An expert panel that examined the Telangana caste survey conducted during 2024–25 has found that 135 of the state’s 242 castes are more backward than the state’s average Comprehensive Backwardness Index (CBI).
The Independent Expert Working Group (IEWG), chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, said Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are about three times more backward than General Castes. The findings were part of the Telangana Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey 2024, which was released by the state government on Wednesday night.
The nine-member IEWG, constituted in March 2025, was tasked with verifying, analysing and interpreting the survey data.
According to the group, the weighted average CBI score for the state is 81, with higher scores indicating greater backwardness. It noted that 135 castes—making up 67% of the population—have scores above this average.
Among them are 69 Backward Classes, 41 Scheduled Castes and 25 Scheduled Tribes. The report also stated that all 18 General Castes, which account for about 12% of the population, fall below the state average CBI.
The panel emphasised that “every backward caste is not equally backward,” highlighting variation within categories. It added that the remaining 107 castes fall below the state average in backwardness, comprising 18 Scheduled Castes, 7 Scheduled Tribes, 64 Backward Classes and all 18 General Castes. These groups together account for about 29% of the population.
(With inputs from PTI)