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Demand for Separate Census Column for 1,200 DNT Communities; Idate Commission Report (2017) and SEED Scheme ₹200 Cr

Target:UPSC GS-IMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
17 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:1871195220171200268₹200 crore
Bodies:Social Justice MinistryRegistrar General and Census CommissionerNITI AayogAnthropological Survey of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Union government has agreed to enumerate Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) in the 2027 Census, but community leaders demand a specific column for accurate identification.

2.The Idate Commission (2017) identified ~1,200 DNT communities, with 268 remaining unclassified, while the SEED welfare scheme (₹200 cr) is underutilized due to lack of DNT certificates.

3.The core issue stems from the colonial Criminal Tribes Act (1871), repealed in 1952, whose stigma persists via Habitual Offender Acts, keeping DNTs socially and economically backward.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), historically labeled 'criminal' under the 1871 Act, demand a separate column in the 2027 Census for accurate enumeration and targeted welfare. Despite a 2017 Commission report identifying 1,200 communities, the ₹200 crore SEED scheme faces implementation hurdles due to certification issues, fueling demands for a constitutional classification on par with SCs/STs/OBCs.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Criminal Tribes Act1871
CTA Repealed1952
Idate Commission Report2017
DNT Communities Identified~1,200
Unclassified DNT Communities268
SEED Scheme Allocation₹200 crore

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Criminal Tribes Act: 1871
  • ›CTA Repealed: 1952
  • ›Target this Data: Criminal Tribes Act was passed in 1871 and repealed in 1952.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The Social Justice Ministry implements the SEED scheme for DNTs.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: The Habitual Offenders Acts replaced the CTA but continued the stigma.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which Union Ministry is responsible for the implementation of the SEED scheme for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs)?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding Denotified Tribes (DNTs):

1. They were communities notified as 'criminal tribes' under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.

2. The Criminal Tribes Act was repealed by the Government of India in the year 1952.

3. The Idate Commission, which studied DNTs, submitted its report in the year 2008.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

As per the Idate Commission Report (2017), approximately how many Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT) communities were identified in India?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary reason cited in the news for the poor implementation of the SEED scheme meant for the welfare of Denotified Tribes (DNTs)?

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