Step 1: Contrast with caste society:
Unlike caste groups, which are ranked within a single hierarchical Hindu social order, tribal communities historically had their own autonomous social, economic and religious systems, separate from that hierarchy.
Step 2: Give the constitutional angle:
The Indian Constitution recognises such communities as "Scheduled Tribes" under Article 342, entitling them to specific welfare safeguards and reservations.
Final Answer:
A tribal community is a kinship-based, territorially and culturally distinct group living largely outside the mainstream caste hierarchy, constitutionally recognised as a Scheduled Tribe.