Criteria for declaration as a Scheduled Area

• Dhebar Commission 1960 laid criteria to declare area under Schedule V
  • preponderance of tribal population $\ge$ 50%
  • compactness & reasonable size of area
  • underdeveloped area
  • marked disparity in economic standard of people compared to neighboring areas
• later, a viable administrative entity eg district, block or taluk has also been identified as an imp addl. criterion