Empowering Tribal Youth for Nation Building: A Critical Review of National Initiatives and Challenges
Abstract
This paper critically reviews the landscape of tribal youth empowerment in India, interrogating the effectiveness of government and non-governmental initiatives in addressing systemic barriers faced by tribal communities. Despite demographic strength and policy attention, tribal youth remain marginalized in education, employment, and skill development sectors. National programs such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Skill India Mission, Van Dhan Yojana, and tribal scholarship schemes have demonstrated progress in expanding access and promoting employability. However, the persistence of cultural alienation, infrastructural gaps, and policy implementation bottlenecks raises questions about their transformative potential. Drawing on government reports, field studies, and NGO interventions, the paper explores sector-wise impacts, education, vocational training, agripreneurship, and psychosocial development while highlighting challenges related to socio-economic deprivation, identity crises, and digital exclusion. The study advocates for culturally responsive, community-led, and technology-enabled approaches that center tribal agency and identity. It calls for systemic reforms in monitoring and representation to reimagine tribal youth not as passive recipients of welfare but as active contributors to inclusive nation-building.
Keywords
Rural Development, Youth and Skill Development, Tribal Development
Citations
IRE Journals:
Darshita Shah, Madanu Rayappa "Empowering Tribal Youth for Nation Building: A Critical Review of National Initiatives and Challenges" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 3 2025 Page 1740-1749
IEEE:
Darshita Shah, Madanu Rayappa
"Empowering Tribal Youth for Nation Building: A Critical Review of National Initiatives and Challenges" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(3)
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