Tribal Communities of Kerala: Major Tribes, Welfare Schemes & ITDP

Kerala’s tribal communities are a frequently tested topic in Kerala PSC exams. Questions focus on major tribes, their districts, population, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and welfare schemes. Master the tables below.

1. Tribal Population — Key Statistics

Parameter	Detail
Total Scheduled Tribes in Kerala (Census 2011)	4,84,839
Percentage of state population	1.45%
Number of Scheduled Tribe communities	36
District with highest tribal population	Wayanad
District with highest tribal percentage	Wayanad (18.5% of district population)
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)	5

2. Major Tribal Communities of Kerala

Tribe	Primary District(s)	Population Rank	Key Features
Paniya	Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram	Largest tribe	Agricultural labourers; name means “worker”
Kurichiya	Wayanad	Large	Martial traditions; own land; matrilineal
Kuruma	Wayanad	Large	Agriculture; divided into Mullu Kuruma and Betta Kuruma
Irula	Palakkad, Thrissur	Significant	Snake catchers; forest gatherers; also in Tamil Nadu
Muthuvan	Idukki	Significant	Shifting cultivation; carry possessions on back (Muthu = back)
Kadar	Thrissur, Palakkad	PVTG	Forest gatherers; one of the oldest tribes
Kattunayakan	Wayanad, Malappuram	PVTG	Forest dwellers; honey collectors
Cholanaikan	Malappuram (Nilambur)	PVTG	Cave dwellers; smallest PVTG in Kerala
Koraga	Kasaragod	PVTG	Basket weaving; socially marginalised
Kurumba	Wayanad	PVTG	Known for traditional medicine and sorcery belief

3. Five Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Kerala

PVTG	District	Key Feature
Cholanaikan	Malappuram (Nilambur forests)	Cave dwellers; very small population (under 500)
Kadar	Thrissur, Palakkad (Parambikulam)	Pre-agricultural society; forest food gatherers
Kattunayakan	Wayanad, Malappuram	Honey and forest produce collectors
Koraga	Kasaragod	Traditional basket makers; bonded labour history
Kurumba	Wayanad	Traditional healers; forest-dependent

Note: PVTGs were earlier called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs). Renamed in 2006.

4. District-wise Tribal Distribution

District	Major Tribes Present
Wayanad	Paniya, Kurichiya, Kuruma, Kattunayakan, Kurumba, Adiyan
Idukki	Muthuvan, Mannan, Urali, Hill Pulaya
Palakkad	Irula, Kadar, Mudugar
Kasaragod	Koraga, Mavilan, Malai Arayan
Thrissur	Kadar, Malayan
Malappuram	Cholanaikan, Kattunayakan, Paniya
Kannur	Paniya, Kurichiya
Kozhikode	Paniya

5. Tribal Welfare Administration

Body	Role
Scheduled Tribes Development Department	Nodal department for tribal welfare in Kerala
Tribal Development Office	District-level implementation
Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP)	Area-based development projects in tribal-concentrated blocks
Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development of SC/ST (KIRTADS)	Research and training; headquarters at Kozhikode
Scheduled Tribes Promotion Officers	Block-level coordination

6. Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs) in Kerala

ITDP	District
Attappady	Palakkad
Sultan Bathery	Wayanad
Mananthavady	Wayanad
Kattippara	Kozhikode
Nilambur	Malappuram
Idukki	Idukki

7. Major Welfare Schemes for Tribes

Scheme	Details
Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)	Dedicated budget allocation proportional to tribal population
Post-Matric Scholarships	Educational assistance for ST students in higher education
Pre-Matric Scholarships	For ST students in classes 1-10
Model Residential Schools (MRS)	Residential schools exclusively for tribal students
Gothra Sarathi	Mobile career guidance and counselling for tribal youth
Tribal Housing (centrally sponsored)	Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) — priority for ST families
Forest Rights Act (2006)	Individual and community forest rights for tribal households
Tribal Cooperative Marketing (TRIFED)	Marketing of tribal products through TRIBES India outlets
Kerala tribal land alienation	Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Lands and Restoration of Alienated Lands) Act, 1975

8. Important Tribal Festivals and Culture

Festival/Practice	Tribe	Detail
Valliyoorkavu Festival	Kurichiya, others	Major tribal temple festival in Wayanad
Onam (tribal version)	Multiple tribes	Celebrated with distinct tribal rituals
Harvest festivals	Muthuvan, Mannan	Linked to shifting cultivation cycles
Traditional medicine (Visha Vaidyam)	Kurumba, Kanikar	Knowledge of herbal and medicinal plants

9. Tribal Literacy and Education

Parameter	Detail
Tribal literacy rate (Kerala, Census 2011)	75.8%
Male tribal literacy	80.8%
Female tribal literacy	71.1%
Gap with state average	State average 93.9% vs Tribal 75.8%
Gothra Jyothi	Literacy programme specifically for tribal areas

10. Constitutional Provisions for Scheduled Tribes

Article	Provision
Article 366(25)	Definition of Scheduled Tribes
Article 342	President notifies Scheduled Tribes
Article 15(4)	State can make special provisions for ST advancement
Article 46	Promotion of educational and economic interests of STs
Article 244	Administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas
5th Schedule	Administration of Scheduled Areas (mainland India)
6th Schedule	Administration of Tribal Areas in NE states (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram)
Article 275(1)	Grants-in-aid for tribal welfare from Consolidated Fund

11. Previous Year Question Patterns

• “Largest tribal community in Kerala?” — Paniya
• “District with highest tribal population?” — Wayanad
• “How many PVTGs in Kerala?” — 5
• “Cholanaikan tribe lives in?” — Nilambur forests, Malappuram
• “KIRTADS headquarters?” — Kozhikode
• “Number of Scheduled Tribes in Kerala?” — 36
• “Muthuvan tribe is found in?” — Idukki
• “Attappady ITDP is in which district?” — Palakkad