**Summary:**
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has outlined the procedures for including communities/castes in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list in Tamil Nadu. The process adheres to modalities established by the Government of India on June 15, 1999, further amended on June 25, 2002, and September 14, 2022. These modalities stipulate that proposals for inclusion, exclusion, or modification to ST lists require recommendation and justification from the concerned State Government/UT Administration, concurrence from the Registrar General of India (RGI), and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). The State Government's recommendation is a prerequisite for further processing. Currently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is considering a proposal for the inclusion of the Valmiki community in the ST list of Tamil Nadu. Proposals undergo examination by the RGI and subsequently by the NCST. If the RGI does not recommend a proposal, the State Government receives communication regarding the RGI's concerns, allowing for the submission of additional information. The inclusion process is ongoing, and proposals may be under examination at various levels.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribes.
Tamil Nadu: A state in southern India, relevant to the inclusion of communities/castes in the Scheduled Tribes list.
Dr M Thambidurai: A person who asked an unstarred question related to the inclusion of communities in the ST list.
Shri Durgadas Uikey: The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs who provided a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha: The upper house of the Parliament of India, where the minister provided a written reply.
Registrar General of India: An organization that provides demographic data and is consulted on modifications to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes lists.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: A constitutional body in India that advises on the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribes.
Valmiki community: A community for which a proposal for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list of Tamil Nadu has been received.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
INCLUSION OF COMMUNITIES/CASTES IN ST
LIST IN TAMIL NADU
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 4:15PM by PIB Delhi
Replying to an un-starred question of Dr M Thambidurai , the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri
Durgadas Uikey stated in a written reply in Rajya Sabha that government of India on 15.6.1999 (further
amended on 25.6.2002 and 14.9.2022) has laid down the modalities for deciding the claims for inclusion in,
exclusion from and other modifications in Orders specifying Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes lists. As
per the modalities, only those proposals which have been recommended and justified by the concerned State
Government / UT Administration and concurred with by Registrar General of India (RGI) and National
Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) are to be considered and legislation amended. All action on the
proposals is taken as per these approved modalities. The recommendation of the concerned State Government
is pre-requisite to process the case further.
The Ministry of tribal affairs has received the proposal for inclusion of Valmiki community in the Scheduled
Tribes list of Tamil Nadu. The proposals for inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes of a State or Union
Territory follow certain processes as per the modalities. This is a continuous process. The proposals are
examined by the Office of the RGI and then by the NCST. In case the proposal is not recommended by the
RGI, the State Governments are communicated the points raised by the RGI, so that additional information, if
any, may be furnished by the State Government. Many such proposals may therefore remain under
examination at different levels.
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RN/
(Release ID: 2147320)