Tribal Organizations in Assam Oppose ST Status for Six Communities
Consultative Group Submits Recommendations
Guwahati, Jan 7: On Tuesday, the Consultative Group of the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) presented its recommendations to Dr. Ranoj Pegu, the chairperson of the Group of Ministers (GoM), opposing the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in the state, namely Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea tribes.
The recommendations were delivered at 6:30 PM after extensive discussions regarding the November 2025 report from the Committee of Group of Ministers, which evaluated various aspects of reservation for these communities. This Consultative Group was formed during a CCTOA meeting on December 21, 2025.
In their submission, the Consultative Group argued that the GoM's suggestion to include these six communities in the ST list is unconstitutional, lacks historical validity, and is politically driven.
They emphasized that Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are distinct categories under the Constitution, with ST status requiring specific tribal characteristics such as primitive traits, unique culture, geographical isolation, and social backwardness, as outlined by the Lokur Committee in 1965.
The Group contended that none of the six communities fulfill these criteria and have been classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by the National Commission for Backward Classes based on state government research. They deemed the reclassification of these communities as STs by the same government as legally invalid.
Referencing historical documents, the Consultative Group pointed out that various committees since Independence, including the sub-committee of the Constituent Assembly led by Gopinath Bordoloi and the Lokur Committee, have consistently rejected the inclusion of Tea and ex-Tea Garden Tribes in the ST list, primarily because they are not considered indigenous to Assam. Different arguments were presented against the inclusion of Tai Ahoms, Chutias, Morans, Mataks, and Koch-Rajbongshis, all of whom have been integral to mainstream Assamese society.
The submission also criticized the expert committees formed by the Assam government post-2009, alleging a lack of independence and that they were composed of experts chosen by the communities themselves. It also referenced the 2007 rejection of ST status by the Registrar General of India, which stated that the claims made by the state government were mechanical and lacked ethnographic support.
The Consultative Group cautioned that granting ST status to these six communities would significantly undermine the political and constitutional rights of the existing Scheduled Tribes in Assam. They warned that such a decision could negatively impact reservations in panchayats, autonomous councils, autonomous district councils, the state assembly, and Parliament, potentially exceeding the Supreme Court's mandated 50 percent reservation cap.
The Group asserted that the current OBC reservation of 27 percent, along with various autonomous and development councils already established for these communities, sufficiently protects their socio-economic interests. They claimed that the push for ST status is primarily aimed at achieving political reservation.
In conclusion, the Consultative Group urged that the GoM's recommendation to grant ST status to the six communities be entirely rejected and formally communicated to the relevant authorities.
The recommendations were signed by chairperson Suhas Chakma and members, including senior advocates, retired IAS and ACS officers, and Tankeswar Rabha, CEM of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.
Following the upcoming Magh Bihu festival, a delegation from the tribal organizations of Assam plans to travel to Delhi to engage in discussions with national leaders, the Registrar General of India, and the National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes.