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How did Colonial Policies for the tribes affected their socio-economic conditions in India? Discuss.

This question was previously asked in
UPSC CSE 2025 (Prelims) CSAT Official Paper (25-May-2025)

Colonial policies had a devastating impact on the socio-economic conditions of Indian tribes, fundamentally disrupting their traditional way of life. The British introduced new land revenue systems, classifying tribal lands as state property, which dispossessed many tribes who relied on communal land ownership for jhum cultivation or forest resources. This led to a loss of livelihood and increased indebtedness to moneylenders. Forest laws, designed to exploit timber for colonial interests, restricted tribal access to forests, their primary source of food, shelter, and cultural identity. The imposition of external administrative structures undermined traditional tribal self-governance, leading to a breakdown of their social order. Economically, they were pushed into wage labor, often under exploitative conditions, marginalizing them further and making them vulnerable to poverty and exploitation.

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