Tribes of India and PVTG List: Quick Answer
India has 705 Scheduled Tribes and 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) as of 7 November 2026. The Scheduled Tribe population was 104,281,034 (10.43 crore), 8.6% of India's population, in Census 2011. Madhya Pradesh has the largest ST population (15,316,784), and Odisha has the most PVTG entries (13). The largest tribe is the Bhil (17,071,049), followed by the Gond (13,256,928).
🔥 Key Exam Takeaway: Total STs = 705. Total PVTGs = 75, in 18 states and 1 UT. Largest tribe = Bhil. Largest ST population = Madhya Pradesh. Highest ST share = Lakshadweep (94.8%, UT) and Mizoram (94.4%, state). Most PVTGs = Odisha (13). PVTGs were earlier called Primitive Tribal Groups and were renamed in 2006. PM-JANMAN (2023) is the mission for the 75 PVTGs.
Why do websites show 17 states, 75 PVTGs and "Gond is the largest tribe"? Because older pages count undivided Andhra Pradesh (before Telangana was formed in 2014) and repeat a coaching error that calls the Gond the largest tribe. The Census 2011 counts settle both: 18 states plus the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Bhil ahead of Gond. This page is as of 7 November 2026.
Who Is a Scheduled Tribe? (Basics First)
A Scheduled Tribe is a tribe or tribal community notified by the President of India for a particular state or union territory. The notification is state-specific: a community can be a Scheduled Tribe in one state and not in another.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Constitutional provision | Article 342 — the President notifies STs after consulting the Governor; Parliament can add or remove a tribe by law |
| How many | 705 Scheduled Tribes notified (Census 2011) |
| Population | 104,281,034 (10.43 crore), 8.6% of India's population (Census 2011) |
| Where they live | About 9 in 10 live in rural areas; ST literacy was 59% in 2011, against 73% nationally |
| Fifth Schedule | 10 states have Scheduled Areas with special administration: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan |
| Sixth Schedule | 4 states — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram — with 10 Autonomous District Councils |
| Key laws | PESA Act, 1996 (panchayats in Scheduled Areas) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (rights over forest land) |
| Constitutional body | National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (Article 338A, set up under the 89th Amendment, 2003) |
The word "Adivasi" is often used for tribal communities, but it is not a constitutional term. In exam answers, use "Scheduled Tribe" and cite Article 342.
What Is a PVTG? (The Most Vulnerable 75)
A Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group is a sub-category within the Scheduled Tribes: the groups judged most backward on development indicators. PVTG status brings priority attention and dedicated schemes, including a mission of its own (see below).
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dhebar Commission | 1960–61 — found that some tribes were developing far more slowly than others within the ST category |
| Category created | 1975 — 52 groups identified as Primitive Tribal Groups (the year most exam sources cite; histories date the sub-category to the Fourth Plan period) |
| Growth of the list | +20 by the end of the Sixth Plan, +2 in the Seventh Plan, +1 (Maram Naga of Manipur) in 1993–94 — 75 in all |
| Renamed | 2006 — "Primitive Tribal Group" became "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group" (PVTG) |
| Since then | No new group added. The 75 total has not changed since 1993–94, and no group was declared on the basis of the 2001 Census |
How a group is identified as a PVTG
A group is identified on four criteria, all four together:
| Criterion | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pre-agricultural technology | Hunting, gathering and shifting cultivation rather than settled farming |
| Stagnant or declining population | Population barely growing or shrinking |
| Extremely low literacy | Far below other tribal groups |
| Subsistence-level economy | Living at the level of bare survival, with little surplus |
The last census-based PVTG population total published by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was about 27.7 lakh (2001 Census). More recent habitation-level estimates put the figure near 45–48 lakh; treat any single PVTG population figure as an estimate, not a census count, unless it is labelled with its year.
Tribes in the News: PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba (2023–2024)
These two missions are the reason PVTG questions keep appearing in current-affairs sections.
| Mission | Detail |
|---|---|
| PM-JANMAN | Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, launched 15 November 2023 (Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda) at Khunti, Jharkhand. Outlay ₹24,104 crore over 3 years, for the 75 PVTG communities in 18 states and 1 UT: safe housing, drinking water, sanitation, education, health, nutrition, roads, telecom, electrification and livelihoods |
| Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan | Launched 2 October 2024 at Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. Outlay ₹79,156 crore over 5 years, 25 interventions by 17 ministries, covering 63,843 villages in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks across 30 States/UTs, for more than 5 crore tribal people. It covers all tribal villages, not PVTGs alone |
| 2024 amendment bills | Parliament passed bills in 2024 adding PVTG names and synonyms to the Scheduled Tribe lists for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The 75-group PVTG total did not change — these were names and spellings, not new groups |
PVTGs in India: Complete State-wise List (All 75)
The table below is the official 75-entry list, grouped by notified state or states. Read it with two warnings. First, names repeat across states because PVTG status is notified state-wise: Birhor, Dongria Khond, Kolam, Koraga and Sahariya each appear under more than one state grouping, and the 75 counts notified entries, not 75 different names. Second, spellings vary across sources (Khond/Kondh, Poroja/Porja, Bhuya/Bhuyan, Saura/Soura) — the forms below are the most common ones.
| No. | PVTG | Notified state(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bodo Gadaba | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 2 | Bondo Poroja | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 3 | Chenchu | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 4 | Dongria Khond | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 5 | Gutob Gadaba | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 6 | Khond Poroja | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 7 | Kolam | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 8 | Konda Reddi | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 9 | Konda Savara | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 10 | Kutia Khond | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 11 | Parengi Poroja | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 12 | Thoti | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 13 | Asur | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 14 | Birhor | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 15 | Birjia | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 16 | Hill Kharia | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 17 | Korwa | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 18 | Mal Paharia | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 19 | Parhaiya | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 20 | Sauria Paharia | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 21 | Savar | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| 22 | Kolgha | Gujarat |
| 23 | Kathodi | Gujarat |
| 24 | Kotwalia | Gujarat |
| 25 | Padhar | Gujarat |
| 26 | Siddi | Gujarat |
| 27 | Jenu Kuruba | Karnataka |
| 28 | Koraga | Karnataka |
| 29 | Cholanaikayan | Kerala |
| 30 | Kadar | Kerala |
| 31 | Kattunayakan | Kerala |
| 32 | Koraga | Kerala |
| 33 | Kurumba | Kerala |
| 34 | Abujh Maria | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 35 | Baiga | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 36 | Bharia | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 37 | Birhor | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 38 | Hill Korwa | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 39 | Kamar | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 40 | Sahariya | Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |
| 41 | Katkari (Kathodi) | Maharashtra |
| 42 | Kolam | Maharashtra |
| 43 | Maria Gond | Maharashtra |
| 44 | Maram Naga | Manipur |
| 45 | Chuktia Bhunjia | Odisha |
| 46 | Birhor | Odisha |
| 47 | Bondo | Odisha |
| 48 | Didayi | Odisha |
| 49 | Dongria Khond | Odisha |
| 50 | Juang | Odisha |
| 51 | Kharia | Odisha |
| 52 | Kutia Khond | Odisha |
| 53 | Lanjia Saura | Odisha |
| 54 | Lodha | Odisha |
| 55 | Mankidia | Odisha |
| 56 | Paudi Bhuya | Odisha |
| 57 | Saura | Odisha |
| 58 | Sahariya | Rajasthan |
| 59 | Irula | Tamil Nadu |
| 60 | Kattunayakan | Tamil Nadu |
| 61 | Kota | Tamil Nadu |
| 62 | Kurumba | Tamil Nadu |
| 63 | Paniyan | Tamil Nadu |
| 64 | Toda | Tamil Nadu |
| 65 | Riang | Tripura |
| 66 | Buksa | Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand |
| 67 | Raji | Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand |
| 68 | Birhor | West Bengal |
| 69 | Lodha | West Bengal |
| 70 | Toto | West Bengal |
| 71 | Great Andamanese | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 72 | Jarawa | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 73 | Onge | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 74 | Sentinelese | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 75 | Shompen | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
PVTGs to know by name
- Dongria Khond (Odisha) — of the Niyamgiri hills in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. In 2013, Dongria Khond village councils voted against bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hills, a case that reached the Supreme Court. The most-cited PVTG in coaching material.
- Sahariya (Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) — the only PVTG of Rajasthan (Baran district) and found in Madhya Pradesh too. The highest measured PVTG population in the Ministry's census-based data (see the records section).
- Bondo / Bonda (Odisha) — of Malkangiri district, known for bark-cloth dress, among the most isolated groups on the mainland.
- Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese (Andaman Islands) — hunter-gatherers. The Sentinelese of North Sentinel Island are uncontacted, and contact with them is prohibited by law.
- Toda (Tamil Nadu) — buffalo pastoralists of the Nilgiri hills; Toda embroidery holds a GI tag.
- Baiga (Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh) — known for shifting (bewar) cultivation and tattoo traditions.
- Chenchu (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) — hunter-gatherers of the Nallamala forests.
- Maram Naga (Manipur) — the 75th and last group added, in 1993–94.
Largest Tribes of India: Major Tribes Table
| Tribe | Main states | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bhil | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan | Largest Scheduled Tribe: 17,071,049 (Census 2011); Bhil painting |
| Gond | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana | Second largest: 13,256,928; Gond painting; Rani Durgavati; Komaram Bheem |
| Santhal | Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha | Among the three largest; Hul rebellion of 1855 under Sidhu and Kanhu |
| Oraon (Kurukh) | Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha | Kurukh language; Karam festival |
| Munda | Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal | Birsa Munda and the Ulgulan (1899–1900); Mundari language |
| Khasi | Meghalaya | Matrilineal society; Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council |
| Garo | Meghalaya, Assam | Wangala (100-drums) festival; Garo Hills Autonomous District Council |
| Naga tribes | Nagaland | Hornbill festival; many distinct groups, including Angami, Ao and Sumi |
| Mizo (Lushai) | Mizoram | Chapchar Kut festival; Mizoram is 94.4% ST |
| Bodo | Assam | Bodo language is in the Eighth Schedule; Bodoland Territorial Region |
| Koli | Maharashtra, Gujarat | Fisherfolk of the Konkan coast; Koli dance |
| Kol | Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Central India; one of the oldest-named tribes |
| Baiga | Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | PVTG; bewar cultivation and tattoo tradition |
| Toda | Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) | PVTG; buffalo pastoralists; Toda embroidery is GI-tagged |
| Chenchu | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana | PVTG; hunter-gatherers of the Nallamala forests |
Tribes of India: Records and Firsts
| Record | Answer |
|---|---|
| Largest Scheduled Tribe | Bhil — 17,071,049 (Census 2011), about 16% of India's ST population |
| Second largest | Gond — 13,256,928 |
| Largest ST population (state) | Madhya Pradesh — 15,316,784, which is 21.1% of the state's people and 14.7% of India's STs |
| Second and third | Maharashtra (about 10.5 million) and Odisha (about 9.6 million) |
| Highest ST share — state | Mizoram — 94.4%, then Nagaland (86.5%) and Meghalaya (86.1%) |
| Highest ST share — UT | Lakshadweep — 94.8% |
| Most PVTG entries | Odisha — 13 |
| One PVTG each | Manipur (Maram Naga), Rajasthan (Sahariya) and Tripura (Riang) |
| A&N Islands exception | Five of the six notified Scheduled Tribes of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are PVTGs (Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese, Shompen) — the Nicobarese are a Scheduled Tribe of the islands but not a PVTG |
| Smallest PVTG counts | Sentinelese (15) and Great Andamanese (44) in the 2011 table — estimates only, since the Sentinelese are uncontacted |
| Largest PVTG by measured population | Sahariya — 4,50,217 in the Ministry's 2001 Census-based PVTG data, the highest figure in that table. Dongria Khond is the name most coaching pages call "largest" — the two claims use different measures, so never answer without saying which measure you mean |
| First tribal President of India | Droupadi Murmu (2022), of the Santhal tribe |
| Tribal freedom fighter honoured nationally | Birsa Munda — his birth anniversary, 15 November, is Janjatiya Gaurav Divas |
Common Mistakes Students Make
- Saying Gond is the largest tribe. The Census 2011 counts are Bhil 17,071,049 and Gond 13,256,928. Gond is second. The error survives because some coaching pages contradict themselves in the same article.
- Saying Bhil is 38% of the ST population. Bhil is about 16% of India's ST population (17.07 million out of 104.28 million). The 38% figure comes from state-level data mislabelled as the national share.
- Answering Mizoram when asked for the highest ST share overall. Mizoram (94.4%) is the highest among states. Lakshadweep (94.8%) is higher, but it is a union territory. Read whether the question says "state" or "state/UT".
- Mixing up Madhya Pradesh's two percentages. 21.1% is the ST share of Madhya Pradesh's own population. 14.7% is Madhya Pradesh's share of India's total ST population. They answer different questions.
- Naming a "largest PVTG" without a measure. Sahariya has the highest measured population in the Ministry's census-based data; Dongria Khond is the name coaching pages cite most. An answer that gives one name with no measure is unsafe.
- Counting 17 states for PVTGs. The current count is 18 states and 1 UT. Pages that say 17 were written before Telangana's PVTGs were counted separately from Andhra Pradesh.
- Treating every ST as a PVTG. Only 75 of the 705 Scheduled Tribes are PVTGs. PVTG is a sub-category, not a synonym.
- Using the word "primitive". The category was renamed from Primitive Tribal Groups to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in 2006. Exam keys use PVTG.
- Assuming ST status travels across states. Notification is state-wise under Article 342. A community notified as ST in one state need not be an ST in another.
- Thinking the Sentinelese can be visited or counted exactly. North Sentinel Island is protected and contact is prohibited; the tiny population figures for the Sentinelese are estimates, not headcounts.
How to Remember Tribes and PVTGs
- Learn the timeline first: 52 (1975) → +20 → +2 → +1 (Maram, 1993–94) = 75. Renamed 2006. No additions since.
- Learn the top four counts: Odisha 13, Andhra Pradesh + Telangana 12, Bihar + Jharkhand 9, Madhya Pradesh + Chhattisgarh 7. Remember them as 13–12–9–7.
- Learn the four criteria as PLSE: Pre-agricultural technology, Low literacy, Stagnant population, Subsistence Economy — the last two share the S, so say "PLSE" aloud.
- Bhil before Gond, alphabetically and numerically: B comes before G, and 17.07 million comes before 13.26 million.
- Mizoram leads the states, Lakshadweep leads overall: 94.4% (state) vs 94.8% (UT). The UT beats the state by 0.4 points.
- Learn the five island PVTGs as one set: Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese, Shompen — the five PVTG entries from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Remember the Nicobarese are a Scheduled Tribe of the islands but are NOT a PVTG.
Tribes and PVTG MCQs with Answers
Q1. How many Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are there in India? (a) 52 (b) 70 (c) 75 (d) 705 Answer: (c) 75, in 18 states and 1 UT. 705 is the number of Scheduled Tribes; 52 was the count when the category began in 1975.
Q2. Which state has the highest number of PVTG entries in India? (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Odisha (d) Jharkhand Answer: (c) Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together (12).
Q3. Which is the largest Scheduled Tribe in India as per Census 2011? (a) Gond (b) Santhal (c) Bhil (d) Munda Answer: (c) Bhil (17,071,049), ahead of Gond (13,256,928).
Q4. Which state has the largest Scheduled Tribe population in India? (a) Maharashtra (b) Odisha (c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Jharkhand Answer: (c) Madhya Pradesh (15,316,784), 21.1% of the state's population.
Q5. Among states, which has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population? (a) Nagaland (b) Mizoram (c) Meghalaya (d) Arunachal Pradesh Answer: (b) Mizoram (94.4%). Lakshadweep (94.8%) is higher overall but is a union territory.
Q6. PVTGs were earlier known as Primitive Tribal Groups. In which year were they renamed? (a) 1975 (b) 1993 (c) 2006 (d) 2014 Answer: (c) 2006.
Q7. The Dongria Khond tribe, known for opposing bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hills, belongs to which state? (a) Chhattisgarh (b) Odisha (c) Jharkhand (d) Andhra Pradesh Answer: (b) Odisha. Dongria Khond also appears in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana grouping, but the Niyamgiri hills are in Odisha.
Q8. Which is the only Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group of Rajasthan? (a) Bhil (b) Sahariya (c) Baiga (d) Kathodi Answer: (b) Sahariya, of Baran district. Sahariya also appears in the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh grouping.
Q9. How many PVTGs are there in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and which are they? (a) 3 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 7 Answer: (c) 5 — Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese and Shompen.
Q10. PM-JANMAN, the mission for PVTGs, was launched on 15 November 2023. What does JANMAN stand for in its full name? (a) Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (b) Janjati Adivasi Navnirman Maha Abhiyan (c) Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Mission (d) Jan Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan Answer: (a) Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, with an outlay of ₹24,104 crore over 3 years.
Tribes of India and PVTG FAQs
How many PVTGs are there in India?
75, spread across 18 states and the union territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The total has not changed since 1993–94, when the Maram Naga of Manipur became the 75th group.
What is the difference between a Scheduled Tribe and a PVTG?
A Scheduled Tribe is notified under Article 342; there are 705 of them. A PVTG is a sub-category of the most vulnerable groups within the Scheduled Tribes, identified on four criteria (pre-agricultural technology, stagnant or declining population, extremely low literacy, subsistence economy). Only 75 groups hold PVTG status.
Which state has the most PVTGs in India?
Odisha, with 13 entries — Birhor, Bondo, Chuktia Bhunjia, Didayi, Dongria Khond, Juang, Kharia, Kutia Khond, Lanjia Saura, Lodha, Mankidia, Paudi Bhuya and Saura.
Which is the largest tribe in India?
The Bhil, with 17,071,049 people in Census 2011, about 16% of India's Scheduled Tribe population. The Gond is second at 13,256,928.
Which state or UT has the highest percentage of tribal population?
Lakshadweep, at 94.8% of its population (Census 2011). Among states, Mizoram is highest at 94.4%, followed by Nagaland (86.5%) and Meghalaya (86.1%).
Who decides which tribe is a Scheduled Tribe?
The President of India notifies a tribe as a Scheduled Tribe for a state or UT under Article 342, after consulting the Governor. Parliament alone can add or remove a tribe from the list by law. Because notification is state-wise, the same community can be an ST in one state and not in another.
What is PM-JANMAN?
The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, launched on 15 November 2023 with an outlay of ₹24,104 crore over 3 years. It aims to saturate the 75 PVTG habitations with housing, drinking water, sanitation, education, health, nutrition, roads, telecom, electricity and livelihood support.
Related topics: revise Census 2011 India key facts, 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule, classical languages of India list, folk dances of India state-wise, states and capitals of India 2026 and national parks in India list 2026 next.
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Sources: Census of India 2011, "Tribal Profile at a Glance" (May 2014) and Primary Census Abstract — ST population 104,281,034, Madhya Pradesh 15,316,784, state shares, Bhil and Gond counts (Gond total summed from the Census state-wise figures); Ministry of Tribal Affairs PVTG list (75 entries, state-wise names) via PIB, "Welfare of particularly vulnerable Tribal groups", and Vikaspedia (2001 PVTG population 27,68,322; Sahariya highest at 4,50,217); Dhebar Commission (1960–61) and PVTG history via the Ministry-sourced PVTG list table; PIB Rajya Sabha answer of 23 July 2025 (PM-JANMAN ₹24,104 crore, 15 November 2023; Dharti Aaba ₹79,156 crore, 2 October 2024, 63,843 villages). As of 7 November 2026.