In a significant policy shift, the Assam government has decided to relax its two-child policy for select indigenous groups, including tribal communities, tea garden workers, and the Moran and Mottock communities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision on Thursday, calling it a vital step to safeguard the survival of these micro-communities.
Explaining the reasoning behind the move, CM Sarma stated that imposing strict population control on small indigenous groups could lead to their extinction within the next five decades.
“We are relaxing the two-child norm for tribal people, tea garden workers, and the Moran and Mottock communities because they are micro-communities. If we restrict their population growth, they may cease to exist after 50 years. Based on recommendations from social scientists, we decided to modify our strict population control policy for these four groups,” said the Chief Minister.
This marks a major departure from Assam’s 2017 population control policy, which disqualified individuals with more than two children from applying for government jobs or contesting panchayat elections. Under the revised rules, members of these identified communities will be exempted from such restrictions, allowing them to have more than two children without facing penalties.
Previously, the Assam Public Services (Application of Small Family Norms in Direct Recruitment) Rules, 2019, enforced the two-child limit by disqualifying violators from state employment and local body elections.
CM Sarma emphasized that the latest decision is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to protect Assam’s indigenous populations and address long-term demographic challenges.
The Assam government has recently taken several initiatives to secure the rights and identity of its indigenous communities. In October 2025, the Chief Minister announced plans to introduce two new legislations to strengthen the protection of jati, mati, bheti — meaning community, land, and roots. Earlier, in May 2025, the government began issuing arms licenses to indigenous residents in remote and vulnerable areas, citing the need to protect them from illegal immigration.
