Sagar/New Delhi
The upcoming Census 2027 is likely to be more than just a demographic exercise, it represents a critical effort to reclaim the distinct identity of India’s original inhabitants. From the ancient peaks of Amarkantak to the administrative corridors of Bhopal, a singular, defiant voice is echoing: “We are not just forest dwellers; we are the original inhabitants with a faith of our own.”
Beginning in April 2026, when the first phase of Census 2027 commenced, the tribal regions of Madhya Pradesh, home to more than 1.53 crore Scheduled Tribes who constitute 21.1 per cent of the state’s population, became the focal point of a significant movement.
Initiated by Umang Singhar, Leader of Opposition, Madhya Pradesh Assembly, tribal representatives made an explicit plea to the Central Government to include a ‘Tribal/Adivasi Religion Code’ in the upcoming Census to preserve their distinct religious identity. It is an attempt not merely to add another religion category but to resist what supporters describe as a process of classification erasure.
Understanding Classification Erasure
The current Census framework provides only six religious codes. In the absence of a dedicated category, the demand for a separate “Seventh Column” has emerged as a fundamental necessity for those seeking to prevent the administrative absorption of tribal faiths and ensure their survival in official records.
A concerning trend has emerged in India’s population data. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has pointed out that in his state, the proportion of tribals recorded in Census data declined from 38 per cent to 26 per cent over the past eight decades. Supporters of a separate code argue that this decline does not necessarily indicate a biological reduction in population but reflects what they describe as “classification erasure” — a bureaucratic process through which the unique identity of a group disappears from official records when individuals are compelled to classify themselves under broader categories.
The debate is further complicated by differing terminologies. There has been sustained discussion over the use of the term “Vanvasi,” referring to forest dwellers and often associated with a broader Hindu cultural framework, versus “Adivasi,” meaning original inhabitants, a term widely preferred by tribal leaders and organisations.
According to the 2011 Census, India has more than 104 million Scheduled Tribes, but only about 0.7 per cent were recorded under the “Other Religions and Persuasions” category. Scholar Dr Vinay N. Patel describes this phenomenon as “non-tribalisation,” arguing that the absence of a separate category for indigenous faiths results in the overwhelming majority of tribals being classified under larger religious categories.
Census data show that about 89 per cent of Scheduled Tribes were recorded as Hindus and 5.53 per cent as Christians. Supporters contend that the removal of the “Animist” category after 1951 contributed to what has been termed “statistical assimilation”.
Many activists also fear that the continued absence of a distinct tribal religion category could have implications for protections related to land rights, self-governance provisions under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), and reservation policies, particularly in future debates surrounding a Uniform Civil Code.
The Legal Paradox: Separate In Law, Lost In Data
There is a notable irony within India’s legal framework. Section 2(2) of both the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, states that these laws do not apply to members of Scheduled Tribes unless the government specifically directs otherwise. This provision acknowledges the existence of distinct tribal customary laws and traditions.
However, the Census of India recognises only six major religious categories: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. The number of Scheduled Tribe individuals is expected to exceed 110 million by 2026. Despite this substantial population, proponents argue that tribal faiths remain largely invisible in official religious classification systems. In the absence of a dedicated code, individuals often have to choose a mainstream religion or be grouped under the broad “Others” category.
Ecological Theology: The World’s Greenest Faiths
Beyond politics and administration, supporters frame the demand as one of environmental preservation. Faith traditions such as Sarna and Koya Punem regard nature — including mountains, rivers and sacred groves — as central to their spiritual worldview.
Derived from the Mundari word for “sacred grove”, Sarna is a nature-centric belief system rooted in oral traditions that revere forests, rivers and hills as sacred entities. Advocates argue that recognising such traditions as distinct faiths could strengthen efforts to protect ecologically significant landscapes and highlight indigenous environmental knowledge at a time of growing concern over climate change.
A Unified Struggle Across Regions
While the demand is broadly similar, different tribal communities use different names for their faith traditions:
| Region | Primary Demand | Major Tribal Groups |
| Madhya Pradesh | Koya Punem/Koitur | Gond, Bhil and Sahariya |
| Jharkhand, West Bengal | Sarna Code | Santhal, Munda, Ho and Oraon |
| Chhattisgarh | Adivasi Dharma | Madia, Gond and Asur |
The Identity Paradox: Conversion And Changing Statistics
The absence of a separate religion code has also generated debate around religious conversion and changing demographic patterns.
The Xaxa Committee Report (2014), drawing on the observations of anthropologist Verrier Elwin, noted that increasing interaction with external groups has often been accompanied by a weakening of traditional tribal control over land, forests and cultural institutions.
Changes in religious demographics between the 2001 and 2011 Censuses are frequently cited in this discussion:
- Christianity among Scheduled Tribes increased by 63 per cent, from 63.90 lakh to 1.03 crore.
- Islam among Scheduled Tribes increased by 51.6 per cent, from 12.25 lakh to 18.58 lakh.
- More than 89 per cent of Scheduled Tribes were recorded under Hinduism.
The interpretation of these figures remains contested. In 2021, BJP MP Sanjay Seth raised concerns in the Lok Sabha regarding alleged conversion activities during the Covid-19 lockdown. Tribal leaders, including several advocates of the Sarna Code movement, argue that both religious conversion and statistical absorption into larger religious categories contribute to the apparent decline in the recorded tribal share of the population in states such as Jharkhand.
According to Dr Vinay N. Patel, religious conversion among tribal communities has also produced a range of social and cultural challenges. These include divisions between Christian and non-Christian groups, the emergence of new internal hierarchies, identity dilemmas among converts and the gradual weakening of traditional institutions and cultural practices. Critics argue that these developments can contribute to cultural dissonance and the erosion of indigenous identities.
The Road to Census 2027: Breaking the Digital Wall
With the Census process increasingly moving towards digital enumeration, supporters warn of the possibility of what they term “technological erasure.” They argue that if Census software does not provide a dedicated option for tribal religions, enumerators may default to mainstream religious categories.
Several proposals have emerged to address the issue:
- Updating the Census Code Directory: Assigning dedicated numerical codes to tribal faiths.
- Adopting the Jharkhand Model: Following the 2020 Jharkhand Assembly resolution that sought official recognition of the Sarna religion code.
- Addressing Constitutional and Legal Questions: Aligning Census classification practices with the recognition of tribal customary laws under existing legislation and exploring the framework for a distinct Tribal Personal Law system.
For the leaders and supporters of this movement, the objective is clear. They want Census 2027 to recognise the worship of Jal, Jungle and Zameen as a distinct, protected and sovereign spiritual tradition, rather than as a subset of any larger religious category. As India prepares for its next Census, the debate over a separate Tribal Religion Code is likely to become one of the most closely watched questions in the broader discourse on identity, representation and indigenous rights.
(The writer is a research scholar and Senior Research Fellow (SRF) at Dr. Harisingh Gour Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Views expressed are personal.)
