Q. Consider the following statements
1. It is the Governor of the State who recognizes and declares any community of that State as a Scheduled Tribe.
2. A community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither
Correct answer: (b) 2 only
Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 GS Paper
Explanation :
Statement 1: “It is the Governor of thae State who recognizes and declares any community of that State as a Scheduled Tribe.”
– This is INCORRECT
– Only the President of India has the power to specify which communities are Scheduled Tribes
– This is done through a Presidential Order under Article 342 of the Constitution
– The Parliament can then modify this list through legislation
– The Governor does not have the constitutional authority to declare Scheduled Tribes
Statement 2: “A community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State.”
– This is CORRECT
– The same community can be a Scheduled Tribe in one state but not in another
– ST status is state/UT-specific
– This reflects the fact that tribal characteristics and socio-economic conditions of communities can vary across states
– Example: The Gond tribe is recognized as ST in some states but not in others