Telangana has become the first state to implement sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes for targeted reservations, following the Supreme Court’s 2024 verdict upholding such classification. The move aims to ensure equitable access to opportunities for the most marginalised SC sub-groups.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity & Governance)
Legal and Constitutional Context
- SC Categorisation Legally Validated: Follows the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment (Aug 1, 2024), which upheld the constitutionality of sub-classifying SCs/STs for targeted reservation within communities.
- Act Enacted: Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025 implemented through gazette notification.
- Effective From: April 14, 2025 (Ambedkar Jayanti) — symbolically chosen to align with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision.
Key Features of Categorisation
- Total SC Sub-Castes: 59
- Three-Group Model based on empirical data (socio-economic, educational, employment, political):
- Group I: Most Backward SCs
- 15 sub-castes
- 0.5% of SC population
- Reservation: 1%
- Rationale: Over-representation not needed; instead, targeted upliftment through higher per-capita allocation.
- Group I: Most Backward SCs
- Group II: Marginally Benefitted SCs 18 sub-castes Reservation: 9%
- Group III: Relatively Better-Off SCs26 sub-castesReservation: 5%
Impact on Recruitment & Administration
- Govt. Jobs: Future recruitment will strictly follow this categorisation.
- Retrospective Non-Applicability: Does not apply to already notified vacancies.
- Youth Encouraged: Govt calls on SC youth to make use of these targeted opportunities.
Continuity & Change in Classification
- No Major Shakeup:
- 33 sub-castes retained their earlier categories.
- Only 26 sub-castes (3.43% of SC population) underwent reclassification.
Empirical & Policy Foundations
- Based on:
- Socio-economic and educational surveys
- Political representation and public employment trends
- Guided by data-driven social justice principles
Future Course
- Post-2026 Census Review:
- Govt plans to revisit and possibly enhance SC reservations based on fresh data.
- Signals dynamic policy rooted in demography and equity.
National Significance
- First State in India to operationalise SC categorisation post-SC verdict.
- May act as a template for other States considering similar steps.
- Reflects a shift from monolithic treatment of SCs to intersectional affirmative action.
Critical Takeaways
- Equity over Equality: Recognises internal stratification within SCs to ensure meaningful representation.
- Landmark Policy Moment: Represents a progressive realignment of reservation policy to address deepest layers of deprivation.
- Constitutional Morality in Action: Upholds Ambedkarite vision of justice through institutional mechanisms.
