18.08.2025.UT NEWS.Uplifting SC.STs.a review.

Uplifting Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs) in India: a multi-pronged approach

Uplifting Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India requires a multi-faceted approach addressing their historical and ongoing socio-economic, educational, and political disadvantages.

Here are key aspects of this approach:

1. Strengthening legal framework and its implementation

• Enacting and enforcing protective legislation: India has laws like the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 to address discrimination and atrocities against SC/STs.
• Improving legal and judicial mechanisms: Increasing funding for exclusive courts, ensuring time-bound trials, and providing specialized training for judges and prosecutors are essential for effective implementation of these laws.
• Police sensitization and timely intervention: Compulsory training for police personnel, strict penalties for delays in registering complaints, and 24/7 helplines can enhance police responsiveness and protect victims. 

2. Educational empowerment

• Expanding access to quality education: Implementing and expanding programs like Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in tribal blocks is crucial.
• Addressing educational disparities: Schemes like the Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students aim to minimize dropouts and support higher education.
• Promoting higher education and skill development: Providing financial assistance through fellowships, overseas scholarships, and top-class education schemes in premier institutions can improve employability and career prospects for SC/ST students. 

3. Economic empowerment

• Promoting financial inclusion: Providing access to microloans, encouraging the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and ensuring bank loans for SC/ST entrepreneurs can facilitate their economic upliftment.
• Skill development and entrepreneurship: Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Dakshta aur Kushalta Sampaan Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) provide skill training, while the National SC-ST Hub Scheme promotes entrepreneurship through a supportive ecosystem and procurement quotas.
• Land and livelihood security: Accelerating Forest Rights Act claims for STs and implementing land reform programs can address land alienation and empower tribal communities. 

4. Social and cultural empowerment

• Combating social prejudice and discrimination: Awareness campaigns, anti-caste curricula, and promoting inter-caste marriages can foster a more inclusive society.
• Addressing gender inequality: Targeted policies and programs focusing on the needs of Dalit and Adivasi women, including increasing their access to education, healthcare, and stable-wage employment, are crucial.
• Preserving cultural heritage and identity: Protecting traditional knowledge, languages, and cultural practices of STs is vital for their holistic development. 

5. Political representation and administrative accountability

• Empowering the National Commission for SCs/STs: Granting suo moto investigation powers and mandatory annual social audits to Parliament can ensure accountability and effective monitoring of welfare efforts.
• Promoting inclusive governance: Ranking states on SC/ST welfare and linking central funding to performance can incentivize better implementation of schemes.
• Enhancing political participation: The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts provide for reservation of seats for SCs and STs in Panchayats and Municipalities, respectively. Continued focus on enabling genuine political participation is needed. 

In essence, a holistic approach that integrates social, economic, educational, and political measures, supported by robust legal mechanisms and effective implementation, is key to the upliftment and empowerment of SC/ST communities in India.