Today, the Assamese government relaxed the two-child limit for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Matak groups to three children. The state administration has significantly altered the population policy in order to carry out this choice.
The Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam (Amendment), 2025, which amends Clause 6 of the Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam, 2017, significantly alters the eligibility requirements for government employment, SHG incentives, and elections, according to a notification released by the state government on Friday.
The Health & Family Welfare Department's notification states that, in accordance with previous Tribal Affairs Department notifications, the two-child standard has been loosened to three children for communities that belong to Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Matak communities.
Government employment regulations currently in place stipulate that only applicants with two children may be hired, that government workers must strictly follow the two-child rule, and that anyone who is under the legal marriage age will not be allowed to work or participate in government-run employment generation programs.
These rules have now been loosened, permitting three child norms for Moran-Matak villages, Tea Tribes, STs, and SCs. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with members who have only two children are eligible for extra incentives, according to current legislation. Members of the ST, SC, Tea Tribe, Moran, and Matak communities are now subject to the same three-child rule.
In terms of electoral eligibility, previous regulations stated that the government might enact laws prohibiting candidates with more than two children from running in municipal and panchayat elections.
Other statutory bodies were given similar provisions. Additionally, it was said that the Assam administration will discuss with the Center the idea of enforcing the two-child rule for MLAs, which could result in the disqualification of legislators who violate it.
The policy only applied when there were two living children, according to a number of general parameters. Disowned children were not exempt from the rule, which extended to both natural and lawfully adopted children.
Twins as a second pair, triplets at first birth, and children with disabilities are examples of exceptions to the guidelines; other exceptions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
According to the current announcement, individuals who belong to Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Tea Garden Tribes, and the Moran and Matak tribes would now be eligible for three children instead of only two. The notification further mentioned that the revised policy takes effect right now.
