In a significant move towards social equity, the Kerala government has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Union government, advocating for crucial amendments to the existing rules governing the issuance of caste certificates for individuals who have migrated to Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced this development during a recent Assembly session.
The Chief Minister’s statement came in response to a calling attention motion initiated by A. Raja, highlighting the urgent need to implement the recommendations outlined in the Naduvattom Gopalakrishnan committee report. This report specifically addresses the challenges faced by linguistic minorities in the state when attempting to obtain caste certificates.
Currently, caste certificates are exclusively issued to Tamil-speaking linguistic minority groups who can prove permanent residency in Kerala before 1950. The Naduvattom Gopalakrishnan committee’s report, however, suggests that this restrictive time limit should be updated to include all linguistic minority members who settled in Kerala prior to January 1, 1970.
Chief Minister Vijayan acknowledged a significant hurdle: the lack of authentic records confirming migration or permanent residency within the historical administrative regions of Travancore, Kochi, and the Madras Presidency before 1950. This data gap necessitates a thorough review of documentation to facilitate any amendments to the current caste certificate issuance rules for linguistic minorities.
Federal Authority Required
It’s important to note that matters concerning migration fall under the Union List, meaning only the Union government possesses the authority to modify these specific criteria. Consequently, the issuance of caste certificates to migrants in Kerala strictly adheres to guidelines established by the Centre.
To address this, a meeting involving relevant ministers was convened on April 16 of this year. The agenda focused on deliberating potential amendments and recommending necessary adjustments to the existing rules. Following these discussions, a detailed proposal has now been formally submitted to the Union government, as confirmed by Mr. Vijayan.
Furthermore, a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on August 26, 2025, resolved to intensify efforts and exert pressure on the Centre to consider and act upon this vital matter. The Kerala government remains committed to pursuing this issue diligently.