Which one of the following Indian states has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population in relation to its total population?

Introduction / Context:
The distribution of Scheduled Tribe population across India varies significantly from state to state. Some north eastern states have very high proportions of tribal communities, often forming a majority of the population. Understanding which state has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population is an important aspect of Indian social and political geography, frequently tested in exams. This question asks you to compare four such states and identify the one where Scheduled Tribes form the largest share of the total population proportionally, not in absolute numbers.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Four states are listed: Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. - The term "highest percentage" refers to the share of Scheduled Tribes in the total population of that state. - We rely on Census based percentages commonly quoted in standard references. - Union territories such as Lakshadweep, which may have higher tribal percentages, are not included in the options.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this, you must recall approximate percentages of Scheduled Tribe population in these states. Mizoram and Nagaland both have very high tribal shares, above 80 percent in many datasets. Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh also have large tribal populations but slightly lower percentages than Mizoram. Among the four, Mizoram typically records the highest share of Scheduled Tribe population in percentage terms, making it the correct choice. The approach is to rank the states mentally by their tribal proportion rather than absolute population size.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that all four listed states are in India's north east and have significant Scheduled Tribe populations. Step 2: Recall that in Mizoram, Scheduled Tribes form an overwhelming majority of the population, with percentages exceeding 90 percent in many references. Step 3: Note that Nagaland also has a very high tribal percentage, but it is slightly lower than Mizoram's share when compared proportionally. Step 4: Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh also have large tribal communities; however, their Scheduled Tribe percentages are lower than those of Mizoram. Step 5: Therefore, among the four options, Mizoram has the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population relative to its total population.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard tables in Indian geography textbooks show that, excluding union territories, Mizoram often tops the list of states by percentage share of Scheduled Tribe population. Even if you do not remember the exact numbers, you may recall that Mizo society is predominantly tribal and that the state was historically formed to address Mizo tribal aspirations. This context helps confirm that Mizoram logically has the highest tribal percentage among the given options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Nagaland, while having a very high tribal percentage, generally ranks slightly below Mizoram in terms of the proportion of Scheduled Tribes in its total population.

Meghalaya has a substantial tribal population but also has non tribal communities, so its overall tribal percentage is lower than that of Mizoram.

Arunachal Pradesh has many tribal groups but covers a large area with diverse communities; its tribal share, though high, does not exceed Mizoram's share in percentage terms.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse absolute numbers with percentages, assuming that a larger state by area or population must have a higher percentage of tribal people. Others may overlook union territories and wrongly think of states like Arunachal Pradesh as automatically having the highest share. Focusing on the keyword "percentage" and recalling which state is predominantly tribal in composition helps avoid such errors. It is useful to remember that Mizoram and some small north eastern states top the list when percentages are considered.

Final Answer:
Among the given options, the state with the highest percentage of Scheduled Tribe population is Mizoram.