Bengaluru, October 7, 2025
BENGALURU — In a move aimed at affirming the rights of Dalit Buddhists, the Karnataka government on Monday issued a formal order directing authorities to provide Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates to individuals from the state's 101 Scheduled Castes who have converted to Buddhism. The directive, effective immediately, allows converts to retain their SC benefits for education, employment, and other reservations, even after changing their religion.
The order, released by the Department of Social Welfare on October 6, explicitly permits applicants to enter "Buddhism" in the religion column of SC certificate applications and related documents. This extends to enrollment in government and private schools under the School Education and Literacy Department, as well as appointments and promotions in public sector jobs. All state government departments, boards, corporations, and institutions have been instructed to comply without delay.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's administration framed the decision as a clarification of long-standing policy, rooted in the Karnataka Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Reservation in Appointments, etc.) Act, 1990 (Amendment) Act, 2024, and associated rules from 1992. It comes amid the state's ongoing Socio-Economic and Educational Survey — often referred to as the caste census — launched earlier this year to gather comprehensive data on caste demographics for refining reservation policies.
Historically, the policy traces back to a 1990 letter from the Union government, which prompted a 2013 circular from the Karnataka government allowing SC status for Buddhist converts. The Centre reiterated this guidance in 2016 to chief secretaries across states. However, persistent ambiguities and petitions from Dalit Buddhist organizations seeking explicit enforcement led to this binding order. Buddhism is recognized as a religious minority in Karnataka, alongside Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Parsis, and Jainism, but unlike conversions to other faiths, those to Buddhism have traditionally preserved SC eligibility under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.
The announcement aligns with broader efforts by the Congress-led government to address caste inequities. Earlier this year, Siddaramaiah allocated Rs 420 crore for the caste census and justified creating new caste categories to ensure equitable representation. It also echoes calls from groups like the Akhil Karnataka Buddha Dakhalati Andolana Samiti, which in September urged Dalits following B.R. Ambedkar's legacy to register as Buddhists in the survey to safeguard their rights.
While the order has been welcomed by pro-Dalit activists as a step toward upholding Ambedkarite principles, it has sparked murmurs in political circles. The BJP, which has previously accused the state government of minority appeasement in conversion-related matters, has yet to issue an official response, though party leaders have historically opposed extending SC benefits beyond Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. In September, Siddaramaiah defended religious minorities' citizenship rights amid BJP allegations of forced conversions linked to caste discrimination.
For the estimated 10 lakh Dalit Buddhists in Karnataka — many inspired by Ambedkar's 1956 mass conversion in Nagpur — the order could streamline access to scholarships, quotas in higher education (up to 15% for SCs), and job reservations (15% in government posts). It may also encourage more registrations as Buddhists in the caste census, potentially influencing future policy tweaks.
As the survey progresses, with data collection set to conclude by early 2026, this directive underscores the government's commitment to inclusive affirmative action. "This ensures no one loses their hard-earned rights due to faith," a senior Social Welfare official noted anonymously, emphasizing the order's role in preventing bureaucratic hurdles.
The move arrives at a sensitive time, with national debates raging over religious criteria in reservations — a topic the Supreme Court addressed last December, ruling that quotas cannot be religion-based. In Karnataka, it bolsters the Dalit Buddhist movement's push for visibility, but critics may argue it dilutes the original intent of SC protections tied to historical untouchability within Hinduism.
With the state assembly session looming, the policy could become a flashpoint in reservation politics, testing the balance between social justice and electoral alliances. For now, it offers a measure of security to converts, bridging faith and constitutional safeguards in Ambedkar's enduring vision of equality.
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