List of Castes in India 2025: Category-wise List Approved by Govt of India

SC

Click Here

ST

Click Here

OBC

Click Here

Scheduled Castes

Castes recognized in the Constitution (via Presidential Orders) as historically disadvantaged, eligible for reservations in jobs, education, etc.

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (as amended) lists over 1,109 castes across the states. Examples include Adi Andhra, Adi Dravida, Chamar, Mahar, Holeya, Dom, etc

Scheduled Tribes

Indigenous / tribal communities recognized as disadvantaged and eligible for affirmative action.

The ST lists are maintained state-wise and include many indigenous groups (e.g. Gonds, Bhils, Santhals, etc.)

Other Backward Classes

Castes / communities considered socially and educationally backward (but not SC/ST), eligible for a portion of reservations

Each State (and the central government) maintains a list of OBCs. E.g., in Bihar, Yadav, Kurmi, Koeri, etc. are common OBCs.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Defined by Articles 341 and 342 of the Constitution. The Union government maintains central lists of SCs and STs (and states may have separate lists for state-level benefits). The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (for SCs) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (for STs) publish the central lists and notifications.

Other Backward Classes

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) maintains the central list of OBCs (which is what applies for central government jobs and centrally-funded institutions). States maintain their own OBC lists for state jobs/colleges; a community may be on a state OBC list but not on the central OBC list (this difference matters for central recruitment/admissions).

Economically Weaker Sections

Created by the 103rd Constitutional Amendment (2019) and implemented by government orders, EWS provides up to 10% reservation to persons who are not SC/ST/OBC and meet specified economic/asset criteria. Central rules and DoPT/Ministry of Social Justice OM/circulars set the operational details for central services.

Constitutional Basis

• For Scheduled Castes - Article 341 of the Constitution empowers the President of India to specify, by public notification, the castes or classes that shall be deemed as Scheduled Castes for each State or Union Territory.
• For Scheduled Tribes - Article 342 gives similar powers to the President for specifying the Scheduled Tribes.
• For Other Backward Classes - The inclusion process is based on Article 340, which allows the appointment of a commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes.

Role of State Governments

• Proposals for inclusion, exclusion, or modification of a caste are first initiated by the concerned State Government.
• The state conducts a detailed socio-economic survey to justify why a particular community should be included (or excluded).
• The proposal is then sent to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (for OBCs and SCs) or the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (for STs).

Legislative Action

• Once the Union Cabinet approves the proposal, the Central Government introduces a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, or Central List of OBCs.
• After Parliament passes the Bill, and the President gives assent, the caste or community is officially included in the Central List through a Gazette Notification.

Separate Lists for States and Centre

A caste may be recognized as OBC or SC/ST in a particular state but not necessarily in the Central List. This means that a community might receive benefits under State Government schemes, but not under Central Government programs, unless it appears in the Central List.