Centre pushes for Tribal Research Institutes to play a bigger role in policymaking

Published 7 July 2026 · politics

The Union government is pushing for Tribal Research Institutes across the country to function as policy think tanks and play a greater role in policymaking

The Union government is pushing for Tribal Research Institutes across the country to function as policy think tanks and play a greater role in policymaking, officials of the Tribal Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) while addressing a two-day national workshop in Bhubaneswar on strengthening such institutes. At the workshop inauguration, the government also launched ‘TribeX’, designed to be a digital platform that can serve as a “learning ecosystem” dedicated to tribal arts, culture, languages, and traditional knowledge and skill development. “From certified courses and UGC-aligned diploma programmes in tribal art forms to a Heritage Archive of 10,000+ multimedia assets, TribeX opens new pathways for learning, preservation and livelihood,” the Tribal Affairs Ministry has said.

The workshop also witnessed the launch of TribeX, a digital learning platform dedicated to preserving tribal arts, culture and traditional knowledge, along with the signing of an MoU between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and KIIT Technology Business Incubator.… pic.twitter.com/apgdJL74uM — Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India (@TribalAffairsIn) July 7, 2026 Research and documentation Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said that Tribal Research Institutes have a “crucial responsibility” to engage with tribal communities and document their languages, customs, and traditional knowledge. He added, “The knowledge generated through such research and documentation will not only help preserve our rich tribal heritage but will also provide a strong foundation for informed policymaking and the holistic development of tribal communities.” Tribal Affairs Secretary Ranjana Chopra and NITI Aayog officials were among those who batted for these institutes to have a more central role in policymaking.

Tribal development has traditionally focused on areas like health, education, infrastructure and other socio-economic indicators, Ms. Chopra said, adding that “there is an equally important need to strengthen the institutions that preserve tribal heritage, protect constitutional rights and

generate evidence for policymaking”. Chopra added that the recommendations from this ongoing workshop would “guide the Ministry” in developing a comprehensive roadmap to reform Tribal Research Institutes into “vibrant centres of knowledge, research, and policy support for tribal development.”