Dimension Of Tribal Education In Orissa

Abstract

Education is the key to development. Unfortunately, the education scenario among the tribal population in the state of Odisha gives a gloomy picture. As per the 2001 census, the overall literacy rate among the ST population of Odisha stands at 37.37% with 51.48% and 23.3% literacy recorded in respect to male and female respectively. Ever since the Independence Government of India as well as the state government have been sincerely making efforts for promotion of education of the tribals with the ultimate objective of mainstreaming them. No doubt there has been an improvement in the literacy rate among the tribals over a period of last five decades from a meager 7.4% literacy in 1961 to 37.37% in 2001; but the pace of improvement in the literacy rate has been very slow compared to the relatively faster pace of improvement in the literacy among the general population. Keeping the above situation in view, SCSTRTI had organized a two-day state level seminar on "Problems and Prospects of Tribal Education in Orissa" where a number of research papers were presented by reputed academicians, researchers, administrators and tribal development experts engaged in the field of Tribal Education. A modest attempt has been made by this institute to publish an edited volume titled "Dimensions of Tribal Education in Orissa" incorporating selected research based articles. It is hoped that this edited volume will be extremely useful for academicians, researchers, students, policy makers and NGO personnel engaged in the field of tribal education. I am equally hopeful that this edited volume will provide input for those engaged in tribal development administration for appropriate strategy making and for successful promotion of tribal education in the state of Odisha.