Lokur Committee Report (1965)

It was setup in 1965 under the chairman BN Lokur (then law secretary of central government) with the objective of looking into the criteria to define scheduled tribes. In its report, it listed down 5 important criteria’s to be considered while adjudging any community as schedule tribe which are –

1. Primitive traits
2. Distinct culture
3. Geographical isolation
4. Shyness of contact with the community at large, and
5. Backwardness, mostly economical

• The recommendations were accepted and various committees were formed to update/enlist communities under schedule tribes.