Question

Which article of the Constitution gives recognition to the scheduled tribes?
A) 340
B) 341
C) 342
D) 343

Answer 1

Hint: Scheduled Tribes (STs) are India's legally recognised ethnic groups. The terminologies are defined in the Indian Constitution, and the groups are classified into one of the categories. They were known as the Depressed Classes for much of the time that Britain ruled the Indian subcontinent.

Complete answer:
 In India's Constitution, the phrase "Scheduled Tribes'' was first used. Tribes or tribal communities that are deemed Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this constitution under Article 342, or sections or groups within such tribes or tribal communities, according to Article 366 (25). The mechanism for specifying scheduled tribes is outlined in Article 342.

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 specified in a notification issued under clause(1) by law, but a notification issued under the said clause may not be varied by any subsequent notification, except as aforesaid.

For the purposes of the Constitution, Article 342 specifies the tribes or tribal communities, or sections of or groups within tribes or tribal communities, in reference to that State or Union Territory, are deemed to be Scheduled Tribes.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: The following are the essential characteristics of these communities:
- Primitive Characteristics
- Isolation due to geography and culture
- Economically backward and fearful of touch with the rest of the community