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State committed to take steps to uplift SCs, says CM

March 06, 2026 4 min read Polity & Governance Social Issues GS1 GS2
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What Happened

  • Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy affirmed the state's commitment to uplifting Scheduled Castes and stated that the demand for categorization of SCs is justified
  • Telangana became the first state in India to implement SC sub-categorization for reservations in education and government jobs, following the Supreme Court's August 2024 verdict
  • The state government issued a gazette notification on April 14, 2025 (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary) dividing 59 SC communities into three groups
  • Group A (15 castes, most backward): 1% reservation; Group B (Madiga and 18 sub-castes, moderately benefitted): 9% reservation; Group C (Mala and 25 other castes, relatively better off): 5% reservation
  • The sub-categorization is within the existing 15% SC quota, meaning the total reservation percentage remains unchanged
  • CM Reddy indicated that if the SC population increases in the 2026 Census, reservations will be adjusted accordingly

Static Topic Bridges

Supreme Court Judgment in State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024)

In a landmark 6:1 majority verdict on August 1, 2024, a seven-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud held that state governments have the power to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the purpose of reservation. This overruled the 2004 decision in E.V. Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh, which had held that SCs form a homogeneous group that cannot be subdivided.

  • Case: State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024 INSC 562)
  • Bench: Seven-judge Constitution bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud
  • Verdict: 6:1 majority; Justice Bela M. Trivedi dissented
  • Overruled: E.V. Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2005) — which held SCs are a single homogeneous class
  • Conditions: States must provide quantifiable data showing substantial difference in social backwardness between sub-groups; must demonstrate inadequate representation using the metric of "effective representation"
  • Constitutional basis: Sub-classification permissible under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) to achieve substantive equality
  • Dissent: Justice Trivedi argued sub-classification amounts to tinkering with the Presidential list under Article 341, a power exclusive to Parliament

Connection to this news: Telangana's implementation directly flows from this judgment. The state moved within months of the verdict, using quantifiable data on the socioeconomic status of 59 SC communities to create a three-tier classification, becoming the first state to operationalize the Court's ruling.

Article 341 and the Presidential List of Scheduled Castes

Article 341 of the Constitution provides the mechanism for specifying Scheduled Castes. Under Article 341(1), the President, after consultation with the Governor, issues a public notification specifying the castes, races, or tribes deemed as Scheduled Castes in a state. Under Article 341(2), Parliament alone can modify this list through legislation.

  • Article 341(1): President notifies the list of Scheduled Castes for each state after consultation with the Governor
  • Article 341(2): Parliament may by law include or exclude any caste from the scheduled list — state legislatures cannot modify the list
  • The Presidential list is exhaustive and state-specific (the same caste may be SC in one state but not in another)
  • Key distinction established by the 2024 judgment: Sub-classification is different from modification of the list; states can re-arrange benefits within the list without adding or removing any caste
  • Total SC communities nationally: ~1,263 castes across states
  • SC population: ~16.6% of India's total population (Census 2011)

Connection to this news: Telangana's action demonstrates the distinction between modifying the Presidential list (which only Parliament can do under Article 341(2)) and sub-classifying within the existing list for equitable distribution of reservation benefits (which states can now do after the 2024 judgment).

Reservation and Substantive Equality Under the Constitution

The Indian Constitution provides for reservation of seats in educational institutions and public employment for SCs, STs, and OBCs under Articles 15(4), 15(5), and 16(4). The Supreme Court has progressively moved from a formal equality approach to substantive equality, recognizing that treating unequals equally perpetuates inequality. The concept of "creamy layer" within OBCs and now sub-categorization within SCs reflects this evolution.

  • Article 14: Right to equality — "equals should be treated equally, and unequals should be treated unequally"
  • Articles 15(4) and 16(4): Enable the state to make special provisions for advancement of SCs, STs, and socially/educationally backward classes
  • Article 46 (DPSP): State shall promote educational and economic interests of weaker sections, in particular SCs and STs
  • Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992): Established 50% ceiling on reservations and creamy layer concept for OBCs
  • M. Nagaraj v. Union of India (2006): Quantifiable data required for SC/ST reservation in promotions
  • Jarnail Singh v. Lachhmi Narain Gupta (2018): Creamy layer concept extended to SC/ST promotions
  • State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024): Sub-classification within SC/ST permitted for substantive equality

Connection to this news: Telangana's three-tier classification of 59 SC communities into groups based on their relative socioeconomic position represents the practical application of substantive equality, ensuring that the most disadvantaged within the SC category receive proportionally greater access to reservation benefits.

Key Facts & Data

  • State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024): 6:1 majority by seven-judge bench; states can sub-classify SCs for reservation
  • Overruled: E.V. Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2005)
  • Telangana: First state to implement SC sub-categorization (gazette notification April 14, 2025)
  • 59 SC communities divided into 3 groups within the existing 15% SC quota
  • Group A: 15 castes (most backward) — 1% reservation
  • Group B: Madiga and 18 sub-castes (moderate) — 9% reservation
  • Group C: Mala and 25 castes (relatively better off) — 5% reservation
  • Article 341: President specifies SC list; only Parliament can modify it
  • Condition for sub-classification: States must provide quantifiable data on differential backwardness