The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday issued an ordinance notifying the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes for the purpose of government jobs and education in the state, PTI reported.

Governor S Abdul Nazeer signed the ordinance on April 16, and it was published in the state gazette on April 17.

The ordinance, called the Andhra Pradesh Ordinance No. 2 of 2025, provides a framework to classify Scheduled Castes into three sub-groups so that disparities within the community in representation and access to government schemes can be addressed, The Hindu reported.

The state Cabinet headed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on April 15 approved a proposal for the ordinance to sub-categorise 59 Scheduled Caste communities into three groups based on population, social and economic backwardness and social cohesion.

Twelve sub-castes, including the Chandala, Paki, Relli and Dome communities, have been placed in Group 1, which will receive 1% reservation.

Group 2 has 18 sub-castes like Chamar, Madiga, Sindhola and Matangi and will have 6.5% reservation. Group 3, with 29 sub-castes including Adhi Andhra and Panchama, will have 7.5% reservation.

The state government had earlier set up a one-man commission led by retired Indian Administrative Service officer Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, which recommended the sub-classification.

On August 1, the Supreme Court had allowed the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes quotas for reservations in government jobs and education.

On April 14, Telangana notified the state Scheduled Castes Rationalisation of Reservations Act, 2025, making it the first state to implement a sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes groups.

Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, have also urged the Centre to conduct a nationwide caste census. They have contended that the exercise would help improve the delivery of social benefits and welfare schemes to the public.