Scheduled Tribes

[politically correct] legal name for communities that have traditionally lived in forested areas, subsisting on forest produce, as hunters or gatherers

Synonym: Adivasi (Pl. Adivasis) meaning first resident; tribals

Unlike Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes have traditionally lived separate from the general population. Each tribe has developed its own distinct culture and traditions, almost independently. For the sake of modernization and integration, these communities have been put under this classification.