Question

‘Tribes should be left alone and they should be allowed to develop in isolation, away from the mainstream.’ This statement is attributed to which of the following Anthropologists :

• A. M.N. Srinivas
• B. N.K. Bose
• C. Verrier Elwin
• D. S.C. Roy

Hint:

Verrier Elwin is closely associated with the “Isolation Policy” for tribes. He believed tribal communities should be protected from excessive outside interference to preserve their culture and traditions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept: The question is related to tribal policy and the anthropological approaches toward tribal development in India. Different anthropologists and social thinkers suggested different methods regarding how tribal communities should interact with modern society and the mainstream population. Some scholars supported:
• Assimilation,
• Integration,
• Isolation,
• Controlled development. Among these approaches, the policy of isolation became strongly associated with the famous anthropologist Verrier Elwin.

Step 1: Understanding the meaning of the statement. The statement says: \[ \text{“Tribes should be left alone and allowed to develop in isolation.”} \] This means:
• Tribal societies should not be disturbed by outside interference,
• Modern civilization should not forcefully enter tribal life,
• Tribes should preserve their own culture and traditions,
• External exploitation should be prevented. This approach is called the: \[ Policy of Isolation \]

Step 2: Identifying the anthropologist associated with isolation policy. The anthropologist most strongly associated with the policy of tribal isolation was: \[ \boxed{\text{Verrier Elwin}} \] Verrier Elwin believed that:
• Tribal communities possessed unique cultural identities,
• Excessive contact with modern society could destroy tribal culture,
• Tribes should be protected from exploitation by outsiders,
• Tribal regions should develop gradually according to their own pace. He famously advocated the idea of: \[ \text{“National Parks for Tribes”} \] where tribal communities could preserve their traditional lifestyle without outside disturbance. Therefore, the given statement is correctly attributed to Verrier Elwin.

Step 3: Analyzing the remaining options carefully. Option (A): \[ \text{M.N. Srinivas} \] M.N. Srinivas was famous for concepts such as:
• Sanskritization,
• Westernization,
• Dominant Caste. He was not associated with the isolation theory of tribal development. Hence, this option is incorrect. Option (B): \[ \text{N.K. Bose} \] N.K. Bose emphasized cultural integration and the relationship between tribes and Hindu society. He did not advocate complete isolation. Therefore, this option is incorrect. Option (D): \[ \text{S.C. Roy} \] S.C. Roy was an important anthropologist and ethnographer who studied tribes such as the Mundas and Oraons. However, he was not particularly known for advocating the isolation approach. Hence, this option is also incorrect.

Step 4: Final conclusion. Since the policy of allowing tribes to remain isolated from mainstream society was advocated by Verrier Elwin, the correct answer becomes: \[ \boxed{\text{(C) Verrier Elwin}} \]