Decades-Long Aspiration or Political Storm? Assam’s Six Communities on the Cusp of ST Recognition

Assam’s decades-long debate over granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six historically significant communities has reached a pivotal moment, with the report of the six communities formally submitted in the Assam Legislative Assembly today.

Led by cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu, the Committee of Group of Ministers (GoM) prepared a comprehensive document based on exhaustive ethnographic studies, historical research, and consultations with stakeholders. The report lays bare the complex socio-political and cultural dynamics at play while proposing a roadmap for equitable resolution.

The Long-Standing Demand

The six communities at the heart of the debate—Ahom, Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi, Moran, Matak, and Tea Tribes & Adivasi communities—have sought ST recognition for decades, citing indigenous origins, distinct cultural identities, socio-economic backwardness, and limited political representation. Their aspiration dates back to the 1960s, and they are currently classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Over the years, Assam has provided special educational quotas and development support through various Autonomous Councils, including the Moran, Matak, Kamatapur, Tai Ahom, Chutia, and Adivasi Development Councils. The GoM report underscores that these communities have long faced socio-economic challenges and have a legitimate claim to formal recognition as Scheduled Tribes.

The Core Mandate of the GoM

The Committee of Group of Ministers was constituted following recommendations from the Central Government’s M.K. Singla Committee (2018), which had suggested “in-principle approval” for ST status for these six communities. The GoM was tasked with addressing the most contentious aspects locally:

• Determining the quantum of reservation for the six communities.

• Suggesting a revised OBC reservation quota after creating a new ST category.

• Ensuring safeguards to protect the rights, interests, and privileges of Assam’s existing Scheduled Tribes.

The GoM’s deliberations aimed to reconcile the aspirations of the six communities with the rights of existing tribes, creating a framework that balances historical justice, socio-economic equity, and political representation.

Deepening Fault Lines

Chapter 5 of the report reveals intense disagreements between aspirant communities and existing ST groups:

• Opposition from Existing STs: The Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) strongly opposes the blanket inclusion of all six communities. They argue that Assam’s 14 Scheduled Tribes, constituting 12% of the population with 10% ST-Plains reservation, are already socio-economically disadvantaged. CCTOA fears that new ST entrants could disproportionately claim reserved jobs and educational seats, citing the 1996 Koch Rajbongshi Ordinance as precedent.

• Political Representation Concerns: CCTOA warned that new ST members could contest existing ST-reserved parliamentary, assembly, and council seats, potentially diluting political rights of current tribal populations.

• Limited Acceptance: Some existing ST organizations were willing to accept only Moran and Matak communities (geographically confined to Dibrugarh and Tinsukia) and the Koch Rajbongshis of undivided Goalpara, while opposing Ahom and Chutia communities due to their wide distribution and overlap of surnames with the general Assamese population.

Policy Precedents and Challenges

The GoM report chronicles key legislative and administrative developments over the past two decades:

• Assembly Resolutions: Unanimous resolutions in 2004 and 2005 recommended ST inclusion for all six communities and 42 Tea/Ex-Tea Garden tribes.

• Ethnographic Basis: The State Government commissioned detailed reports satisfying the five RGI criteria: primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact, and backwardness.

• Tea Tribes Divide: Internal disagreements persist among Tea and Ex-Tea Garden communities. The All Adivasi Students Association supports ST recognition for the 36 tribes listed in the 2019 Bill, while the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) demands ST recognition for all tea garden communities irrespective of origin.

• OBC Concerns: Other OBC organizations have no objection to these communities moving to the ST list but insist that the 27% OBC reservation quota remain protected.

Three-Tier Classification: A Balancing Act

The GoM proposes a three-fold classification of Scheduled Tribes in Assam to ensure fairness:

• ST (Plains) – Existing Scheduled Tribes of the plains

• ST (Hills) – Existing Scheduled Tribes of the hills

• ST (Valley) – Proposed new category for the six communities

This structure allows reorganization of reservations in Parliament, the Assam Legislative Assembly, and Local Bodies without reducing entitlements of ST (Plains) and ST (Hills). ST (Valley) would include Ahom, Chutia, and Tea Tribes & Adivasi communities, while Moran, Matak, and Koch Rajbongshi of Goalpara fall under ST (Plains) after BTC approval.

Permanent reservation of Lok Sabha constituencies in Sixth Schedule areas, including Kokrajhar (ST-P) and Diphu (ST-H), is recommended to protect political representation. Separate rosters and vacancy registers will be maintained for ST (Valley) in state jobs and educational institutions.

Interim Measures and OBC Reforms

Until ST recognition is formalized, the GoM recommends:

• OBC sub-categorization: The current OBC quota will be divided into seven groups (Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch Rajbongshi, Tea Garden & Adivasi, and remaining OBCs) with pro-rata reservations. A socio-economic survey will facilitate fair distribution, especially for Tea Garden and Adivasi communities.

• Local Body Representation: OBC reservation should extend to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies under Articles 243D and 243T of the Constitution.

• Tea Garden Communities: Thirty-five communities not on the OBC list should be included immediately to enable future consideration for ST or SC status. Inclusion in the OBC list is recommended as an interim measure.

Land, Cultural, and Financial Safeguards

The GoM emphasizes:

• Land protection: Legislation should prevent transfer of land to outsiders and safeguard it for future generations.

• Cultural preservation: Languages, heritage, customs, and religious practices of the six communities should be supported through the Department of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture.

• Financial assistance: Autonomous and development councils receive Rs 125 crore per community, with a ceiling of Rs 25 crore per year, extended for five more years.

Central Government Considerations

At the Central level, ST(P), ST(H), and ST(Valley) cannot be bifurcated for Central employment or education due to the national ST list, meaning all ST candidates from Assam will compete in a single pool. The GoM believes this arrangement will benefit Assam while state-level mechanisms protect local entitlements.

A Decisive Moment for Assam

The report concludes that Assam stands at a decisive moment, with an opportunity to resolve a decades-long aspiration while safeguarding existing ST rights, identity, and political representation. Anchored in constitutional mechanisms, equitable reservation, robust verification, and sustained dialogue, the framework offers a balanced and durable path forward.

Meanwhile, the GoM expressed gratitude to organizations from both the six aspirant communities and existing ST groups, and reaffirmed its commitment to assist the government in implementing the recommendations.

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