Shompen Tribe
PVTG Status and Tribal Protections
The Shompen are one of India's most isolated indigenous communities, residing in the interior forests of Great Nicobar Island. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) — a category used for the most vulnerable tribal communities who have declining populations, a pre-agricultural technology level, and extreme geographical isolation. India recognises 75 PVTGs across 18 states and UTs.
- Population: Estimated 200–300 (highly uncertain due to their isolation)
- Classification: PVTG under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- Key legal protections: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956; Forest Rights Act, 2006; Shompen Policy, 2015
- Shompen Policy (2015): Mandates "minimal interference," requires an Empowered Committee review for large projects affecting their territory, and prohibits outsider contact to prevent disease exposure
- The 6th Schedule of the Constitution (which provides for autonomous district councils in tribal areas) does NOT apply to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — the islands are governed directly as a Union Territory under the Lieutenant Governor
● Tracked since May 03, 2026 · last seen June 09, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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