Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Breaking: Himachal to remove caste column from school admission forms from next academic session, announces CM Sukhu
Shashi Bhushan Purohit
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), August 26, 2026: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the removal of the caste column from school admission forms from the next academic session, saying the move will help promote equality and reduce caste-based discrimination among children.
Sukhu issued the direction while chairing a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board (HPSCWB) in Shimla on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister said the state government was committed to eliminating caste-based discrimination and fostering a sense of fraternity and equality in society.
He said removing the caste column from school admission forms would help ensure that children do not develop a sense of inferiority based on caste. However, members of the Scheduled Caste community would continue to provide caste-related details while applying for government schemes and benefits so that they can access the benefits without difficulty.
Government Schemes for Scheduled Castes
Sukhu said resolving issues faced by the Scheduled Caste community remained a priority for the state government. He directed that eligible beneficiaries should be made aware of welfare schemes so that they can avail themselves of the available benefits.
He said under the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Swarozgar Saur Yojana, the government was providing subsidies for setting up projects ranging from 100 KW to 2 MW. A subsidy of 5 per cent was being provided for projects in tribal areas and 4 per cent in other areas.
The Chief Minister also said the state government was providing loans of up to Rs 20 lakh to meritorious students for higher education at an interest rate of one per cent. The initiative, he said, was intended to ensure that students do not have to discontinue their education due to financial constraints.
Sukhu further said the government would implement the Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana for extremely poor families. Under the proposed scheme, eligible families would receive 300 units of free electricity, while women from these families would be provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,500.
Rs 1,400 Crore for Social Security Pensions
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil said the state government was currently providing social security pensions to 8,41,917 beneficiaries.
He said old-age men were receiving a monthly pension of Rs 1,000, while women, persons with disabilities, widows and deserted or single women were being provided Rs 1,500 per month.
Senior citizens above 70 years of age and persons with more than 70 per cent disability were receiving Rs 1,700 per month, he said. According to the minister, around Rs 1,400 crore was being spent on social security pension schemes during the current financial year.
Shandil said the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment was also spending approximately Rs 314.90 crore during the current financial year on schemes aimed at the social and economic upliftment of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, women, children and senior citizens.
In addition, Rs 1,105.37 crore was being allocated under the Scheduled Caste Development Programme, he said.
Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Administrative Secretaries of various departments, Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment C.P. Verma, Director ESOMSA Sumit Khimta, members of the Scheduled Caste Welfare Board and senior officers were also present at the meeting.