ABSTRACT

The concept of tribal development emerged soon after India achieved her independence. Benefits were aimed at both scheduled tribes and scheduled castes. Tribal development consists of several well integrated programs. Education is one of the most prominent of these, having been emphasized by each of the many committees which have considered, evaluated, recommended, planned, and reviewed the tribal development process. The Ashram primary schools were designed by the Indian government especially for tribal children. Fifty-two percent of the pupils in the Totopara primary school are Toto while the junior high consists of only twenty-five percent Toto pupils. The enrollment of tribal children in school is only the first step toward education. The headmaster of that school now presides over the administrative unit for the whole district, a position which requires extensive political activity and long absences from Totopara. In the past several Toto boys did travel to the distant secondary school in the neighboring Cooch behar district.