Telangana first state to implement SC categorisation, issues orders

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday, April 14, issued an order regarding the implementation of the subcategorisation of scheduled castes after the approval of the Supreme Court.

On March 18, the Telangana Assembly passed the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalization of Reservations) Act 2025, and the Sub Categorization Act received the assent of the Telangana Governor on April 8.

The issuance of GO coincides with the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, architect of the Indian Constitution.

Basis for SC categorisation in Telangana

Telangana health minister Damodar Raja Narasimha said that the categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SC) was being carried out based on social backwardness and preferential treatment for SC communities that have remained disadvantaged for decades.

Speaking during the discussion on the Bill, he said that categorisation was not the ultimate solution but an instrument for the betterment of disadvantaged SC communities. “It needs financial assistance, education and skill development, house sites, and industrial policies in favour of SCs to eliminate socio-economic backwardness of the SC communities,” he said.

He stated that 1,78,914 SCs were being impacted by the categorisation, covering 24 SC communities that make up only 3.43 percent of the total SC population.

Reservation and the Supreme Court’s role

The categorisation was carried out in three groups:

• First group: 15 socio-economically and educationally backward SC communities, comprising 1,71,625 people, given 1 percent reservation.

• Second group: 18 communities, with a population of around 34 lakh, given 9 percent reservation.

• Third group: 26 communities, with a population of 17 lakh, given 5 percent reservation.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s judgment on preferential treatment for the most backward sections, Narasimha said that although the 1.71 lakh people in the first group were supposed to get just 0.5 percent reservation based on their population proportion, the government allocated an additional 0.5 percent due to their ‘intensive backwardness’.

He also cited recommendations from the Lokur Committee (1965), the Justice Ramachandra Raju Commission (1998), the Usha Mehra Commission, and the Supreme Court judgment on August 1, 2024, which paved the way for SC categorisation in Telangana.

Within six months of the judgment, the Telangana government enacted the SC categorisation legislation after forming a cabinet sub-committee and appointing retired Justice Shameem Akhter to lead a one-man commission.

What is SC Categorisation Act?

The Act aims to rationalise the existing 15 percent reservation for Scheduled Castes by categorising 59 SC sub-castes into three groups based on inter-se backwardness. Group 1 comprises 15 of the most disadvantaged communities, constituting 3.288 percent of the SC population, and is allocated a 1 percent reservation.

Group 2 includes 18 moderately benefited communities, forming 62.74 percent of the SC population, and is allotted 9 percent reservation. Group 3 consists of 26 relatively better-off communities, making up 33.963 percent of the SC population, and receives 5 percent reservation.

The Shamim Akhtar Commission, appointed in October 2024 following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on August 1, was tasked with studying socio-economic indicators across SC sub-castes.

The Commission received over 8,600 representations and conducted a detailed analysis of population distribution, literacy levels, higher education admissions, employment trends, financial aid, and political participation. After initial submission, its tenure was extended by a month to address concerns raised by several communities, ensuring that every voice was heard before finalising the report.

Political debates regarding the act

Addressing concerns over caste reclassification, Narasimha cited the Budiga Janga caste, which was placed in the first group due to its low literacy rate and marginalisation, despite having a population of 1,11,000. He explained that having only two groups would create an imbalance, while four groups were deemed unnecessary by the commission.

CPI MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Reddy raised concerns about the Rella community, previously in Category A, now placed in the third group, despite its work in scavenging and sanitation. He urged the government to reconsider its classification.

AIMIM MLA Majid Hussain suggested increasing SC reservations to 18 percent and introducing four categories instead of three.

Telangana civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, on Sunday, April 1,3 chaired the final meeting and reviewed the implementation guidelines based on the recommendations of the Justice Shamim Akhtar Commission and gave its final approval for issuing the government order (GO).

The cabinet sub-committee also rejected the commission’s recommendation to introduce a creamy layer within the SC category.

Uttam Kumar Reddy clarified that the government was committed to ensuring equitable benefits without excluding any sub-group based on economic criteria. He assured that no existing benefits would be diluted and that the categorisation was designed to enhance fairness while protecting the rights of all SC groups.

He also noted that the current 15 percent reservation for SCs is based on the 2011 Census, whereas the SC population in Telangana has since grown to approximately 17.5 percent. He stated that the Congress government would consider increasing the total reservation once data from the 2026 Census becomes available.