Telangana Becomes First State to Implement Sub-Categorisation of SC Reservation
Hyderabad, 15th April 2025: Telangana has become the first state to implement sub-categorisation within the Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation system, a move that classifies 59 sub-castes into three groups. This historic step coincided with the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on Monday.
The cabinet sub-committee on SC categorisation handed over the first copy of the gazette notification to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with a set of rules governing the implementation of the Telangana SC (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025.
The Telangana Legislative Assembly passed the SC sub-categorisation Bill on March 18, following a landmark decision by a seven-judge Supreme Court bench on August 1, 2024, which upheld the constitutionality of subclassifications within the SC and ST categories.
Key Provisions of the Gazette Notification
The gazette notification outlines the allocation of reservations across three groups:
Group I (15 sub-castes) will receive 1% reservation in education and employment.
Group II (18 sub-castes) will be allocated 9% reservation.
Group III (26 sub-castes) will get 5% reservation.
Minister N Uttam Reddy, who chaired the cabinet sub-committee, lauded the Congress-led government’s efforts. “The Congress government has done what no other party could. While every party expressed verbal support for SC categorisation, none of them moved towards implementation. We have done this in a legal, inclusive, and well-prepared manner,” Reddy said.
He also highlighted the government’s legal preparedness, mentioning that four general orders had been issued to ensure the proper implementation of the sub-categorisation.
Commitment to Social Justice and Future Quotas
Deputy Chief of the sub-committee, Damodar Rajanarasimha, emphasized the government’s dedication to social justice. “We are committed to ensuring the welfare of the SC community. Tomorrow, we will meet Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari and senior officials to review the vacancies across government departments,” Rajanarasimha said. He assured the SC community that the reservation quota would be adjusted according to the increased population figures following the 2026 census. The current sub-categorisation is based on the 2011 census.
He further clarified that the group quotas would include 33% reservation for women. “If any vacancies remain unfilled due to a lack of SC candidates, they will not be passed on to candidates from other communities but will be carried forward. We are making every effort to fill all vacancies promptly,” Rajanarasimha explained. However, he noted that the categorisation would not apply to job notifications issued by the state and central governments before the Act came into force. “In fact, the Congress government has not issued any job notifications since August 1, 2024,” Reddy added.
Dr. Ambedkar’s Legacy
In a statement on social media, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy paid tribute to Dr. Ambedkar, calling the sub-categorisation move a tribute to the architect of India’s Constitution. “On the auspicious occasion of Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, the Telangana government has implemented this important Act of Social Justice, addressing a long-standing demand for the classification of SC sub-castes,” Revanth wrote on X.
This historic development in Telangana is expected to set a precedent for other states considering similar measures to ensure more targeted and effective reservation policies within the SC community.
