Question : INCLUSION INTO SC LIST



(a) the criteria laid down for inclusion of a community/ caste in the list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes and the procedure followed for the purpose;

(b) whether the Government has received proposals from various States for inclusion of extremely backward communities/castes in the Central List of Scheduled Castes;

(c) if so, the details thereof, community/ caste and State-wise;

(d) whether all the formalities have been completed in this regard; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the time by which such communities/ castes are likely to be accorded SC status?

Answer given by the minister



MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI VIJAY SAMPLA)

(a) The criteria and procedure followed for inclusion of a community/ caste in the list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes are as Under:-

 
(i) Criteria

Scheduled Castes(SCs):-
Extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of traditional practice of untouchability.

Scheduled Tribes(STs):-
Indication of primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with community at large and backwardness.

Other Backward Classes (OBCs):-
Social, educational, economic backwardness and inadequate representation in the Central Government posts and services.

(iii) Procedure:-
SCs and STs are specified under the provisions of Articles 341 & 342 of the Constitution of India respectively. Further, Government has laid down Modalities in June, 1999, as amended in June, 2002 for processing of modifications in the lists of SCs and STs. The Modalities envisage that only such proposals of the concerned State Governments/ Union Territory Admini- strations, which have been agreed to by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), in the case of SCs, and RGI & National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in the case of STs, are further processed in accordance with provisions of clause (2) of Articles 341 and 342 respectively. Inclusion of communities/ castes in the Central List of OBCs is done on the advice of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) as envisaged in Section (9) of NCBC Act, 1993.


(b) to (e): State-wise details of proposals received for inclusion of communities/ castes in the list of Scheduled Castes during last and current years are as under:-
 
State Castes/ communities recommended for inclusion 2014 2015
Bihar Bind - Haryana (1) Aheria, Aheri, - Heri, Naik, Thori, Turi, Hari (2) Rai Sikh (3) Banjara, (4) Dhobi, Dhobirajak Karnataka - Kotekshatriya, Kotegara, Koteyava, Rama Kashtriya, Koteyara, Serugara, Servegara Maharashtra Kaikadi - West Bengal Chain -
Above proposals have been processed in accordance with Modalities. As the proposal in respect of Naik, Banjara, Dhobi, Dhobirajak castes of Haryana were not supported by the Registrar General of India (RGI), accordingly, they have been returned to the State Government to review or further justify their recommendation in the light of observations of the RGI. The proposals of Bind caste of Bihar, Kaikadi caste of Maharashtra and Kotekshatriya, Kotegara, Koteyava, Rama Kashtriya, Koteyara, Serugara, Servegara castes of Karnataka have been sent to the RGI for comments. The proposal of Chain community of West Bengal and Aheria, Aheri, Heri, Thori, Turi, Hari, Rai Sikh castes of Haryana have been sent to National Commission for Scheduled Castes for comments.

As any amendment in the list of Scheduled Castes can be made only by an Act of Parliament, in view of clause (2) of Article 341 of Constitution of India, no time frame can be assigned in the matter.

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