At Social Justice Ministry huddle, counting DNTs in focus

The Social Justice Ministry on Sunday (April 26, 2026) concluded a three-day “chintan shivir” (brainstorming session), during which the inclusion of denotified, nomadic, and semi-nomadic tribes (DNTs) in the ongoing Census 2027 exercise was one of the key focus areas, along with how to take the Ministry’s existing schemes forward.

This comes as DNT communities across various parts of India are organising to demand a separate column or question in the Census forms, specifically to account for their populations across the country. Community leaders are also mobilising to have a separate Schedule for DNTs on par with the lists of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. The Supreme Court dismissed a petition last month seeking a Census question for DNTs and a separate classification for them, leaving them the liberty to approach the government on the matter.