Mon Jan 20 22:32:55 IST 2025: ## Major Study Recommends Hundreds of Indian Tribes for Inclusion in Caste-Based Lists

**New Delhi, January 20, 2025** – A landmark three-year ethnographic study has recommended the inclusion of 179 previously unclassified nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes in India’s Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBC) lists. The research, conducted by the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), categorized 268 denotified, nomadic, and semi-nomadic tribes (DNTs, NTs, and SNTs), many of which were previously thought to be unclassified.

The study, commissioned by a NITI Aayog panel, proposes adding 46 communities to the OBC list, 29 to the SC list, and 10 to the ST list. Uttar Pradesh saw the highest number of recommended additions (19), followed by eight each in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The study also suggested reclassification for nine communities and noted that 63 (over 20%) were “not traceable,” likely due to assimilation, name changes, or migration.

While the Social Justice Ministry reportedly received the report in August 2023, it remains “pending” with the NITI Aayog for scrutiny. This delay comes amidst growing uncertainty regarding the next Census and the enumeration of caste, fueling demands for quota adjustments to reflect current population proportions. The government’s inclusion/exclusion process requires state-level proposals before approval from the Registrar General and relevant National Commissions.

Interestingly, the Development and Welfare Board for DNT, NT, SNT communities (DWBDNC) is questioning the study’s premise of classifying these groups within existing SC, ST, and OBC categories. They advocate for a separate quota, arguing that the current system perpetuates discrimination.

The extensive study involved meticulous research, including literature reviews, field trips, and meetings with officials and community members. Researchers highlight the challenges faced, including the difficulty in locating several communities. The study, initiated in February 2020, concluded in August 2022. The NITI Aayog panel overseeing the project includes the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog and former head of the National Commission for DNTs, NTs, SNTs.

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