Author(s): Mugundhan T and Lakshita S
Paper Details: Volume 4, Issue 4
Citation: IJLSSS 4(4) 16
Page No: 153 – 165
ABSTRACT
Development of Tribes are necessary for the development of the nation. The Education is viewed as the ultimate tool to boost the development in Society. Among the weaker sections, Particularly vulnerable tribes groups find difficulty in access to education. But the scenario is worse in case of women. After independence the Government of India took various measure to make education available to tribes. Our study focuses on the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Island. In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there are 5 Particularly vulnerable tribal groups namely, Great Andamanese of Strait Island, Onges of Little Andaman, Jarawas of South and Middle Andaman, Sentinelese of Sentinel Islands, Shompens of Great Nicobar. They are basically hunter gatherers and rely on forest and sea as their livelihood. They are distant from mainstream society. Giving them education, skill development, they can change and adopt to mainstream society. This helps them to share their knowledge and skills. During British period, the education and skill development is minimal and mostly neglected. They used the land for strategic and penal purposes. Christian missionaries took some efforts to educate tribes, mostly focused on the Great Andamanese. The attempted to teach the Christan religious principles. After Independence, Government of India took many initiatives in Development of Tribes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by preserving their unique culture. The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) is a transformative initiative launched by the Indian government which focuses on providing essential facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water, education, health and nutrition services. Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) were set up for tribal children, providing free education, food, and accommodation. This paper seeks to analyse education and skill development of Tribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and their lifestyle change as the result of access to the education.
Keywords : Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Education, Skill Development, Mainstream Society, Knowledge.
INTRODUCTION
Scheduled tribes are recognized as the historically disadvantaged section of people who lack access to education, health and even other basic necessities who make up to 8.6 percent of the total population which is approximately about 1.4 billion. Particularly vulnerable tribal groups are the sub classification of the scheduled tribes who are identified through the characteristics such as declining population, pre agricultural technology, extremely low level of literacy and subsistence level of economy and their population is drastically getting decreased over the years to 24 lakhs and they form 0.2 percent of the total population.
Andaman and Nicobar Island a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal situated between Indonesia and Thailand, comprising of Island of which only 36 are inhabited Islands and they are divided into two island groups Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands. The PVTG groups in Andaman and Nicobar Islands holding Historical, environmental and cultural perspectives which are of immense importance are divided into two main groups Negrito and Mongoloid.
The Negrito group of tribes who speak Andamanese and Ongan language families, believed to have come from the Island of Africa, who are hunters and gatherers living in small groups considered the most isolated group of people. It consists of the 4 main type of Andaman’s tribal: Andamanese, Jarawas, onges and Sentinelese. The other group of tribes named Mongoloid probably from the coasts of Malay-Burma, speak Austroasiatic language. They are tribal groups developed with organized villages and agriculture is their primary means of subsistence growing crops, rice and coconuts, they also perform fishing, farming, animal husbandry.
This group consists of two main tribes Nicobarese and Shompens of which Nicobarese are considered to be one of the tribal group with abundance in Andaman and Nicobar who constitute the highest in populace the Island’s PVTG’S and they also reside in the inhabited districts of the Island of interaction of outsiders as compared to the other tribe and even possess Ration cards and have access to the beneficiaries provided by the Government and possess Voter ID and participate in elections and public administration. Shompens who are a semi nomadic and least studied tribe residing in the tropical rainforests of the Nicobar Islands.
In this paper we are going to discuss on how PVTG in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are different from PVTGs in mainland India and the difficulties in application of education and skill development policies in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
HOW THE ANDAMAN& NICOBAR PVTG DIFFER FROM OTHER PVTG
The PVTG groups of the Andaman and Nicobar Island are definitely unique and diverse from other PVTG groups because their geographical isolation from the mainland India, living in dense forests has led to the preservation of tradition, custom and heritage in its purest form, possessing meagre or no awareness and unfamiliarity in agriculture, and observed to be in a more vulnerable state due to their declining population, having the least access and scope to the approaches of Government limited toward health and social welfare and education being an extraneous source of application, than other tribes who have larger group of communities in the mainland who have access and contact in spite of their socio-economic hardships who are now provided with houses through the Government’s schemes and even maintain agricultural practices, while some pushed to the verge of urbanization and with a blend of traditional and modern lifestyle due to the external forces such as Infrastructural expansion and commercialism.
TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT DURING PRE-INDEPENDENCE
For ages the tribes are living in peace and harmony with natural lively hood until the arrival of the British. Later for the expansion of resource collection and uniform administration over the colonies, The British took control over majority of the Tribal regions. This led tribes to interaction with mainstream society and led them become more marginal. The non-tribal people later encroached the tribal land and become landlords. The native tribes became slaves and wage workers in their own land. This caused the tribes to rebel to retrieve their prior status over the land. This bursted as huge tribal rebellions during 18th and 19th century. Khonds, Savara, Santhal, Munda, Kol, Oraon, Koya, Gond and Bhil are some tribes involved in the resistance movement.
Bhil Uprising (1818-1831), Ramosi Uprising (1822- 1829), Kol Rebellion (1832), Santhal Uprising (1855- 1856), Khond Uprising (1837-56), Munda Rebellion (1899- 1900) are some examples of the tribal rebellions that caused the British huge capital loss. The resistant moves led the British to reduce Administration the partially or completely. This curtailed tribes from exposing to the mainstream society and isolated from the development programs for decades. This British policy of isolationism led the tribe to continue their own socio-economic lifestyle and caused to remain backward.
Scheduled Area District Act of 1874 was enacted to give special treatment and keep tribes outside the general laws. The Government of India Act of 1919 recognised tribal backwardness. The nationalists debated that this was another divide and rule policy. Even Gandhi had also opposed the isolation policy.
CRISTIAN MISSIONARY’S CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT
A Christian mission is the great effort by British for preaching Christianity all over its colonies. The mission often involves sending the individuals or groups which are known as missionaries. Primary motive of Missionaries is to preach the Christian faith but also provided humanitarian work to improve economic development, literacy, education, health care, and orphanages in colonies. In fact, Christianity is used as a tool for expansion of colonialism in India.
Before the arrival of missionaries, there is distress in relation between British and tribes. There is frequent conflicts and rebellion between landlords with the support of British and native tribes over the ownership of the land. This made the British to isolate the Tribes from mainstream society. Missionaries brought significant change in the lives of the Tribes. They introduced modern lifestyle and culture by preserving their existing culture. The focused on the improvement of the education and health of the tribes. The missionaries were the functionaries of British. The ultimate motive of the missionary is to preach Christianity rather than reforming the colonies. To take control of resources of forest it is necessary to get support or to oppress the violent tribes. The Christianity helped in many ways to claim the trust of the tribes and take their land.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR AND ITS IMPACT ON ITS TRIBE
Andaman and Nicobar Islands has a complex history of colonialisation and acquisitions made over by various groups. The Portuguese and Dutch navigators being the early explorers of these island had no interest in making settlements in these Islands rather focused on the sea routes for trade. British were the first attempters to make their presence in the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar and it came under the control of British in the 19th century after the establishment of East India Company.
The British dominance in these Island were limited to naval base and resource exploitation in the antecedent time period of colonialisation and had no interactions rather did not affect the indigenous tribes in a great way but later during the formation of British penal colony, Andaman and Nicobar Islands were used for the housing of prisoners who were the protestors, freedom fighters and the others who acted against the interest of the British.
The cellular jail which was also called the Kala Pani meaning Black Water was constructed in these Islands for torturing the freedom fighters and give brutal and harsh punishments to the prisoners. This led to the displacement of the Indigenous tribes Andamanese and the invasion of British into the island brought in new diseases to the tribes whose population started decreasing due to their low level of immunity and the system of forced labour was configurated, prisoners were not the only prey to the penal colony but the tribes who were forced to work for wages, slowly started the introduction of Cash economy and encroachments made in through Tribal land alienation and forced reallocation causing cultural disruptions, developing Infrastructure and British colonies until 1942 where Japan took over the island in the second world war and used it as base for operation.
Japanese military established their presence and used the island for imprisonment of British soldiers, Indian freedom fighters and other enemies of Japan empire. The local inhabitants were also treated harsh and brutal along with the prisoners of war. the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar were subjected to starvation, new diseases and forced labour during the Japanese acquisition till 1945. The Islands were returned back to the British empire again and it got its independence along with the rest of India in August 15, 1947.
POST INDEPENDENCE EFFECTS
TRIBE DEVELOPMENT AFTER INDEPENDENCE
Constitution of India provide number of provisions to safeguard and develop the tribal society in India. Article 15(4) empowers the state to make any special provision for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Article 16(4) empowers the state to “reserve any post or appointment in favour of any backward class or citizens, who in the opinion of the state are not adequately represented in the services under the state. Article 19(5), Article 23, Article29, Article 164, Articles 330,332 and 334 and Article339(1) are some provisions that protect the interest of tribes and helps in development of Tribal society. Schedule V and VI are important schedule in Constitution of India which discloses the Tribal areas which are to be administered separately.
The Nehruvian Panchasheel policy is the important principles which urged the inclusive growth and development of Tribes in India. The principles are:
- Tribal people should be allowed to live in their traditional habitats and pursue their own way of life.
- Tribal land should not be alienated without their consent.
- Tribal communities should have control over the natural resources in their areas.
- Tribal languages should be developed and encouraged.
- Tribal culture should be preserved and promoted.
TRIBES IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS AFTER INDEPENDENCE
In 1947 theAndaman and Nicobar Islands became part of India and in 1956 it became Union territory. After Independence, the indigenous tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands continued to follow and preserve their tradition and culture. they continued to be isolated from the main land. During partition Refugees from East Bengal migrated to the islands. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands became land of refugees. Andaman and Nicobar Island Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation 1956, isolated the tribes of Island through the policy of non-interference to prevent external contact and tourism to prevent the spread of diseases.
In 1963 The Anthropological Survey of India had established a branch in Port Blair and conducted research and published regular reports on tribal activity. In 1966 the Tribal Development of the Planning Commission of the Central Government created tribal reserve areas. The construction of the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) that connected the North, Middle and South Andaman Islands severed the hostility of the Tribes.
The Contact mission started by British was continued. The contact parties were sent to strategic points to make contact with tribes. They made contact by sending gifts like fishes, honey, coconuts, etc. The contact parties consist of administration official Census officials, a doctor and ethnologists and they made frequent contacts to build healthy relations.
In 1990s, a ‘Master Plan for the Welfare of the Primitive Tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ was proposed to create buffer zones between tribes and non tribes. This programe involved in developing fishing and agricultural technologies that compatible with tribes.
After 1997s, two measles epidemics occurred due to exposure to mainstream society. Then tribes started to stop buses, cars for foods and lifts. Sometime the beg for food and even just take it away. Tribes demanded for education in schools. Later bush police were introduced to guard tribes. Tourist are not allowed to take photographs, give foods and lifts.
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
Dhebar Commission formed Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, who are more vulnerable among tribal groups. It was renamed as particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. In beginning 52 groups were added, later in 1993, new groups were added to PVTGs. Now out of 705 Scheduled tribes 75 are PVTGs. 5 PVTGs are found in The Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The ministry of tribal affairs aims to provide them targeted assistance for improving the socio-economic conditions, health and nutrition, education, cultural preservation and basic infrastructural facilities.
Special Central Assistance to tribal is made where states allocate funds for the development and welfare of the PVTG’s. It aims in bringing health and nutrition programs like mobile health units to remote areas where people lack access to hospitals and provide awareness through health camps and provide nutritional support. It encourages Education and skill development by reducing illiteracy through community-based education model and provision of education materials.it also intends to attain economic empowerment and raise the livelihood of those people by providing them jobs with monthly wages and ensure secured and sustainable life and it helps in cultural preservation which includes their language, art form, tradition and knowledge. It enables them self-determination through formation of self-organizations and local leaders.
ACTS PROTECTING INTEREST OF TRIBES
Scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act,2006
An Act to recognise and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in such forests for generations but whose rights could not be recorded. This Act helped in the empowerment of tribal community of Andaman and Nicobar, protects them from being affected by the development projects and not displaced, it improves their tenure security providing them opportunity towards uninterpreted agriculture, resource collection and utilisation thereby avoiding arbitrary dispossession and land alienation and promotes community based eco-tourism and community-based forest management, preventing deforestation. It has also increased the political representation among the tribes enabling them to represent their needs and negotiate with the government.
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR (PROTECTION OF ABORIGINAL TRIBES) REGULATION ,1956
This scheme restricts the contact of outsiders or non-tribal groups with the indigenous tribal groups, protecting the tribal reserves like Great Andamanese, Onges, Jarwas, Sentinalese who voluntarily chose to live in isolation. The cultivation are restricted to outsiders and no tribals in reserved areas. It also restricts commercial exploitation, external settlement and trade and commerce preventing the spread of diseases.
FOREIGNERS (RESTRICTED AREA) ORDER 1963
It prevents foreigners making contact with tribes in The Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It helps in preserving the cultural integrity of the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar, through Restricted Area Permit, where foreigners require special permission to visit the island. At present Foreigners are allowed to visit some places of the island but strictly prohibited from the reserved regions of tribes.
PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AGAINST UNTOUCHABILITY 1955
Which helps to abolish the untouchability and discriminative practices over the access to public roads, places of worship, water source and public utility and ensure equal treatment as declared in article 14 of the constitution
SC & ST (PREVENTION OF ATROCITIES ACT) 1989
This Act prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against the SC and ST community Which strictly opposes and penalises the atrocities, violence and unfair acts towards them.
These acts grant rights and protects tribal community of Andaman and Nicobar from non-tribals and outsiders
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR TRIBES IN THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
The education and skill development program can help tribes to merge with the modern socio-economic life. They with their current literacy and skill, they can only end up being unskilled labours. If the necessary basic education and skill development is provided they can easily cope with modern economical problems. It also in growth of nation. We not only provide the education but also can educate from them about forest resources, primitive herbal medical practises, etc.
Skill development increases the people’s confidence on government, get employed, they can develop and preserve their own traditions and skills and they can also transmit their skills to others, it changes people attitude towards outside people. The need for awareness campaigns and skill development schemes paramount over the PVGT’s of Andaman and Nicobar for their economic empowerment, preservation of their traditional and rich culture and heritage, improving self-sufficiency through tribal representation worldwide globalizing their crafts and unique art works and forest products, increasing their sources of income and reducing dependency. Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Island have high value agricultural products, artistic skills and creation over coir and coir-based products, wooden shell, cane and bamboos. Education and Skill development helps in improving their quality of life in a great way.
SCHEMES AND INTIATIVES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA FOR THE PROMOTION OF EDUATION AND SKILL DEVELOPENT OF TRIBES OF THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) Scheme which is one of the largest central schemes targeting the tribal community and helps in providing them basic facilities like housing, access to clean drinking water, sanitation, roads, education and livelihood opportunities. The mission aims to address the critical infrastructure facility and satisfying basic needs for tribals for 3 years. This scheme allowed the PVTG’S of Andaman and Nicobar to sustain their traditional livelihood and protect their rights and set mobile health care units preventing spread of diseases and provide medical care and assistance.
The Samagra Shiksha program aims to improve educational opportunities for PVTG students. These efforts reflect the government’s commitment to supporting PVTGs by providing better access to education, skill development, and sustainable livelihood options. This represents a significant move towards inclusive growth and integrating these vulnerable communities into India’s overall development.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is the flagship programme started in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the year 2003. The main moto of the mission is to make educatinn available for the students who are out of reach, providing quality education to everyone irrespective of gender, caste, class, etc. The education and skill development is given to children in the age group of 6-14 years.
EKLAYA MODEL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
This develops mode residential schools for the Indian tribals and provide quality education in tribal areas through integrated tribal development programme. It shall have great effect in promoting education and awareness among those tribes when implemented in a way to avoid language barriers and cultural barriers. It requires even more consistent support and efforts from the Government and local organizations. But this scheme is still not implemented in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The implementation EMRS
VAN DHAN VIKAS YOJNA
This scheme enables in transforming the tribal gatherers into entrepreneurs through skill training and building their socio-economic status, it is a value addition towards the forest producer’s goods, protecting biodiversity. It works in three stages Van Dhan Vilas Khendra at village level, Van Dhan Vikas Sanrakshan Samtis at Cluster level and Van Dhan Vikas Samuh at district level. It helps the tribal communities to be formed into clusters and facilitates them with all required facilities like infrastructure, skill, training, tools and equipment.
DEEN DAYAL UPADHAYA GRAMEEN KAUSHALYA YOJANA (DDUGKY)
The ultimate goal of the scheme is skill to rural youth who were poor. This scheme helps in bringing sustainable income opportunities for the rural poor youth through placement linked skill development programmes, providing job and monthly wages.
The objective of the scheme if to provide employment with free of cost skill training. Create awareness on trade specific skills, soft skills, basic spoken English, provide placement supports. The Ministry of Shipping under the Government of India trains and plans the development of coastal regions.
TRIBAL COOPERATIVES AND MICRO ENTERPRISES
Andaman and Nicobar Island has been regarded as an industrially backward area and granted A certificate so both the Government of India and Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island Government has declared subsidies and concessions for the procurement of pollution control equipment, supply of tools, equipment, devices and machinery for the industries in those regions. Some coir clusters are found in the region of North and middle Andaman. The development of the MSME’s lead to rural based employment and provide opportunities to large number of local artisans (indigenous tribes), women employees and increased family businesses providing them a sustainable income generation through marketing support to tribal handicraft products and value addition by organizing workshops and seminars on trade by experts in specialized fields, creating market for product in both local and international markets. The Andaman and Nicobar Coorperative society helps in the same way.
NATIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
Andaman and Nicobar Islands being near to international trade corridor has a vast marine potential so the scheme enables the tribes of the region enables local employment opportunities over industries like fishing, tourism, marine and hospitality service. It also provides financial assistance for vocational training and skill development initiatives.
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna provides facility for local training centres, short and long-term courses, certifications and placement opportunities focusing key areas such as fishing, marine, retail, healthcare and hospitality services.
DRUDGERY REDUCTION
Drudgery, a traditional process involving high burden and physical force by labourers in coconut harvesting throughout the dehusking, shelling, drying and processing. The initiative taken to reduce the burden through modern technologies and tools and equipment has increased their value of production and has increase their income by helping them harvest for marketing rather than only for self-consumption. This has led to a good scale of development over the Nicobarese tribes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Planning is the backbone of any goal to be accomplished but effective implementation is the core means through which development shall be achieved. In the case of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, where the Government and other Self-Help Organizations plan for the betterment and development of these tribes in Andaman and Nicobar but they lack efficiency and effectiveness due to lack of organized implementation strategy.
It shall be achieved by breaking down the obstacles like language barriers and geographical restraints.
Population study is also very much important, there is no accurate census data in the recent years (the last data being dated 2013), insufficient information leading to unsuccessful schemes and programmes.
- Andama and Nicobar Island shall be continued to maintained as a Foreign Restricted Area, the removal of the restrictions shall increase the vulnerability of these tribes and hinder their isolation and preservation of culture and tradition.
The Internal Environmental Governance system and checks has to be made regular ensuring sustainable tourism, preventing habit disruption and conservation of biodiversity.
- There should be adequate recognition of distinctive skills and unique craftmanship of the indigenous tribes, they shall be made organized being segregated into more manufacturing sector and service sector clusters.
- Education is very much important for these tribes to promote empowerment, increase their standard of living and remove poverty, so there must be constant efforts to be taken to improve the literacy rate among the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar.
Some of the ways for educational development is through adequate awareness programmes and campaigns
The regional language of the tribal people shall be used and they shall be taught in their mother language.
The subjects taught shall be oriented to the tribal life and culture and even the adults shall be provided proper guidance towards skill development.