Tribes — About West Bengal

Q.1

WBPSC Miscellaneous Prelims 2011

What is a Jainsem?

A. An Assamese dress

B. The ethnic dress of Meghalaya women

C. The ethnic dress of Mizo women

D. The ethnic dress of Manipuri women

Explanation

Why Correct: Jainsem is a traditional wrap-around dress worn by women of the Khasi and Jaintia tribes in Meghalaya.
Distractor Analysis: Assamese women wear the Mekhela Chador. Mizo women wear the Puan. Manipuri women wear the Phanek and Innaphi.
Takeaway: Jainsem is unique to Meghalaya; associate it with the Khasi tribe. Other northeastern states have distinct names like Puan (Mizoram) and Phanek (Manipur).

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Q.2

WBCS prelims 2024

The script of Santhal language is

A. Tirhuta

B. Devnagari

C. Olchiki

D. Chisoi

Explanation

Why Correct: The Santhali language is written in the Ol Chiki (Olchiki) script, which was invented by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925. This script was specifically designed for the Santhal community and was officially recognized in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, and later included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 2003.
Distractor Analysis: Tirhuta is the script used for the Maithili language, primarily spoken in Bihar and Nepal. Devnagari is the script used for Hindi, Marathi, and several other Indo-Aryan languages, and is not the traditional script for Santhali. Chisoi is not a recognized script for any major Indian language; it is a spurious option that does not correspond to any known writing system.
Takeaway: Santhali is the most widely spoken Munda language of the Austroasiatic family, and Ol Chiki is the only script in the Eighth Schedule that was invented in the 20th century specifically for a tribal language, distinguishing it from older scripts like Devnagari and Tirhuta.

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Q.3

WBCS prelims 2024

Toto, a primitive tribal group, is found in

A. Alipurduar district

B. Uttar Dinajpur and Malda districts

C. Jhargram district

D. Bankura and Jhargram districts

Explanation

Why Correct: The Toto tribe is an indigenous tribal group found exclusively in the Totopara village, located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal, near the Bhutan border. They are one of the smallest tribal communities in India, with a population of around 1,500 people, and are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
Distractor Analysis: Uttar Dinajpur and Malda districts are home to other tribal communities like the Rajbanshi and Santal, but not the Toto. Jhargram district is primarily associated with the Santal, Munda, and Bhumij tribes. Bankura and Jhargram districts are known for the Kurmi and Santal tribes, but the Toto are not found there.
Takeaway: The Toto language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family, and the tribe practices a mix of animism and Hinduism, with their economy based on agriculture and the cultivation of oranges, which are a major source of income.

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