The Sahariya tribal society in Madhya Pradesh is facing an uphill battle to preserve its rich mother tongue and regional dialect. Situated in rural areas of Gwalior and Chambal divisions, the Sahariya community has been struggling due to the lack of linguistic teachers to facilitate their education. As a result, many children from the community have been forced to abandon their schooling, leading to rampant illiteracy and malnutrition issues. In this special report, The Mooknayak sheds light on the challenges faced by the Sahariya tribe and their urgent need for educational support.

Abandoned Education and Dwindling Literacy Rates

Sapna Saharia, hailing from the village of Naron in Ashoknagar district, had to drop out of school midway due to a lack of incentives for education and the language barrier. Like many children from the Sahariya society, Sapna faced difficulties in understanding the language used in schools, leading to a staggering dropout rate of nearly 15 percent within the community. Her father, Karan Saharia, expressed his concern over the absence of linguistic teachers, which ultimately contributed to the unfortunate situation of children abandoning their education.

Language Barriers Hindering Education

In 2015, Bhansingh Saharia was appointed as a linguistic teacher in Naron village, where he played a crucial role in encouraging children to attend school. By teaching in the regional language and dialect of the Sahariya tribe, Bhansingh successfully bridged the communication gap and motivated children to embrace education. However, this initiative was short-lived as the government discontinued the scheme, leaving the community once again grappling with language barriers.

Preserving Dialect and Breaking the Chains of Illiteracy

The Sahariya society, predominantly residing in rural and forested areas, predominantly converse in their native dialect due to limited external interactions. This linguistic isolation also extends to children, further detaching them from mainstream education. By imparting education in their mother tongue, linguistic teachers were instrumental in integrating these children into the education system, only to face an abrupt halt to their efforts. It is unfortunate that some forces seek to keep the Sahariya community away from the transformative power of education.

Saharia: Among the Most Backward Tribes

The Saharia tribe has been classified as one of the most backward tribes under the PVTGS ( Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) category. A significant factor contributing to their underprivileged status is the lack of access to education. The Saharias predominantly employ traditional agricultural techniques, leading to limited growth and severe malnutrition issues. Within the country, approximately four lakh tribal individuals suffer from extreme backwardness, with a substantial portion belonging to the Sahariya community.

Three Tribes Struggling Against Backwardness

Imtiaz Khan, a research fellow in the Department of Sociology, BU, highlighted that there are 75 severely underprivileged tribes across 18 states. Among these, three tribes in Madhya Pradesh, namely Vaiga, Bhariya, and Saharia, face considerable hardships due to low educational attainment and regional dialect usage, which further alienates them from educational opportunities.

Confronting Malnutrition: Saharias' Perilous Plight

Shivpuri and Sheopur districts, which house a significant Sahariya population, grapple with the highest malnutrition rates in the state. The Sahariya community in these regions bears the brunt of malnutrition, despite various efforts by the administration and women and child development initiatives. However, the outcomes have fallen short of expectations.

The Fight for Linguistic Teachers: A Call for Action

In a determined move, members of the Sahariya community from the Gwalior-Chambal division embarked on a 400 km journey on foot to reach the state capital, Bhopal. This demonstration aimed to draw attention to the unfulfilled promise of appointing 286 linguistic teachers made by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2017. The demand to reinstate linguistic teachers on the same posts has been amplified, with an ultimatum set for the government to respond by August 10. Should the authorities fail to meet their demands, the community threatens to engage in an indefinite hunger strike.