International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

“Negotiating Tribal Identity in Formal Schooling Systems” : The Sociology of Non-Formal Education.

This paper investigates the sociological significance of non-formal education in conserving tribal identity and shaping aspirations among India’s indigenous communities. Drawing upon qualitative and ethnographic insights, it argues that non-formal educational spaces—rooted in community practices, skill-based learning, and indigenous knowledge systems—serve as transformative platforms that simultaneously strengthen cultural identity and enhance pathways for social and economic mobility. While formal schooling often alienates tribal learners through linguistic barriers and culturally distant pedagogy, non-formal education offers culturally resonant learning opportunities that support community empowerment. This study demonstrates how non-formal educational initiatives challenge dominant narratives of tribal marginality by fostering agency, leadership, and alternative developmental imaginaries. The paper concludes that non-formal education enables tribal communities to negotiate modernity on their own terms, blending tradition with contemporary aspirations. Keywords: Non-formal education, Tribal identity, Aspirations, Indigenous knowledge, Agency, Modernity, Tribal communities, Informal learning, Sociology of education.