Genetics of Castes and Tribes of India: A Review of Population Differences in Red and Green Colour Vision Deficiency in India

ABSTRACT The discipline of Biological Anthropology (or Human Biology) incorporates study of biology and environmental factors, as well as the forces of micro-evolution leading to macro-evolution, which ultimately influences the structure of human populations. In the present paper and attempt has been made to study the distribution differences in Red and Green Colour Vision Deficiency in India, which are analysed in relation to ecological, socio-economic and linguistic factors. The frequency of colour defects is 0.036 in population groups of India (males only) which varies from complete absence to 0.231. The validity of the hypothesis of relaxation of selection among different ethnic groups explains to some extent the status of colour blindness in tribal population groups i.e. low frequency among them as compared to other ethnic groups particularly caste groups, but still it has to be substantiated with further data