Kudmis’ Agitation For ST Status [UPSC Notes]

Kurmi Community demands inclusion in the ST list and recognition of Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. This topic is important for the IAS exam GS paper II.

Behind the Kudmis’ agitation for ST status:

• Kurmis were excluded from the ST list in 1950 and were classified as OBCs.
•  In 2004, the Jharkhand government recommended their inclusion in the ST list, which was rejected by the Centre. 
• According to the Tribal Development Department of the state government, the state’s tribal population is about 5.8% of the state’s total population.

About Kurmis: 

• Kurmis are a landowning farming community whose status varies from state to state.
• They are distributed across several states and are classified as OBCs in most states. 
• Kurmis in West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand want to be included among Scheduled Tribes.

About  Kurmali Language: 

• Kurmali language is a language spoken by the Kurmi community primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. 
• It belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family and has its own script called “Kurmi Kudali,” which is a modified version of the Devanagari script.
•  Kurmis want it to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Process of Inclusion under ST:

• The process for including a community in the list of ST was established in 1999. 
• The respective State or Union Territory government must initiate the proposal for inclusion, which then goes to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry and subsequently to the Office of the Registrar General of India.
• If the ORGI approves the inclusion, the proposal is then sent to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and if they concur, the proposal is forwarded to the Cabinet for amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Benefits of being included in the ST list in India:

• Reservation in Education
• Reservation in Government Jobs
• Reservation in Political Representation
• Economic and Social Development
• Protection of Land and Resources
• Preservation of Culture and Identity

Kudmis’ Agitation For ST Status [UPSC Notes]:- Download PDF Here