UPSC CSE Prelims
Scheduled Areas Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Practice solved questions for Scheduled Areas with detailed step-by-step solutions, key insights, and trend analysis for UPSC CSE PRELIMS.
Solved Previous Year Questions
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With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements:
- Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President.
- The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block.
- The Chief Ministers of the concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Only two
This question tests knowledge of the constitutional provisions governing Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule. Two out of three statements are correct regarding the notification process and administrative structure of Scheduled Areas.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Article 244(1) and the Fifth Schedule empower the President to declare any area as a Scheduled Area through an Order, after consulting the Governor of the concerned State.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The administrative hierarchy of Scheduled Areas follows a structure where the District forms the largest unit and a cluster of villages within a Block forms the smallest unit.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: As per Paragraph 3 of the Fifth Schedule, it is the Governor (not the Chief Minister) of each State having Scheduled Areas who is required to submit annual reports to the President (not the Union Home Ministry) regarding the administration of these areas.
📝 Short Notes: Scheduled Areas under Fifth Schedule
- Constitutional Basis: Article 244 of the Constitution deals with the administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas in India, divided into Fifth Schedule (mainland tribal areas) and Sixth Schedule (tribal areas in Northeast).
- Notification Process: President declares Scheduled Areas by Order after consultation with the State Governor; the President can also alter or rescind such orders.
- Administrative Structure: District is the largest unit, followed by Taluks/Blocks, with clusters of villages being the smallest unit in Scheduled Areas.
- Governance: Governor has special responsibility for Scheduled Areas and can make regulations for peace and good government after consulting the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC).
- Reporting Mechanism: Governor submits annual reports to the President on administration of Scheduled Areas; executive power of Union extends to giving directions to States.
- Purpose: These provisions aim to protect tribal interests, prevent exploitation, and ensure self-governance in areas with significant tribal population.
- Coverage: Scheduled Areas exist in 10 states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh.
Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India :
- PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
- A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
- There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
- Irular and Konda Reddi Tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 3 — 1, 2 and 4
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are a special category within Scheduled Tribes that was created during the Fourth Five-Year Plan to identify groups at a lower level of development. Currently, 75 PVTGs are officially notified across 18 states and one Union Territory in India.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: PVTGs are indeed spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) in India.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: A stagnant or declining population is one of the five criteria for determining PVTG status, along with pre-agricultural level of technology, extremely low literacy, subsistence-level economy, and geographical isolation.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: There are 75 PVTGs officially notified in the country, not 95.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Both Irular (found in Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Konda Reddi (found in Andhra Pradesh) tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
📝 Short Notes: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
- Origin: The concept was introduced during the Fourth Five-Year Plan to identify tribal groups at lower levels of development among Scheduled Tribes.
- Official Count: 75 PVTGs have been officially notified in India.
- Geographical Spread: Found in 18 states and 1 Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
- Five Criteria for PVTG Status:
(i) Pre-agricultural level of technology
(ii) Stagnant or declining population
(iii) Extremely low literacy rates
(iv) Subsistence-level economy
(v) Geographical isolation - Examples: Chenchu, Birhor, Bonda, Great Andamanese, Irular, Konda Reddi, Sahariya, Asur, etc.
- Development Scheme: Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements schemes like Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (DPVTG) for their socio-economic development.
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