Government to streamline procedure, change criteria for classification of communities as Scheduled Tribes

The govt has decided to streamline the procedure and change the criteria for classification of communities as Scheduled Tribes (STs) from primitive traits to neutral socio-economic elements. Proposals sent by states, which took years to be considered, would now have to be disposed of within six months with a committee of secretaries keeping a watchful eye on the process.

As recommendations from the states pour in, the decision to streamline is likely to come up for Cabinet approval this month. The criteria for inclusion of a community in the STs list would also be changed.

At present, there are five criteria-primitive traits, distinctive culture, shyness of contact, geographical isolation and backwardness. The govt has reworked these to include socio-economic and educational backwardness, and autonomous religious practices.

Government sources indicated that the criteria of "primitive traits" would also be rephrased to ensure it does not sound derogatory. The criteria of geographical isolation is likely to be reworked to include interaction with other tribal communities, especially with other Scheduled Tribes.

Under the new rules, a state government would now send its proposal for inclusion of a community as ST to the ministry of tribal affairs, which would take the views of the Registrar General of India, Anthropological Society of India and the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) simultaneously. No authority would have the power to veto the state's recommendation. These views would then be placed before a committee of secretaries, headed by secretary of tribal affairs and including secretaries of social justice and empowerment, legal affairs, home ministry and culture. This committee would take a decision. If it accepts the state's recommendation for inclusion of a community as ST, a Cabinet note would be prepared. This process would mandatorily be wrapped up in six months.

At present, proposals from states, some of which are politically sensitive, are kept pending for years. A proposal is sent to tribal affairs ministry, which takes the opinion of the Registrar General of India and NCST, both of which have the power to veto the recommendation. According to sources, the government is moving swiftly on the proposal as the decision would directly affect the status of 26 tea tribes and five communities in Assam, which goes for assembly polls next year. The proposals for according ST status to the communities were sent in 2013 but could not be considered till the changes in criteria of classification.

Dalit activists, however, are sceptical about the move. Ramesh Nathan, general secretary of National Dalit Movement for Justice, said, "This is a very big move. The government should take the states on board before making any changes in the criteria. Also, giving such powers to a committee of secretaries would not be correct. There was a reason why certain powers were given to the Registrar General of India." One of the biggest changes in the procedure would be notification of a tribe as Scheduled Tribe only in Devanagiri script. At present, the notification as STs is done in English and presents practical problems in giving reservation.

A source told ET, "There are different ways to pronounce a community when it is written in Roman script. So, we have made it mandatory to do the classification in Devanagiri script now. The states would be asked to send the recommendation only in Devanagiri script."

The process of streamlining the criteria and procedure of inclusion of communities in STs was initiated in February 2014 under the UPA government.

The Centre plans to decide on quota requests within six months. Everyone should be happy with a quick 'yes' or 'no'. Which also makes this the perfect time to put in place a system by which the aspect of 'till how long' is introduced into existing quotas. Affirmative action is one thing. But deciding how long a community needs to be provided reservations till it catches up with the rest is crucial to make quotas mean anything more than political sop-giving. Set a time limit for communities to be declared 'healed' and without the need of a quota 'crutch'.

Source:-The Times of India