Last reviewed · Written and checked by the Prelims Lab faculty · About 30 min to read
Union Territories and Delhi, Fifth and Sixth Schedule areas, Articles 371–371J, Scheduled Tribes and PVTGs. Free notes for UPSC CSE Prelims 2027, written around the traps UPSC sets, with the exact text of the Constitution and every past question on the topic.
- Union Territories
- Union Territories (UTs) are areas governed directly by the Centre. The President runs each UT through an administrator (often called a Lieutenant Governor).
- Scheduled Areas (Fifth Schedule)
- Many tribal communities live in central and western India. To protect their land and culture, the President can declare their regions as Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule.
- Tribal areas (Sixth Schedule)
- Tribal areas of four north-eastern States (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram) get more self-rule under the Sixth Schedule. They have Autonomous District Councils that can make laws on land, forests, marriage and customs.
- Special provisions for some States (Articles 371 to 371J)
- Some States have special provisions in Articles 371 to 371J because of their history or special needs.
- Scheduled Tribes and forest rights
- Scheduled Tribes (STs) are communities listed by the President for each State (Article 342). Only Parliament can add or remove a community from the list.
How to read: each section has The idea in brief (start here if the topic is new), Exam notes (the facts UPSC tests) and Ranker’s edge (the fine points). Each section opens with the bare text of the Constitution. Open In depth for the story behind it and past questions.
1. Union Territories
The bare text
Reading the text
- The President runs every Union Territory, through an administrator with whatever title the President chooses (Article 239(1)): a Lieutenant Governor, an Administrator, or the Governor of a neighbouring State, as with Chandigarh under the Governor of Punjab.
- Article 239A names only Puducherry in the text. A footnote in the official text records that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 also applied it to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh has no legislature.
- Delhi’s Assembly has three subjects carved out: public order (Entry 1), police (Entry 2) and land (Entry 18) of the State List. Everything else in the State and Concurrent Lists is open to it, subject to Parliament.
- Ten per cent, not fifteen. Delhi’s Council of Ministers is capped at 10% of the Assembly (Article 239AA(4)), a cap the States do not have.
- The proviso to 239AA(4): on a difference of opinion “on any matter”, the Lieutenant Governor refers it to the President and acts on the decision. This line is at the centre of every Delhi dispute.
The idea in brief
Union Territories (UTs) are areas governed directly by the Centre. The President runs each UT through an administrator (often called a Lieutenant Governor).
Why have UTs?Some areas are small or strategically important (islands like Andaman and Lakshadweep), some have a distinct culture (Puducherry), and some are capitals (Delhi, Chandigarh).
Exam notes
| Where | Part VIII, Articles 239 to 241. Every UT is administered by the President through an administrator (Lieutenant Governor, Administrator or Chief Commissioner) |
| Today: 8 UTs | Delhi; Jammu and Kashmir; Ladakh; Puducherry; Chandigarh; Andaman and Nicobar; Lakshadweep; Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |
| With legislatures | Delhi (Art 239AA, 69th Amendment, 1991), Puducherry (Art 239A, Government of UT Act, 1963), Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation Act, 2019) |
| Law-making | Parliament can legislate for UTs on any subject, including the State List. The President can make regulations for Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (and Puducherry when its Assembly is suspended) |
| Chief Minister | In Delhi and Puducherry the CM is appointed by the President, not the Lieutenant Governor (PYQ 2013). In Jammu and Kashmir the Reorganisation Act, 2019 lets the LG appoint the CM |
| Delhi | Police, public order and land stay with the Centre. In May 2023 a Constitution Bench gave the elected government control over “services”; Parliament then passed the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, creating the National Capital Civil Services Authority |
| In detail: UTs exist for political and administrative reasons (Delhi, Chandigarh), cultural distinctness (Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli), strategic importance (Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep) and special treatment of backward or tribal people (earlier, Mizoram and Arunachal). Delhi, Puducherry and J&K have Rajya Sabha seats. | |
| UT | Point |
|---|---|
| Delhi | NCT (69th Amdt, 1991); ministers capped at 10%; GNCTD Amendment Acts 2021 and 2023; services case (May 2023) |
| Puducherry | Government of UTs Act, 1963; up to 3 nominated MLAs; under Madras HC |
| Andaman & Nicobar | Lieutenant Governor; capital renamed Sri Vijaya Puram (2024); under Calcutta HC |
| Lakshadweep | Headquarters Kavaratti; under Kerala HC |
| Ladakh | Largest UT by area; Hill Councils at Leh and Kargil |
| DNH & DD | Merged 26 January 2020; headquarters Daman |
Remember it8 UTs, 3 Assemblies (Delhi, Puducherry, J&K). Delhi keeps police, public order, land with the Centre. Article 240 regulations: the four without Assemblies on islands and coasts (A&N, Lakshadweep, DNH&DD) plus Puducherry when suspended.
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| Point | Depth |
|---|---|
| Delhi cases | NCT of Delhi v. Union (2018): LG bound by aid and advice except on reserved subjects; no independent decision-making. Services judgment (May 2023), then the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023 creating the National Capital Civil Services Authority |
| J&K Assembly | 90 elected seats after the 2022 delimitation; LG may nominate up to 5 (2 Kashmiri migrants incl. a woman, 1 displaced from PoJK, 2 women). Elections held September–October 2024 |
| Ladakh | No legislature; Hill Councils at Leh and Kargil. 2025 regulations: domicile rules for jobs, 85% reservation (excluding EWS), one-third seats for women in Hill Councils, Bhoti and Purgi among official languages. Demands for Sixth Schedule and statehood continue |
| J&K statehood | Promised in the Article 370 judgment but not yet restored; the J&K Assembly passed a resolution seeking statehood in September 2026 |
| Others | Chandigarh’s Administrator is the Punjab Governor. |
In depth: the story behind it and how UPSC asks it
The story behind it: who governs Delhi
The 69th Amendment (1991), following the Balakrishnan Committee, gave Delhi an elected Assembly but kept it a Union Territory. In GNCTD v Union of India (2018) a Constitution Bench held that the Lieutenant Governor is bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers outside the three reserved subjects, and the “any matter” proviso is for exceptional cases, not every decision. In May 2023 another Constitution Bench held that Delhi’s government controls the civil services, except those linked to the reserved subjects. Within days the Union issued an Ordinance, later replaced by the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2023, which placed service matters under a National Capital Civil Service Authority where the Lieutenant Governor has the final word.
Jammu and Kashmir has been a Union Territory with a legislature since 31 October 2019. Its first Assembly elections were held in 2024. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged in January 2020, bringing the number of Union Territories to eight.
2. Scheduled Areas (Fifth Schedule)
The bare text
Reading the text: a Governor with legislative power
- The President declares Scheduled Areas by order (paragraph 6); the State government does not (UPSC 2023). Ten States have Scheduled Areas today.
- The State’s executive power still extends to these areas (paragraph 2). A Scheduled Area does not leave the State. But the Union can give directions to the State about how they are run (paragraph 3). That Union direction power is a key difference from ordinary areas (UPSC 2025).
- Paragraph 5(1) is unusual. The Governor alone can direct that an Act of Parliament or of the State “shall not apply” to a Scheduled Area, or apply with changes, even with retrospective effect. No other Governor has a power like this over Acts of Parliament.
- Paragraph 5(2) lets the Governor make regulations, which can even “repeal or amend any Act of Parliament”, for three named purposes: land transfer among tribals, allotment of land and money-lending. Two checks: the Tribes Advisory Council must be consulted, and the President must assent.
- Tribes Advisory Council: up to 20 members, about three-fourths from the ST members of the State Assembly. The President can order one even in a State with Scheduled Tribes but no Scheduled Areas.
The idea in brief
Many tribal communities live in central and western India. To protect their land and culture, the President can declare their regions as Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule. Ten States have them (like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh).
Exam notes
| Declaration | By the President by order; the President can also increase, decrease or rescind them (PYQ 2023). The largest unit is the district; the smallest a cluster of villages in a block |
| Executive power | The State’s executive power continues; the Union can give directions. A local body does not take over (PYQ 2025) |
| Governor | Sends an annual report to the President (not the CM to the Home Ministry) (PYQ 2023). Can direct that a law shall not apply or shall apply with changes, and can make regulations to prohibit or restrict transfer of land by or among tribals and regulate money-lending (PYQ 2022) |
| Tribes Advisory Council | Up to 20 members, three-fourths of them ST MLAs; compulsory in States with Scheduled Areas |
| Samatha (1997) | Transfer of tribal land in Scheduled Areas to private parties for mining is null and void under the Fifth Schedule (PYQ 2019) |
| In detail: Ten States have Scheduled Areas: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan. The Fifth and Sixth Schedules both exist to protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes (PYQ 2008, 2015). | |
Remember itFifth = 5 letters: “Guard”: the Governor guards (applies or bars laws, land-transfer regulations), reports to the President. Declared by the President; 10 States; TAC of up to 20, three-fourths ST MLAs.
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| Point | Depth |
|---|---|
| Para 4 | Tribes Advisory Council also in a State without Scheduled Areas if the President directs (e.g., Tamil Nadu, West Bengal) |
| Para 5 | Governor’s power to apply or modify laws, and to make regulations (land transfer, money-lending) after consulting the TAC; regulations need the President’s assent |
| Reports | Bhuria Commission (2002–04) under Article 339; Xaxa Committee (2014) on tribal health, education, displacement |
In depth: the story behind it and how UPSC asks it
The story behind it
The idea goes back to the British “excluded” and “partially excluded” areas of the 1935 Act. The Constituent Assembly’s sub-committees under Gopinath Bordoloi (North-East) and A.V. Thakkar (other areas) chose two models: protection with State control in central India (Fifth Schedule), and wide self-government in the North-East (Sixth Schedule).
The best-known case is Samatha v State of Andhra Pradesh (1997). The Supreme Court held that leasing tribal land in Scheduled Areas to private, non-tribal mining companies broke the Fifth Schedule and the State’s land-transfer regulation, and was void (UPSC 2019). In Niyamgiri (Orissa Mining Corporation, 2013) the Court held that the Gram Sabhas of the Dongria Kondh must decide whether bauxite mining could affect their religious and cultural rights; all twelve Gram Sabhas rejected the project.
How UPSC asks it
- UPSC 2025 With reference to the Constitution of India, if an area in a State is declared as Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule: 1. the State Government loses its executive power in such areas and a local body assumes total administration. 2. the Union Government can take over the total administration of such areas under certain circumstances on the recommendations of the Governor.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
(d) Neither 1 nor 2. State executive power continues, with the Union able to give directions. There is no provision for the Union to take over total administration. - UPSC 2023 With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements:
- Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President.
- The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block.
- The Chief Ministers of concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States.
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
(b) Only two. The Governor, not the CM, reports annually to the President. 1 and 2 are correct. - UPSC 2022 If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it?
- This would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people.
- This would create a local self-governing body in that area.
- This would convert that area into the Union Territory.
- The State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State.
Show answer
(a) This would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people. The Governor can make regulations to prohibit or restrict transfer of tribal land. - UPSC 2019 Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void?
- Third Schedule
- Fifth Schedule
- Ninth Schedule
- Twelfth Schedule
Show answer
(b) Fifth Schedule. The Fifth Schedule (Samatha judgment, 1997). - UPSC 2015 The provisions in the Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to:
- protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes
- determine the boundaries between States
- determine the powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats
- protect the interests of all the border States
Show answer
(a) protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes. Both deal with administration of tribal areas. - UPSC 2008 Which Schedule of the Constitution of India contains special provisions for the administration and control of Scheduled Areas in several States?
- Third
- Fifth
- Seventh
- Ninth
Show answer
(b) Fifth. Fifth Schedule.
3. Tribal areas (Sixth Schedule)
The bare text
Reading the text
- Only four States: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram (Article 244(2)). Manipur’s hill districts, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are not under the Sixth Schedule.
- District and regional councils. Each autonomous district has a District Council; if it has different tribes, the Governor can split it into autonomous regions, each with its own Regional Council.
- 30 members, up to 4 nominated, the rest elected by adult suffrage. The Bodoland Territorial Council is the exception, with 46 members, by a 2003 amendment that applies only to Assam.
- Councils make laws, unlike any panchayat. Under other paragraphs, they can legislate on land, forests (other than reserved forests), shifting cultivation, inheritance, marriage and social customs, run their own village and district courts, and collect certain taxes.
The idea in brief
Tribal areas of four north-eastern States (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram) get more self-rule under the Sixth Schedule. They have Autonomous District Councils that can make laws on land, forests, marriage and customs.
Exam notes
| States | Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram (four States) |
| Autonomous districts | Each has an Autonomous District Council of up to 30 members (26 elected, 4 nominated by the Governor), five-year term. Ten councils in all |
| Powers | Make laws on land, forests, canal water, shifting cultivation, village administration, inheritance, marriage, social customs (need the Governor’s assent); village courts; collect land revenue and some taxes |
| Governor | Can create, reorganise or change the boundaries of autonomous districts; Acts of Parliament or the State apply only as the Governor (or President, in some cases) directs |
| Prelims trap: Sixth Schedule areas get autonomous councils; Fifth Schedule areas do not. PESA, 1996 applies to Fifth Schedule areas, not Sixth. | |
| Autonomous District Councils | 10 in all: Assam 3, Meghalaya 3, Tripura 1, Mizoram 3; up to 30 members (26 elected, 4 nominated) |
| Acts of Parliament | In Assam the Governor, and in Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram the President, can exclude or modify them |
| Article 244A | Autonomous State within Assam (22nd Amdt, 1969); Meghalaya 1970 |
Remember it“ATMM” = Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram. 10 councils, 30 members (26 + 4), BTC 46. Sixth = self-rule councils; PESA belongs to the Fifth, not the Sixth.
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| Point | Depth |
|---|---|
| The 10 councils | Assam: Bodoland Territorial Council, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao. Meghalaya: Khasi, Jaintia, Garo Hills. Tripura: TTAADC. Mizoram: Chakma, Lai, Mara |
| BTC exception | Bodoland Territorial Council has 46 members (exception to the 30 cap) |
| 125th Amendment Bill (2019) | Proposes more powers and finance for Sixth Schedule councils and village councils; pending |
In depth: the story behind it and how UPSC asks it
The story behind it
The Bordoloi sub-committee saw that the hill tribes of Assam had their own working institutions and feared being governed by the plains. The Sixth Schedule gave them a protected form of self-rule inside the State. There are ten autonomous district councils today: three in Assam, three in Meghalaya, three in Mizoram and one in Tripura.
The councils’ main complaint is money: they depend on State grants. The 125th Constitution Amendment Bill (2019), to give them more funds and powers, has not been passed. In Ladakh, protests since 2023 have demanded inclusion in the Sixth Schedule and statehood. UPSC 2015 asked the purpose of both Schedules: protecting the interests of the Scheduled Tribes.
How UPSC asks it
- UPSC 2026 Consider the following statements about the provisions pertaining to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in India:
- Provisions regarding the administration of the Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are given in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
- Some tribes of India are entitled to exemption from paying Income Tax on certain incomes.
- The Constitution of India provides for reservation of seats in Panchayats for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
- There are two correct statements, that include statement 2.
- There are two correct statements, that are statements 1 and 3.
- There is only one correct statement.
- All three statements are correct.
Show answer
(a) There are two correct statements, that include statement 2. Statement 1 is wrong: these four States are covered by the Sixth Schedule. Statement 2 is right: Section 10(26) of the Income Tax Act exempts ST members living in specified north-eastern areas. Statement 3 is right: Article 243D(3) reserves at least one-third of SC/ST seats for SC/ST women. So two correct statements including statement 2.
4. Special provisions for some States (Articles 371 to 371J)
The bare text
Reading the text
- Article 371A turns the usual order around. On four subjects, Naga religious and social practice, customary law, justice under customary law, and land and its resources, an Act of Parliament does not apply to Nagaland unless the State Assembly chooses to accept it. Article 371G gives Mizoram the same shield.
- “Land and its resources” is why Nagaland claims ownership of oil and minerals under its soil, a long-running dispute with the Union.
- “Individual judgment” (371A) and “act in his discretion” (371F(g)) are among the few places where the Constitution expressly frees a Governor from ministerial advice. See Chapter 15.
- Article 371J, added by the 98th Amendment (2012), gives the Hyderabad-Karnataka region (now called Kalyana-Karnataka) a development board and local reservation in jobs and education, on the model of Article 371 for Vidarbha and Marathwada.
The idea in brief
Some States have special provisions in Articles 371 to 371J because of their history or special needs. For example:
Exam notes
| Article | State |
|---|---|
| 371 | Maharashtra and Gujarat (development boards) |
| 371A | Nagaland: Acts of Parliament on Naga religious and social practices, customary law, land ownership apply only if the Assembly so decides |
| 371B / 371C | Assam (tribal-area committee) / Manipur (hill-area committee) |
| 371D / 371E | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (equal opportunities in jobs and education) / Central university in Andhra Pradesh |
| 371F | Sikkim |
| 371G | Mizoram (like Nagaland) |
| 371H / 371I | Arunachal Pradesh (Governor’s special law-and-order responsibility) / Goa |
| 371J | Karnataka: Hyderabad-Karnataka region (98th Amendment, 2012) |
| In detail: Articles 371A to 371I were inserted for Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa (PYQ 2005). Article 370 (J&K) was made inoperative in 2019; the Supreme Court upheld this in December 2023. | |
| Article | State (amendment) |
|---|---|
| 371 | Maharashtra, Gujarat |
| 371A | Nagaland (13th) |
| 371B | Assam (22nd) |
| 371C | Manipur (27th) |
| 371D, 371E | Andhra Pradesh/Telangana (32nd) |
| 371F | Sikkim (36th) |
| 371G | Mizoram (53rd) |
| 371H | Arunachal Pradesh (55th) |
| 371I | Goa (56th) |
| 371J | Kalyana (Hyderabad) Karnataka (98th, 2012) |
Remember itOrder of letters follows time: A Nagaland (13th) → B Assam → C Manipur → D/E Andhra → F Sikkim → G Mizoram → H Arunachal → I Goa → J Karnataka (98th, 2012). Law-and-order Governors: Nagaland (371A) and Arunachal (371H).
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| Article | Depth |
|---|---|
| 371A | Also gives the Governor special responsibility for law and order; separate provisions for Tuensang district |
| 371D | Presidential order on local cadres and admissions; an Administrative Tribunal for the State |
| 371H | Arunachal Governor’s special responsibility for law and order |
| 371J | Separate development board, equitable funds, local reservation in education and jobs for the Kalyana-Karnataka region |
| Prelims trap: 371 (Maharashtra, Gujarat) is the original; 371A–371I came 1962–1987; 371J in 2012. (PYQ 2005) | |
In depth: the story behind it and how UPSC asks it
The story behind it
Each of Articles 371 to 371J records a political settlement. Article 371A came with the creation of Nagaland (13th Amendment, 1962) after the 1960 agreement with the Naga People’s Convention. Article 371F came with Sikkim joining India as a State (36th Amendment, 1975). Article 371G followed the 1986 Mizo Accord. Articles 371D and 371E followed the Andhra agitations of the early 1970s. The provisions differ widely: some protect customary law and land, others are only about development boards and local quotas.
5. Scheduled Tribes and forest rights
The bare text
Reading the text
- Who decides who is a Scheduled Tribe? The President notifies the first list for each State, after consulting the Governor (Article 342(1)). After that, only Parliament can add or remove a tribe, by law (342(2)); the President cannot change the list by a new notification. The Governor neither recognises nor declares a tribe (UPSC 2024).
- The Constitution does not define a tribe. Article 366(25) only says Scheduled Tribes are those so specified under Article 342. The working criteria used by the government, such as primitive traits, distinct culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact and backwardness, come from the Lokur Committee (1965), not the text.
- NCST under Article 338A was separated from the joint SC/ST commission by the 89th Amendment (2003), with a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three members.
The idea in brief
Scheduled Tribes (STs) are communities listed by the President for each State (Article 342). Only Parliament can add or remove a community from the list.
Exam notes
| Who is an ST (Art 342) | The President specifies tribes for each State by public notification after consulting the Governor; only Parliament can change the list. A tribe that is ST in one State need not be ST in another (PYQ 2024) |
| PVTGs | 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in 18 States and one UT (Andaman and Nicobar). Criteria: pre-agricultural technology, low literacy, economic backwardness, stagnant or declining population. Irular and Konda Reddi are PVTGs (PYQ 2019). PM-JANMAN (2023) targets them |
| Forest Rights Act, 2006 | Recognises individual and community forest rights of STs and other traditional forest dwellers; the Gram Sabha starts the process of determining rights (PYQ 2013) |
| Reserved Lok Sabha seats | Madhya Pradesh has the most ST-reserved seats (PYQ 2000) |
| Income tax | Section 10(26): ST members in specified north-eastern areas exempt (PYQ 2026) |
| Commissions | Dhebar (1960) and Bhuria (2002) under Article 339; Xaxa Committee (2014) |
| Ministry of Tribal Affairs | Set up in 1999; nodal for the Forest Rights Act, 2006 |
Remember it342 = President lists, Parliament changes. 75 PVTGs, Odisha most (13). FRA: 4 hectares, 3 generations = 75 years, Gram Sabha starts the process.
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| Point | Depth |
|---|---|
| Lokur criteria (1965) | Primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact, backwardness |
| Recent ST additions | Hattee (Trans-Giri, Himachal; Act of 2023); Paharis and three other communities in J&K (2024) |
| PVTGs | Category from the Dhebar Commission (1960–61); Odisha has the most (13). PM-JANMAN (November 2023); Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (2024). Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: 15 November |
| FRA fine print | Individual rights up to 4 hectares; other traditional forest dwellers must show 3 generations (75 years) of dependence; community forest resource rights |
| Prelims trap: ST status is State-specific. (PYQ 2024) Section 10(26) income tax exemption for STs in specified NE areas. (PYQ 2026) | |
In depth: the story behind it and how UPSC asks it
The story behind it: forest rights
Colonial forest laws had treated forest-dwellers as encroachers on land their families had lived on for generations. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 was Parliament’s attempt to correct this “historical injustice”, a phrase from the Act’s own preamble. It recognises individual rights to land in occupation and community rights over forest resources, and the Gram Sabha starts the process of deciding claims (UPSC 2013). The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry (UPSC 2021).
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are an administrative category, not a constitutional one. There are 75, in 18 States and one Union Territory, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (UPSC 2019). The PM-JANMAN mission (2023) targets them.
How UPSC asks it
- UPSC 2024 Consider the following statements:
- It is the Governor of the State who recognises and declares any community of that State as a Scheduled Tribe.
- A community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
(b) 2 only. The President declares STs (Article 342), State by State. - UPSC 2021 At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006?
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj
- Ministry of Rural Development
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Show answer
(d) Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry for the Forest Rights Act, even though it deals with forests. - UPSC 2019 Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India:
- PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
- A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
- There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
- Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
- 1, 2 and 3
- 2, 3 and 4
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1, 3 and 4
Show answer
(c) 1, 2 and 4. There are 75 PVTGs, not 95. - UPSC 2013 Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both?
- State Forest Department
- District Collector/Deputy Commissioner
- Tahsildar/Block Development Officer/Mandal Revenue Officer
- Gram Sabha
Show answer
(d) Gram Sabha. Section 6(1): the Gram Sabha. - UPSC 2000 The State which has the largest number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha is:
- Bihar
- Gujarat
- Uttar Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
Show answer
(d) Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh.
6. Quick revision and traps
Exam notes
| 239–241 | Union Territories; 239AA Delhi, 239A Puducherry |
| Fifth vs Sixth | Fifth: Scheduled Areas in 10 States, Governor’s regulations. Sixth: four NE States, autonomous councils |
| 342 | President notifies STs; Parliament changes the list |
| 75 PVTGs | 18 States + Andaman and Nicobar |
Remember itFifth vs Sixth in one line: Fifth = Governor protects (10 States); Sixth = tribes govern themselves (4 NE States).
Beyond the basics · ranker’s edge
| PYQ pattern | How to prepare |
|---|---|
| Fifth vs Sixth Schedule | Asked 2008, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026 |
| 371 series | Article–State matching |
| UT governance | Delhi cases and J&K/Ladakh after 2019 |