Assam GoM Recommends ST Status for Six More Communities; Proposes New ‘ST (Valley)’ Category

A Group of Ministers (GoM) in Assam has submitted a report proposing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for: Tai Ahoms, tea tribes/Adivasis, Moran, Motok, Chutia, and Koch-Rajbongshi communities.

• Current ST Classification in Assam:
  • ST (Plains): 10% reservation
  • ST (Hills): 5% reservation
• Proposed Changes in Categories:
  • Morans, Motoks, Koch-Rajbongshis (undivided Goalpara area): Recommended for inclusion under ST (Plains).
  • Ahom, Chutia, tea tribes/Adivasis, and Koch-Rajbongshis: Proposed under a new ST (Valley) category.
• Population Context:
  • ST communities currently make up 12.4% of Assam’s population.
  • Communities demanding ST status constitute nearly 27% of the state’s population.
• Procedure for Inclusion in ST List:
  As per 1999 modalities, the process involves:
  1. Proposal by the State/UT Government.
  2. Sent to Union Tribal Affairs Ministry.
  3. Forwarded to Registrar General of India (ORGI) for approval.
  4. Reviewed by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
  5. Sent to the Union Cabinet for amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
• Constitutional Provisions:
  • Article 366(24): Defines “Scheduled Tribes.”
  • Article 342: Empowers the President to specify STs for a state/UT, after consulting the Governor.
  • Changes to the ST list can be made only by Parliament through legislation.
• Criteria for Inclusion (Lokur Committee, 1965):
  The government uses the following indicators to decide inclusion:
  • Primitive traits
  • Distinctive culture
  • Geographical isolation
  • Shyness of contact with the larger community
  • Backwardness

Sources: TH, IE & PIB