Telangana Pioneers SC Categorisation Initiative

Telangana has become the first state to officially implement Scheduled Castes categorisation with an order dividing 59 SC communities into three groups for reservations. This move aligns with recommendations from a commission headed by Justice Shameem Akther. The legislation coincides with Dr. BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary.

In a landmark decision, Telangana has become the first state in India to implement Scheduled Castes (SC) categorisation officially. The state's government issued an order on Monday detailing the division of 59 Scheduled Caste communities into three distinct groups for reservation purposes.

The decision comes after a commission led by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akther recommended this stratification, which aims to allocate a total of 15 percent reservations among these three groups. The Telangana Legislature accepted these recommendations in February, despite suggestions to exempt the creamy layer from these benefits.

On April 8, 2025, the governor of Telangana gave his assent to the Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservation) Bill, 2025, and the implementation of this order was published in the Telangana Gazette on April 14. The timing of this publication is significant as it coincides with the birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court had ruled in favor of categorisation last year, paving the way for this pioneering move.

(With inputs from agencies.)