The Center is pushing Tribal Research Institutes to play a bigger role in policy making
The government has also launched ‘TribeX’, designed as a digital platform that can serve as a ‘learning ecosystem’ dedicated to tribal arts, culture, languages and traditional knowledge and skill development. Credit: X/@TribalAffairsIn
The Union government is pushing for tribal research institutes across the country to function as policy think-tanks and play a bigger role in policy-making, tribal affairs ministry officials said on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) while addressing a two-day national workshop in Bhubaneswar on strengthening such institutes.
Inaugurating the workshop, the government also launched ‘TribeX’, designed as 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 diploma programs in UGC-compliant tribal art forms to a heritage archive of over 10,000 multimedia assets, TribeX is opening new avenues for learning, conservation and livelihood,” the Department of Tribal Affairs said.
The workshop also witnessed the launch of TribeX, a digital learning platform dedicated to the preservation of tribal art, 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. India (@TribalAffairsIn) July 7, 2026
Research and documentation
Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said tribal research institutes have a “fundamental responsibility” to engage with tribal communities and document their languages, customs and traditional knowledge. He added, “Knowledge gained through such research and documentation will not only help preserve our rich tribal heritage but also provide a strong basis for informed policy making and holistic development of tribal communities.”
Tribal Affairs Secretary Ranjana Chopra and NITI Aayog officials were among those pushing for the institutes to have a central role in policy making. Tribal development has traditionally focused on areas such as health, education, infrastructure and other socio-economic indicators, Ms Chopra said, adding that “there is an equally important need to strengthen institutions that preserve tribal heritage, protect constitutional rights and generate evidence for policy-making”.
Ms Chopra added that recommendations from this ongoing workshop will “guide the ministry” in creating a comprehensive plan to reform tribal research institutes into “vibrant centers of knowledge, research and policy support for tribal development”.
Published – 7 Jul 2026 20:13 IST