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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2020/Paper II/Tribal Development, Policy & Safeguards
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper II 2020 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Functions of Tribal Research Institutes — 2020 Paper II

Question · 2020 · Paper II · 15 Marks

Describe the functions of Tribal Research Institutes in India.

Model Answer

VAID ICS

Approach

  • Demand of Question: Describe the major research, training, documentation and policy-support functions performed by Tribal Research Institutes.
  • Structuring the Response: Explain their institutional role and organize functions around research, culture, capacity building, evaluation and tribal policy.

Model Answer

Introduction

Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) are state-level institutions established primarily to undertake research, documentation, training and policy support concerning Scheduled Tribes. They function as an important interface between anthropological knowledge, tribal administration and development policy.

Major functions

  1. Anthropological research: TRIs conduct studies on:
  • tribal social organization;
  • economy and livelihood;
  • customary institutions;
  • health and nutrition;
  • education;
  • land alienation;
  • displacement;
  • migration and social change.

Such research provides an empirical basis for tribal policy.

  1. Ethnographic documentation: TRIs document:
  • kinship and marriage;
  • rituals;
  • customary laws;
  • indigenous knowledge;
  • oral traditions;
  • material culture.

This is particularly important for communities undergoing rapid socio-cultural transformation.

  1. Evaluation of development programmes: They assess the implementation and impact of programmes relating to:
  • education;
  • livelihood;
  • health;
  • forest rights;
  • skill development;
  • tribal welfare.

Thus:

Field research → Evaluation → Policy feedback → Programme improvement

  1. Training and capacity building: TRIs organize training for:
  • tribal welfare officials;
  • teachers;
  • field-level functionaries;
  • Panchayat representatives;
  • community organizations.

Training promotes greater sensitivity to tribal cultural contexts.

  1. Cultural preservation: Many TRIs maintain:
  • tribal museums;
  • archives;
  • ethnographic collections;
  • audiovisual records;
  • documentation of tribal art, music and folklore.

These activities contribute to preservation and dissemination of tribal cultural heritage.

  1. Policy advice: TRIs provide research-based inputs to State governments and tribal welfare departments concerning development planning and implementation.
  2. Research on Scheduled Tribe status: Depending on their institutional mandate, TRIs may undertake ethnographic studies relevant to proposals concerning inclusion or exclusion of communities from Scheduled Tribe lists.
  3. Publications and dissemination: They publish:
  • monographs;
  • research reports;
  • journals;
  • tribal profiles;
  • statistical and ethnographic compilations.
  1. Collaboration: TRIs cooperate with:
  • universities;
  • Anthropological Survey of India;
  • government departments;
  • voluntary organizations;
  • tribal communities.

Anthropological significance

TRIs embody the application of anthropology to public policy:

Anthropological understanding + Administrative planning → Culturally informed tribal development

Their work can help prevent policies based on the assumption that all tribal communities possess identical needs.

Challenges

TRIs may face:

  • inadequate research staff;
  • uneven quality across States;
  • weak field orientation;
  • insufficient use of research in policy;
  • limited participation of tribal scholars and communities.

Strengthening community participation can make research more relevant and less administratively driven.

Conclusion

Tribal Research Institutes serve as crucial institutions for research, cultural documentation, training, programme evaluation and policy formulation. Their effectiveness depends on combining rigorous anthropology with meaningful participation of tribal communities.

2026 Write an account on Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST). 2026 What are the provisions given in the Constitution of India for the safeguard of the Scheduled Caste populations? 2026 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of the islands. 2026 'Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan aims to meet some of the Sustainable Development Goals'. Discuss.

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