Assam Group of Ministers Report on Scheduled Tribes

A Group of Ministers (GoM) report tabled in the Assam Assembly has recommended full justification for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six OBC communities.

• Communities Seeking ST Status: Tai Ahom, Tea Tribes/Adivasis, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi
• Current Status: Together they form around 27% of Assam’s population and are currently listed as OBC.

Background of the GoM and Its Mandate

• Constitution of GoM: Formed on the directions of the Home Ministry (2019) and has been reconstituted twice.
• Mandate:
  • To determine reservation quantum for the six communities
  • To suggest revised OBC reservation after creating a new ST category
  • To recommend safeguards for existing ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) communities.

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Key Recommendations of the GoM Report

• Creation of Three-Tier ST Classification:
  • New Category: ST (Valley): Recommended for Tai Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes/Adivasis, and Koch-Rajbongshi (excluding those in undivided Goalpara).
  • Current Status: At Present STs are ST(Plains) and ST(Hills) with 10% and 5% reservations respectively.
• Separate Reservation Mechanism for ST (Valley)
  • Distinct Rosters & Vacancy Registers: ST(V) will have its own reservation quotas, independent of ST(P) and ST(H), for all state government jobs and educational institutions.
  • Central Reservations: At the national level, all STs must compete under the single common ST category.
• Parliamentary Representation:
  • Permanent Reservation of Key Seats: Kokrajhar (for ST-P) and Diphu (for ST-H) to remain permanently reserved through constitutional amendment.
  • Additional Reservations: Since adding new ST(V) groups increases Assam’s ST population, additional parliamentary seats must be reserved for ST(V).
• Interim Measures:
  • Sub-Categorisation of OBCs: OBC reservation (27%) to be divided into seven sub-categories – one each for the six communities and one for remaining OBCs.
  • Pro Rata Reservation: Each group to receive reservation based on population size, requiring a socio-economic survey and enumeration.
  • Reservation in Local Bodies: OBC groups to receive reservation in panchayats, municipal bodies, and ULBs.
  • Land Protection Law: State government should enact a law restricting land transfer of the six communities and existing STs to outsiders.

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