An individual belonging to Scheduled Tribes may profess any religion and the Castes/ Tribes included in the list of Scheduled Tribes under Article 342 of the Constitution, are entitled for getting the benefits of reservation in services of the Central Government.

The Scheduled Castes converted to Christianity are included in the Central List of Other Backward Classes of some of the States and are entitled to the benefit of the reservation in services of the Central Government. However, the issue of extension of Scheduled Caste status to Scheduled Caste converts to Christianity is presently subjudice in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question by Smt. Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh in the Lok Sabha today.

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