Denotified Tribes in India: Separate Schedule Demand and 2027 Census Debate
- Kaushal
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Criminal Tribes Act 1871, Idate Commission Findings, 1,200 Identified Communities, 268 Unclassified Groups and ₹200 Crore SEED Scheme Gap Explained
Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) across India are mobilising for a “separate column” in the 2027 Census and a separate Constitutional Schedule, on par with Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
On January 30, the Union government assured community leaders that the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India would enumerate DNTs in the second phase of the Census due in 2027. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has recommended to the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) that these communities be included in the upcoming caste enumeration exercise.
India will conduct caste enumeration in February 2027, the first since 1931. However, the government has told Parliament that questions for caste enumeration have not yet been finalised, even as a preparatory exercise is being planned by July.
Despite the assurance that DNTs will be counted, there is no clarity on how enumeration will take place. Community leaders argue that unless there is a separate column or code in the Census forms, they risk disappearing statistically within SC, ST, and OBC aggregates.
Who Are Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs)?
Origin in the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871
Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes were once officially classified as “criminal tribes” under the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA), 1871.
The CTA was introduced for the:
“registration, surveillance and control of certain criminal tribes and eunuchs”
It described “criminal tribes” as:
“a tribe, gang, or class of persons” that are “addicted” to committing non-bailable offences.
While introducing the law, T.V. Stephens, then Member of Law and Order, stated:
“The special feature of India is the caste system… Keeping this in mind, the meaning of professional criminal is clear. It means a tribe whose ancestors were criminals from times immemorial, who are themselves destined by the usages of caste to commit crime and whose descendants will be offenders against law…”
The Act was first enacted in 1871, amended in 1924, and officially repealed on August 31, 1952.
After repeal, communities earlier notified as “criminal” were denotified, leading to the term Denotified Tribes (DNTs).
Habitual Offenders Laws and Continued Stigma
In 1952 — the same year the CTA was repealed — various States introduced Habitual Offenders Acts.
Although these laws removed the hereditary basis of criminality, they classified certain individuals as “habitual offenders.” Community leaders argue that:
This enabled continued police surveillance.
The stigma of “criminality” persisted.
Denotification did not end discrimination.
Leaders maintain that local police still treat members of these communities as “criminal” under the pretext of habitual offender laws.
Census History: Enumeration from 1871 to 1931 and Beyond
Although both the CTA and synchronous Censuses began in 1871, specific discussion of “criminal tribes” in Census reports began only from 1911 onwards.
Key Census Milestones
1911 Census – Provincial reports discussed and classified criminal tribes.
1931 Census – Last Census that enumerated these communities specifically.
Post-Independence – Decision not to enumerate castes except SCs and STs.
The 1931 Census was the last time these communities were officially accounted for in Census exercises.
In February 2027, India will conduct caste enumeration for the first time since 1931 — a gap of nearly a century.
Post-Independence Classification and “Vimukt Jatis”
Even before official denotification, the Ayyangar Commission (1949) examined their condition.
After 1952:
The concept of backward classes beyond SCs and STs was introduced.
Several denotified communities were included as “Vimukt Jatis”.
Over the decades, most DNTs were assimilated into SC, ST, or OBC lists.
Community leaders describe this as “political misclassification.”
They argue that:
Many DNTs were placed in SC lists.
Others were absorbed into OBC lists.
Some could not enter ST lists because the threshold was considered too high.
Around 267–268 communities remain unclassified even today.
Major Commissions on DNTs: Renke Commission and Idate Commission
Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes – Rights Action Group (DNT-RAG)
In 1998, author Mahasweta Devi and scholar G.N. Devy formed DNT-RAG. Their advocacy led to:
A Technical Advisory Group on DNTs.
Formation of the first National Commission for DNTs.
Renke Commission (2008)
Headed by B.S. Renke, this was the first National Commission for DNTs. It submitted its report in 2008, focusing on identification and welfare measures.
Idate Commission (2014–2017)
Headed by Bhiku Ramji Idate, this Commission submitted its report in 2017.
Key Findings of the Idate Commission
Identified close to 1,200 DNT communities.
Found that most had been assimilated into SC, ST, or OBC categories.
Identified 267–268 DNT communities that had not been classified at all.
Stated that accurate identification was impossible without a Census count.
A NITI Aayog-commissioned study by the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) examined these 268 communities and recommended their classification into SC, ST, or OBC lists. However, this report has gone into cold storage.
Institutional Mechanisms for DNT Welfare
Several institutional mechanisms were created:
National Commission for DNTs (2014)
Renke Commission (2008)
Idate Commission (2014–17)
Development and Welfare Board for the Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC)
Despite the Idate Commission recommending a permanent National Commission, the government decided that since most DNTs were already within SC, ST, and OBC lists, a Welfare Board would suffice.
Community leaders argue this has been inadequate.
Socio-Economic and Educational Backwardness
Leaders state that DNTs remain:
Socially backward
Economically marginalised
Educationally deprived
Politically underrepresented
Examples cited include:
In Haryana, some denotified nomadic jatis reportedly do not have a single member who has completed Class 10.
Settled denotified communities have progressed somewhat using land or business resources.
Nomadic tribes remain severely disadvantaged.
Some leaders argue that most DNT communities should have been classified as STs in 1950 based on:
Culture
Lifestyle
Food habits
Community laws
SEED Scheme for DNTs: Budget vs Actual Spending
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the SEED Scheme (Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs).
Components of SEED
Educational support
Health insurance coverage
Livelihood promotion
Housing support
Other schemes include:
Dr. Ambedkar Pre-Matric & Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs (2014–15)
Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme for Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls (2014–15)
Financial Data
Planned expenditure: ₹200 crore over five years
Actual spending (as of December 2025): ₹69.3 crore
Only a fraction of intended spending has been utilised.
The DNT Certificate Problem
The principal reason for poor implementation of SEED:
Beneficiaries must possess a DNT certificate.
This certificate is not exclusive of SC, ST, or OBC identities.
Most States and Union Territories are not issuing DNT certificates.
Only select districts in about half a dozen States issue them.
Despite repeated reminders from the Centre, States have largely failed to operationalise certification. As a result, only a “minuscule” percentage of DNTs receive benefits.
Demand for Separate Constitutional Schedule and Sub-Classification
DNT leaders are demanding:
A separate Constitutional Schedule for DNTs.
A separate Census column or code in 2027.
Sub-classification within DNTs to recognise “graded backwardness”.
They argue:
They cannot compete effectively within SC, ST, or OBC categories.
They are “crowded out” by politically stronger communities.
About 260–268 communities are outside all classifications.
Only separate recognition will ensure uniform certification and targeted quotas.
The demand for sub-classification draws support from an August 2024 Supreme Court judgment, which paved the way for sub-classification within SCs and STs.
Leaders argue sub-classification within SC, ST, and OBC is not enough — DNTs need separate recognition because of their unique historical stigma of being labelled “criminal”.
Population Uncertainty and the Politics of Being Counted
There are no reliable nationwide population figures for DNTs.
Some leaders estimate:
Up to seven crore people in Uttar Pradesh alone may belong to denotified communities.
Across northern States — Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan — DNT associations are organising around the central idea of “being counted.”
As one leader put it:
“No matter where we go — to courts, governments, or political establishments — we face the question of what our numbers are.”
Without a separate column in the Census, leaders argue that DNTs will once again be statistically invisible.
What Lies Ahead for DNTs in the 2027 Census?
While the government has assured enumeration of DNTs in 2027:
There is no official clarification on methodology.
There is no confirmation of a separate column.
Public statements suggest no current proposal for a separate classification.
The 2027 Census could become a historic moment:
It is the first caste enumeration since 1931.
It comes after decades of Commission recommendations.
It occurs amid renewed mobilisation for constitutional recognition.
For Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, the demand is not only administrative. It is about correcting:
The legacy of the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
The stigma perpetuated through Habitual Offenders laws.
Statistical invisibility since 1931.
Under-implementation of welfare schemes.
The failure to classify 267–268 communities.
The under-spending of ₹200 crore SEED allocation, with only ₹69.3 crore utilised.
The absence of DNT certification across most States.
As India moves toward the 2027 Census, the central question remains: will DNTs be counted distinctly — or continue to remain dispersed within broader categories?
FAQs: Denotified Tribes in India
Q. Why were Denotified Tribes called “criminal”?
Ans. They were labelled under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, which classified certain communities as “addicted” to crime based on hereditary assumptions.
Q. When was the Criminal Tribes Act repealed?
Ans. The Act was repealed on August 31, 1952.
Q. What did the Idate Commission recommend?
Ans. The 2017 Idate Commission identified close to 1,200 DNT communities, noted 267–268 unclassified groups, and recommended proper classification and Census enumeration.
Q. What is the SEED scheme for DNTs?
Ans. The SEED scheme provides educational support, health insurance, livelihood promotion, and housing assistance. Out of ₹200 crore allocated over five years, only ₹69.3 crore has been spent (as of December 2025).
Q. Why are DNT leaders demanding a separate Census column?
Ans. They argue that without a separate column, their population remains invisible within SC, ST, and OBC categories, affecting welfare delivery and political recognition.
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