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Brief note on the activities undertaken by KIRTADS ( Kerala Institute for

Research Training and Development Studies for Scheduled Castes and

Scheduled Tribes) during 2011-12 and 2012-13

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE RESEARCH WING DURING 2011-12

The Research Wing conducts ethnographic as well as ethnological studies on the

Scheduled Communities of the State by incorporating theoretical perspectives from the

discipline of Social Sciences especially Anthropology, Sociology and Linguistics. Research

studies on the contemporary socio-cultural, economic, political and educational aspects of the

communities are also undertaken by the Wing.

Research Studies

Two Research studies were published in the year 2011-12

• Ethno biology of the Kurumbar of Attappady

• Tribal Language Dictionary

The following studies were also undertaken in 2011-12

• Base Line Socio-economic Survey of Eravalan, Malasar and Maha Malasar

communities

• Common Resources and Rights of Urali Community in the Context of the Scheduled

Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers ( Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.

• Traditional Knowledge and Bio Diversity Conservation among the Mannan Community

A Research and Publication cell has started functioning in the Department.

The Research wing is also designated as an Expert Agency in conducting classification of community studies/cases as per Kerala Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Regulation of Issue of Community Certificate Act (Act 11 of 1996). The Screening Committee and the Scrutiny Committee constituted as per the said Act, have entrusted many caste determination cases to the Vigilance Cell of the Research Wing.

2 Screening Committee

Anthropological reports are submitted to the Screening Committee in order to prevent the infiltration of candidates with bogus SC/ST certificates for admission to Professional and Degree courses. The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, Kerala refers cases to KIRTADS. During 2011-2012, 882 such Cases had been completed and report submitted.

Scrutiny Committee

The Scrutiny Committee, which is constituted as per Act 11 of 1996 has referred a number of cases pertaining to those persons who have enjoyed/ enjoying SC/ST benefits, on the basis of fraudulent SC/ST certificates, for anthropological verification. During 2011-2012, 3 such Cases are completed.

Other Caste/Community Dispute Cases

Anthropological investigation studies on doubtful community issues as requested by

Scheduled Tribe Development Department, Scheduled Caste Development Department, Revenue

Divisional Officers, Tahsildars and District Collectors are also undertaken by the Wing. During

2011-2012, 89 such cases are completed.

The Kerala State Commission for Backward Classes have also entrusted specific

ethnographic studies on communities to decide upon the eligibility for the inclusion of those

communities in the list of Other Backward Classes in Kerala. The following studies have been

undertaken.

2011-2012

1) Vaduga

2) Parkavakulam

3) Kongini Christian

4) Saiva Vellala

36 Research Assistant and two Assistant Directors were appointed in the Vigilance Cell on

contract basis for speedy disposal of all pending cases in the wing this year.

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ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE TRAINING WING DURING 2011-12

1. Training Programme for one day educational awareness for the drop outs among the

Kattunaickan Community of Wayanad District conducted at ‘Sreyas’ Wayanad on

23.11.2011.

2. Training Programme for one day educational awareness for the drop outs among the

PVTG’s like the Kattunaickan, Cholanaickan communities of Malappuram District

conducted at Nilambur on 30.11.2011.

3. 3 days Training programme for Tribal Extension Officers of Scheduled Tribe

Development Department conducted at KIRTADS campus from 11.1.2012 to 13.1.2012.

4. 29th Thalakkal Chandu Memorial Archery Trial competition conducted at Panamaram

Government Higher Secondary School on 15.1.2012 and 29th Thalakkal Chandu

Memorial Archery Competition conducted at Maharajas College Hockey Ground,

Ernakulam District on 26th and 27th February 2012.

5. National Tribal healers Workshop conducted at KIRTADS Campus in Collaboration with

IGRMS (Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal) from 20.1.2012 to

24.1.2012.

6. One day training programme for Edamalakkudi Tribal Panchayath People conducted at

Edalipparakkudi and Andavankudi hamlets on 12th and 13th February 2012.

7. Women Tribal Healers Camp, Woman Archery Competition and tribal cultural heritage

exhibition organized as part of ‘Thantedam- Gender Fest Exhibition’ conducted at

Swapna Nagari, Kozhikode from 8th to 17th March 2012.

8. 15 days Ethnic Food Workshop and exhibition conducted at KIRTADS Campus for the

Kanikkar, Irular, Kurumbar and Paniyan communities.

9. Ethno medicine – Thirumu Chikithsa Pariseelanam – Ethnomedicine Masseurs

programme for Scheduled Tribe youths in Wayanad, Attappady, Idukki, Kasaragode and

Thiruvananthapuram leading to nine month Certificate course has been sanctioned by the

Govt..

10. Annual Grant of Rs. 10,000/- to 120 Tribal Healers of Kerala were distributed. This has

been revived by KIRTADS after a gap of 10 years

Training Programme participated by KIRTADS Officials.

Three Officers of KIRTADS had attended a training programme cum workshop organized by Anthropological Survey of India, Mysore on ‘Developmental Anthropology’ this year

4 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES / EVALUATION WING

The following studies were undertaken by the Wing in the current year

1. Single tribal mothers and cultural constraints - A Study of tribal woman in Kerala – on going study

2. Rubber cultivation and economic development among the tribes of Kerala – on going study

3. Study related to the problems of the Scheduled Tribe Students of Model Residential

Schools in pursuing higher education

Ethnological Museum More than 4600 visitors had visited the Ethnological Museum of KIRTADS. The outreach programmes conducted by the KIRTADS Ethnological Museum were

• Ethno cultural Exhibition at Payyanur, Kannur District and Mala, Thrissur District in connection with Paithrukolsavam.

• Exhibition on ‘Tribal Cultural Heritage’ at U.C. College, Aluva. • Organised Tribal cultural heritage Exhibition at Areakode Higher Secondary School,

Malappuram as part of Science Expo 2012. • Organised Tribal cultural Heritage Exhibition Swapnanagari as part of Gender Fest. • Organised Tribal Cultural Exhibition at NIT campus, Kozhikode in connection with the

Ragam Festival Library 481 books were added to the KIRTADS Library in the Financial Year 2011-12 and 218 Journals, Magazines both Indian and Foreign were also added to the library collections.

Adikalagramam

Various programmes were organized by the KIRTADS Adikalagramam for promotion,

preservation and survival of tribal art forms like Documentation of Mannankoothu of the

Mannan tribal Community of Idukki and Malleswaramudy Sivarathri Festival of the tribal

communities of Attappady .

More than 1200 SC/ST performing artists had performed for Paithrukolsavam at Mala

and Payyannur. Steps for establishing an Audio Visual Unit I Phase for the Adikalakendra has

also been initiated this year.

The Department had utilized 75.5% of its allotted fund in 2011-12 under the Head 2225-02-800-91(50% CSS) Research Training and Special Projects.

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DETAILS OF THE ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY KIRTADS DURING 2012-13

Research Programmes – 2012 – 2013 The following programmes were undertaken by this Wing this year

• Research and Documentation of Traditional Knowledge related to Food and Medicine of Tribes of Kerala based on native Biodiversity has been initiated.

• Revising and Publishing of Tribal Healer’s and Traditional birth attendant’s directory in Malayalam has been initiated.

• Purchase of Statistical Software SPSS Statistics 21 have been sanctioned by the Govt and procedures for purchase have been completed.

• Annual Grant to Tribal Healers and tribal healers exhibition and camp are to be undertaken this year and related procedures are completed.

• Conducted a two days workshop on National Language Consortium in KIRTADS Campus.

• Participated in the Ethnic Food Camp at Central University of Jharkhand • Participated the Tribal Healers in the IITF (Prakrithi Maidan), New Delhi • Collaboration with JNTBGRI for Ethno medicine studies is under consideration • For the last two years KIRTADS has been collaborating with the Anthropological

Department, Kannur University in organizing National Seminars. • Proposal for reconstituting Research Advisory Committee has been send to Govt. • Proposal for Kerala Institute for Tribal Medicine( KITM) and National Institute for

Tribal Medicine (NITM) has been send to Government • A draft for the Kerala Tribal Policy has been forwarded to the government. • Research forum had organized three paper presentations this year on various tribal issues. • Necessary Steps for updation of the website of KIRTADS is being undertaken soon

12 Officers had been recruited in KIRTADS through KPSC in the last two years for the Research Wing including the Director. Vigilance Cell and Classification of Communities Studies Wing’s Activities

More than 350 Anthropological enquiries reports relating to the determination of Caste Status of individuals, bogus Claimants and Community studies has been investigated and report submitted to Scrutiny committee, Screening Committee and Tahsildar of various districts this year by the Vigilance Cell.

27 Research Assistants appointed in the financial year 2011-12 on contract basis for one

year were given an extension for another six months for completion of all pending files in the Vigilance Cell.

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The Wing has also undertaken studies of the Other Backward Commission this year and is trying to submit the study reports as required by the Commission in a time bound manner viz. of Saiva Vellala, Konkini Xian, Ezhuthachan, Catholic Kammalar, Perumkollan, Kammara, Moovari/Mukhari, Chavalakkar, Vellala Shetty.

This details required by the MBC Commission has also been forwarded by the Wing.

Training Programmes

• Training Programme for the Elected ST representatives of three tier Panchayat Raj System has been organized this year.

• Training Programme for more than 200 Revenue Officers each in Palakkad and Kannur District has been organized by the Anthropological Wing on classification of community studies.

• Training Programme for the Thachanadan Mooppan, Wayanad Kadar and Karimpalan Communities was conducted in Wayanad District this year

• Training Programme for 50 Tribal Personals in Attappadi relating to creating Reading room and E-Library was conducted in Jan 2013

• Training Propgramme for Ethno medicine to Paniya Adiya Promoters in Wayanad District was also conducted in Jan 2013 .

• 30th Thalakkal Chandu Memorial Archery Competition was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram on 2nd & 3rd March 2013.

• Awarded Grant to ST Youths who participated in the National Archery Competition for the first time by KIRTADS.

• Modern Archery equipments worth 11 lakhs was purchased by the department. • Training Programme for the Muthuvan Community in Edamalakkudy Panchayath was

conducted • Training Programme for Paniya Communities in Wayanad District and Malaipadaram

Communities in Kollam Pathanamthitta Districts was conducted this year • The ST Students undergoing 9 months certificate course in tribal medicine masseurs

programmes were given special training for 7 days in KIRTADS Campus. • 5 days Training Programme for the PVTG’s (3 Batches) was also conducted.

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES / EVALUATION WING

• Single tribal mothers and cultural constraints - A Study of tribal woman in Kerala – Study is completed and draft report submitted.

• Rubber cultivation and economic development among the tribes of Kerala - study completed and draft report submitted.

• Study related to the problems of the Scheduled Tribe Students of Model Residential Schools in pursuing higher education - draft report submitted

• A CDP for Muthuvan and Edamalakkudy and Malapandaram tribal community is being prepared.

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Ethnological Museum

More than 5000 visitors had visited the Ethnological Museum of KIRTADS. The outreach programmes conducted by the KIRTADS Ethnological Museum were

• Ethno cultural Exhibition at Palakkad and Ernakulam in connection with

Paithrukolsavam. • Organised Tribal cultural heritage Exhibition in various Grama Panchayaths in

connection with the Grama Panchayath Festivals. • Participated in Global Village Exhibition at Ernakulam. • Participated in the National Bio-Diversity Expo in Thiruvananthapuram. • Participated in Mukkom Fest by organizing a tribal cultural Exhibition

Library

All procedures for purchasing new books to the Library has been completed. A proposal for a new library building in the campus is also under consideration as part of strengthening of KIRTADS Library. Research Scholars from Kerala, other parts of the country and Foreign Universities visited the library.

Training Programme participated by KIRTADS Officials.

• The Officers of KIRTADS had attended a training programme cum Workshop organized by IIPA at New Delhi on the ‘State Civil Society and Policy making Seminar Workshop.’

• Also participated in a Training Programme organized by IMG, Thiruvananthapuram on ‘Training Need Analysis’.

• Proposal for training of the newly recruited KPSC officers is being undertaken

Activities of Adikalagramam

• Participation in Paithrukolsavam in Palakkad & Eranakulam Districts where more

than 1200 artists belonging to the SC/ST communities participated which also

included ST artists from other States, 10 tribal healers and their assistants participated

in the tribal healers camp and 4 different tribal communities of Kerala belonging to

the Kurumbar of Attappady, Irular,Kanikkar & Mullukurumar had participated.

• A 15 day Workshop on Koraga dance Padanakkalari was also organized

• Three day State level Workshop for Tribal Artists was conducted in the campus.

• Adikalagramam is also in the final stage for publishing a directory of master tribal

artists, craftsman of Kerala.

• Proposal for including two tribal dance forms viz. Irular nirtham and Mangalam kali

in the State Youth festival has been forwarded to the education department.

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• A Proposal for strengthening of the Adikala gramam is being prepared.

The Department will be utilizing around 85 % of its allotted fund in the year

2012-13 under the Head 2225-02-800-91(50% CSS) Research Training and Special Projects.

Sd/-DIRECTOR