KalimNews, March 20, 2025, Gangtok: The Sikkim State High-Level Committee (SSHLC) convened its third meeting on March 18-19, 2025, at the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) Conference Hall in Kolkata. The session focused on reviewing the draft ethnographic reports prepared through field surveys and secondary data collection conducted by community members and research assistants. A press release of Sikkim State High Level Committee issued by Social Welfare Department stated that the objective was to ensure the reports’ accuracy, comprehensiveness, and alignment with the community’s needs as part of the process for the inclusion of 12 left-out communities in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
The meeting, chaired by Prof. B.V. Sharma, Chairman of SSHLC, was attended by Vice Chairman Prof. Mahendra P. Lama, Shri BS Panth, MLA and Advisor to the Excise Department, and other members of the SSHLC, along with key officials from the Social Welfare Department. Mrs. Sarika Pradhan, Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, welcomed the dignitaries and emphasized the importance of a structured peer review process to standardize the ethnographic reports. She encouraged the members to carefully examine the reports, identify gaps, and suggest ways to enhance the overall quality.
Prof. B.V. Sharma reiterated the necessity for a thorough review and proposed dividing the committee members into three sub-groups. These sub-groups were tasked with evaluating the findings, methodologies, and broader implications of the reports. The goal was to ensure the reports were both robust and reflective of the communities’ unique perspectives.
Prof. Mahendra P. Lama highlighted the importance of documenting the voices, traditions, and lived experiences of the 12 left-out communities. He urged committee members to develop a comprehensive and well-structured report that would stand up to scrutiny and strengthen the case for their inclusion in the ST list.
The peer review process was structured over two days. On Day 1, the committee reviewed reports of six communities, identifying key gaps and discussing necessary refinements. On Day 2, the remaining reports were reviewed in the same manner. Prof. Sharma encouraged the committee members to provide valuable inputs to ensure the reports were both clear and accurate.
A PowerPoint presentation by Prof. Mahendra P. Lama outlined the framework for finalizing the reports. Specific responsibilities were assigned to the committee members based on their expertise to refine the drafts further for broader dissemination.
In a bid to ensure community engagement, the second session of Day 2 included a Zoom meeting with community representatives. This session provided an opportunity for the communities to share their feedback and contribute additional information to fill the identified gaps. The community members have been asked to submit any further inputs by March 21, 2025, to the Member Secretary.
The committee members also decided that the final SSHLC meeting would take place in Gangtok to finalize and submit the completed report. This meeting marked a significant step in standardizing the ethnographic reports and ensuring they meet the necessary criteria before submission. The combined efforts of structured peer review, community participation, and expert insights are expected to strengthen the case for the ST inclusion of these communities.
