Assam: Students protest against granting Scheduled Tribes status to six communities

Protests have erupted in Assam’s Kokrajhar after the state Cabinet cleared the Group of Ministers report that recommends granting Scheduled Tribe status to six communities, reported India Today.

The report that recommends including the six communities – Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes (Adivasis) – in the Scheduled Tribes list was cleared on Wednesday.

It will be tabled in the Assembly during the ongoing Winter Session before being sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration.

Communities that are already part of the Scheduled Tribes list have been holding protests against the move. They have alleged that the decision to expand the Scheduled Tribes list is “politically motivated” in view of the state polls, expected to be held in the first half of 2026.

They have also argued that adding more communities to the Scheduled Tribes list would hurt the rights of the tribes already on the list.

On Friday, tribal students of Science College in Kokrajhar held a demonstration at the entrance of the institution against the Cabinet’s move, reported India Today.

They alleged that the decision to expand the Scheduled Tribes list would negatively impact their educational and employment opportunities.

A day earlier, tribal students of Bodoland University held a protest outside the main gate of the campus, forcing all third-semester examinations to be...

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