The Odisha government has instructed all its departments, public and educational institutions, and other establishments to stop using the term ‘harijan’ in any official communications or documents, officials said on Wednesday.
The Commissioner-cum-secretary of the ST & SC Development, Minority & Backwards Classes Welfare Department, in a letter issued on August 13, has instead directed to use the constitutional term ‘scheduled caste’ in English and ‘anusuchita jati’ in Odia and other national languages to “denoted persons belonging to scheduled castes as notified under Article 341 of the Constitution”.
The officials said that the letter in this regard was sent to all the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and commissioner-cum-secretaries.
“They have been instructed to ensure that the word ‘harijan’ does not appear in any official communications, records, transactions, caste certificates, publications, departmental names, or any other form of use,” one of the officials said.
As per instructions issued by the ST & SC Development,M&BCW,Department with the approval of the Chief Secretary,Odisha Government,the term ‘Harijan’ shall not be used in public institutions, transactions,departmental names,educational establishments or official communications
1/2 pic.twitter.com/aFUGDgPuo1— ST & SC Development Department (@scstdevdept) August 13, 2025
Officials have been ordered to update existing documents and records and to educate their staff on the new directive. A compliance report detailing the actions taken is also required.
The state government’s decision aligns with guidelines from the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), which also prohibits using the term.
These guidelines will be strictly enforced in all government offices, the department said in the letter.
The state government’s move follows a long-standing effort to stop using the term ‘harijan,’ with the Central government issuing similar instructions in 1982 and again in 2013. The Odisha Assembly has also prohibited the use of ‘harijan’
