ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF TRIBAL EDUCATION: A STUDY OF TELANGANA STATE

The importance of education in the process of economic, political and social change has been widely recognised and well documented all over the world. The changes in the educational system should also reduce the social gaps by enabling proper recognition to whatever extent one is able to pursue or acquire a skill. The tribal community all over India have been subjected to various forms of deprivation such as alienation from land and other resources. Although certain constitutional safeguards are provided, there has been no economic, social and political mobility across this community. The Scheduled Tribes remain abysmally backward and socially excluded, still living in harsh environs. Education is one of the most important means to improve tribal personal endowments, build capabilities, overcome constraints and in the process, enlarge available set of opportunities and choices for a sustained improvement in well-being. As per Article 45 of the Constitution of India, Universalisation of Elementary Education is a Directive Principle of State Policy that underlines the need to provide free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14 years. In this paper an attempt is made to examine government policies for tribal education, tribal population and literacy rate and issues and challenges of tribal education.