Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government is preparing to submit a reply based on a gazette notification in the High Court over alleged discrimination between Sahariya, Baiga and Bhariya and other Scheduled Tribes such as Gond and Pradhan in recruitment.
Scheduled Tribes (ST) such as Gond and Pradhan have filed a petition against the Employees Selection Board (ESB), which has issued an advertisement for 1,120 posts of training officers in the ITI Training Officer Recruitment Test 2026, providing the benefits of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status only to Sahariya, Baiga and Bhariya. High Court judge Justice Vivek Kumar Singh issued notice in the matter and asked the respondents to file a reply within four weeks. The matter has been listed for the week commencing August 17.
According to the petition, there are only 26 posts of training officer (COPA), 27 posts of training officer (Fitter) and 16 posts of training officer (Welder) under the Scheduled Tribe category. All these posts will be filled by candidates belonging to Sahariya, Baiga and Bhariya communities, resulting in the total deprivation of reservation for all other communities included in the Scheduled Tribe category. Not a single post has been reserved for Scheduled Tribes such as Gond and Pradhan, other than Sahariya, Baiga and Bhariya.
Principal secretary, tribal welfare, Gulshan Bamra said, "As per the Gazette notification, Sahariya tribes in Sheopur, Morena, Datia, Bhind, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Guna and Ashoknagar, Baiga of Mandla, Dindori, Shahdol, Umaria, Balaghat and Anuppur, and Bhariya of Chhindwara and Seoni enjoy special status. Candidates of these categories will be directly appointed to Class III and Class IV posts if they have the minimum eligibility. It is a GAD rule and applicable to all departments."
Senior advocate NS Ruprah, appearing for the petitioners, said, "ST reservations has been given to Sahariya, Baiga and Bhariya and not for others like Gond and Pradhan. Even if they have minimum qualifications, they will be recruited directly without any examination. HC has issued notice to the concerned department seeking a reply in four weeks."
