Voicing the Community: A Study on the De-notified and Nomadic Tribes of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh

In 2021, the 150th year of the passing of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, and 75th year of India’s independence, Bhasha Research and Publication Centre published this report on the status of India’s Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs). The report was the result of three years of field survey focused on the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan and covered 2,274 households. A “community and location specific” study of eight groups, this report presents an historical overview of the criminalisation and stigmatisation of DNTs. After the British took control over the Indian subcontinent, in an attempt to bring DNTs communities within their revenue cover and fit their understanding of ‘civilized society’, the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 was enacted. The Act discriminated against DNTs, the report states. Even after this Act was repealed, DNTs continue to live marginalised lives in independent India. This 377-page document is divided into 15 chapters: Historical Developments of Criminalization of the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes in India (Chapter 1); Socio-cultural and Historical Background of the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes under Study (Chapter 2); Survey locations (Chapter3); Social Categories of the DNT Communities (Chapter 4); Status of Citizenship and Entitlement Documents (Chapter 5); Education Status (Chapter 6); Parental Involvement & Perception Towards Child Education (Chapter 7); Affirmative Action in Education (Chapter 8); Occupation, Income & Expenditure (Chapter 9); Land Ownership, Housing & Assets (Chapter 10); Neighbourhood (Chapter 11); Health Facilities (Chapter 12); Migration (Chapter 13) and Isolation, Marginalization & Discrimination (Chapter 14). The report ends with a Conclusion (Chapter 15).