The Assam Cabinet has approved the Group of Ministers (GoM) report recommending Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six communities.

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

Process of Listing a Community as Scheduled Tribe (ST)

• State Government Proposal: The process begins when the State or Union Territory government identifies a community seeking Scheduled Tribe status.
  • The State/UT conducts ethnographic and socio-cultural studies, prepares supporting documentation, and submits the proposal to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • The Ministry then forwards the proposal to the Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI) for evaluation.
• Review by the Registrar General of India (RGI):
  • The RGI, functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs, examines the proposal using historical, cultural, and anthropological evidence.
  • If the RGI approves the claim, the proposal is then forwarded to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for further scrutiny.

• Review by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
  • The NCST assesses the community’s eligibility based on factors such as socio-economic conditions, cultural uniqueness, and degree of isolation from mainstream society.
  • After an evaluation, the NCST formally recommends the community’s inclusion to the Union Government.
• Final Approval and Constitutional Amendment
  • Once all institutions concur, the proposal is placed before the Union Cabinet.
  • The Cabinet then initiates an amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
  • The President issues a notification specifying the inclusion or exclusion under the powers granted by Articles 341 and 342.

Benefits of Inclusion in the ST List

• Educational Reservations: Article 15(4) provides for reservation in educational institutions for Scheduled Tribes.
• Reservation in Services: Articles 16(4), 16(4A), and 16(4B) ensure reservation in government posts and services.
• Administrative Safeguards: Article 244, along with the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, provides special protections for tribal areas.
• Local Governance Representation: Article 243D ensures reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in Panchayats.
• Parliamentary Representation: Article 330 provides reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha.
• Access to ST-Specific Government Schemes: Newly recognised communities receive benefits earmarked for Scheduled Tribes under existing government schemes.
  • For example: Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes, Overseas scholarships, National fellowships, concessional loans from the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation.

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