Jharkhand Tribal Students Submit Memorandum to Central Government, Demand Scholarships, Reservation, and Implementation of PESA Act

Ranchi: A delegation from the Jharkhand Tribal Students’ Union met Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, on Sunday and submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting pressing issues faced by the tribal community in the state.

The delegation brought the minister’s attention to critical concerns regarding scholarships, reservation, education, and development during a program held in Ranchi and urged immediate action.

Tribal Population Underrepresented Despite Resource Richness
The memorandum highlighted that while Jharkhand holds nearly 40% of India’s total mineral wealth, approximately 26.3% of the state’s tribal population remains deprived of their rightful share in education, employment, and budgetary allocations. The delegation pointed out that several reserved positions for Scheduled Tribes across government departments have remained vacant for years, and reservation provisions for promotions are not effectively implemented. This has prevented qualified tribal youth from securing jobs or advancing in their careers.

Survey Reveals Stark Socio-Economic Challenges
Referring to a survey by the Tribal Research Institute, Jharkhand, the delegation noted that among 5,000 studied households, the average annual income of tribal families was only ₹73,000. The survey found 45% of tribal men and 63% of women are illiterate, 25% of families face food insecurity, and 50% of men and 53% of women suffer from malnutrition. Alarmingly, only 16% of students continue education beyond matriculation.

Key Demands Submitted to the Government
The memorandum urged the central and state governments to prioritize solutions to these problems. The delegation demanded that pending post-matric scholarships be released immediately under the 75:25 central-state funding ratio, and that the PESA Act (1996) and the MESA law be effectively implemented in Jharkhand.

They also called on the central government to formulate concrete policies to address the 18.6% interstate displacement issue recorded in the 2011 Census, ensuring that tribal students and youth have dignified opportunities within their own state.

Delegation Members
The delegation included Central President Sushil Urao, Treasurer Jaleshwar Bhagat, Ranchi University Unit President Manoj Urao, along with Vivek Tirki, Prakash Bhagat, Manish Urao, Sulekha Kujur, Kartik Urao, Dinesh Urao, and Ranjit Urao among others.