Changing Dimensions of Tribal Life: Education, Economy, and Culture among the Chuktia Bhunjia of Nuapada District

The Chuktia Bhunjia, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) under the Scheduled Tribes of Odisha, inhabits the forested uplands of Nuapada district and are among the most socio-economically marginalised communities in central India. Drawing on primary survey data from 150 respondents across select Chuktia Bhunjia habitations in Nuapada, the present study analyses the interlocking dimensions of educational attainment, livelihood patterns, and the structural barriers that perpetuate poverty and underdevelopment. Descriptive statistical analysis reveals that 44.7 per cent of respondents remain illiterate, agriculture accounts for the livelihood of 48 per cent of the sample, and school dropout is overwhelmingly driven by economic hardship (24.7%) and the physical distance between habitations and the nearest school (20.7%). The findings are situated within the broader policy framework of the Government of India’s PVTG Development Plan and the Odisha Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation (OTDC) and are cross-validated against Census 2011 tribal literacy benchmarks and the District Human Development Report for Nuapada. The paper argues that genuine transformation of tribal life requires a convergence of assured livelihood support, mother-tongue-based multilingual schooling, and culturally sensitive outreach rather than piecemeal welfare transfers.