After the Supreme Court’s seven judge constitution bench gave its verdict in August 2024 for permitting quota within quota for SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes) by 6:1, Telangana on Monday implemented the system. The southern state has implemented it for both government jobs and education institutions.

The cabinet sub-committee on SC categorisation handed to CM Revanth Reddy the first copy of gazette notification along with the set of rules governing implementation of Telangana SC (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025.

The state classified 59 sub-castes into 3 groups. Group I consists of 15 most disadvantaged castes. They will get 1% reservation. Group II consists of 18 moderately disadvantaged castes who will get 9% reservation and group III consists of 26 relatively better castes who will receive 5% reservation. This classification is based on a detailed study performed by a commission led by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akther. The commission based its recommendations on an analysis of disparities among 59 SC communities.

“On the auspicious day of birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, Telangana govt paid tributes by bringing into force a great act of social justice, addressing a demand of classification of SC sub-castes(sic)” Revanth wrote on X.

Minister N Uttam Reddy, who chaired the cabinet sub-committee said, “Congress govt has done what no other party could. All parties extended verbal support for SC categorisation but none took it to implementation. We have done it legally, inclusively and with full preparedness.”

It should be noted that Haryana was the first state to implement quota within quota for SCs, identifying 36 castes as Deprived Scheduled Castes (DSC). These castes are allocated 50% of the 20% SC reservation in both government jobs and educational institutions.