Arnab Chowdhury, Dr. Sushanta Kumar Roul, Dr. Jayanta Kumar Mete
Education is the cornerstone upon which the entire structure of action & thought of a nation is based. The society is claimed to be more civilized only when it has literary development. Tribal recognized the extraordinary significance of education. Education has a vital role to play in the socio-economic life of the people. Amongst the population of India 15 to 20 per cent of people are living under poverty line in other than the Tribal community, whereas in Tribal community nearly 50 per cent of the people are living under poverty line. The Tribal educational system of the medieval period served the changing socio-economic and political needs of India for over six centuries become so irrelevant in the contemporary times. The introduction of modern education in India effected revolutionary changes in the socio economic and political life of Indian people. It brought rationalistic ideas and non-religious values among the Indian masses. As a result of their progress of education and improved economic condition the Tribals began to derive the utility of the modem household things and equipments. The spread of modern education has increased the average marriage age of the Tribal boys and girls. Previously girls got married in the age of fifteen or sixteen and boys in the age of twenty. Even though the Tribals of these regions are economically backward but when compared with their previous condition they are in a better status now; this credit goes to the spread of education among them only. However, it will help one to have a clear idea when pertinently examine the packages of rights that Tribal grants to the Tribal women. Although Tribal grants women a comprehensive package of rights, ignorance of Tribalic tenets and lack of education and insistence of the society on using outdated non-Tribalic and discriminatory cultural practices has led to the oppression of Tribal women.