Telangana becomes first state to implement SC categorisation

Telangana on Monday issued a government order (GO) on the implementation of Scheduled Castes (SC) categorisation, making it the first state in the country to do so officially, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

The Telangana Government had earlier appointed a commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akther on SC categorisation, which made recommendations that the 59 Scheduled Caste (SC) communities be divided into three groups viz I, II, and III for the total reservations of 15 per cent in government jobs and education.

Quota within quota

SCs in Telangana will now be divided into three categories – Group I, II and III. From the 15% quota meant for SCs, Group I will get 1% reservation, Group II 9%, and Group III 5%

Group I consists of 15 socio-economically backward castes, Group II 18 and Group III 26 such castes

“The following Act of the Telangana Legislature received the assent of the Governor of Telangana on April 8, 2025, and the said assent is hereby first published on April 14, 2025 in the Telangana Gazette for general information," the GO said.

The issuance of GO coincides with the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, architect of Indian Constitution. According to the commission report, group-I one comprising 15 socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged SC communities, are given 1 per cent reservation.

Group-II, including 18 moderately benefited SC communities, are provided a 9 per cent quota while the Group-III comprising 26 significantly benefited SC communities, are given 5 per cent reservation.

Addressing a press conference, the Irrigation Minister, who headed a sub-committee on SC Categorisation, said the first copy of the GO was given to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy this morning.

“From today, from this moment, SC categorisation will be implemented in Telangana in employment and education. We have issued a GO to that extent and gave the first copy to the CM," he told reporters.

“Telangana is the first state to implement the SC categorisation after the Supreme Court’s verdicts," Reddy said, adding all job vacancies in the state government now would be filled according to the sub-categorisation for SCs.

He also said if the SC population goes up in 2026 census, the reservations for it would go up accordingly. — PTI

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