The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) conducted a large ethnographic study, categorizing 268 denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes, which were previously unclassified.
The study, commissioned by a NITI Aayog panel, identified and recommended the inclusion of 179 communities in various reserved categories like SC, ST, and OBC across 26 States and Union Territories.
Recommendations:
46 communities for OBC status, 29 for SC status, 10 for ST status.
At least 85 communities are recommended for inclusion for the first time.
Major states receiving these recommendations include Uttar Pradesh (19), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The study also suggested corrections for 9 communities already partially classified.
63 communities (20% of those studied) were found to be “not traceable,” possibly due to assimilation into other communities, name changes, or migration.
The report is still under review by the NITI Aayog panel and has been with the Social Justice Ministry since August 2023.
There is growing debate over whether DNT, NT, and SNT communities should be classified under SC, ST, or OBC categories, with some advocating for a separate quota category to address specific discrimination they face.
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