India’s Scheduled Caste (SC) population is a significant aspect of the nation’s narrative, constituting approximately 16.7% of the overall population.

By 2025, this equates to around 241.8 million individuals from Scheduled Caste groups, commonly referred to as SC caste in India.

(The full form of SC caste is Scheduled Caste, a designation from the Constitution for groups that have historically faced discrimination.)

We will utilize two tables—one detailing the SC population in millions and another illustrating percentages—to examine the distribution of these communities, the reasons for variations across states, and the implications of these figures.

Number of Schedule Caste in India

Rank	State/Union Territory	SC Population (Millions)
1	Uttar Pradesh	49.68
2	West Bengal	25.80
3	Bihar	19.92
4	Tamil Nadu	17.28
5	Andhra Pradesh	16.80
6	Maharashtra	15.84
7	Rajasthan	14.88
8	Madhya Pradesh	13.92
9	Karnataka	12.48
10	Punjab	11.76
11	Odisha	8.64
12	Telangana	7.68
13	Haryana	6.24
14	Gujarat	6.00
15	Kerala	4.56
16	Jharkhand	4.56
17	Assam	3.60
18	Chhattisgarh	3.36
19	Delhi	3.36
20	Himachal Pradesh	2.16
21	Uttarakhand	2.16
22	Jammu and Kashmir	1.44
23	Tripura	0.72
24	Manipur	0.24
25	Goa	0.24
26	Puducherry	0.24
27	Chandigarh	0.24
28	Sikkim	0.12
29	Meghalaya	0.06
30	Mizoram	0.01
31	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	0.01
32	Arunachal Pradesh	0.00
33	Nagaland	0.00
34	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.00
35	Lakshadweep	0.00
36	Ladakh	0.00

National Total: 241.8 million

The initial table presents the SC population in millions, with Uttar Pradesh at the forefront, housing 49.68 million individuals, followed by West Bengal with 25.8 million, and Bihar with 19.92 million.

Collectively, these leading states account for over 95 million SC individuals—nearly 40% of the national total.

What accounts for Uttar Pradesh’s prominence? It is the largest state in India, with a population of 240 million, of which 20.7% are SC.

This statistic is derived from 2011 data indicating 41 million SCs in the state, a number that continues to grow alongside the overall population.

West Bengal and Bihar rank next due to their dense populations and long-standing histories of SC communities engaged in agricultural and rural work.

In contrast, smaller regions such as Mizoram (0.01 million) and Sikkim (0.12 million) report minimal SC populations.

Certain states and Union Territories—such as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Ladakh—exhibit no SC population at all.

The reason for this is that these areas are predominantly tribal, and SCs do not constitute the primary demographic there.

The Constitution categorizes SCs based on caste rather than tribe, resulting in a rare overlap between SC and tribal groups—the ‘S’ in SC stands for Scheduled Caste, while ST denotes Scheduled Tribe.

What explains this distribution? SCs are predominantly found in northern and eastern states with substantial agricultural economies.

Data from the 2011 Census indicates a total of 201.38 million SCs (16.6% of 1.21 billion), projected to rise to 241.8 million by 2025, reflecting a yearly growth rate of 1.5%—outpacing the national average of 1% due to the tendency for SC families to have larger numbers of children.

Percentage Share of Schedule Caste in India

Rank	State/Union Territory	% of SC Population
1	Punjab	31.9
2	Himachal Pradesh	25.2
3	West Bengal	23.5
4	Uttar Pradesh	20.7
5	Haryana	20.2
6	Tamil Nadu	18.0
7	Rajasthan	17.8
8	Karnataka	17.1
9	Andhra Pradesh	16.4
10	Odisha	16.3
11	Delhi	16.0
12	Telangana	15.4
13	Madhya Pradesh	15.3
14	Maharashtra	13.2
15	Chhattisgarh	11.6
16	Bihar	11.0
17	Kerala	10.0
18	Uttarakhand	9.7
19	Jharkhand	9.4
20	Gujarat	8.8
21	Assam	8.0
22	Tripura	6.0
23	Jammu and Kashmir	5.8
24	Chandigarh	5.0
25	Puducherry	4.0
26	Manipur	3.0
27	Sikkim	2.0
28	Goa	1.7
29	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	1.5
30	Meghalaya	0.6
31	Mizoram	0.1
32	Arunachal Pradesh	0.0
33	Nagaland	0.0
34	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.0
35	Lakshadweep	0.0
36	Ladakh	0.0

National Average: 16.7%

The second table examines the percentages, revealing Punjab at 31.9%, Himachal Pradesh at 25.2%, and West Bengal at 23.5%.

The substantial share in Punjab is attributed to groups such as Mazhabi and Chamar, comprising 31.6% and 26.2% of its SC population, respectively.

Himachal Pradesh features hilly regions where SCs have resided for generations, primarily engaged in agricultural work.

Following are Uttar Pradesh (20.7%) and Haryana (20.2%), both northern states with a notable SC presence in rural areas.

In contrast, northeastern states like Mizoram (0.1%) and Meghalaya (0.6%) report low percentages due to their predominantly tribal demographics.

The absence of official SC groups in regions like Nagaland results in a zero percent representation.

What accounts for these percentages?

High SC shares are prevalent in states with established caste systems and agricultural practices, such as Punjab.

Conversely, low shares in tribal regions illustrate the diversity of India—SCs are categorized by caste, while tribes are distinct entities.

The national average stands at 16.7%, a slight increase from 16.6% in 2011, attributed to urban migration where SC populations grew 41.3% faster.

Understanding the Variation in SC Populations

The tables indicate that SCs are predominantly concentrated in a limited number of large states.

Uttar Pradesh alone holds 20.5% of India’s SCs due to its vast size and diverse caste groups.

Southern states, including Tamil Nadu (18%) and Andhra Pradesh (16.4%), exhibit high percentages from communities such as Adi Dravida.

Northern states are at the forefront as SCs there frequently engage in agriculture, a significant sector.

In contrast, northeastern regions and islands report zero or minimal percentages due to their tribal nature—the Constitution does not recognize SCs in these areas.

Notably, 75% of SCs reside in rural settings, with a growth rate of 20.8% from 2001 to 2011, surpassing the general growth rate of 12.6%.

This information is crucial for policy-making, particularly regarding reservations—SCs are allocated 15% of job quotas to address historical injustices.

However, the uneven distribution of SC populations indicates that certain states require additional support.

The Scheduled Caste (SC) population in India, when analyzed by state, exhibits significant diversity—larger numbers are found in the northern regions, while smaller populations are present in the east.

By the year 2025, the SC population is projected to reach 241.8 million, making them crucial to India’s overall growth. However, challenges such as poverty persist.

Government initiatives, including scholarships, provide assistance, yet the creation of additional job opportunities could further balance the situation.

Source

• Census of India. (2011). Population enumeration data: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.