Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued strict instructions to all departments and public institutions to completely stop the use of the term “Harijan” in any form of official communication, records, caste certificates, publications, or departmental names.
In a letter issued on Tuesday, the ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department directed that only the constitutional term “Scheduled Caste,” as specified under Article 341 of the Constitution of India, along with its appropriate translation in Odia and other national languages, should be used to denote persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes.
The move follows earlier instructions issued in 2012 by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Odisha government, as well as recent orders from the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) dated January 31, 2025, in Case No. 233/2025.
Departments, autonomous bodies, and subordinate offices have been asked to ensure strict adherence to the directive, sensitize officers and staff, and align existing documents or records with the new guidelines wherever feasible.
All departments have been instructed to submit compliance reports to the ST & SC Development Department. The order was issued with the approval of the Chief Secretary.
