The Sentinelese Tribe

The Sentinelese Tribe

• The anthropological survey of India (AnSI) has said that any exploitation of the north sentinel island of the Andaman’s for commercial and strategic gain would spell the death knell for its occupants
• The Sentinelese, a most secluded, particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) who reside in complete isolation on the island.
• The Sentinelese, with a population of about 50 to 100 on the North Sentinel Island, are among the most isolated of nearly 70 PVTGs across the country,
• They are also among the five in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which include the Great Andamanese, the Onge, the Jarawa, and the Shompens.
• This is the first detailed policy draft for the Sentinelese Island, prepared at the request of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGS)

• Particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) are the marginalized section of the Scheduled tribes of India.
• PVTG is not a Constitutional category, nor are these constitutionally recognized communities.
• It is a government of India classification created with the purpose of enabling improvement in the conditions of certain communities with particularly low development
• A separate category of PVTGs was constituted based on the recommendations of the Dhebar Commission in 1975.
• PVTGs are identified by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs based on the recommendations from the state governments or Union territories.
• The highest numbers of PVTGs are found in Odisha.
• Criteria for identifying PVTGs

1. 1. A pre-agriculture level of technology
   2. A stagnant or declining population;
   3. Extremely low literacy;
   4. A subsistence level of the economy.

• After ensuring the criteria is fulfilled, the Central Ministry selects those groups as PVTGs.