Draft List of Denotified Tribes, Nomadic Tribes and Semi-Nomadic Tribes of India

In 2005, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment constituted the first National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes. The Commission was tasked with preparing state-wise lists of Denotified Tribes (DNTs), Nomadic Tribes (NTs) and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SNTs), reviewing their inclusion in Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST)/Other Backward Classes (OBC) lists, identifying places where they live in large numbers, and evaluating welfare policies for them.

Since 2003, the Commission has been re-constituted several times. Under the chairmanship of Balkrishna Sidram Renke, the Commission submitted a report in 2008 with various recommendations, including reservations for all DNTs, NTs and SNTs, who together comprise 110 million people.

In 2015, the Commission, under the chairmanship of Bhilku Ramji Idate (or the Idate Commission), prepared a list of DNTs, NTs and SNTs in the states and union territories (UTs). This draft list was sent to the states and UTs for their comments in 2015 and 2016.

In February 2019, the Union Cabinet approved of a permanent body under the aegis of the NITI Aayog, which will complete the process of identifying the DNTs, NTs and SNTs that have not yet been formally classified by the Commission.

Focus and Factoids by Moumita Das.