Telangana Accepts SC Division Plan, Rejects Creamy Layer
Panel recommends reclassification of SCs into 3 Groups

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday announced that the government had accepted three key recommendations of the one-man commission headed by Justice Shameem Akther on the sub-categorisation of 59 Scheduled Caste (SC) groups for the purpose of reservation, and rejected the one recommending the exclusion of the creamy layer from reservation.
The commission divided the SC community into three groups based on their economic profiles. It recommended a one per cent quota for Group I (most disadvantaged), nine per cent for Group II (moderately benefited) and five per cent for Group III (most benefited). Group-I has 15 sub-castes, Group-II 18 and Group-III 26.
The report was prepared by Justice Akther, a retired Telangana High Court judge.
The Chief Minister made a statement in the Assembly on Tuesday regarding the commission's recommendations, highlighting the Congress government's commitment to implementing SC sub-categorisation as per the Supreme Court's directive issued in August 2024.
According to the commission’s report, Group-I comprising 15 SC sub-castes has been classified as "most socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged/overlooked Scheduled Castes," accounting for 3.288 per cent of the total SC population as per the 2011 Census. The commission has recommended one per cent reservations for this group.
The Group-II encompassed 18 SC sub-castes identified as "moderately benefited Scheduled Castes," constituting 62.748 per cent of the SC population. The commission recommended 9 per cent reservations for this group.
The Group-III includes 26 SC sub-castes categorised as "significantly benefited Scheduled Castes," comprising 33.963 per cent of the SC population. The commission proposed 5 per cent reservations for this group.
The commission also recommended a preferential model for filling government job vacancies in a systematic and equitable manner. Vacancies unfilled in Group-I will be filled by candidates from Group-II. If vacancies remain unfilled in Group-II, candidates from Group-III will be considered. In case no suitable candidates are available across all groups, the vacancies shall be carried forward.
Another key recommendation was the introduction of a "creamy layer" concept to exclude affluent individuals from reservation benefits. The commission suggested that individuals holding positions such as MLAs, MPs, ZP chairpersons, Mayors, and Group-I officers should be considered part of the creamy layer. The state government was advised to exclude the second generation of such individuals from availing reservations.
However, the Chief Minister stated that while the government has accepted the first three recommendations, it has rejected the fourth recommendation regarding the exclusion of the creamy layer from reservations.
"The government is committed to taking further action on the recommendations of the commission. We believe this will benefit the Scheduled Castes, who have long awaited sub-classification," Revanth Reddy Reddy stated.