Data / Quotas / Divided quotas: 4 State laws that split the Scheduled Caste reservation

Methods and sources

Divided quotas: 4 State laws that split the Scheduled Caste reservation

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What this shows

Which States divide the reservation for Scheduled Castes among castes, what each law applies to, each group’s share, its castes and, where given, its roster points.

What it does not show: How many posts or seats each group has actually filled, or how many people are in each group: no State law gives either.

Sources

  • Government of Punjab; Punjab Gazette (copy hosted by PRS Legislative Research), Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006, Act No. 22 of 2006, dated 5 Oct 2006. Primary source.
  • Government of Haryana; Haryana Gazette (copy hosted by PRS Legislative Research), Haryana Scheduled Castes (Reservation in Admission in Government Educational Institutions) Act, 2020, Act No. 14 of 2020, dated 8 Jun 2020. Primary source.
  • Government of Telangana; Telangana Gazette (copy hosted by PRS Legislative Research), Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025, Act No. 15 of 2025, dated 14 Apr 2025. Primary source.
  • Government of Andhra Pradesh; Andhra Pradesh Gazette (copy hosted by PRS Legislative Research), Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Sub-classification) Act, 2025, Act No. 22 of 2025, dated 24 Oct 2025. Primary source.

Analysis by The Dalit Project, as on 10 Oct 2026.

Read these with the numbers

  • Each group’s share is “subject to the availability of eligible candidates” (section 3). The Act leaves what happens to a share no eligible candidate takes to rules made under section 8.
  • Andhra Pradesh’s Act applies to posts in the State’s public services, including local bodies, State corporations, universities and aided institutions, and seats in educational institutions, backlog vacancies included (section 4); not Central Government posts or institutions (section 5).
  • Andhra Pradesh’s Act took effect from 17 April 2025, the date of the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (Sub-classification) Ordinance, 2025 it replaced (Ordinance No. 2 of 2025, gazetted 17 April 2025). The Governor assented to the Act on 17 October 2025.
  • Andhra Pradesh’s groups follow a one-member commission appointed by Government Order (G.O.Ms.) No. 86 of 15 November 2024, whose recommendations the government approved (the Act’s Statement of Objects and Reasons). The commission’s report has not been read.
  • Punjab’s Act applies to direct recruitment to posts in State establishments, including local and statutory authorities, State-owned boards, corporations and companies, universities, colleges and State schools; not Central Government or private employment (section 3). It takes effect at once (section 1(2)); first published on 5 October 2006.
  • Haryana’s Act applies to admission to government higher educational institutions, including aided technical and professional institutions; not jobs. It takes effect the Hindi text read gives no commencement date.
  • Telangana’s Act applies to posts in the State’s public services, including local bodies, State corporations, universities and aided institutions, and seats in educational institutions; not Central Government posts or institutions (section 5), and not recruitments or admissions already notified before it took effect (section 4). It takes effect on a date the State Government notifies in the Telangana Gazette (section 1(3)); the notification has not been read.
  • Telangana’s Act gives each group’s share but not the total reserved for Scheduled Castes; its shares add up to 15%.
  • Haryana’s Act was read in its Hindi text, which names its 36 Deprived Scheduled Castes in Hindi; they are not listed here until the English text is read.
  • No law here gives a count of the people in each group, and none is shown. The Census last counted Scheduled Castes by caste in 2011, before Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were divided.
  • Andhra Pradesh’s Act says it does not add to, remove from or reorder the list of Scheduled Castes in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (section 9).

Key terms

Sub-classification
Dividing the castes on a State’s Scheduled Caste list into groups, each with its own share of the posts and seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, or setting part of that share aside for some castes.
State of Punjab v Davinder Singh
The Supreme Court judgment of 1 August 2024 in which a seven-judge bench held, six to one, that States may sub-classify the Scheduled Castes.
First preference
Punjab’s rule: half the Scheduled Caste vacancies in direct recruitment are offered first to Balmikis and Mazhbi Sikhs, and go to other Scheduled Castes only if none is available.
Deprived Scheduled Castes
The 36 castes listed in Haryana’s 2020 Act, for whom half the Scheduled Caste seats in government colleges and universities are kept.
Roster point
A numbered place in the order in which posts are filled. The roster says which group the post at each point goes to.
Backlog vacancy
A reserved vacancy carried forward from an earlier recruitment because it was not filled.

Changelog and corrections

Version 2: Version 2: adds Punjab Act 22 of 2006, Haryana Act 14 of 2020 and Telangana Act 15 of 2025, and laws made before August 2024. Version 1: Andhra Pradesh Act 22 of 2025.

How corrections work. Every change is listed here.

Cite this

The Dalit Project, “Divided quotas: 4 State laws that split the Scheduled Caste reservation”, version 2, data.dalitproject.org/sub-classification/, as on 10 Oct 2026.