Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced the state government’s proposed sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, with the 15% SC reservation category divided into three sub-categories. The decision was based on the recommendation of a single-member judicial commission, headed by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akhtar, established in November 2024.
The commission recommended that the 59 sub-castes among the SCs in Telangana be divided into three groups.
Madigas have been placed in Group 2, which has a total of 18 castes said to have moderately benefited from reservations so far. This group is recommended to get 9% reservation.
Malas and 25 other castes which were found to have received better benefits, are in Group 3, with 5% recommended reservation.
The remaining 1% reservation is recommended to be set aside for Group 1, comprising 15 castes which were found to be socially, economically and educationally the most backward.
The judicial commission proposed a preferential model for filling up job vacancies. This means any vacancies notified but left unfilled in Group 1 shall be filled by candidates from Group 2, and those unfilled by Group 2 shall be filled by Group 3. “If suitable candidates are not available in all the groups, the vacancies will be carried forward,” CM Revanth said.
Of the total 59 Scheduled Castes in the state, the following is the recommended sub-categorisation. It has also suggested roster points for the three groups.
In August 2024, the Supreme Court passed a verdict permitting sub-classification within reserved category groups, allowing a quota within quota for castes that are more marginalised within the SC reserved category.
In the Telugu states, Malas and Madigas are two of the major Scheduled Castes. Madigas are numerically the largest sub-caste, comprising 62% of the SC population in the state as per the 2011 Census. However, they are socially and economically disadvantaged in comparison.
Madigas have been demanding sub-categorisation for years, saying Malas have benefited disproportionately from reservation among SCs due to various social and political factors.
The judicial commission also recommended introducing a creamy layer among SCs, which would comprise MLAs, MPs, Zilla Parishad chairpersons, mayors and other public representatives, as well as those employed in Group I services and similar positions in the government. However, the state government has rejected this recommendation, Revanth Reddy said.
The commission was asked to carry out a rational classification of Scheduled Castes in Telangana, with available Census data from 2011. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi questioned why the Census data from 14 years ago was considered, when it was expected that data from the recent caste census carried out in November and December 2024 would be used.
He also asked why the government had accepted the recommended three-way categorisation, when Congress had promised four-way categorisation in its Chevella SC ST declaration before the Assembly polls. The declaration had also promised to provide 18% reservation for SCs. Congress MLA Vivek Venkatswamy, a Mala leader, asked the government to increase the SC reservation to 18%.
Speaking in the Assembly while announcing the SC sub-caste classification, Revanth Reddy said, “The fight for SC sub-categorisation has been ongoing for three decades. As per the Supreme Court verdict, the state government has decided to bring a permanent solution to the sub-classification issue.”
The Justice Shameem Akhtar Commission submitted its report on SC sub-classification to the Telangana Cabinet sub-committee on February 3. The sub-committee was set up to implement the Supreme Court order on the sub-classification of SCs. The report was placed before the Cabinet on February 4.
The judicial commission was asked to assess intra-backwardness among different castes within the SCs, which it took nearly three months to complete.
The commission was asked to study the gaps between the various sub-groups of SCs, with a focus on lack of adequate representation in public employment and education. It was also asked to look at various aspects of social, economic, political and educational backwardness among the sub-groups of SCs.
The commission visited various districts of the state from December 4, 2024 to January 3, 2025 and received 1,082 petitions regarding sub-categorisation. The commission also visited SC habitations in some districts, CM Revanth Reddy said.
It collected data related to population, literacy, employment, admissions to educational institutions, government job appointments, financial assistance and political representation of SCs (59 sub-castes) from all government departments, grant-in-aid institutions and public sector undertakings, he added.
While welcoming the August 1 judgment of the Supreme Court, CM Revanth Reddy had announced in the state Assembly that Telangana would be the first state to implement it. The Chief Minister had said that if necessary the government would issue an ordinance to implement the Supreme Court order in job notifications already issued.
(With IANS inputs)
