Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Jharkhand
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
India has a very rich diversity of tribal or Adivasi communities, many of which are concentrated in central and eastern parts of the country. Questions that list several tribe names together often aim to test whether the student can associate them with the correct core state or region. This question mentions Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Gond and Asur and asks where you would find them in a characteristic cluster.
Given Data / Assumptions:
• The tribes listed are Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Gond and Asur.
• Options include the states of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
• Each of these tribes may have a wider spread, but the question looks for the main concentration.
• We assume standard information from Indian social and regional geography.
Concept / Approach:
Several of the tribes mentioned, especially Oraon, Munda, Santhal and Asur, are classically associated with the Chota Nagpur Plateau region, which is largely covered by the state of Jharkhand. While the Gond tribe spreads across a large belt including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, there are also Gond populations in adjacent areas. When four out of five communities in the list strongly belong to the Jharkhand and Chota Nagpur region, the most appropriate single state answer is Jharkhand.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Link Oraon, Munda and Santhal in your mind with tribal belts of Jharkhand and adjoining regions of eastern India.
Step 2: Remember that Asur is a smaller tribal group also associated with parts of Jharkhand and the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
Step 3: Note that Gond is a large tribe spread across central India, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states, and some presence extends towards Jharkhand.
Step 4: Compare the options. Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra do have tribal populations but are not the central home for most of the listed names at once.
Step 5: Jharkhand stands out as the state where Oraon, Munda, Santhal and Asur are all strongly represented, making it the best collective answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Ethnographic maps and census based descriptions of tribal populations show that Jharkhand has very high percentages of Oraon, Munda and Santhal communities. It is also part of the historical homeland of the Asur tribe. While Chhattisgarh is often associated with Gonds, it does not equally cover the other four communities. Therefore, for a grouped question using these five names, Jharkhand is the state most commonly given in exam keys.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Chhattisgarh has large Gond populations but is less strongly associated with Munda, Santhal and Asur, so it does not match the full list.
Andhra Pradesh has several tribal groups in the Eastern Ghats, but the specific combination of Oraon, Munda, Santhal and Asur is not characteristic there.
Maharashtra also hosts tribal groups and Gonds in some areas but is not the primary homeland of the majority of tribes listed in the question.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes focus on just one name such as Gond and choose a state known for that tribe, ignoring the rest of the list. The better strategy is to look for the state that can reasonably be associated with most or all of the communities in the question. For exam purposes, that state is Jharkhand for the combination of Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Gond and Asur.
Final Answer:
Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Gond and Asur are most characteristically found in the state of Jharkhand.
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