Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council SC/ST Commission Urges 4.6% Internal Quota for Dalit Christians

Kanyakumari, February 27, 2026: The Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council has urged the State government to implement a 4.6 per cent internal reservation for Dalit Christians, calling for policy measures to ensure equitable access to education, employment, and social opportunities.

The appeal was presented on February 24 in Kanyakumari when Fr Nithiya Sagayam OFM Cap, Secretary of the TNBC-SC/ST Commission, met M. K. Stalin on behalf of the Commission’s chairman, Bishop Jeevanandam. A formal memorandum was submitted seeking the creation of a 4.6 per cent internal quota for Dalit Christians within the Backward Class category.

According to the memorandum, Dalit communities have historically endured structural discrimination that continues to limit access to education, employment, and socio-economic advancement. While reservation benefits are extended to Scheduled Caste Hindus, Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims remain excluded despite facing comparable socio-economic challenges, the Commission noted.

The memorandum further observed that the Government of Tamil Nadu has already instituted a 3.5 per cent internal reservation for Muslims. Citing data from the 2011 Census, the Commission stated that Christians constitute about six per cent of the State’s population, with Dalit Christians accounting for nearly 65 per cent of that number—approximately 4.6 per cent of the total population—forming the basis of the demand.

Supporting the appeal is a State-wide mobilisation campaign led by the Commission, which has gathered more than one lakh signatures over the past year. The signatures are to be submitted to the State Secretariat in Chennai as a representation of the community’s collective plea.

Reaffirming its pastoral and social commitment, the TNBC-SC/ST Commission stated that the initiative seeks to promote dignity, equality, and inclusive development, envisioning a society in which every community receives its rightful share of opportunities.

By Catholic Connect Reporter