The Constitution of India categorizes the tribes of Assam into two groups: Scheduled Tribes (Hills) and Scheduled Tribes (Plains). Since hills tribes living in the plains and plains tribes living in the hills in large numbers are not recognised as scheduled tribes in the respective places, the census data may not reflect the correct figures. Assamese language is used as the lingua franca by almost all the tribes. According to the 2001 census, Scheduled Tribes made up 12.4 percent of Assam's population.[1] The Assam Tribune reported in 2009 that the tribal communities of Assam were accounted for 15.64 percent of the total population.[2]
According to the 2011 census, Assam has a Scheduled Tribes (ST) population of 3,884,371, which makes up 12.44% of the state's total population. The major Scheduled Tribes in Assam are the Boro (35.06%), Miri (17.52%), Karbi (11.08%), Rabha (7.63%), and Kachari (6.52%).
However, the Scheduled status of these tribes is subject to specific territories. In the autonomous districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, the prominent tribal groups are the Karbi (63.63%), Dimasa (including Kachari) (15.22%), any Kuki tribe (4.94%), and any Naga tribe (4.4%). Outside these two autonomous districts, the main Scheduled Tribes are the Boro (44.96%), Miri (22.46%), Rabha (9.78%), Kachari (including Sonwal) (8.38%), Lalung (6.03%), and Garo (4.49%).
In terms of linguistic demographics, 33.39% of the total Scheduled Tribe population in Assam speak Boro, 24.73% speak Assamese, 15.39% speak Miri/Mishing, 11.31% speak Karbi/Mikir, 4.09% speak Garo, 3.05% speak Dimasa, and 2.55% speak Rabha. Other languages spoken among the Scheduled Tribes include Haijong (26,540 speakers), Lalung (25,373), Deori (24,766), Zemi (19,561), Kuki (18,652), Hmar (17,584), Khasi (11,520), and Bengali (11,163). Additionally, there are speakers of Rengma, Hindi, Pnar/Synteng, Chakma, Nepali, Ao, Thado, Kachari, and Luhasi/Mizo languages.