List of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha


The term "Scheduled Tribes" signifies specific indigenous groups whose status is formally acknowledged to some extent by Indian legislation, often colloquially referred to as "tribals" or "adibasi." In adherence to the Constitution of the Indian Republic, the state of Odisha officially recognizes a total of 64 distinct tribes as Scheduled Tribes. Among these 64 tribes, 13 hold the designation of "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups".
According to the 2011 census, Odisha counted 9,590,756 Scheduled Tribes, ranking as the third-largest state in India in terms of its Scheduled Tribes population, trailing behind Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. These tribal communities collectively make up around 22.84% of the state's total population, 9.20% of the nation's Scheduled Tribes population, and about 0.79% of the nation's entire population.

Main Tribes

The Kondha or Kandha is the largest tribe of the state in terms of population. They have a population of about one million and are based mainly in the Kandhamal and adjoining districts namely Rayagada, Koraput, Balangir and Boudh. The Santals with a population over 800,000, inhabit the Mayurbhanj district. The Ho people with a population more than 100,0000 inhabit in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Anugul, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Kandhamal district. The Saura, with a population over 300,000, are found mainly in the undivided, Gajapati,Ganjam and Puri district. The Bonda, are known as 'the Naked People', and have a population of about 5,000 and live in Malkangiri district formerly part of undivided Koraput. The Kisans are the main residents of Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Keonjhar.

List of scheduled tribes

As per the Constitution Order, 1950, amended by Modification Order 1956 and subsequent modification order the following were listed as Scheduled Tribes in Odisha;
  1. Bagata people
  2. Baiga
  3. Banjara
  4. Bathudi
  5. Bhottada
  6. Bhuyan
  7. Bhumia
  8. Bhumij
  9. Bhunjia
  10. Binjhal
  11. Binjhia
  12. Birhor
  13. Bondo Poraja
  14. Chenchu
  15. Dal
  16. Desua Bhumij
  17. Dharua
  18. Didayi
  19. Gadaba
  20. Ho
  21. Holva
  22. Jatapu
  23. Juang
  24. Kandha
  25. Kandha Gauda
  26. Kawar
  27. Kharia
  28. Kharwar
  29. Kisan
  30. Kol
  31. Kolah
  32. Kolha
  33. Koli
  34. Kondadora
  35. Kora
  36. Korua
  37. Kotia
  38. Koya
  39. Kulis
  40. Lodha
  41. Madia
  42. Mahali
  43. Mankidi
  44. Mankirdia
  45. Matya
  46. Mirdhas
  47. Munda
  48. Mundari
  49. Omanatya
  50. Oraon
  51. Parenga
  52. Paroja
  53. Pentia
  54. Rajuar
  55. Santal
  56. Saora
  57. Shabar Lodha
  58. Sounti
  59. Tharua
  60. Muka Dora, Mooka Dora, Nuka Dora, Nooka Dora
  61. Konda Reddy, Konda Reddi
Among the 64 Scheduled Tribes listed, many are subsections of larger Scheduled Tribes.

List of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

  1. Birhor
  2. Bondo
  3. Chukutia Bhunjia
  4. Didayi
  5. Dangria Khond
  6. Juangas
  7. Kharias
  8. Kutia Kondh
  9. Lanjia Sauras
  10. Lodhas
  11. Mankidias
  12. Paudi Bhuyans
  13. Soura

Demographics

Sl noScheduled TribeSegments/ SynonymsPopulation Literacy rate
1BagataBhakta881353.89
2Baiga33867.25
3BanjaraBanjari1825762.28
4BathudiBathuri21739563.71
5BhottadaDhotada, Bhotra, Bhatra, Bhattara, Bhotora, Bhatara45077140.03
6BhuiyaBhuyan, Paudi Bhuyan30612963.14
7Bhumia12597741.94
8BhumijTeli Bhumij, Haladipokhria Bhumij, Haladi Pokharia Bhumija, Desi Bhumij, Desia Bhumij, Tamaria Bhumij28390952.06
9BhunjiaChuktia Bhunjia1235044.93
10BinjhalBinjhwar13704057.16
11BinjhiaBinjhoa1141957.86
12Birhor59647.24
13BondoBonda Paroja, Banda Paroja1223136.51
14Chenchu1354.55
15Dal2559843.20
16Desua Bhumij40456.98
17DharuaDhuruba, Dhurva1815131.39
18DidayiDidai Paroja, Didai889034.56
19GadabaBodo Gadaba, Gutob Gadaba, Kapu Gadaba, Ollara Gadaba, Parenga Gadaba, Sano Gadaba8468939.30
20Gandia185435.81
21Ghara19571.43
22GondRajgond, Maria Gond, Dhur Gond, Gondo88858159.65
23Ho80600854.79
24Holva2814948.90
25Jatapu1489047.22
26Juang4709542.85
27Kandha Gauda2640356.49
28KawarKanwar522564.44
29KhariaKharian, Berga Kharia, Dhelki Kharia, Dudh Kharia, Erenga Kharia, Munda Kharia, Oraon Kharia, Khadia, Pahari Kharia 22284458.46
30Kharwar226562.49
31KhondKond, Kandha, Nanguli Kandha, Sitha Kandha, Kondh, Kui, Buda Kondh, Bura Kandha, Desia Kandha, Dungaria Kondh, Kutia Kandha, Kandha Gauda, Muli Kondh, Malua Kondh, Pengo Kandha, Raja Kondh, Raj Khond162748646.95
32KisanNagesar, Nagesia33158964.21
33Kol405846.26
34Kolah LoharasKol Loharas955852.68
35Kolha62500942.23
36KoliMalhar642357.57
37Kondadora2080248.27
38KoraKhaira, Khayara5440868.54
39Korua49932.60
40Kotia723244.36
41KoyaGumba Koya, Koitur Koya, Kamar Koya, Musara Koya14713729.87
42Kulis1368978.88
43LodhaNodh, Nodha, Lodh978543.08
44Madia224348.36
45Mahali1862551.24
46Mankidi3135.71
47MankirdiaMankria, Mankidi222221.14
48MatyaMatia3016951.05
49MirdhasKuda, Koda7594062.31
50MundaMunda Lohara, Munda Mahalis, Nagabanshi Munda, Oriya Munda55869154.92
51Mundari2565559.89
52OmanatyaOmanatyo, Amanatya2873636.27
53OraonDhangar, Uran35811267.57
54Parenga944532.78
55ParojaParja, Bodo Paroja, Barong Jhodia Paroja, Chhelia Paroja, Jhodia Paroja, Konda Paroja, Paraja, Ponga Paroja, Sodia Paroja, Sano Paroja, Solia Paroja37462834.92
56Pentia1000344.93
57Rajuar351851.97
58Santal89476455.57
59SaoraSavar, Saura, Sahara, Arsi Saora, Based Saora, Bhima Saora, Bhimma Saora, Chumura Saora, Jara Savar, Jadu Saora, Jati Saora, Juari Saora, Kampu Saora, Kampa Soura, Kapo Saora, Kindal Saora, Kumbi Kancher Saora, Kalapithia Saora, Kirat Saora, Lanjia Saora, Lamba Lanjia Saora, Luara Saora, Luar Saora, Laria Savar, Malia Saora, Malla Saora, Uriya Saora, Raika Saora, Sudda Saora, Sarda Saora, Tankala Saora, Patro Saora, Vesu Saora53475154.99
60ShabarLodha
51640253.29
61Sounti11280359.58
62TharuaTharua Bindhani945150.44

Language

According to the 2011 Census of India, Odisha's Scheduled Tribes constitute 22.84% of the state's total population. Among them, Odia is spoken by 44.98% of the population, Kui by 10.17%, and Santali by 8.81%. Sambalpuri is spoken by 5.63%, Munda by 4.64%, and Ho by 4.23%. Additionally, Savara is spoken by 3.07%, Sadan/Sadri by 2.56%, and Kisan by 2.01%. Proja is spoken by 1.54%, Koya by 1.48%, and Kurukh/Oraon by 1.37%. Desia is spoken by 1.35%, and Kharia by 1.26% of the population. Furthermore, Bhatri is spoken by 81,413 individuals, Telugu by 50,375, and Gondi by 45,042. Laria is spoken by 40,893, Bhumijali by 34,131, Chhattisgarhi by 33,342, and Gadaba by 32,534 individuals. Juang is spoken by 30,217, Bhuiya/Bhuyan by 28,275, and Halabi by 19,722. Hindi is spoken by 17,924, Bengali by 9,080, and Kuvi by 6,374. Banjari is spoken by 5,218, Ladakhi by 3,020, Urdu by 2,658, Koda/Kora by 1,995, Rai by 1,788, and Coorgi/Kodagu by 1,305 individuals.

Inclusion in and exclusion from Scheduled list

Initially, the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha consisted of 42 tribes. The implementation of the Scheduled Tribes Modification Order in 1956 brought significant changes, including the inclusion of 21 new tribes as Scheduled Tribes, such as Bhottada, Bhumia, Bhumij, Bhunjia, Desua Bhumij, Dharua, Didayi, Gandia, Holva, Kandha Gauda, Kol, Kotia, Lodha, Madia, Matya, Omanatya, Parenga, Pentia, Rajuar, Sabar Lodha, and Sounti. Additionally, the tribe named Gorait was excluded from the list and enlisted in Scheduled Castes. However, after the establishment of the Tribal Research Institute, it was discovered that six communities viz. Chenchu, Ghara, Kandha Gauda, Kuli, Saunti had been mistakenly included in the list due to a lack of accurate local information when the list was originally drawn up in 1950 and revised in 1956. As they did not meet the basic criteria for tribal status, the Odisha government later proposed their exclusion from the list. However, this proposal faced opposition from members in Parliament, and as a result, there were no changes made to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha. In the same way, 169 communities are proposed by the state government for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list since 1970. These are mostly synonyms, segments and phonetic variations of existing Scheduled Tribes, such as Kandha Kumbhar, Jodia, Chuktia Bhunjia, Saara, Mankidia, Porja, Banda Paraja, Durua, and Paharia. As of 2023, the central government has rejected 81 communities, returning them to the state government due to a lack of supporting documents. In 2024, two more Dravidian tribal communities, namely Muka Dora and Konda Reddy, were scheduled to the Tribal list of Odisha.