VIJAYAWADA: The AP Legislative Assembly discussed the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) at length on Thursday, going by the report of the One Man Commission headed by retired IAS officer Rajeev Ranjan Mishra. It decided to implement the SC sub-categorisation by taking the State as a unit at present based on the 2011 Census, and district as a unit after the 2026 Census. Later, the Assembly passed a resolution to include the Budaga Jangam caste in the SC list.
On November 15, 2024, the government constituted the One Man Commission headed by Mishra to study SC sub-categorisation. After touring the 13 erstwhile combined districts, and gathering public feedback, the commission submitted a comprehensive report on March 10, 2025, proposing division of 59 SC sub-groups into three categories.
They include Group 1 - Most Backward (Relli sub-group) with 1.0% reservation, Group 2 - Backward (Madiga sub-groups) with 6.5% reservation, and Group 3 - Relatively Less Backward (Mala sub-groups) with 7.5% reservation within 15%. The proposed system ensures justice for all SC sub-groups. For example, if 100 jobs are available, 8 will go to the Mala community, 6 to Madigas, and 1 to Rellis as per the system.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he is committed to SC categorisation, ensuring justice to all sub-groups.
Assembly resolution will be sent to Centre for approval, says Naidu
He expressed satisfaction that the long-pending issue, which had been debated since he first assumed office in 1995, was finally addressed under his leadership.
He reiterated the NDA government’s commitment to uplifting marginalised communities socially, economically and politically. He announced that the Assembly resolution to include the Budaga Jangam caste in the SC list will be sent to the Centre for approval.
He explained in detail the developments for sub-categorisation, including Manda Krishna Madiga launching a major movement under the banner ‘Madiga Dandora’, appointment of the Justice Ramachandra Rao Commission on September 10, 1996, and the government issuing an order on June 6, 1997, sub-categorising SCs into A, B, C and D groups. The SC sub-categorisation got the assent of the then President KR Narayanan on November 30, 1999, which led to over 22,000 job opportunities for Madigas and other SC sub-groups.
However, in November 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that only Parliament got the authority to decide on SC sub-categorisation. The Usha Mehra Commission, set up by the Centre, later confirmed that the categorisation implemented between 2000 and 2004 yielded positive results. In August 2023, the SC ruled in favour of SC sub-categorisation, he elaborated.
Naidu said he considers it a rare opportunity, and a result of past good deeds to have been part of this 30-year journey. The Supreme Court’s verdict validated his vision for social justice, he said.
Citing the appointment of GMC Balayogi as the Lok Sabha Speaker, and Prathibha Bharathi as the Assembly Speaker, Naidu said the TDP has consistently championed social justice by laying emphasis on political empowerment of Dalits.