Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu met representatives of the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations, Assam (CCTOA) on Thursday to discuss the Group of Ministers’ (GoM) report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities of the state.
The meeting was held at Janata Bhawan, following the Assam Cabinet’s decision on November 30, 2025, to engage with stakeholders before moving forward on the proposal.
In a post shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Pegu said he explained key recommendations of the report, including provisions aimed at protecting the rights and constitutional safeguards of the existing Scheduled Tribes.
Pegu wrote that he urged the CCTOA leadership to “read Chapters Five and Six of the report together” for a clearer understanding of the proposed measures and implications.
According to the minister, the delegation acknowledged the clarifications provided by the government and conveyed that they would form an expert committee to review the report in detail. The committee is expected to submit its findings within a month.
The proposal to grant ST status to six communities — which has been a longstanding political and social demand — remains a sensitive issue, especially among existing tribal groups concerned about land rights, job reservations, and cultural protections.
With consultations now underway, the state government has signalled its intent to move forward through dialogue and consensus-building.
More discussions between the government, tribal bodies, and community representatives are expected in the coming weeks as the process advances.
