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As preparations begin for India’s 2027 census, organisations representing denotified, nomadic and semi‑nomadic tribes (DNTs) have demanded a separate entry in the census schedule. They argue that without a distinct column, their communities remain statistically invisible and continue to miss out on targeted welfare schemes.
Background
DNTs are communities that were branded “criminal tribes” under the British era Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. This law allowed colonial authorities to label entire communities as inherently criminal and subject them to surveillance, restricted movement and social stigma. After independence, the act was repealed in 1952 and these groups were “de‑notified,” but the name stuck. Many DNTs continued to face discrimination and were not accommodated under the constitutional categories of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes. The Renke Commission (2008) and Idate Commission (2017) estimated that there are around 1,200 denotified, nomadic and semi‑nomadic communities nationwide, of which roughly 267 have not been classified in any category.
Socio‑economic challenges
- Poverty and exclusion: Many DNT communities lack access to education, healthcare, housing and land. Nomadic lifestyles make it difficult to obtain ration cards or caste certificates, leaving them out of welfare schemes.
- Stigma and policing: Despite repeal of the Criminal Tribes Act, stereotypes persist. Police sometimes continue to profile these groups, and local residents often view them with suspicion.
- Administrative invisibility: Because DNTs fall outside standard categories, there is no reliable national data on their population. This makes it hard to allocate resources or design policies tailored to their needs.
Demands and significance
- Separate census column: DNT leaders want a dedicated column and code in the 2027 census to ensure accurate enumeration. Without it, they fear that communities will once again be merged into other categories, perpetuating invisibility.
- Constitutional recognition: Advocates are pushing for a separate schedule in the Constitution, similar to those for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which would provide a legal basis for affirmative action.
- Sub‑classification: Leaders also seek recognition of graded backwardness among settled, nomadic and semi‑nomadic groups. Recent Supreme Court rulings allowing sub‑classification within reserved categories strengthen this argument.
Accurate census data and constitutional recognition could help these historically marginalised communities access education, jobs and political representation. Without reforms, DNTs risk remaining trapped between categories and deprived of support.
Source: The Hindu report on DNT demands
