UPSC Prelims 2013 Q73: Art & Culture – Tribes & Communities
Consider the following pairs: Tribe State
1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim
2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh
3. Dongaria Kondh : Odisha
4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2 and 4 only
- (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Tribes and their States
| Pair | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim | Correct | Also live in Darjeeling and Nepal |
| 2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh | Incorrect | A tribe of Assam (Karbi Anglong) |
| 3. Dongaria Kondh : Odisha | Correct | Live in the Niyamgiri hills; a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group |
| 4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu | Incorrect | A tribe of Malkangiri, Odisha; also a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group |
In the news:
| Tribe | Why known |
|---|---|
| Dongaria Kondh | Their gram sabhas rejected bauxite mining in Niyamgiri (2013) |
| Limboo and Tamang | Given Scheduled Tribe status in Sikkim in 2003 |
Tribes of the two wrongly named States:
| State | Tribes |
|---|---|
| Himachal Pradesh | Gaddi, Kinnaura, Lahaula |
| Tamil Nadu | Toda, Irula, Kota, Kurumba |
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Limboo - Sikkim and Dongaria Kondh - Odisha are correctly matched.
- (b) Incorrect. Karbi is of Assam and Bonda is of Odisha.
- (c) Incorrect. Bonda is a tribe of Odisha, not Tamil Nadu.
- (d) Incorrect. Pairs 2 and 4 are wrongly matched.
Key point
Limbu - Sikkim; Karbi - Assam; Dongria Kondh - Odisha (Niyamgiri); Bonda - Odisha (Malkangiri). Odisha has the most Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
Remember
Dongria Kondh and Bonda = Odisha; Karbi = Assam.
Common mistakes
- Placing Karbi in the western Himalaya.
- Not knowing that both Dongria Kondh and Bonda are from Odisha.
- Forgetting the Niyamgiri mining case.
Exam tip
Karbi Anglong is a district of Assam. The name gives the State.
Sources
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs — State-wise list of Scheduled Tribes and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
- Orissa Mining Corporation v. Ministry of Environment and Forests (Supreme Court of India, 2013)