Abstract

Despite significant constitutional safeguards and policy interventions, tribal communities in India continue to experience persistent educational marginalization. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 positions itself as a transformative framework aimed at promoting equity, inclusion, and holistic learning; however, its implications for tribal education remain under-examined in scholarly discourse. This paper critically examines the role of NEP 2020 in addressing educational inequalities among Scheduled Tribes in India. Drawing on secondary data from Census reports, government policy documents, and peer-reviewed literature, the study adopts a qualitative policy analysis approach to assess the policy’s commitments toward culturally responsive pedagogy, multilingual education, access, and skill development in tribal regions. The analysis reveals that while NEP 2020 introduces progressive measures such as mother-tongue-based instruction, flexible curricula, and enhanced institutional outreach, significant challenges persist in terms of implementation capacity, infrastructural deficits, linguistic homogenization, and the digital divide in tribal areas. The paper argues that without contextualized execution and active participation of tribal communities, policy intentions may fail to translate into substantive educational outcomes. The study contributes to broader debates on indigenous education, social inclusion, and sustainable development in the Global South.