Schedule Castes population in Karnataka is estimated at 10.9 million as per 2011 census of India, accoounting for about 17.15% of total state population. The Government of Karnataka has listed 101 communities and their sub-castes as Schedule Castes in the state. The Scheduled Castes in Karnataka are divided into 3 categories with Group A, B and C, having internal reservations.

Sub-classification The issue of the sub-classification of the Scheduled Castes in Karnataka was raised in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the late 1980s. The matter came into hype again in the 2010s, when the BJP Karnataka politician C. Narayanaswamy who himself was a Dalit raised the issue of internal reservation in Scheduled Castes (SC) community through sub-classification of the communities. There had been conflict of interest between the SC communities regarding subclassification, particularly among the left-side and right-side Dalits communities. The Left-side Dalit includes mainly Madigas and other leatherworker castes, while the Right-side one includes Holeya and Chalavadi who were agriculturalist labourers arguing that Right-side communities were better off than left-side ones.

In 2025, the Government of Karnataka announced for the subclassification of the Scheduled Castes communities in three categories A, B and C on the basis of Right-side, Left-side and Touchable SCs with internal reservation through THE KARNATAKA SCHEDULED CASTES (SUB-CLASSIFICATON) BILL, 2025.

Group A: Left-side SCs (Madiga and other leatherworker castes) Group B: Right-side SCs (Chalavadi and other labourer castes) Group C: Touchable SCs (Lambadis and other touchable artisan castes)

Though three communities, namely Adi Andhra, Adi Dravida and Adi Karnataka were listed in both Group A and B. Scheduled CastesReservation (Internal)CodeCommunitiesGroup001Adi AndhraBoth Group A and B12% (6 + 6)%002Adi Dravida003Adi Karnataka022Bhambi, Bhambhi, Asadaru, Asodi, Chamadia, Chamar, Chambhar, Chamgar, Haralayya, Harali, Khalpa, Machigor, Mochigar Madar, Madig, Mochi, Muchi, Telegu Mochi, Kamati Mochi, Ranigar, Rohidas, Rohit, SamgarGroup A6%028Chandala029Dhor, Kakkayya, Kakkayaa040Halsar, Haslar, Hulasvar, Halasvar042Hasla048Kadaiyan050Kepmaris051Kolupulvandlu056Kudumban061Madiga072Mang, Matang, Minimadig076Mavilan088Panchama089Panniandi093Samagara094Samgan007AnamukGroup B6%008Aray Mala010Arwa Mala015Balagai027Chalavadi, Chalvadi, Channayya086Pallan044Holaya, Holeya, Holar062Mahar, Dhegumegu063Mahyavanshi, Dhed, Vankar, Maru Vankar065Mala067Mala Hannai068Mala Jangam069Mala Masti070Mala Sale, Netkani078Moger080Mundala090Paraiya, Paraya091Raneyan101Valluvan004Adiya [in Coorg district]Group C5%005Ager006Ajila009Arunthathiyar011Baira012Bakad013Bant [in Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwar and North Kanara districts]014Bakuda016Bandi017Banjara, Lambadi, Lamabadi, Lambani, Sugali018Bathada019Beda Jangam, Budga Jangam020Bellara021Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Malkana Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli023Bhovi, Od, Woddar, Voddar, Kalluvadar, Mannuvadar024Bindla025Byagara026Chakkiliyan029Chenna Dasar, Holar Dasar030Dakkal, Dakkalwar031Dakkaliga033Dom, Dombara, Paidi, Pano034Ellamalwar, Yellammalawandlu035Ghanti Chores036Garoda, Garo037Godda038Gosangi039Halleer041Handi Jogis043Holar, Valhar045Holeya Dasari046Jaggali047Jambuvulu049Kalladi052Koosa053Koracha, Korachar054Korama, Korava, Koravar055Kotegar, Metri057Kuruvan058Lingader059Machala060Madari064Maila066Mala Dasari071Mala Sanyasi073Mang Garudi, Mang Garodi074Manne075Masthi077Meghwal, Menghvar079Mukri081Nadia, Hadi082Nalkadaya083Nalakeyya084Nayadi085Pale087Pambada091Paravan095Sapari096Sillekyathas097Sindhollu, Chindollu098Sudugadu Siddha099Thoti100Tirgar, Tirbanda

Demographics

Community-wise Scheduled CastesPopulation (2011)CodeCommunityTotal population%age of total001Adi Andhra26,4860.253002Adi Dravida7,95,6207.595003Adi Karnataka29,20,94227.885004Adiya (in Coorg district)8110.007005Ager6,6420.063006Ajila2,4480.023007Anamuk75<0.001008Aray Mala94<0.001009Arunthathiyar2,3850.023010Arwa Mala2600.002011Baira4,0490.039012Bakad8080.007013Bant (in Belagavi, Bijapur, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts)1,3900.013014Bakuda1,5660.015015Balagai2,1800.020016Bandi6780.006017Banjara, Lambadi, Lamadi, Sulagi, Sulagavi12,67,03612.095018Bathada2,6320.025019Beda Jangam, Budga Jangam1,17,1641.118020Bellara1,2430.012021Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Halalkhor, Lal Begi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli5,2810.052022Bhambi, Bhambhi, Asadaru, Asodi, Chamadia, Chamar, Chambhar, Chamgar, Haralayya, Hallar, Khalpa, Madig, Madar Mochigar, Mochi, Muchi, Telugu Mochi, Kamati Mochi, Ravidas, Rohidas, Rohit, Samgar6,05,4865.780023Bhovi, Od, Voddar, Woddar, Kalluvaddar, Mannuvaddar11,19,31510.685024Bindla1490.001025Byagara2,0190.019026Chakkiliyan5740.005027Chalavadi, Chalvadi, Chanayya2,19,6262.097028Chandala1420.001029Chenna Dassar, Holaya Dassar72,0030.687030Dakkal, Dokkalwar5300.005031Dakkaliga7630.007032Dhor, Kakkayya, Kankayya29,1990.279033Dombar, Dom, Paidi, Pano26,3440.251034Ellamalwar, Yellammalawandlu1080.001035Ghanti Chores4,9670.047036Garoda, Garo1700.001037Godda1,5320.015038Gosangi2,2190.021039Halleer3,5330.035040Halsar, Haslar, Hulasvar, Halasvar9,6950.092041Handi Jogis22,6750.216042Hasla9240.009043Holar, Valhar1,5480.015044Holeya, Holar, Holaya7,92,7857.568045Holeya Dasari3820.003046Jaggali1,0610.010047Jambuvulu12,4110.118048Kadaiyan45<0.001049Kalladi1,7740.017050Kepmaris19<0.001051Kolupulvandlu1<0.001052Koosa2020.002053Koracha, Korachar55,1480.526054Korama, Korava, Koravar2,09,5682.001055Kotegar, Metri2,3700.023056Kudumban80<0.001057Kuruvan6370.006058Lingader76<0.001059Machala2440.002060Madari1,0600.010061Madiga9,53,9189.106062Mahar, Taral, Dhegumegu66,0680.631063Mahyavanshi, Dhed, Vankar, Maru Vankar63<0.001064Maila1,8240.018065Mala20,1050.192066Mala Dasari4,3910.042067Mala Hannai17<0.001068Mala Jangam28<0.001069Mala Masti5<0.001070Mala Salle, Netkani2670.002071Mala Sanyasi5520.005072Mang, Matang, Minimadig26,2180.250073Mang Garodi, Mang Garudi3,4340.033074Manne99<0.001075Masthi100<0.001076Mavilan42<0.001077Meghval, Menghvar2,0570.019078Moger82,8070.791079Mukri11,5010.109080Mandala27,4170.262081Nadia, Hadi1,3780.013082Nalakadya7650.007083Nalakeyeva5,9420.057084Nayadi5890.005085Pale9,3740.089086Pallan3,5920.035087Pambada7110.006088Panchama4500.004089Panniandi11<0.001090Paraiyan, Paraya2,4180.023091Paravan3,5280.035092Raneyan3,5780.035093Samagara88,2150.842094Samban1020.001095Sapari49<0.001096Sillekyathas35,1970.342097Sindhollu, Chindollu1,7060.016098Sudugadu Siddha29,4570.281099Thoti1,3040.013100Tirgar, Tirbanda81<0.001101Valluvan1,1150.011Generic castes, etc7,23,6976.9091,04,74,992100.000

Religion-wise Scheduled CastesPopulation (2011)ReligionsHinduismSikhismBuddhism001Adi Andhra26,48626,448533002Adi Dravida7,95,6207,95,181152287003Adi Karnataka29,20,94229,18,1594342,349004Adiya (in Coorg district)81181010005Ager6,6426,64200006Ajila2,4482,44800007Anamuk757500008Aray Mala949310009Arunthathiyar2,3852,38302010Arwa Mala26026000011Baira4,0494,04801012Bakad80880800013Bant (in Belagavi, Bijapur, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts)1,3901,38820014Bakuda1,5661,56600015Balagai2,1802,17208016Bandi67867800017Banjara, Lambadi, Lamadi, Sulagi, Sulagavi12,67,03612,66,78318271018Bathada2,6322,63200019Beda Jangam, Budga Jangam1,17,1641,17,1381610020Bellara1,2431,24300021Bhangi, Mehtar, Olgana, Rukhi, Halalkhor, Lal Begi, Balmiki, Korar, Zadmalli5,2815,259202022Bhambi, Bhambhi, Asadaru, Asodi, Chamadia, Chamar, Chambhar, Chamgar, Haralayya, Hallar, Khalpa, Madig, Madar Mochigar, Mochi, Muchi, Telugu Mochi, Kamati Mochi, Ravidas, Rohidas, Rohit, Samgar6,05,4866,05,10483299023Bhovi, Od, Voddar, Woddar, Kalluvaddar, Mannuvaddar11,19,31511,18,953143219024Bindla14914900025Byagara2,0192,01900026Chakkiliyan57457400027Chalavadi, Chalvadi, Chanayya2,19,6262,17,420131,081028Chandala14214200029Chenna Dassar, Holaya Dassar72,00371,973820030Dakkal, Dokkalwar53053000031Dakkaliga76376201032Dhor, Kakkayya, Kankayya29,19929,176221033Dombar, Dom, Paidi, Pano26,34426,34031034Ellamalwar, Yellammalawandlu10810800035Ghanti Chores4,9674,96700036Garoda, Garo17016604037Godda1,5321,52705038Gosangi2,2192,21810039Halleer3,5333,53300040Halsar, Haslar, Hulasvar, Halasvar9,6959,69401041Handi Jogis22,67522,67131042Hasla92492400043Holar, Valhar1,5481,534014044Holeya, Holar, Holaya7,92,7857,55,26616137,358045Holeya Dasari38238200046Jaggali1,0611,06100047Jambuvulu12,41112,40722048Kadaiyan454500049Kalladi1,7741,77400050Kepmaris191900051Kolupulvandlu1100052Koosa20220200053Koracha, Korachar55,14855,133105054Korama, Korava, Koravar2,09,5682,09,5242717055Kotegar, Metri2,3702,37000056Kudumban808000057Kuruvan63763700058Lingader767600059Machala24424400060Madari1,0601,06000061Madiga9,53,9189,52,717200996062Mahar, Taral, Dhegumegu66,06860,348195,701063Mahyavanshi, Dhed, Vankar, Maru Vankar636102064Maila1,8241,82400065Mala20,10520,0501342066Mala Dasari4,3914,39010067Mala Hannai171700068Mala Jangam282800069Mala Masti5500070Mala Salle, Netkani26726700071Mala Sanyasi55255200072Mang, Matang, Minimadig26,21826,1085105073Mang Garodi, Mang Garudi3,4343,43400074Manne999900075Masthi10010000076Mavilan424200077Meghval, Menghvar2,0572,05601078Moger82,80782,760344079Mukri11,50111,50100080Mandala27,41727,403113081Nadia, Hadi1,3781,37801082Nalakadya76576500083Nalakeyeva5,9425,94200084Nayadi58958900085Pale9,3749,37420086Pallan3,5923,59101087Pambada71171100088Panchama45045000089Panniandi111100090Paraiyan, Paraya2,4182,41800091Paravan3,5283,52800092Raneyan3,5783,57800093Samagara88,21588,1652426094Samban10210200095Sapari494900096Sillekyathas35,19735,19061097Sindhollu, Chindollu1,7061,70600098Sudugadu Siddha29,45729,44980099Thoti1,3041,30400100Tirgar, Tirbanda818100101Valluvan1,1151,11500Generic castes, etc7,23,6977,19,1025314,0641,04,74,9921,04,18,9892,10053,903

District wise DistrictScheduled CastesNamePopulation