Assam Government Revises Two-Child Policy for Specific Communities

Modification of Assam's Two-Child Policy

On Friday, the Assam government announced a revision to its two-child policy, granting exemptions to members of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), tea garden workers, and the Moran and Matu communities.

According to the notification, individuals from these groups with up to three children will now be eligible for government jobs, the opportunity to contest elections, and incentives for self-help groups (SHGs).

The notification, signed by the Commissioner and Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Patibandla Ashok Babu, stated that the two-child requirement has been lifted for select communities, allowing for a maximum of three children effective immediately.

He expressed satisfaction in announcing the amendment to Assam's population and women's empowerment policy for 2025.

The order indicated that amendments have been made to the Assam Population and Women's Empowerment Policy of 2017.

On October 23, the Assam cabinet decided to eliminate the two-child criterion for ST, tea garden, Moran, and Matu communities, with the notification being issued on Friday.

During a press conference following the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the government aims to protect these communities from extinction by exempting them from population control regulations.

He remarked, 'If we remain steadfast on this policy, these populations will lose their unique identity and gradually become extinct over the next 50 years.' The two-child policy was implemented in January 2021 under the Assam Public Service (Application of Small Family Norms in Direct Recruitment) Rules, 2019.