Caste certificate for Tamil minorities: Kerala pushes Centre to revise 1950 cut-off rule
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Tuesday that the state will intensify efforts to persuade the central government to revise the rules for issuing caste certificates to Tamil-speaking minorities who migrated to Kerala.
Responding to a "call attention" motion raised by Devikulam MLA A Raja in the State Assembly, CM clarified that current regulations allow caste certificates to be granted only to Tamil linguistic minority groups who migrated from other states and permanently settled in Kerala before 1950.
Quoting from the Naduvattam Gopalakrishnan Report, the Chief Minister said the cut-off year should be extended to 1 January 1970. However, he noted the complications involved.
"Since there are no authentic records available regarding migration and permanent settlement in Kerala prior to 1950 in the erstwhile Travancore, Cochin, and Madras Presidency regions, detailed verification is required before revising the current provisions," he said.
He underlined that migration matters fall under the Union List, meaning any amendment to the criteria must come from the Centre.
"The issuance of community certificates to migrants in Kerala is strictly based on guidelines prescribed by the Centre," he added.
What is Naduvattam Gopalakrishnan Report?
The Naduvattam Gopalakrishnan Report is a key document concerning the challenges faced by linguistic minorities—particularly Tamil-speaking communities—in obtaining caste certificates in Kerala. The report examines the hurdles these groups encounter within the current regulatory framework and suggests measures to address longstanding issues of recognition and eligibility.
It notably recommends extending the cut-off year for eligibility from 1950 to 1 January 1970, aiming to provide relief to many who migrated to the state during that period but remain excluded under existing rules.
The Chief Minister informed the House that the issue was discussed at a meeting of state ministers held on 16 April this year, during which it was decided to propose changes to the existing rules. A comprehensive proposal was subsequently submitted to the Union government.
At a follow-up meeting chaired by Pinarayi Vijayan on 26 August 2025, ministers agreed that the state must increase pressure on the Centre to take necessary action. "Follow-up actions in this regard are currently underway," he said.
Raja had earlier highlighted the struggles faced by Tamil-speaking linguistic minorities in obtaining caste certificates in Kerala and urged the government to act on the recommendations of the Naduvattam Gopalakrishnan Report.