UPSC Prelims 2000 Q11: Indian Polity – Social Justice & Vulnerable Sections

UPSC Prelims 2000, General Studies Paper I · Indian Polity

The State which has the largest number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha is

Answer: (d) Madhya Pradesh

Explanation

State with the most Lok Sabha seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes

State	ST-reserved Lok Sabha seats
Madhya Pradesh	The most — undivided MP (including Chhattisgarh) in 2000; still the most (6) after the 2008 delimitation
Bihar	Its ST seats lay in Chota Nagpur, which became Jharkhand in November 2000
Gujarat	4
Uttar Pradesh	None at that time

Seats in the Lok Sabha are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population in each State (Article 330).

In 2000, undivided Madhya Pradesh, which still included Chhattisgarh, had the largest tribal population and the most ST-reserved seats.

Even after Chhattisgarh was carved out and the 2008 delimitation, Madhya Pradesh has the most, 6 of the 47 ST seats.

Answer: (d) Madhya Pradesh.

(a) Incorrect. Bihar's tribal seats were in the Chota Nagpur region and fewer than Madhya Pradesh's.
(b) Incorrect. Gujarat had 4, fewer than Madhya Pradesh.
(c) Incorrect. Uttar Pradesh had no ST-reserved Lok Sabha seat then.
(d) CORRECT. Madhya Pradesh has the most ST-reserved Lok Sabha seats.

Largest ST population in absolute numbers: Madhya Pradesh (Census 2011); highest share: Mizoram and Lakshadweep.

Most ST-reserved Lok Sabha seats: Madhya Pradesh.

Choosing Bihar because undivided Bihar included Jharkhand's tribal belt.
Choosing Gujarat, which has a large Bhil population but fewer seats.
Confusing seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (Uttar Pradesh has the most) with those for Scheduled Tribes.

Most SC seats: Uttar Pradesh; most ST seats: Madhya Pradesh.

Constitution of India — Article 330; Delimitation Commission of India — Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008
Census of India 2011 — Primary Census Abstract, Scheduled Tribes