Breaking barriers, building dreams: Onge students clear Class 10

Hubbali: For the first time in history, nine children from the Onge tribe have cleared the Class 10 CBSE examinations and advanced to Class 11.

The Onge, with a population of around 140, are among India's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). They have lived for generations in close harmony with the forests of Little Andaman.

The students — five girls and four boys — have secured admission to RK Pur School, around 20 km (via sea route) from their forested home in Dugong Creek, in the heart of Little Andaman. All nine have opted for the arts stream.

The Onges have been in contact with mainstream society for over a century, with friendly relations first established in 1885.

In the 1970s, they were settled at Dugong Creek and South Bay in Little Andaman. The administration provided them pucca houses, food, clothing and medical support. Today, with quiet determination, the Onges are pursuing higher education.

Unlike the Sentinelese, the Onges, much like the Great Andamanese, have shown a willingness to engage with the mainstream.

Onge students at school

In 2011–12, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) initiative in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, all nine children from the Onge tribe were enrolled in school. The primary school established exclusively for them at the Dugong Creek settlement was upgraded to ensure uninterrupted education.

This transformation has been driven by sustained efforts from the Andaman and Nicobar administration, the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS) constituted in 1976 with special assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, educators and the Onge community itself. This year, these efforts culminated in the admission of these nine Onge teenagers into Class 11.

What stands out most about these children is their clarity of vision. Alagae, one of the students, said he wants to become a forest officer to protect their jungle from encroachment and ensure it remains safe for future generations.

Onge students in classroom

For Otikalai, the path forward is becoming a schoolteacher. "I want to inspire others in our community. If we don't learn, we will be left behind," she said.

Mukesh, another student, dreams of becoming a tribal welfare officer to bridge the gap between tradition and change.

Tribal Welfare Department Secretary Satyendra Singh Dursawat described the achievement as a testament to the extraordinary resilience of the Onge community.

"This turning point is no accident, it's the result of years of groundwork and a governance model that placed tribal welfare at its core," he added.