No definite timeline for ST status to six communities in Assam: Government

The long-pending proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in Assam remains under the consideration of the Central Government, with the state government informing the Assam Legislative Assembly on Thursday, July 9 that no definite timeline can be specified for its completion.

Responding to a question raised by MLA Chakradhar Gogoi, Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu said the process of granting ST status falls exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Centre and Parliament. Consequently, the Assam government is not in a position to indicate when the proposal will be finalised.

The minister said the Central Government had sought a detailed report and recommendations from the state government to ensure that the proposed inclusion of the six communities in the Scheduled Tribe list does not adversely impact the constitutional safeguards, reservation benefits, or other rights currently enjoyed by the existing Scheduled Tribes in Assam.

To examine the issue, the Assam government had constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM), whose report was approved during the Winter Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly in November 2025, Pegu informed the House.

He said the process of forwarding the GoM's report and recommendations to the Central Government is currently underway.

The minister further clarified that the state government has completed its part of the exercise and that the final decision on granting Scheduled Tribe status rests with the Centre after completion of the prescribed constitutional and parliamentary procedures.

While acknowledging that no deadline has been fixed for the completion of the process, the government expressed optimism that the long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the six communities would eventually be fulfilled.