Tribals in Kerala (known in Malayalam as the Adivasi) are the tribal population found in the Indian state of Kerala. Most of the tribals of Kerala live in the forests and mountains of Western Ghats, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Tribals in Kerala are officially designated as "Scheduled Tribes" for affirmative action purposes.[1] Kerala Public Service Commission, Government of Kerala, lists thirty-seven of Scheduled Tribes in Kerala. Tribals in Kerala are classified by Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala into three sub-sets (Particularly Vulnerable, Marginalised and Minorities).[2]
According to the 2011 Census of India, the Scheduled Tribe population in Kerala is 484.839 (1.5 % of the total population). Wayanad district has the highest number of tribals (1,51,443) in Kerala, followed by Idukki (55,815), Palakkad (48,972) and Kasaragod (48,857) and Kannur districts (41,371). Paniyar, Irular, Kattunaikan, Oorali and Adiyar are some of the major "communities" among Kerala tribals. A. K. Balan, Member of the Legislative Assembly from Tarur, is the current Kerala Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.[3]
| Particularly Vulnerable Scheduled Tribes (PVTGs) | ||||
| 1 | Kadar | 1974 | Thrissur, Palakkad | |
| 2 | Kattunaika | 19995 | Wayanad, Kozhikode Palakkad, Malappuram | |
| 3 | Koraga | 1644 | Kasaragod | |
| 4 | Kurumbar/Kurumbas | 2251 | Palakkad | |
| 5 | Cholanaikan | 409 | Malappuram | |
| Marginalised | ||||
| 1 | Adiyan | 11221 | Wayanad | |
| 2 | Eravalan | 4418 | Palakkad | |
| 3 | Hill Pulaya | 3415 | Idukki | |
| 4 | Irula | 26525 | Palakkad | |
| 5 | Malasar Tribe | 4201 | Palakkad | |
| 6 | Malayan | 5550 | Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad | |
| 7 | Mundugur | 4668 | Palakkad | |
| 8 | Paniyan | 92787 | Wayanad, Kannur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode | |
| Minorities | ||||
| 1 | Arandan/Aranadan | 247 | Malappuram | |
| 2 | Wayanadankadar | 673 | Wayanad | |
| 3 | Kudiya, Melakudi | 911 | Kasaragod | |
| 4 | Mahamalasar | 143 | Palakkad | |
| 5 | Palleyan/Palliyan/Paliyan | 1484 | Idukki | |
| 6 | ThachanadanMoopan | 1649 | Wayanad | |
| 7 | Malapanickar | 982 | Malappuram | |
| 8 | Malampandaram | 1662 | Kollam, Pathanamthitta | |
| Kasaragod | 48857 | 3.8 | |
| Kannur | 41371 | 1.6 | |
| Wayanad | 151443 | 18.5 | |
| Kozhikode | 15228 | 0.5 | |
| Malappuram | 22990 | 0.6 | |
| Palakkad | 48972 | 1.7 | |
| Thrissur | 9430 | 0.3 | |
| Ernakulam | 16559 | 0.5 | |
| Idukki | 55815 | 5.0 | |
| Kottayam | 21972 | 1.1 | |
| Alappuzha | 6574 | 0.3 | |
| Pathanamthitta | 8108 | 0.7 | |
| Kollam | 10761 | 0.4 | |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 26759 | 0.8 | |
| Kerala | 484839 | 1.5 |
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| Adiyan | Adiyan | Adiyan | |
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| Karimpalan | Karimpalan | Karimpalan | |
| Kattunayakan | Kattunayakan | Kattunayakan | |
| Kochuvelan | Kochuvelan | Kochuvelan | |
| Koraga | Koraga | Koraga | |
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| Kudiya Melakudi | |
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| Mahamalasar | Maha Malasar | Maha Malasar | |
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| Malai Pandaran |
| Malai Pandaram | |
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| Malakkuravan |
| Malakkuravan | |
| Malasar | Malasar | Malasar | |
Excluding the areas comprising the Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts) |
Excluding the areas comprising the Kasargode, Cannanore, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts |
Excluding the areas comprising the Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts | |
| Mavilan | Mavilan | Mavilan | |
| Malayarayar | Malayarayar | Malayarayar | |
| Mannan (to be spelt in Malayalam script in parentheses) | Mannan (to be spelt in Malayalam script in parentheses) | Mannan (to be spelt in Malayalam script in parentheses) | |
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| Muthuvan, Mudugar, Muduvan | |
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| Paniyan | Paniyan | Paniyan | |
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| Uraly | Uraly | Uraly | |
| Mala Vettuvan (in Kasaragod and Kannur districts) | Mala Vettuvan (in Kasargode and Kannur districts) | Mala Vettuvan (in Kasaragod and kannur Districts) | |
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| Cholanaickan | Cholanaickan | Cholanaickan | |
| Malapanickar | Mala Panickar | Mala Panickar | |
| Vettakuruman | Vetta Kuruman | Vetta Kuruman | |
| Marati (of the Housdrug and Kasargode taluk of Kasargode district) |
Source: http://www.stdd.kerala.gov.in/scheduled-tribes-kerala