BENGALURU — The Karnataka government is actively considering a proposal to reclassify the Kuruba community as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) — at least in the districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, and Yadgir — ahead of the upcoming caste-based socio-educational survey scheduled for late September. The move could have significant political and social ramifications across the state, particularly as debates over reservation, caste equity, and historical injustices intensify.

Traditionally a shepherding and pastoral community, the Kurubas currently fall under Category 2A of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and are eligible for a 15% reservation. However, the community has long argued that its social and economic status — especially in parts of northern Karnataka — merits inclusion under the Scheduled Tribe umbrella. That demand has gathered strength in recent years and now appears poised for partial approval, as government departments prepare to review an official proposal.

The state Tribal Research Institute had submitted an ethnographic report in 2023 suggesting that Kurubas share socio-cultural similarities with communities already classified as STs. The new push is to identify Kurubas in specific districts as part of the “Gonda” tribal group, thereby legally qualifying them for ST benefits — including access to education quotas, government jobs, and welfare schemes.

The proposal has drawn mixed reactions. While Kuruba leaders and activists have welcomed the development, others — particularly existing ST groups — have expressed concern that adding a numerically strong group could reduce their own share of benefits. Moreover, critics note that Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba community, raising concerns about political motivations behind the move.

Legal experts point out that any such reclassification would need final approval from the central government and must meet constitutional criteria that define ST status. Nevertheless, with the caste census approaching, the timing of the proposal suggests a calculated effort to ensure that Kuruba claims are documented in the data.

A key government meeting is expected soon to finalize whether the reclassification should be recommended formally to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs. If successful, it could trigger similar demands from other large OBC groups in the state.