Archive · 30 Dec 2025
Jharkhand Adds 'Other' Religion Category After Adivasi Objections
The Jharkhand Education Department added an 'Other' religion category to their school survey after Adivasi groups complained.
The survey, called DAHAR 2.0, collects information about school children aged 3 to 18.
Initially, it only had six religion options, which didn't include Adivasi beliefs like Sarna.
Adivasi leaders said this made their religion invisible and could lead to forced conversion.
The government fixed the survey to include the 'Other' category.
The survey helps the government plan for schools and understand how many children are attending or dropping out.
Jharkhand added an 'Other' religion category to the DAHAR 2.0 survey after Adivasi groups objected.
The survey initially had six religion options, excluding Adivasi beliefs like Sarna.
Adivasi leaders argued that the exclusion could lead to forced conversion and invisibility of their religious identity.
The Jharkhand Education Department modified the survey to include the 'Other' category.
The DAHAR 2.0 survey is used to map enrolment and dropout data for school education planning.
- Who
- Jharkhand Education Department, Adivasi groups, Jharkhand Education Project Council
- What
- Addition of 'Other' religion category in DAHAR 2.0 survey
- When
- After objections were raised by Adivasi groups
- Where
- Jharkhand, India
- Why
- To include Adivasi religious identities like Sarna in the survey
- Survey Name
- DAHAR 2.0
- Organized By
- Jharkhand Education Project Council
- Target Age Group
- 3-18 years
- Initial Religion Options
- Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist
- Added Option
- Other
- Key Objectors
- Adivasi groups, Premshahi Munda, Geetashree Oraon
- Survey Purpose
- Mapping enrolment and dropout data for school education planning