Empowering Tribal Youth: Bridging Educational Gaps Through Technology and Social Justice in Jharkhand, India

Niraj Kumar Singh ()
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Niraj Kumar Singh: University of Pennsylvania, International Educational Development (idep)

Chapter 15 in Technology, Management, and Design for Social Justice, 2026, pp 325-347 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract According to the United Nations estimates that over 700 distinct tribal groups, or over 104 million people, make up agricultural Indians, or 8.6% of the total. The Indian government has implemented a number of progressive policies, initiatives, and programs to assist these communities in their growth and self-determination. The Ministry of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, the Minor Forest Produce Act, 2005, the Tribal Sub-Plan Planning, and the Scheduled Tribes. The Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) are important initiatives. The goal of these programs is to raise tribal inhabitants’ socio-economic and living standard of the tribal population. The Regulation of Land Acquisition Bill has also been renamed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Bill by the government in order to guarantee improved in tribal population. In the state of Jharkhand especially in tribal communities are facing educational challenges, socio-economic disparities, cultural marginalization, and inadequate infrastructure. These factors create significant difficulty to accessing quality of education for tribal youth in Jharkhand, leading to higher dropout rates and the end of time of poverty cycles in tribal family. However, technological advancements create opportunities to bridge the educational gaps and promote social justice, provided implementing with sensitivity to the local cultural, ethic and values. This paper examines how technology can be used as a tool for empowering tribal youth in state of Jharkhand India. Focusing on its potential to bridge the educational divide while promoting social justice and respecting indigenous knowledge systems. This paper draws upon case studies and interviews with Government officials, educators, community leaders, and students and parents in Jharkhand state to examine how technology, when integrated into local educational frameworks, can empower tribal youth. The findings of the study highlight Governmental and non-governmental technology initiatives in reaching educational outcomes in marginalized tribal youth of Jharkhand. A contextual cultural adaptation in teaching and learning strategies can encourage children to look for higher education. Through this study, the researcher explored the role of technology in imparting equality in education and social justice thereby addressing the issues of existing educational disparities.

Keywords: Tribal youth; Technology; Social justice; Education; Jharkhand; Decolonization; Empowerment; Social equity; Digital literacy; NAPSWI; ISPSW; Analysis; Social work goals; Tribal Community India; Government of Jharkhand; Ministry of Social Justice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-20821-7_15

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-20821-7_15

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