Which of the following is not true about Adivasis?
Which of the following is not true about Adivasis?
Options
Official answer
Correct option: (A) It is NOT true that Adivasis' economic conditions were better than non-Adivasis.
Adivasis (tribal communities) are, in fact, among the most economically disadvantaged groups in India, ranking below the national average on most development indicators such as income, literacy, and access to healthcare — the opposite of what option (A) claims.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for selecting option (A).
- 2.No partial credit; MCQ is all-or-nothing.
Hint
Adivasis are among India's poorest communities, not economically better off — find the statement that claims the opposite.
Quick oral answer
Adivasis are among India's most economically deprived groups, not better off than non-Adivasis, which is why option (A) is the false statement.
Common mistakes
- 1.Assuming 'original inhabitants' implies land ownership and prosperity, when in fact Adivasis have been historically dispossessed and impoverished.
- 2.Confusing tribal population concentration between the central Indian tribal belt and the north-eastern states.
Analysis and explanation
This question checks whether students can identify the false statement about Adivasis' actual socio-economic condition and identity.
Why (A) is the false (correct) answer
- Far from being economically better off, Adivasis have historically been among the poorest and most marginalised communities in India, having lost access to their traditional forest and land resources due to colonial and post-colonial policies.
Why the other options are TRUE (and hence not the answer)
- (B) reflects that a large tribal population is indeed concentrated in parts of the north-east alongside the central Indian tribal belt.
- (C) is true: Adivasis were traditionally seen as forest-dwelling communities dependent on forest produce.
- (D) is true: many Adivasi communities historically practised shifting (jhum) cultivation as their agricultural method.
Exam trap
Students must recall that economic deprivation, not prosperity, characterises Adivasi communities — this is a frequently tested fact.
Interesting facts
According to Census data, Scheduled Tribes constitute about 8.6% of India's population, with the largest numbers concentrated in the central Indian belt covering Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
The term 'Adivasi' was popularised in the 1930s by tribal leaders and organisations as a political assertion of indigenous identity and rights against colonial exploitation.
Question details
Q13 of 36 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- Sociology
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section A
- Marks
- 1
- Type
- MCQ
- Chapter
- Social Movements (Social Change and Development in India)
- Topic
- Adivasis: Identity and Conditions
- Bloom's level
- remember
- Syllabus topic
- Unit: Social Movements / Tribes and Adivasi identity — Meaning and characteristics of Adivasi
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
Why is the term 'Adivasi' significant beyond just meaning 'original inhabitants'?
The term carries political weight — it was coined in the 1930s as an assertion of indigenous identity and rights, used by tribal movements to resist colonial intrusion, land alienation, and exploitation by outside settlers and moneylenders.
Why are Adivasis economically disadvantaged despite being 'original inhabitants' of the land?
Historical processes of colonial resource extraction, land alienation, displacement due to mining and development projects, and lack of access to education and formal employment have kept most Adivasi communities among India's poorest population groups.