Telangana Becomes First State to Implement SC Categorization
Telangana has become the first state in India to implement Scheduled Caste (SC) categorization based on recent Supreme Court orders. The state government has approved three out of four recommendations made by a judicial commission led by Shameem Akhtar.
The commission studied the 59 SC sub-castes and suggested dividing them into three groups based on their social, economic, and educational conditions. The first group includes 15 castes, making up 3.288% of the population. Since this group faces extreme backwardness, the commission recommended 1% reservation for them.
The second group consists of 18 castes, covering 62.748% of the SC population. This group has average development, so the commission suggested a 9% reservation for them. The third group includes 26 castes, representing 33.963% of the SC population, and was recommended to receive a 5% reservation due to their improved conditions.
While accepting these recommendations, the Telangana government rejected the proposal of a “creamy layer” concept. This proposal suggested that the second generation of those already benefiting from reservations should not be eligible for them. Announcing the decision in the Assembly, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy stated, “The government approved the first three recommendations made by the commission. The recommendation on the creamy layer stands rejected.”
The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of SC communities. He assured that further steps would be taken based on the commission’s recommendations.
