**Summary:**
This policy statement, issued by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on July 23, 2025, clarifies the process for reclassifying Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-nomadic communities (DNTs) as Scheduled Tribes (STs). Responding to a question from Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey stated that the Government of India established modalities on June 15, 1999, amended on June 25, 2002, and September 14, 2022, for managing inclusion, exclusion, and modifications to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) lists. These modalities require proposals to be recommended and justified by the relevant State Government or Union Territory (UT) Administration, and concurred with by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). Legislative amendments will only be considered based on these approved modalities. The concerned State Government's recommendation is a prerequisite for further processing. The same modalities apply to the notification of DNT communities as STs. The process for including communities in a State or UT's ST list is ongoing, involving examination by the RGI and the NCST. If the RGI does not recommend a proposal, the State Government receives communication outlining the RGI's concerns, allowing for additional information to be submitted. Consequently, multiple proposals may be under review at various stages.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribes.
Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu: Member of Parliament who asked the unstarred question related to reclassification of communities.
Shri Durgadas Uikey: Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs who provided the written reply in Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha: The Upper House of the Indian Parliament, where the question was answered.
Scheduled Castes: A group of historically disadvantaged communities recognized by the Indian Constitution.
Scheduled Tribes: A group of historically disadvantaged indigenous communities recognized by the Indian Constitution.
Registrar General of India: An office under the Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for census and registration of births and deaths; provides input on inclusion/exclusion in SC/ST lists.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: A constitutional body in India that advises on the socio-economic development of Scheduled Tribes.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
RECLASSIFICATION OF DENOTIFIED, NOMADIC,
AND SEMI-NOMADIC COMMUNITIES
Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 4:10PM by PIB Delhi
Replying to an un-starred question of Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu, 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
actions on the proposals are taken as per these approved modalities. The recommendation of the concerned
State Government is a pre-requisite to process the case further. The modalities mentioned above will be the
same for notification of denotified, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities as Scheduled Tribes.
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, maybe furnished by the
State Government. Many such proposals may therefore remain under examination at different levels. .
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RN/
(Release ID: 2147313)