The Odisha government has directed all departments and public institutions to completely discontinue the use of the term “Harijan” in any official communication, records, caste certificates, publications, or departmental names.
In a letter issued on Tuesday, the ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department instructed that only the constitutional term “Scheduled Caste,” as defined under Article 341 of the Constitution of India, should be used, along with its proper translation in Odia and other national languages.
This directive reinforces earlier guidelines issued in 2012 by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the state government, as well as a recent Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) order dated January 31, 2025, in Case No. 233/2025.
Departments, autonomous bodies, and subordinate offices have been told to ensure strict compliance, sensitize staff, and update existing records to align with the new terminology wherever possible. All departments must submit compliance reports to the ST & SC Development Department. The order was issued with the Chief Secretary’s approval.
