Feedback

The Process of Including Communities in the Scheduled Tribes List: Guidelines and Procedures

The inclusion of communities in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list in India is a structured process guided by specific criteria and modalities. This ensures that only those communities which genuinely require special assistance and protection are included in the list. Here, we will explore the guidelines, the process of inclusion, and the state-wise status of pending proposals.

Guidelines for Inclusion in the ST List

The Government of India has established clear criteria for the inclusion of communities in the ST list. These criteria are as follows:

1. Indications of Primitive Traits: The community should exhibit primitive traits that distinguish them from the mainstream population.
2. Distinctive Culture: The community should have a distinctive culture, including customs, traditions, and beliefs.
3. Geographical Isolation: The community should be geographically isolated from the mainstream.
4. Shyness of Contact with the Community at Large: The community should exhibit a shyness of contact with the broader community.
5. Backwardness: The community should display economic and social backwardness.

Modalities for Inclusion

The Government of India, through notifications dated 15.6.1999 and further amended on 25.6.2002, has laid down the procedures for the inclusion, exclusion, and modification in the ST list. According to these modalities:

• State Government Recommendation: Proposals for inclusion must be recommended and justified by the concerned State Government.
• Registrar General of India (RGI): The proposal must be concurred with by the RGI.
• National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST): The NCST must also concur with the proposal.
• Legislative Amendment: Only after these concurrences, the proposal is considered for amendment of legislation.

Recent Additions to the ST List

The following communities have been included in the ST list in recent years:

Name of State	Name of Community Included	Name of Act
Chhattisgarh	(a) Abhuj Maria at entry 16	Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, 2013 (No. 24 of 2013) dated 18-9-2013
	(b) Hill Korwa at entry 27
Kerala	Marati (of the Hosdurg and Kasargod Taluks of Kasargod District) at entry 28	Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, 2013 (No. 24 of 2013) dated 18-9-2013

No community has been removed from the ST list since 2013.

State-Wise Pending Proposals

As of the latest update, several proposals for the inclusion of communities in the ST list are still pending. The state-wise breakdown is as follows:

S.No.	Name of the State/UT	Number of Proposals
1	Andhra Pradesh	2
2	Assam	45
3	Arunachal Pradesh	6
4	Bihar	5
5	Chhattisgarh	44
6	Goa	2
7	Jammu & Kashmir	2
8	Jharkhand	17
9	Karnataka	53
10	Kerala	4
11	Madhya Pradesh	14
12	Odisha	85
13	Punjab	41
14	Sikkim	11
15	Tamil Nadu	12
16	Tripura	1
17	Uttarakhand	1
18	Uttar Pradesh	7
19	West Bengal	12
20	Puducherry	7

Conclusion

The process of including communities in the Scheduled Tribes list is comprehensive and rigorous, ensuring that only those communities in genuine need of protection and assistance are included. The criteria and modalities are designed to be thorough, involving multiple levels of review and concurrence before any legislative amendments are made. With several proposals still pending, it is evident that this is an ongoing process requiring continuous evaluation and adjustment.