Telangana to Implement Sub-Classification of Scheduled Castes into Three Groups

Hyderabad, Feb 5: The Telangana government has announced the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) into three groups for the equitable distribution of 15% reservation in the state.

The move follows recommendations from the one-member Judicial Commission, led by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akhtar.

As per the report tabled by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in a special Assembly session on Tuesday, 59 SC communities have been divided into three groups based on their social, economic, and educational backwardness:

Group I: Includes 15 most backward SC communities, constituting 3.288% of the SC population. The Commission has recommended 1% reservation for this group.
Group II: Includes 18 moderately benefited SC communities, forming 62.74% of the SC population. The Commission has suggested 9% reservation for this category.
Group III: Comprising 26 communities that have largely benefited from reservations, covering 33.963% of the SC population. The recommendation is 5% reservation for this group.

Key Communities and Reservations

The Madiga community, which constitutes 61.967% of the total SC population, has been included in Group II. The Malas and Mala Ayawaru communities, forming 29.265%, have been placed in Group III.

Historical Decision

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy emphasized that the demand for sub-categorization of SC reservations has been ongoing for three decades. He stated that the Congress party has always championed Dalit empowerment, making this a historic moment in his political career.

"I am happy that I got this opportunity. This will be forever etched in history," he said, recalling that he was previously expelled from the Assembly for advocating SC sub-categorization.

Judicial and Legislative Process

The Judicial Commission submitted its findings to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Monday. Following approval from the state Cabinet, the report was formally tabled in the Assembly.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, was constituted on September 12, 2024, to implement the Supreme Court’s order on SC sub-classification. The Judicial Commission was formed in October to study intra-backwardness among SC communities and align the classification with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Telangana is set to become the first state in India to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling on SC sub-classification, marking a significant step in social justice and equitable distribution of reservations.