High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Scheduled Castes ("SC"s) and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s) are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of India, previously called the "depressed classes" by the British. SCs/STs together comprise over 24% of India's population, with SC at over 16% and ST over 8% as per the 2001 Census. The proportion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the population of India has steadily risen since independence in 1947. Some Scheduled Castes in India are also known as Dalits Some Scheduled Tribe people are also referred to as Adivasis. Post Independence Scheduled Castes are benefited by reservation policy.