Eco-literacy Among Tribal Communities in India: Its Contemporary Relevance

सार

This paper reviews eco-literacy among tribal communities in India and analyses its contemporary relevance. Drawing on the conceptualizations of eco-literacy proposed by Capra and Orr, the study interprets Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) integrated in Indigenous Environmental Knowledge (IEK) systems of Scheduled Tribes as a sophisticated, practice-based form of environmental understanding. Using a Systematic Literature Review, the paper synthesizes empirical and conceptual studies on the depth, transmission, and current status of tribal eco-literacy. Findings reveal that tribal communities possess moderate to profound ecological competence rooted in close interaction with local ecosystems; however, this knowledge system is increasingly threatened by forest detachment, modernization, and intergenerational discontinuity. The review highlights the contemporary relevance of TEK for climate change adaptation and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It proposes curricular infusion, community-linked pedagogies, and teacher competency development grounded in indigenous knowledge systems. The study concludes that strengthening community governance mechanisms, including provisions under the Forest Rights Act (2006), is essential for sustaining India’s ecological knowledge heritage.