | 973 | 63.5 | 72.5 | 54.2 | 61.2 | 38.8 |
| Bhumij | 91289 | 169426 | 233906 | 291808 | 336436 | 376296 | 980 | 59.5 | 70.7 | 48.1 | 49.8 | 50.2 |
| Bhutia, Sherpa, Toto, Ukpa, Kagatay, Tibetan, Yolmo | 23595 | 33912 | 40192 | 48196 | 60091 | 66627 | 1002 | 81.1 | 86.7 | 75.5 | 73.7 | 26.3 |
| Birhor | 100 | — | 658 | 855 | 1017 | 2241 | 906 | 58.2 | 69.3 | 46.1 | 63.9 | 36.1 |
| Birjia | — | 16 | 913 | 1238 | 1654 | 1123 | 960 | 48.4 | 60 | 36.2 | 64.3 | 35.7 |
| Chakma | 1379 | 2927 | 141 | 320 | 642 | 466 | 966 | 76.8 | 83.8 | 69.5 | 84.4 | 15.6 |
| Chero | 559 | 175 | 1648 | 2283 | 1968 | 5477 | 1034 | 62.7 | 73.2 | 52.5 | 75.6 | 24.4 |
| Chik Baraik | — | 1627 | 12624 | 16030 | 17824 | 21376 | 1014 | 62.6 | 74 | 51.2 | 72.4 | 27.6 |
| Garo | 2535 | 2627 | 3206 | 3673 | 1915 | 2039 | 1045 | 77.8 | 81.8 | 73.9 | 64.5 | 35.5 |
| Gond | 735 | 46 | 4923 | 5966 | 9826 | 13535 | 900 | 74.8 | 82.9 | 65.9 | 77.8 | 22.2 |
| Gorait | 425 | 481 | 2191 | 3024 | 1436 | 2498 | 990 | 32 | 41.2 | 22.6 | 51.2 | 48.8 |
| Hajang | 426 | 244 | 1081 | 1527 | 597 | 621 | 882 | 74.4 | 85.3 | 61.9 | 82.8 | 17.2 |
| Ho | 1075 | 1036 | 3202 | 11640 | 15540 | 23483 | 992 | 54.3 | 65.2 | 43.2 | 57.4 | 42.6 |
| Karmali | 1023 | 94 | 1418 | 7101 | 1317 | 2466 | 974 | 67.9 | 79.6 | 55.9 | 63.8 | 36.2 |
| Kharwar | 1142 | 134 | 11726 | 20514 | 17625 | 20270 | 942 | 64.5 | 73.8 | 54.7 | 65.2 | 34.8 |
| Khond | 41 | — | 639 | 829 | 226 | 660 | 953 | 59.I | 67.2 | 50.7 | 85.3 | 14.7 |
| Kisan | 3 | 716 | 5370 | 5827 | 4788 | 98434 | 934 | 53.4 | 62.4 | 43.9 | 58.8 | 41.2 |
| Kora | 62029 | 93586 | 96835 | 113564 | 142789 | 159404 | 1000 | 56.5 | 68 | 45.1 | 54.8 | 45.2 |
| Korwa | 2891 | 3222 | 2493 | 4948 | 5371 | 2912 | 1012 | 53.9 | 62.8 | 45.3 | 74.3 | 25.7 |
| Lepcha | 15309 | 14568 | 23408 | 27888 | 32377 | 33962 | 981 | 82.4 | 86.8 | 77.9 | 59.5 | 40.5 |
| Lodha, Kharia, Kharia | 40898 | 45906 | 53718 | 68095 | 84966 | 108707 | 988 | 45.5 | 54.6 | 36.2 | 55.2 | 44.8 |
| Lohara, Lohra | 3031 | 2388 | 23799 | 29750 | 20683 | 24783 | 997 | 55.3 | 65.4 | 45.2 | 68.5 | 31.5 |
| Magh | 790 | 3257 | 1020 | 4332 | 8214 | 8032 | 989 | 88.3 | 91.6 | 85.1 | 87.8 | 12.2 |
| Mahali | 28233 | 47247 | 50288 | 69542 | 76102 | 81594 | 1003 | 55 | 66.3 | 43.6 | 63.5 | 36.5 |
| Mahli | 5075 | 998 | 10827 | 19075 | 1831 | 2609 | 963 | 50.7 | 59.8 | 41.3 | 53.9 | 46.1 |
| Mal Pahariya | 15706 | 31018 | 17020 | 34302 | 37440 | 44538 | 992 | 42.8 | 49 | 36.5 | 74.1 | 25.9 |
| Mech | 13915 | 10862 | 26959 | 29904 | 35996 | 41242 | 978 | 74.2 | 80.8 | 67.6 | 67.5 | 32.5 |
| Mru | 1477 | 836 | 1231 | 1546 | 271 | 197 | 1074 | 61.7 | 70.2 | 53 | 62.5 | 37.5 |
| Munda | 160245 | 198701 | 230016 | 289091 | 341542 | 366386 | 990 | 57.7 | 67.1 | 48.3 | 62.8 | 37.2 |
| Nagesia | 4875 | 2516 | 42521 | 10069 | 8373 | 16378 | 987 | 61.8 | 70.1 | 53.5 | 72.8 | 27.2 |
| Oraon | 297394 | 291173 | 437574 | 536919 | 617138 | 643510 | 993 | 59 | 68.1 | 49.9 | 69.2 | 30.8 |
| Parhaiya | 487 | 108 | 3745 | 7889 | 688 | 921 | 1042 | 38.2 | 42.3 | 34.1 | 70.2 | 29.8 |
| Rabha | 6053 | 2466 | 11256 | 15204 | 15014 | 27820 | 952 | 61.3 | 68.4 | 53.8 | 65.7 | 34.3 |
| Santal | 1200091 | 1376980 | 1666610 | 1997222 | 2280540 | 2512331 | 1012 | 54.7 | 66.1 | 43.5 | 53.5 | 46.5 |
| Sauria Paharia | 28 | 158 | 4253 | 4590 | 2332 | 3480 | 1029 | 44 | 49.2 | 38.9 | 78.1 | 21.9 |
| Savar | 2181 | 4986 | 37247 | 46216 | 43599 | 40374 | 1012 | 40.6 | 49.9 | 31.5 | 45.6 | 54.4 |
| Limbu (Subba) | — | — | — | — | — | 46847 | 1011 | 81.2 | 87.8 | 74.7 | 64.6 | 35.4 |
| Tamang | — | — | — | — | — | 146203 | 1014 | 80.4 | 87.7 | 73.3 | 72.5 | 27.5 |
| Total Scheduled Tribe | 2,054,081 | 2,532,969 | 3,070,668 | 3,808,760 | 4,406,794 | 5,296,953 | 999 | 57.9 | 68.2 | 47.7 | 57.9 | 42.1 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Including ambiguous Scheduled Tribes.