Jaipur: Several Dalit and tribal organisations in Rajasthan have intensified their campaign for the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), arguing that reservation benefits have not been distributed equitably among all communities. The groups are also demanding the introduction of a creamy layer principle within SC/ST reservations.
The campaign, led by the Aarakshan Upvargikaran Sangathan and supported by several Dalit and tribal outfits, is based on the contention that only a limited number of communities have substantially benefited from reservation since Independence, while several socially and economically disadvantaged groups remain underrepresented in education and government employment.
Rajesh Panchoriya, state coordinator of the Sangathan, claimed that four of Rajasthan’s 59 SC communities, Kohli, Meghwal, Jatav and Bairwa, have cornered a disproportionate share of reservation benefits. He also alleged that these communities receive most of the tickets given by major political parties for the state’s 34 SC-reserved Assembly constituencies.
According to the groups, similar disparities exist within the ST category. Arvind Bheel of the Bheel Vikas Sansthan claimed that more than 90 per cent of ST reservation benefits in Rajasthan are taken by the Meena community, leaving several other tribal groups with little representation in government services.
The organisations argue that sub-categorisation would allow communities that have remained severely underrepresented to receive a greater share of benefits within the existing reservation framework, rather than increasing or reducing the overall quota.
Their demand gained constitutional backing following the Supreme Court’s August 2024 Constitution Bench judgment in State of Punjab & Others v. Davinder Singh & Others. The ruling held that states can sub-classify Scheduled Castes for more equitable distribution of reservation benefits, subject to constitutional safeguards and credible data.
However, the question of a creamy layer among SCs and STs remains more contentious. While political leaders across the spectrum have broadly supported the principle of internal equity following the Supreme Court verdict, several have opposed excluding sections of SCs and STs from reservation benefits on the basis of creamy-layer criteria.
In Rajasthan, both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress have so far not clearly stated their position on implementing SC/ST sub-categorisation.
Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP of seeking to undermine reservations for SCs, STs, OBCs and EWS communities. He alleged that the BJP’s politics around reservation would become an electoral issue for the Congress in the upcoming local body elections.
Meanwhile, organisations supporting sub-categorisation are planning an SC/ST mahapanchayat in Jaipur by the end of the year to build wider public support for their demands. A delegation from the Sangathan had earlier met Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma in 2024 and August 2025, besides meeting Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar in September 2025.
Rajasthan has 34 SC-reserved and 25 ST-reserved Assembly constituencies, with SCs constituting around 17.8 per cent and STs around 13.5 per cent of the state’s population. The growing campaign could therefore have significant political implications as parties navigate competing demands for greater representation within the reserved categories.
