Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the state government to remove the caste column from school admission forms from the next academic session. The move aims to reduce caste-based discrimination among children and promote equality and fraternity in society. Sukhu issued the direction on Wednesday while chairing a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board (HPSCWB).

Sukhu said his government was committed to creating a society free from caste-based discrimination. He said removing the caste column from school admission forms would support this effort and help children grow without developing feelings of inferiority linked to their caste.

He said, “Removing the caste column from school admission forms would be a step in this direction and would help ensure that children do not develop any sense of inferiority on the basis of caste. However, members of the Scheduled Caste community would continue to provide their caste details when availing themselves for government schemes and benefits, ensuring that they receive the benefits of such schemes without any difficulty”.

The decision will apply to school admission forms from the coming academic session. However, the removal of the column will not affect the process of providing caste details for government welfare schemes. Members of the Scheduled Caste community will still be required to submit their caste information when seeking government benefits. This will ensure that eligible people continue to receive assistance under various schemes without facing difficulties.

During the meeting, Sukhu said the state government’s priority is to address the issues faced by the Scheduled Caste community. He highlighted several measures taken by the government to support people from disadvantaged sections and improve access to education, employment and welfare opportunities.

The chief minister also spoke about the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Swarozgar Saur Yojana. Under the scheme, the state government is providing subsidies to support the setting up of projects with capacities ranging from 100 KW to 2 MW. The scheme offers a subsidy of 5 per cent for projects established in tribal areas. Projects in other areas receive a subsidy of 4 per cent.

Sukhu said the government was also working to make higher education more accessible to meritorious students. Under the state government’s education loan initiative, eligible meritorious students can receive loans of up to ₹20 lakh for higher education. The loans are available at an interest rate of just 1 per cent.

The chief minister said the measure would help students continue their education despite financial difficulties. The government aims to ensure that deserving students do not have to discontinue their studies for lack of financial resources.

Sukhu also announced that the state government will implement the Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana for extremely poor families. The scheme will provide support to families identified as eligible under its provisions. Each eligible family will receive 300 units of free electricity.

The scheme will also provide financial support to women from eligible families. Women covered under the scheme will receive a monthly pension of ₹1,500. The government expects the initiative to provide additional support to extremely poor households and improve their financial security.

The decision to remove the caste column from school admission forms marks a significant step in the state government’s stated efforts to promote equality among children. The government has maintained that children should not face discrimination or develop a sense of inferiority based on their caste. At the same time, caste details will remain part of the process for accessing government schemes and benefits, allowing eligible members of the Scheduled Caste community to continue receiving support.

The announcement was made during the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Caste Welfare Board meeting, where the government reviewed issues concerning the Scheduled Caste community. Along with the decision on school admission forms, Sukhu highlighted measures related to financial assistance, education, entrepreneurship and welfare for economically weaker families.