Why in news
The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) have categorized 268 denotified, semi-nomadic, and nomadic tribes across the country.
After a three-year study, 179 communities are recommended for inclusion in SC, ST, and OBC lists, with 85 being classified for the first time.
63 communities were found “not traceable” due to assimilation, name changes, or migration.
The classification was conducted as part of a larger effort following the recommendations of the Idate Commission (2017).
Why was the study needed?
The Lokur Committee (1965), Mandal Commission (1980), Renke Commission (2008), and Idate Commission (2017) all attempted to classify these communities but were unsuccessful in fully identifying them.
The Prime Minister’s Office set up a Special Committee in 2019 to address the classification issue, with AnSI and TRIs conducting the ethnographic study.
The study was essential to ensure these communities can access benefits and welfare schemes meant for SC, ST, and OBC groups.
What is the need for categorization?
A December 2022 Parliamentary report criticized the government’s delays in categorizing these communities, noting it worsened their struggles to access welfare benefits.
Misclassifications, stemming from early censuses during colonial times and political considerations, made it hard to organize these communities effectively.
Community activists and experts emphasized that without a clear classification, organizing these tribes for social welfare has been challenging.
What will be the impact?
The classification has sparked political debates, with activists in states like UP, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat pushing for inclusion in SC, ST, and OBC lists.
Two main views have emerged: one advocates completing the classification for access to reservation benefits, while the other calls for a separate “denotified tribes” category in the Constitution.
The study's recommendations will guide State governments in deciding whether and how to include these tribes in welfare programs.
What next?
AnSI and TRIs have completed their ethnographic study and submitted it to the Special Committee.
The committee is currently reviewing the recommendations and will prepare a final report, which the government will use to make decisions on classification and inclusion.
COMMENTS