Union Minister has clarified that the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in Assam is still under the constitutional approval process. He stated that ST recognition under Article 342 of the Constitution requires several stages of scrutiny before it can be implemented. The proposal must first be examined by the Assam Government, followed by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), and finally the Central Government. Only after completing these procedures can Parliament approve the inclusion of any community in the ST list. The Minister assured that the government is committed to following the constitutional framework while considering the long-pending demand. The statement has renewed attention on the issue, as the concerned communities continue to await official recognition and the benefits associated with Scheduled Tribe status.
