The debates on method of integration and regarding the places to be accorded to tribal in Indian society revolved around  two  major  approaches.

a.       One  was  to  leave  the  tribal  people  alone,  uncontaminated  by modern  influences

b.      Second  approach  was  that  of  assimilating  them  completely into  Indian  society which would entail loss of tribal identity and culture.

· Tribals should develop along the lines of their own genius, and the imposition of alien values should be avoided.

· Tribal rights in land and forest should be respected.

· Teams of tribals should be trained in the work of administration and development.

· Tribal areas should not be over administered or overwhelmed with a multiplicity of schemes.

· Results  should  be  judged  not  by  statistics  or  the  amount  of  money  spent,  but  by  the  human character that is evolved.

Further,  to  give shape to the government’s policy, a beginning was made in the Constitution through Article  46  (State  shall  promote  education  and  economic  interests  and  prevent  social  injustice  against SCs/STs) along  with  special  legislations,  special  responsibility  to  governors,  full  political  rights  to  tribal were some significant steps taken.

However, in spite of various Constitutional safeguards and the executive efforts of the Central and state governments,  the  welfare  of  tribals  have  been  very  slow. Except in Northeast,  the  tribal  continue  to  be poor, indebted, landless and unemployed. The problem lies in weak execution of well-intentioned measures, divergence between Central and state government policies, denial of justice to tribal due to their unfamiliarity with the laws, non-adherence to laws  preventing  transfer  of  lands  to  outsiders,  accelerated  natural  resource  exploitation  and  neglect  of tribal education has worsened the condition.