This one-page sheet covers the social structure of Chhattisgarh for Mains GS-IV. For explanations, read [Tribal Social Organisation](/society/social-aspects-chhattisgarh/tribal-social-organisation/), [Tribal Problems](/society/social-aspects-chhattisgarh/tribal-problems/), [Scheduled Castes and OBCs](/society/social-aspects-chhattisgarh/scheduled-castes-obcs/) and [Cultural Institutions](/society/social-aspects-chhattisgarh/cultural-institutions/). For the underlying GK facts, see [Tribes](/chhattisgarh/tribes/) and [Population](/chhattisgarh/population/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Mains. Bold lines are the facts and arguments examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### Numbers (Census 2011 unless stated)

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **ST** | **78,22,902 = 30.62%** (India 8.6%); Gond > Kanwar > Oraon |
| **SC** | **32,74,269 = 12.82%** (India 16.6%); **Satnami** largest |
| OBC | Not in Census; **2019 Quantifiable Data Commission**: about **42.4% OBC, 3.5% EWS** (report not fully published) |
| Reserved seats | Assembly **29 ST + 10 SC** of 90; Lok Sabha **4 ST + 1 SC** (Janjgir-Champa) of 11 |
| ST sex ratio | Above 1,000 (state 991) |

### Tribal social organisation

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Defining a tribe | Art. 366(25) refers to Art. 342; **Lokur Committee 1965**: primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact, backwardness |
| Kinship | **Clan exogamy, tribal endogamy**; totemic clans |
| Marriage | **Bride price**; *lamsena*, *dudh lautawa*, *gurawat*, *paithul*, *udhariya* |
| Polity | Patel, Gaita, Siraha, Gunia, Majhi, Parha, Kotwar; customary law |
| Youth dormitories | **Ghotul (Muria)**, **Dhumkuria (Oraon)** |
| Approaches | **Isolation** (early Elwin), **assimilation** (Ghurye, 1943), **integration** (Nehru's Tribal Panchsheel) |
| Change | Sanskritisation, Christianisation, modernisation, politicisation, revivalism |

### Tribal problems

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Root cause | Land and displacement (**Xaxa Committee, 2014**) |
| Land shields | CG Land Revenue Code 1959; Fifth Schedule; PESA 1996; **CG PESA Rules 8 Aug 2022**; FRA 2006 |
| Courts | **Samatha 1997** (AP), **Niyamgiri 2013** (Odisha), **Nandini Sundar 5 July 2011** (CG) |
| Displacement cases | Bhilai; Bailadila (**Nandraj hill protest, 2019**); **Hasdeo Arand**; **Lohandiguda** (1,764 ha, 10 villages, **land returned 2019**) |
| Migration | Brick kilns of north India; plains districts (Janjgir-Champa); mostly SC, OBC, landless |
| Health | Sickle cell (national mission **1 July 2023**), malaria, anaemia |
| **LWE** | CPI (Maoist) **2004**; **Salwa Judum 2005**; Tadmetla 2010; **Jhiram Ghati 25 May 2013**; Basavaraju killed May 2025; Bastar declared Naxal-free at **Jagdalpur, May 2026** |
| Conversion law | 1968 Act; **Freedom of Religion Bill passed March 2026** |

### Scheduled Castes and OBCs

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Guru Ghasidas** | **b. 18 Dec 1756, Giraudpuri**; Satnam panth; **"मनखे-मनखे एक समान"**; Jaitkhamb about 77 m |
| **Ramnami Samaj** | **Parasuram Bhardwaj, Charpara, 1890s**; "राम" tattoos; Bada Bhajan Mela |
| Kabirpanth | Dharamdasi; **Damakheda** |
| Reform from above | **Pt. Sundarlal Sharma**: Rajim temple entry, janeu to Satnamis; Gandhi's tour Nov 1933 |
| OBC communities | Sahu (Teli), Kurmi, Yadav (Raut), Marar, Nishad (Kewat), Kalar, Kumhar, Lohar |
| **Reservation** | MP era 20-16-14 (50%) → **2012: 32-12-14 (58%)** → 2019 ordinance stayed → **HC strikes down 58% (19 Sep 2022)** → **Dec 2022 bills 32-13-27 + EWS 4 (76%)** → SC interim relief 2023; still contested |
| Constitution | Art. 15(4), 16(4), 17, 340, 341, **338B (102nd Amdt 2018)**; 105th Amdt 2021; Indra Sawhney 1992; EWS 103rd Amdt 2019 |

### Cultural institutions

| Institution | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Community | Ghotul, Muria Darbar, Madai, Devgudi, Sarna, haat-bazaar, mitan, Nacha and Pandavani troupes, panths, caste samaj |
| **IKSV** | **Khairagarh, 1956** |
| **Rajbhasha Aayog** | **2008**; Shyamlal Chaturvedi; Rajbhasha Diwas **28 Nov** |
| **BADAL** | **Asna, Jagdalpur; 17 Oct 2021** |
| Museums | **Mahant Ghasidas, Raipur, 1875**; **Purkhouti Muktangan, Nava Raipur, 7 Nov 2006**; tribal freedom fighters museum, Nava Raipur, **1 Nov 2025** |
| Platforms | Rajyotsava (1 Nov); **National Tribal Dance Festival, Raipur, 27–29 Dec 2019**; Chakradhar Samaroh (Raigarh, 1985) |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| **Lokur (1965)**: ST criteria | | **Xaxa (2014)**: tribal status report |
| **Ghurye**: assimilation | | **Nehru's Panchsheel**: integration |
| **Samatha (1997)** | | **Niyamgiri (2013)** |
| **Salwa Judum (2005)** | | **Nandini Sundar judgment (2011)** |
| **Lohandiguda**: land returned | | **Hasdeo Arand**: dispute continues |
| **Guru Ghasidas**: Satnami saint | | **Mahant Ghasidas**: Rajnandgaon ruler, museum |
| **Giraudpuri**: Satnami | | **Damakheda**: Kabirpanth |
| **Art. 338**: NCSC; **338A**: NCST | | **Art. 338B**: NCBC |
| **IKSV**: Khairagarh | | **Chakradhar Samaroh**: Raigarh |
| **Bharat Bhavan**: Bhopal (MP) | | Chhattisgarh's own institutions |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite traps" >}}
Four to watch: **Bharat Bhavan** placed in Chhattisgarh (it is in Bhopal); the **Census** credited with counting OBCs (it was a 2019 state survey); **MGNREGA** described as current (replaced from 1 July 2026 by VB-G RAM G); and a single reservation percentage stated as the settled law (the matter has been in court since 2012).
{{< /callout >}}

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Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/society/social-aspects-chhattisgarh/quick-revision/

Society & Welfare Social Aspects of Chhattisgarh

Social Aspects of Chhattisgarh — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Social Aspects of Chhattisgarh: tribal society, tribal problems, SCs and OBCs, and cultural institutions in tables.

4 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc

This one-page sheet covers the social structure of Chhattisgarh for Mains GS-IV. For explanations, read Tribal Social Organisation, Tribal Problems, Scheduled Castes and OBCs and Cultural Institutions. For the underlying GK facts, see Tribes and Population.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Mains. Bold lines are the facts and arguments examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

Numbers (Census 2011 unless stated)

Fact	Detail
ST	78,22,902 = 30.62% (India 8.6%); Gond > Kanwar > Oraon
SC	32,74,269 = 12.82% (India 16.6%); Satnami largest
OBC	Not in Census; 2019 Quantifiable Data Commission: about 42.4% OBC, 3.5% EWS (report not fully published)
Reserved seats	Assembly 29 ST + 10 SC of 90; Lok Sabha 4 ST + 1 SC (Janjgir-Champa) of 11
ST sex ratio	Above 1,000 (state 991)

Fact	Detail
Defining a tribe	Art. 366(25) refers to Art. 342; Lokur Committee 1965: primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact, backwardness
Kinship	Clan exogamy, tribal endogamy; totemic clans
Marriage	Bride price; lamsena, dudh lautawa, gurawat, paithul, udhariya
Polity	Patel, Gaita, Siraha, Gunia, Majhi, Parha, Kotwar; customary law
Youth dormitories	Ghotul (Muria), Dhumkuria (Oraon)
Approaches	Isolation (early Elwin), assimilation (Ghurye, 1943), integration (Nehru’s Tribal Panchsheel)
Change	Sanskritisation, Christianisation, modernisation, politicisation, revivalism

Tribal problems

Fact	Detail
Root cause	Land and displacement (Xaxa Committee, 2014)
Land shields	CG Land Revenue Code 1959; Fifth Schedule; PESA 1996; CG PESA Rules 8 Aug 2022; FRA 2006
Courts	Samatha 1997 (AP), Niyamgiri 2013 (Odisha), Nandini Sundar 5 July 2011 (CG)
Displacement cases	Bhilai; Bailadila (Nandraj hill protest, 2019); Hasdeo Arand; Lohandiguda (1,764 ha, 10 villages, land returned 2019)
Migration	Brick kilns of north India; plains districts (Janjgir-Champa); mostly SC, OBC, landless
Health	Sickle cell (national mission 1 July 2023), malaria, anaemia
LWE	CPI (Maoist) 2004; Salwa Judum 2005; Tadmetla 2010; Jhiram Ghati 25 May 2013; Basavaraju killed May 2025; Bastar declared Naxal-free at Jagdalpur, May 2026
Conversion law	1968 Act; Freedom of Religion Bill passed March 2026

Scheduled Castes and OBCs

Fact	Detail
Guru Ghasidas	b. 18 Dec 1756, Giraudpuri; Satnam panth; “मनखे-मनखे एक समान”; Jaitkhamb about 77 m
Ramnami Samaj	Parasuram Bhardwaj, Charpara, 1890s; “राम” tattoos; Bada Bhajan Mela
Kabirpanth	Dharamdasi; Damakheda
Reform from above	Pt. Sundarlal Sharma: Rajim temple entry, janeu to Satnamis; Gandhi’s tour Nov 1933
OBC communities	Sahu (Teli), Kurmi, Yadav (Raut), Marar, Nishad (Kewat), Kalar, Kumhar, Lohar
Reservation	MP era 20-16-14 (50%) → 2012: 32-12-14 (58%) → 2019 ordinance stayed → HC strikes down 58% (19 Sep 2022) → Dec 2022 bills 32-13-27 + EWS 4 (76%) → SC interim relief 2023; still contested
Constitution	Art. 15(4), 16(4), 17, 340, 341, 338B (102nd Amdt 2018); 105th Amdt 2021; Indra Sawhney 1992; EWS 103rd Amdt 2019

Cultural institutions

Institution	Detail
Community	Ghotul, Muria Darbar, Madai, Devgudi, Sarna, haat-bazaar, mitan, Nacha and Pandavani troupes, panths, caste samaj
IKSV	Khairagarh, 1956
Rajbhasha Aayog	2008; Shyamlal Chaturvedi; Rajbhasha Diwas 28 Nov
BADAL	Asna, Jagdalpur; 17 Oct 2021
Museums	Mahant Ghasidas, Raipur, 1875; Purkhouti Muktangan, Nava Raipur, 7 Nov 2006; tribal freedom fighters museum, Nava Raipur, 1 Nov 2025
Platforms	Rajyotsava (1 Nov); National Tribal Dance Festival, Raipur, 27–29 Dec 2019; Chakradhar Samaroh (Raigarh, 1985)

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Lokur (1965): ST criteria		Xaxa (2014): tribal status report
Ghurye: assimilation		Nehru’s Panchsheel: integration
Samatha (1997)		Niyamgiri (2013)
Salwa Judum (2005)		Nandini Sundar judgment (2011)
Lohandiguda: land returned		Hasdeo Arand: dispute continues
Guru Ghasidas: Satnami saint		Mahant Ghasidas: Rajnandgaon ruler, museum
Giraudpuri: Satnami		Damakheda: Kabirpanth
Art. 338: NCSC; 338A: NCST		Art. 338B: NCBC
IKSV: Khairagarh		Chakradhar Samaroh: Raigarh
Bharat Bhavan: Bhopal (MP)		Chhattisgarh’s own institutions

Favourite traps

Four to watch: Bharat Bhavan placed in Chhattisgarh (it is in Bhopal); the Census credited with counting OBCs (it was a 2019 state survey); MGNREGA described as current (replaced from 1 July 2026 by VB-G RAM G); and a single reservation percentage stated as the settled law (the matter has been in court since 2012).

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