Gujarat: Scheduled tribes
- SC and ST Population : As per Census 2011, the population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State was reported at 40.74 lakh (6.7 percent) and 89.17 lakh (14.8 percent) respectively compared to their proportion of 16.6 percent and 8.6 percent respectively in India. The proportionate share of SCs and STs was 2.0 percent and 8.6 percent respectively to the total population of SCs and STs of India. About 56.0 percent of the Scheduled Castes population was enumerated in rural areas and the remaining 44.0 percent was enumerated in the urban areas. The corresponding proportions for Scheduled Tribes were 90.0 percent and 10.0 percent respectively.
- SC and ST Literacy Rate : The literacy rate for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was reported to 79.2 percent and 62.5 percent respectively in Census, 2011.
- SC and ST Sex Ratio : The sex ratio for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was reported to 931 and 981 respectively in Census, 2011.
List of Scheduled Tribes
- Barda
- Bavacha, Bamcha
- Bharwad (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
- Bhil, Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil, Dungri Bhil, Dungri Garasia, Mewasi Bhil, Rawal Bhil, Tadvi Bhil, Bhagalia, Bhilala, Pawra,Valvi, Vasava, Vasave.
- Charan (in the Nesses of the forests of Alech, Barada and Gir)
- Chaudhari (in Surat and Valsad districts)
- Chodhara
- Dhanka, Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi
- Dhodia, Dhodi
- Dubla Talavia, Halpati
- Gamit, Gamta, Gavit Mavchi, Padvi
- Gond, Rajgond
- Kathodi, Katkari, Dhor Kathodi, Dhor Katkari, Son Kathodi, Son Katkari
- Kokna, Kokni, Kukna
- Omit
- Koli Dhor, Tokre Koli, Kolcha, Kongha
- Kunbi (in the Dang Districts
- Naikda, Nayaka, Cholivala Nayaka, Kapadia Nayaka, Mota Nayaka, Nana Nayaka,
- Padhar
- Omit
- Pardhi, Advichincher, Phanse Pardhi (excluding Amreli, Bhavanagar, Jamnagar, Jungadh, Kutch, Rajkot and Surrendranagar district)
- Pateliya
- Pomla
- Rabari (in the Nesses of the forest of Alech, Barada and Gir)
- Rathwa
- Siddi, Siddi-Badshan (in Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot and Surendranagar Districts)
- Omit
- Varli
- Vitolia, Kotwalia, Barodia
- Bhil, Bhilala, Barela, Patelia
- Tadvi Bhil, Bawra, Vasave,
- Padvi
Population in 2011
| SR. No. | Name of the Scheduled Tribe | Total population | Proportion to the total ST population |
| 1 | Bhil, Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil, Dungri Bhil, Dungri Garasia, Mewasi Bhil, Rawal Bhil, Tadvi Bhil, Bhagalia, Bhilala, Pawra, Vasava, Vasave | 4,215,603 | 47.28% |
| 2 | Chaudhri (in Surat and Valsad districts) | 302,958 | 3.40% |
| 3 | Dhanka, Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi | 280,949 | 3.15% |
| 4 | Dhodia, Dhodi | 635,695 | 7.13% |
| 5 | Dubla, Talavia, Halpati | 643,120 | 7.21% |
| 6 | Gamit, Gamta, Gavit, Mavchi, Padvi | 378,445 | 4.24% |
| 7 | Kokna, Kokni, Kukna | 361,587 | 4.05% |
| 8 | Naikda, Nayaka, Cholivala Nayaka, Kapadia Nayaka, Mota Nayaka, Nana Nayaka | 459,908 | 5.16% |
| 9 | Rathawa | 642,348 | 7.20% |
| 10 | Varli | 328,194 | 3.68% |
| 11 | Other Tribes | 668,367 | 7.50% |
| All Schedule Tribes | 8,917,174 | 100.00% |
In 1972, the Tribal Development Department established for effective implementation of Tribal Welfare Schemes. In 1976 Tribal Development Commissionerate was established. In 1984 separate Tribal Department.
Barda
The Barda means hilly region. So people from hilly region are called Barda. They are believed to have migrated to Gujarat from the Khandesh region and are hence also known as the Khandeshi Bhil. At the regional level they are regarded as a subdivision of the Bhil.
Bawcha
Except some historical information, no written evidence is available about origin of Bawcha tribe. Bawcha must have their origin in Yadav dynasty or Pandav dynasty. This is presumed on the basis of custom of marriage between maternal cousin.
Bharwad
The term Bharwad is reported to be a modified form of the word ‘Badawad’ and ‘bada’ means sheep and ‘wada’ in Gujarati refers to compound or enclosure. The person who possess compounds or pens in this caste of shepherds were known as Badawad.
Bhil
Bhil is the second largest tribe in India. According to census 2001 the population of Bhil tribe was 34,41,945 out of them were 17,49,813 males and 16,95,132 were female. The Bhil tribal community mainly residence in Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat & Maharashtra.
Charan
The Charan is a small tribe in the state, their total population in year 2001 was 2,481 (0.035), 1,299 male 
and 1,182 female. They are also called Gadhvi. According to Enthoven (1920) the name Charan is derived from the word char which means grazing.
Choudhuri / Choudhury
The Choudhury are a well-documented community, with studies having conducted on this community since 1900. The term Choudhra is also used for the Choudhury community, though during 1961.
Chodhara
Only in 1981 & 2001 Census they classified as Chodhari and Chodhara in caste wise and District wise. Chodhara Tribe Main population in Narmada, Bharuch & Surat District.
Dhodia
The term Dhodia has been derived from ‘Dhulia’, a place in Maharashtra from where two Rajput princes namely Dhan Singh and Roop Singh came to this area. They met two beautiful Naika women and got married to them.
Gamit
Gamit believe that they belong to The Sun dynasty Rajput community. It is believed that they might have migrated to India via Khaibar Ghat and Bolanghat of Sindh region and then they might have proceeded to Marwad areas.
Gond
Gond must be a kind of code. He used to write Khand in a code word. Gond people speak Gondi dialects which are derived from a mix of Tamil, Kanada and Telugu. It could therefore be presumed that they might have come from South India to MP.
Halpati
Dubla is Hindi means ‘thin’ or ‘weak’, even though physically they are stout. They claim to be the descendants of the Rajputs. Actually they remained economically very weak due to their dependency on the ladlords whom they served as hali for a considerably long time.
Kukana
Unlike other tribes, there has been no legend or no prevalent belief about origin of this tribe. Therefore, special efforts are required to trace out the historical background of this tribe. One inference can be drawn very easily from the name ‘Kukana’.
Kunbi
The term ‘kun’ means people and ‘bi’ means seeds; so Kunbi means those who germinate more seeds from one seed. The community people call themselves Kunbi and others also recognise them as the same. The Kukana is a synonymous term for the Kunbi.
Naikda
The Naikas are also called Mota Naika in Chikhli Taluka and Navsari district and Mahuva, Surat and Songadh taluka in Surat district and Nana Naika in other parts of Surat district respectively.
Patelia
The term ‘Patelia’ has been derived from the term Patel which locally means ‘headman’. The Patelias are mostly distributed in Panchamahal district. They are also distributed in Surat, Kheda, Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad districts.
Pomla
The people call themselves Pomla while other community people refer them by different synonyms like Pomla. Topiwala, Chabriwala etc. In Indore city of Madhya Pradesh state, from where they are said to have migrated other community people refer to them as Barguda.
Rabari
The word bhopa is derived from the words ‘bhumi palak’, i.e. ruler of the land and Rabari is a one who is wealthy. The word Rabari may also mean the one who is beyond rules and regulations. However, the exact etymology of these words is not clearly known.
Rathwa
The name of the tribe has been derived from the term “rathbistar” which means the forest and hilly areas. Thus the people who are the inhabitants of the rathbistar are called Rathwas. They are also known as Rathawa Koli.
Warli
The Warli is a well known tribe who are mostly living in the mountainous regions of Dharampur and Vansda talukas and in the coastal region of Umbergaon taluka of Valsad district. Their main concentration is in Umbergaon’ taluka.
Tadvi
Why Dhankas had different surnames? Why they were known as Tadvi instead of Valvi, or why Tetariya There have been several popular beliefs behind this. According to one such belief, during famine period, they ale the meat of horse and they were known as Tadvi, one who rides over horse.
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