Educational access for Tribal Groups in Telangana state Kamalakar Gedam1, Kamala Kandi2 1Researcher, Department of Political Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, 500007 2Assistant Professor, Dept. of Political Science, Government Degree College for Women (Autonomous), Begumpet, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, 500016 Online Published on 6 February, 2024. Abstract A state in southern India called Telangana has a rich and varied cultural history. There are numerous tribes in the area, and they have long coexisted peacefully with the environment. These tribes have distinctive traditions that have been handed down through the generations. The Gond, Koya, Lambada, and Banjara are notable tribes in Telangana. Over the years, these tribes have encountered several difficulties, such as land acquisition, displacement, and a loss of cultural identity. However, via several government initiatives and community-based programs, efforts are being undertaken to maintain their culture and give them more authority. Tribal Development has been in the agenda for discussion at several levels in different forums for quite some time and continues to be an important aspect for serious deliberation in Telangana, not only because of a significant portion of the tribal population but more importantly because of the inequality of their participation, both socially and economically. The conventional wisdom that the tribal population should not be integrated with the mainline population, does not cut ice any longer as tribals themselves are eager to participate in national development and construction. A major initiative to empower the tribals, in my view is through the provision of appropriate educational opportunities to the children of the tribal families, though the aspects like infrastructural and health are identified as critical inputs. The present book tries to disclose the situation of the Scheduled Tribes in Telangana State. Various eminent scholars and students, media friends delivered their observations through their research papers. As per the observations and findings, the book contains some valuable and instant suggestions for overall development of tribes that the Telangana State Government has to play a major role in this endeavour This article critically examines initiatives for greater participation in education by tribal communities in India, arguing that current policy does not effectively enough facilitate greater participation and may, in fact, go against the avowed principle of ensuring greater equity. The article relies on fieldwork-based study to support arguments for the need to be culturally sensitive in making appropriate provisions for the education of scheduled tribes in India. Reasons for high dropout rates and non-enrolment among tribal children are examined and some searching questions are asked about why so many tribal people dislike schools. Top Keywords Education, Gender, India, Scheduled tribes, Telangana, Tribals. Top |