Ahead of Karnataka government’s plans to fill 56,432 posts in various departments in a big recruitment drive, youth from the Scheduled Tribes fear reduced opportunities due to reduction in reservation for STs. In a bid to address legal issues, the State government has decided to revert to 3% reservation for STs, which existed prior to 2022, from the proposed enhancement to 7%.

The demand for increased reservation — proportion to the ST population — had been a more-than-two-decade-old demand as the population of the STs in Karnataka increased with the inclusion of more communities.

From six in the original ST list of 1950 in Karnataka (when the estimated population based on the 1931 census was about 0.8%), the list now has 51 tribes, including the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, estimated to be over 7% of the State’s population. The State government fixed the reservation quota for STs at 3% in 1958 based on their population then.

Long-pending demand

“Over decades, the population has increased as more tribes were included. The increase is based on the Karnataka High Court’s direction and on recommendation by the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission,” former MP V.S. Ugrappa pointed out.

The increase in the number of tribes and subsequent increase in the ST population started after the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976, by which geographical limitations attached to the castes/ tribes were removed, resulting in extraordinary increase of ST population.

“For example, before the amendment, only the Naikas in Belagavi were part of the list earlier. Once the restrictions were removed, Naikas across the State also became eligible,” Mr. Ugrappa, a Congress spokesperson, pointed out.

Synonymous names

The biggest jump of population was post 1991 when the Centre included Naikas/Valmikis/ Bedas in the list, making them the dominant tribes among the 51 tribes. Subsequently, several other tribes with synonymous names also came to be part of the list, and the reservation of 3% provided in 1955 was far less than the population.

When The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act 2022 providing for 17% and 7% to SCs and STs respectively was enacted, the reasons of increased population, backwardness, inadequate representation in government employment and education had been cited for increasing the reservation matrix.

In 2015, the Karnataka High Court directed the State government to consider increase of reservation for STs.

Going backwards

“After providing the proportionate reservation, the State government’s decision to revert takes the tribes back to where they were. Legally, the government has not represented the case well. Two parliamentary seats and 15 Assembly seats are reserved for STs in Karnataka that is in proportion to the population. Similarly, seats are reserved in local bodies,” he added. 

(This is the first of a two-part series)