Telangana’s Landmark Sub-Categorization of Scheduled Castes:

🏛️ Theme: Social Justice & Reservation Policy Reform

Category: Constitution | Social Empowerment | GS Paper II
“A New Map of Justice” – Telangana Charts Sub-Categorization Path

🌿 Reflections

On the soil where Ambedkar once sowed the dreams of dignity, Telangana has tilled the lines of law anew.
No longer shall one shadow stretch over many—the light must find the forgotten corners.
In the melody of equality, this sub-categorisation is not a discord—it is a rediscovery of rhythm.

📜 Key Highlights

🧾 Legislative Action:

• Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act 2025 passed and gazetted on April 14, 2025.
• Came into effect on Ambedkar Jayanti, symbolising a commitment to equity.
• Receives legal backing from the Supreme Court ruling of August 2024, validating SC/ST sub-categorisation for equitable redistribution.

🧭 New Classification (Total SC quota remains 15%):

• Group I (Most Backward) – 15 sub-castes → 1% reservation
• Group II (Marginalised) – 18 sub-castes → 9% reservation
• Group III (Relatively Better Off) – 26 sub-castes → 5% reservation

🧠 Empirical Backing:

• Classification based on data from socio-economic indicators: education, employment, and access to benefits.
• Seeks to correct intra-group disparities within the Scheduled Castes.

⚖️ Constitutional Significance:

• Reinforces the Principle of Equality (Article 14) by ensuring equitable share within affirmative action.
• Aligns with the doctrine of “reasonable classification” under Indian constitutional jurisprudence.

🧩 Political Dimension:

• Seen as a strategic move by CM A. Revanth Reddy to consolidate SC & OBC voter blocs ahead of elections.
• Part of a broader policy shift that includes proposal to raise OBC quota to 42%, challenging the 50% ceiling on reservations.

📈 Forward Outlook:

• Will immediately affect job recruitments and educational admissions in the state.
• Reservation percentages may be revised post-2026 Census, reflecting changing population dynamics.
• Likely to trigger national-level debates on sub-categorisation and the future of reservation policy.

🗺️ GS Mapping

💭 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk

“Justice is not in treating the unequal as equal. It is in knowing the difference and healing it with honesty.”
— IAS Monk