The Karnataka Congress government has ordered that Dalits who convert to Buddhism will continue to be eligible for Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates for purposes of employment and education. The social welfare department said the order applies to individuals from any of the 101 Scheduled Castes who choose to adopt Buddhism.
According to the department, SC individuals converting to Buddhism should be permitted to indicate their religion as “Buddhism” when applying for caste certificates. Similarly, those who become Buddhists may list their religion as “Buddhism” in school and college academic records.
The department noted that the Union government had allowed Dalits converting to Buddhism to obtain SC certificates as far back as 1990. Based on this directive, the Karnataka government had issued a circular in 2013. In 2016, the Union government had instructed chief secretaries of all states to ensure that Dalits adopting Buddhism are granted SC certificates.
The social welfare department said that despite these circulars, several organisations had petitioned the government seeking clarity and an appropriate order on the matter. The latest directive addresses these concerns.
The order comes at a time when Karnataka Congress government is conducting a Social & Educational Survey, also known as a caste census. The state had recently carried out a separate survey covering Scheduled Castes for the purpose of sub-classification or internal reservation.
Buddhists are recognised as a religious minority in Karnataka, alongside Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Zoroastrians (Parsis), and Jains. According to the 2011 Census, the state had around 95,000 Buddhists.
The Congress government clarified that in Karnataka, Buddhists fall under OBC Category-2A with a 15 per cent reservation. Christians and Jains are classified under Category-3B with a 5 per cent reservation, while Muslims are included in Category-2B with a 4 per cent reservation.
The department’s order therefore formalises the rights of SC Dalits converting to Buddhism, ensuring their continued access to the benefits associated with Scheduled Caste status.
(With inputs from Deccan Herald)
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