Andhra Pradesh Governor Enacts Ordinance for SC Sub-Categorisation
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Synopsis
On April 17, Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer enacted an ordinance to implement SC sub-categorisation, categorizing 59 communities into three groups for equitable development and reservation compliance.
Key Takeaways
- Governor S. Abdul Nazeer promulgated SC sub-categorisation ordinance.
- 59 SC communities divided into three categories.
- 1%, 6.5%, and 7.5% reservations for different groups.
- 200-point roster system will be implemented statewide.
- Feedback collected from various caste organizations.
Amaravati, April 17 (NationPress) The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, S. Abdul Nazeer, on Thursday officially enacted an ordinance to facilitate the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) within the State.
According to the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Ordinance, 2025, the 59 SC communities in the State have been classified into three distinct categories based on their population, level of backwardness, and social cohesion.
Following the Governor's endorsement, a Government Order was released by the Law Department.
The Government Order issued by Gottapu Pratibha Devi, Secretary to Government, Legal and Legislative Affairs & Justice, Law Department, states: "The Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Ordinance, 2025 will be published in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette in English, Telugu, and Urdu as Andhra Pradesh Ordinance No.2 of 2025."
The coalition government led by the TDP has enacted this ordinance in compliance with the Supreme Court directive from August of the previous year, aimed at ensuring fair implementation of reservations through sub-categorisation of SCs.
The government has designated 12 castes as Group-I, allocating a 1 percent reservation for these communities. Group-II, consisting of 18 castes, will receive 6.5 percent reservation, while the third group, made up of 29 castes, is entitled to 7.5 percent reservation.
During a Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday, the draft ordinance received approval.
The Cabinet endorsed a proposal from the Social Welfare Department for the classification of SCs to promote integrated and equitable development among the sub-castes.
It was confirmed post-Cabinet meeting that a 200-point roster system will be implemented for sub-categorisation, effective across all 26 districts in the State.
The government gathered feedback and suggestions from various caste organizations.
Considering the 2011 caste census, the entire State will be treated as a singular unit. Following the next census, each district will be evaluated individually.
According to Social Welfare Minister Dola Balaveeranjaneya Swamy, "The ordinance aims to guarantee equitable access to educational and job opportunities for SC communities."
The ordinance was enacted by the Andhra Pradesh government just three days after Telangana initiated the implementation of the Scheduled Caste sub-categorisation Act.
Last month, the Telangana Legislative Assembly approved a bill for the sub-categorisation of SCs, drafted after a one-man commission led by Justice Shamim Akther submitted its findings.
The Act seeks to rationalize the current 15 percent reservation for Scheduled Castes by categorizing the 59 SC sub-castes into three groups based on their inter-se backwardness.
