IndianVoter.comVoter help ↗
AI illustration
THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 342
Scheduled Tribes

Start with a question. Discover the Preamble, Articles, Parts, Schedules and amendments — with plain-language guides beside the official text.

Start exploring ↓
26 Parts12 Schedules506 indexed article entries, including historical omissions
BROWSE / SEARCH / READ

Search. Read. Understand.

Search by number, title or full text. Lettered provisions are included.

Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 342 / Part XVI

Scheduled Tribes

included in edition
Plain languageOfficial textPurpose & sources
Open official PDF at this provision ↗
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

The President specifies Scheduled Tribes for a State or Union territory after the required consultation where applicable; Parliament can change the list by law. Territorial listing matters to the constitutional framework.

Reserved representation and special safeguards for specified communities, commissions and listing procedures.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

ST listing needs a formal constitutionally specified process with territorial context and parliamentary control of later changes.

Historical evidence

This Article number belongs to the original constitutional framework, but its present wording may include later amendments or substitutions. A provision-specific original Assembly debate has not been verified here. The explanation of function above is editorial inference from the text, not an attributed single motive of the framers. The original draft-making archive is a research resource, not proof of a particular historical reason. The later amendment records linked below document changes affecting this Article; their Bill statements explain those proposals, not necessarily every original clause or the complete present legal outcome.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Amendment references
Keep exploring
Read the official constitutional text
342. Scheduled Tribes.—(1) The President [may with respect to any State [or Union territory], and where it is a State ***, after consultation with the Governor *** thereof], by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall for the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State [or Union territory, as the case may be.] (2) Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Tribes specified in a notification issued under clause (1) any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, but save as aforesaid a notification issued under the said clause shall not be varied by any subsequent notification.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. The words "or Rajpramukh" omitted by the constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch., ibid. (w.e.f. 1-11-1956). 2. See the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (C.O. 19), the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) (Union Territories) Order, 1951 (C.O. 32), the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956 (C.O. 52), the Constitution (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1962 (C.O. 64), the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964 (C.O. 68), the Constitution (Goa, Daman and Diu) Scheduled Castes Order, 1968 (C.O. 81) and the Constitution (Sikkim) Scheduled Castes Order, 1978 (C.O. 110). 3. Ins. by the Constitutiton (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch. (w.e.f. 1-11-1956). 4. Subs. by the Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951, s. 11, for "may, after consultation with the Governor or Rajpramukh of State" (w.e.f. 18-6-1951). 5. Certain words Omitted by the constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch., ibid, (w.e.f. 1-11-1956). 6. See the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 (C.O. 22), the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Union Territories) Order, 1951 (C.O. 33), the Constitution (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1959 (C.O. 58), the Constitution (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1962 (C.O. 65), the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Uttar Pradesh) Order, 1967 (C.O. 78), the Constitution (Goa, Daman and Diu) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1968 (C.O. 82), the Constitution (Nagaland) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1970 (C.O. 88) the Constitution (Sikkim) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1978 (C.O. 111).

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.