IGNOU MEDS-023 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU MEDS-023 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU MEDS-023 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

Q1. Define tribes. Explain the demographic characteristics of tribes in India.

Ans. Definition of Tribes A tribe is a social group residing in a definite geographical area, possessing a common name, a common language or dialect, a distinct culture, and a strong sense of community. According to the anthropologist D.N. Majumdar, “A tribe is a collection of families or groups of families, bearing a common name, members of which occupy the same territory, speak the same language and observe certain taboos regarding marriage, profession or occupation and have developed a well-assessed system of reciprocity and mutuality of obligations.” Key characteristics of tribes include:

• Definite Territory: Traditionally, each tribe has a well-defined geographical area of its own.
• Common Name: Each tribe has a distinct name that gives it an identity.
• Common Language: There is a common language or dialect for communication among members.
• Endogamous Group: They generally marry within their own tribe.
• Shared Culture: They possess similar customs, traditions, beliefs, and festivals.
• Community Sentiment: There is a strong feeling of unity and belongingness among the members.

As per

Article 366 (25)

of the Indian Constitution, ‘Scheduled Tribes’ means “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this Constitution.”

Demographic Characteristics of Tribes in India

The major demographic characteristics of the tribal population in India are as follows:

1. Population and Growth: According to the 2011 Census, the total population of Scheduled Tribes in India was 10.42 crore , which constituted 8.6% of the country’s total population. Their population growth rate is slightly higher than the national average.
2. Geographical Distribution: The tribal population in India is mainly concentrated in three zones:
   • North-Eastern Region: This includes states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, which have a very high concentration of tribal population.
   • Central India Belt: This region stretches across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The majority of the country’s tribal population resides here (e.g., Gonds, Santhals, Bhils).
   • Southern Region and Islands: This includes Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
3. Sex Ratio: The sex ratio among the tribal population is generally better than the national average. In the 2011 Census, the sex ratio for Scheduled Tribes was 990 females per 1000 males , compared to the national average of 943. This reflects the relatively better status of women in tribal societies.
4. Literacy Rate: The literacy rate among tribes is significantly lower than the national average. In 2011, the literacy rate for STs was 59% , against the national average of 73%. There is also a significant gap in literacy between tribal males (68.5%) and females (49.4%).
5. Rural-Urban Distribution: An overwhelming majority (about 90%) of the tribal population lives in rural areas. Their migration to urban areas is mainly in search of livelihood, where they often work in the unorganised sector.
6. Health Indicators: Health indicators such as Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), and malnutrition are poorer among the tribal population compared to the national average. This is due to poverty, inadequate access to healthcare facilities, and lack of safe drinking water.

Q2. Describe tribal livelihood.

Ans. Tribal livelihood refers to the means and activities through which tribal communities secure their basic necessities, such as food, shelter, and clothing. Their livelihoods are intimately linked with their environment, particularly forests, land, and water resources. Tribal livelihoods have traditionally been nature-dependent, subsistence-oriented, and community-based. The major categories of tribal livelihood are as follows:

• Forest-based Livelihoods: This is the cornerstone of the tribal economy.
  • Collection of Minor Forest Produce (MFP): Tribal communities collect various forest products like mahua flowers, tendu leaves, honey, gums, resins, herbs, and fruits for food, medicine, and income. The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 has legally recognized this livelihood by granting tribes the right of ownership and management of MFP.
  • Hunting and Fishing: Although hunting has significantly declined due to wildlife protection laws, many communities still hunt small animals and fish in local rivers and ponds to meet their protein needs.
• Agriculture: This is another crucial source of livelihood.
  • Shifting Cultivation (Jhum or Podu): This is a traditional agricultural practice involving clearing and burning a patch of forest for cultivation and then leaving it fallow to regenerate after a few years. It is especially prevalent in North-East India. It is not just a farming technique but also an integral part of their culture and social life.
  • Settled Agriculture: Many tribal communities have adopted settled cultivation. They often cultivate rain-fed crops like maize, millets, and pulses using traditional seeds. This farming is mainly for subsistence.
• Pastoralism: Some tribal communities, such as the Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh and the Todas of the Nilgiris, derive their livelihood from herding animals like sheep, goats, or yaks. They often migrate seasonally in search of pastures.
• Artisans and Crafts: Many tribes are known for their traditional craftsmanship. This includes making bamboo baskets, weaving (textiles and shawls), wood carving, and metalwork (like the Dokra art of Chhattisgarh). This serves as a significant supplementary source of their income.
• Wage Labour: Due to land alienation, forest degradation, and displacement, a large number of tribals are now forced to work as unskilled daily wage labourers in mines, construction sites, brick kilns, and agricultural fields. This is a tragic shift from their traditional livelihoods, making them vulnerable to exploitation.

In essence, tribal livelihoods are in a state of transition. The traditional, nature-based economy is gradually shifting towards a monetised, market-integrated economy, creating both new challenges and opportunities.

Q3. Explain the basic issues of tribals.

Ans. Despite special protections granted by the Constitution, tribal communities in India continue to face several severe and interlinked problems. These issues profoundly affect their social, economic, and cultural life. The basic issues of tribals are as follows:

1. Land Alienation: This is the most critical problem faced by tribals. Their lands have been usurped by non-tribals through deceit, fraud, indebtedness, and legal loopholes. Furthermore, large tracts of their land have been acquired for “development projects” such as dams, mines, industries, and wildlife sanctuaries, rendering them landless.
2. Indebtedness: Poverty, social obligations (like marriage and death feasts), and the uncertainties of agriculture often force tribals to take loans from local moneylenders at exorbitant interest rates. This traps them in a vicious cycle of debt, which often leads to the loss of their land or forces them into bonded labour.
3. Poverty and Exploitation: Most tribal communities live in extreme poverty. Traders and middlemen exploit them by buying their forest produce at low prices and selling them consumer goods at high prices. As wage labourers, they are also exploited with low wages.
4. Health and Nutrition: Healthcare services in tribal areas are inadequate. Due to poverty, unsafe drinking water, lack of sanitation, and insufficient food, they suffer from diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and malnutrition (especially anaemia in women and children). Their traditional healing practices are also disappearing.
5. Lack of Education: Literacy rates are very low and dropout rates are very high among tribals. The main reasons are the inaccessibility of schools, shortage of teachers, the medium of instruction (state language instead of local dialect), a curriculum that is irrelevant to their culture and life, and poverty that forces children to work.
6. Displacement and Rehabilitation: Millions of tribals have been displaced from their ancestral lands and forests due to development projects. The government’s rehabilitation policies are often inadequate and poorly implemented. This destroys their livelihood, community, and culture, turning them into “refugees of development.”
7. Erosion of Cultural Identity: Due to contact with mainstream society, modernization, and religious conversions, their unique cultural identity is under threat. Their languages, customs, traditional institutions, music, dance, and indigenous knowledge systems are slowly vanishing.
8. Forest Rights: Historically, tribals were denied their rights over their traditional forest habitats and resources. Although the Forest Rights Act, 2006 is an attempt to correct this injustice, its implementation has been slow and challenging.

All these issues are interconnected and pose a major obstacle to the overall development of tribal communities.

Q4. Define Panchayat. Elaborate Tribal Panchayat.

Ans. Definition of Panchayat The word ‘Panchayat’ literally means “assembly (ayat) of five (panch)”. Traditionally, it was a council of elders and respected individuals in Indian villages that settled local disputes and managed village affairs. Constitutionally, after the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 , the Panchayat is defined as an institution of self-government for rural India. It is the foundation of the three-tier system of local self-governance in India:

1. Gram Panchayat (at the village level)
2. Panchayat Samiti (at the intermediate or block level)
3. Zila Parishad (at the district level)

These Panchayats are entrusted with the power and responsibility to prepare plans for economic development and social justice, and to implement schemes of the central and state governments. The aim is to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level.

Elaboration of Tribal Panchayat

The concept of Tribal Panchayat can be understood in two contexts: traditional tribal councils and the constitutional provisions under the PESA Act.

1. Traditional Tribal Councils: Long before the establishment of constitutional Panchayats, almost all tribal communities had their own traditional systems of self-governance. These councils were based on clan, village, or region and functioned according to their customary laws. For example, the ‘Paragnait’ among the Santhals, the ‘Munda-Manki’ system among the Mundas, and the village councils in many tribes of North-East India. These councils settled social disputes, organised festivals, and managed community resources. They were central to the socio-religious and political life of the community.
2. The PESA Act, 1996: The 73rd Amendment was not directly applicable to the Scheduled Areas (Schedule V areas) of India. To extend the benefits of self-governance to these areas while respecting the traditional governance systems of the tribal communities, the Indian Parliament enacted the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 , popularly known as PESA . The PESA Act makes tribal panchayats unique and powerful. Its key features are:
   • Empowerment of Gram Sabha: PESA makes the traditional Gram Sabha (village assembly) immensely powerful. Every village shall have a Gram Sabha which will protect the traditions, customs, and cultural identity of the people.
   • Control over Resources: The Gram Sabha is given ownership of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) . Furthermore, consultation with the Gram Sabha is mandatory before land acquisition, displacement, and rehabilitation.
   • Control over Local Institutions: The Gram Sabha has the power to manage village markets, control money-lending, and have control over institutions in the social sector.
   • Dispute Resolution: The Gram Sabha is empowered to resolve disputes according to customary laws.

Thus, a ‘Tribal Panchayat’ under PESA signifies a system that acts as a bridge between traditional tribal values and modern democratic structures, where the ultimate decision-making power rests with the community, i.e., the Gram Sabha.

Q5. Define Ecology. Explain Environmental Security.

Ans. Definition of Ecology Ecology is the branch of biology that is the scientific study of the relationships between organisms and their environment . The word ‘ecology’ is derived from two Greek words: ‘Oikos’ , meaning ‘house’ or ‘dwelling place’, and ‘Logos’ , meaning ‘study’. Thus, the literal meaning of ecology is ‘the study of the household of nature’. The environment includes two types of components:

• Biotic components: This includes all living organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
• Abiotic components: This includes non-living physical and chemical factors, such as sunlight, temperature, water, air, soil, and nutrients.

Ecology examines how organisms affect each other and their abiotic environment. It involves the study of topics like food chains, energy flow, nutrient cycles, population dynamics, and biodiversity. The study of ecology is particularly crucial for understanding tribal societies because their life, livelihood, and culture are directly dependent on their local ecosystems.

Explanation of Environmental Security

Environmental security is a broad concept that views

environmental degradation and resource scarcity as a threat to national and human security

. It is based on the idea that a stable and healthy environment is essential for human well-being, social stability, and peace. When the environment is harmed, it can lead to conflict, instability, and security threats.

The main aspects of environmental security are:

1. Resource Scarcity: When essential resources like water, fertile land, forests, or minerals become scarce, it can lead to tensions and conflicts between communities or nations.
2. Environmental Degradation: Processes like deforestation, desertification, pollution, and soil erosion can destroy people’s livelihoods, pushing them into poverty and hunger. This can cause social unrest and migration in the form of ‘environmental refugees’.
3. Natural Disasters: The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and storms due to climate change pose a direct threat to lives, property, and national infrastructure.

In the context of tribes:

Tribal communities are the most vulnerable to environmental insecurity.

• They are directly dependent on nature for their livelihood, food, water, and medicine. Therefore, deforestation or river pollution has an immediate and devastating impact on them.
• Development projects like mining for minerals or construction of dams displace them and destroy their natural resources, disrupting their entire security system.
• Conversely, with their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) , tribal communities are often the best guardians of biodiversity. Protecting their rights and using their knowledge contributes to broader environmental security.

Q6. What do you mean by Entrepreneurship ? Explain tribal entrepreneurship.

Ans. Meaning of Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is the process of designing, launching, and running a new business or venture, often with the goal of making a profit by taking on financial risks. It is more than just starting a business; it is a mindset that involves identifying opportunities, innovation, risk-taking, and creating value . An entrepreneur is a person who:

• Identifies a need or opportunity in the market.
• Develops a business idea to capitalize on that opportunity.
• Mobilizes the necessary resources, such as capital, labour, and materials.
• Manages and operates the venture, facing uncertainties and potential failures.

Entrepreneurship is vital for the growth of any economy as it drives innovation, creates jobs, increases competition, and contributes to economic growth.

Explanation of Tribal Entrepreneurship

Tribal entrepreneurship refers to the entrepreneurial activities undertaken by individuals or groups from Scheduled Tribe communities. It is a process of promoting self-reliance and economic empowerment in a community traditionally considered non-entrepreneurial. Tribal entrepreneurship is often based on their

unique cultural heritage, traditional skills, and local natural resources

.

Key areas and examples of tribal entrepreneurship include:

1. Forest-based Enterprises: Not just collecting Minor Forest Produce (MFP), but also processing and adding value to it. For example, processing and branding wild honey, making jams or beverages from mahua, or packaging medicinal herbs.
2. Handicrafts and Handlooms: Turning traditional art and craft into commercial ventures. For instance, producing and marketing Dokra metal art, Warli paintings, tribal textiles, and bamboo furniture or decorative items.
3. Agri-business and Food Processing: Promoting organic farming of traditional crops, processing fruits and vegetables (like making pickles, chips), and selling animal husbandry-based products.
4. Eco-tourism: Operating homestays or guided tours that showcase their culture and natural surroundings. This offers an authentic experience to tourists and generates income for the community.

Challenges:

Tribal entrepreneurs face several challenges, such as:

• Lack of access to capital and credit.
• Absence of market linkages and marketing skills.
• Inadequate infrastructure (roads, electricity, internet) in remote areas.
• Lack of training and education in modern business management.

The government is trying to promote tribal entrepreneurship through initiatives like

Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs)

and

TRIFED

to overcome these challenges. It is a powerful way to create respectable livelihoods for tribal communities and preserve their culture.

Q7. What is the meaning of transformation ? Elaborate tribal transformation.

Ans. Meaning of Transformation Transformation means a profound, fundamental, and lasting change in the form, nature, structure, or character of something or someone. It is more than a simple or superficial change. It signifies a complete shift from one state to another. In the context of social sciences, social transformation refers to a comprehensive and sustained change in the social structure, institutions, norms, values, and power relations of a society over time. This change can be a gradual evolution or a rapid revolution. It can be driven by various factors such as technology, economy, politics, culture, or contact with external societies. Transformation can be planned (e.g., through development policies) or unplanned, and its outcomes can be both positive and negative. Elaboration of Tribal Transformation Tribal transformation refers to the profound and multifaceted process through which the tribal societies of India, which were once relatively isolated and self-sufficient, are changing. This transformation is primarily driven by their increasing contact with the non-tribal mainstream society, the market economy, and state policies. The major dimensions of tribal transformation are as follows:

1. Economic Transformation:
   • Monetization of Economy: A shift from a subsistence economy based on barter and reciprocity to a cash and market-based economy.
   • Change in Occupation: A move away from traditional occupations like hunting, gathering, and jhum cultivation towards settled agriculture and daily wage labour.
   • Market Integration: Integration into the global and national markets, often as suppliers of raw materials and unskilled labour.
2. Social Transformation:
   • Change in Social Structure: Traditional collective bonds based on clan and kinship are weakening, and individualism is on the rise.
   • Changes in Family and Marriage Patterns: Joint families are breaking down, and traditional rules of marriage are changing.
   • Erosion of Social Control: The authority of traditional village councils and elders is diminishing.
3. Political Transformation:
   • Traditional political chiefs and councils are gradually being replaced by statutory Panchayats and modern political processes.
   • Political consciousness has increased among tribal communities, and they are participating more actively in electoral politics.
4. Cultural Transformation:
   • Change in Language and Dress: Adopting mainstream languages over their own dialects and wearing modern clothes instead of traditional attire.
   • Religious Change: The erosion of traditional animistic beliefs and the growing influence of major religions like Hinduism or Christianity.
   • Erosion of Art and Tradition: Folk songs, dances, music, and oral traditions are vanishing under the influence of media and modern entertainment.

This transformation is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it provides access to education, healthcare, and new opportunities, but on the other, it also leads to serious problems like land alienation, exploitation, crisis of cultural identity, and social disorganisation.

Q8. Write short notes on any two of the following : (a) Tribal Social Networking (b) Role of NGOs in Tribal Development (c) Impacts of globalization on tribes

Ans. (a) Tribal Social Networking Tribal social networking refers to the formal and informal relationships and structures that connect members of a tribal community. It can be understood in two parts: traditional and modern. Traditional Social Networks: Social networking has always been very strong in tribal societies, far older and deeper than internet-based networking. Its main foundations are:

• Kinship: Members of the same clan or lineage are deeply connected, providing them with social and economic security.
• Marriage Alliances: Marriage is not just between two individuals but creates a network between two families or villages.
• Community Activities: Collective farming, hunting, and participating together in festivals and rituals strengthen social bonds.
• Youth Dormitories: Youth dormitories like the ‘Ghotul’ or ‘Dhumkuria’ were traditionally hubs for social interaction, learning, and networking for the youth.

This traditional network is a vital source of identity, mutual cooperation, and support in times of crisis.

Modern Social Networking:

The spread of mobile phones and the internet has added new dimensions to tribal networking.

• Positive Impacts: Tribal youth now use WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube to connect with their community members living far away, promote their culture (music, dance), and organize politically for their rights. It is also becoming a medium for marketing their products.
• Negative Impacts: The digital divide is a major challenge, as many areas still lack connectivity. Moreover, it can weaken traditional face-to-face community bonds.

Thus, tribal social networking is evolving from traditional kinship-based systems to include modern digital platforms, bringing both new opportunities and challenges.

(b) Role of NGOs in Tribal Development

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are non-profit, voluntary organizations that work on social issues. Their role in tribal development is extremely important, as they often reach remote areas where the presence of government machinery is weak. Their role is multifaceted:

1. Service Delivery: Many NGOs provide basic facilities in tribal areas, such as healthcare (e.g., mobile clinics), education (running schools, literacy centers), and clean drinking water and sanitation.
2. Awareness and Capacity Building: NGOs make tribals aware of their constitutional and legal rights, such as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and PESA . They also train them to avail of government schemes and to develop new skills (e.g., advanced agricultural techniques, entrepreneurship).
3. Livelihood Promotion: NGOs help in the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which help women to save and start small enterprises. They also play a crucial role in creating market linkages for tribal handicrafts and forest produce.
4. Advocacy and Lobbying: NGOs act as the voice of tribal communities. They lead campaigns against displacement from development projects, lobby with the government for policy changes, and bring cases of human rights violations to national and international attention.
5. Research and Documentation: They conduct research on tribal issues, document their traditional knowledge, and bring their problems to the notice of policymakers and the general public.

Although the functioning of some NGOs is questioned, overall, they play a positive and catalytic role in tribal development, complementing the efforts of the government.

(c) Impacts of globalization on tribes

Globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and societies worldwide. For tribal communities, who have been historically relatively isolated, the impacts of globalization have been profound and often contradictory.

Negative Impacts:

1. Exploitation of Resources: Globalization has increased the demand for minerals, timber, and other natural resources, which are largely found in tribal areas. The indiscriminate exploitation of these resources by multinational corporations (MNCs) has led to massive displacement, environmental destruction, and loss of livelihood.
2. Economic Marginalization: The influx of cheap, mass-produced goods into the market makes traditional tribal handicrafts and products uncompetitive, destroying their livelihoods. They are integrated into the global economy merely as cheap labourers.
3. Cultural Erosion: The dominant global (Western) culture, transmitted through media, is eroding tribal languages, dress, food habits, music, and values. This is called ‘cultural homogenization’. Their culture is also being ‘commodified’, where art and rituals are sold as tourist attractions, detached from their original meaning.
4. Social Disintegration: Market-oriented individualism has weakened traditional community solidarity and systems of social control.

Positive Impacts:

1. Global Advocacy: Tribal activists can now use international networks, media, and human rights organizations to highlight issues like human rights violations and environmental destruction. This helps them gain global support (e.g., the Narmada Bachao Andolan).
2. New Market Opportunities: Niche global markets have opened up for some tribal products, such as organic foods or unique handicrafts.

In conclusion, the impact of globalization on tribes has been largely negative, characterized by resource plunder, a crisis of cultural identity, and economic exploitation. However, it has also provided some new tools for resistance and for making their voices heard.