All Bodo Students’ Union president Dipen Boro said Assam’s existing 45 lakh tribals would be lost if two crore “advanced” people were "imposed on us."

“We reject the GoM report,” he said. Tribal leader Aditya Khaklari echoed a similar sentiment. “You cannot differentiate the tribals. The government decision will affect the existing tribals,” he said.

The GoM report said the three-fold structure would allow reservations in Parliament, legislative Assembly, and local bodies, to be reorganised without reducing the current entitlements of ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) communities. 

“However, to achieve this, Parliament must enact special legislation to give the three-fold reservation statutory endorsement. The Government of Assam will request the Government of India to provide statutory recognition of the three-tier classification of the Scheduled Tribes of Assam,” the report said.

This arrangement, the report added, will be in tune with the resolution of the Assam Assembly that the six communities be recognised as STs without affecting the rights and privileges of the present tribal communities.

“ST (Valley) will be the Scheduled Tribe for all purposes except that it will not affect the rights and privileges enjoyed by the present tribal communities,” the report said.

According to the GoM recommendations, the ST (Valley) category will have separate reservation quotas, with distinct rosters and vacancy registers for all state government recruitments and educational institutions. Existing ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) quotas will remain fully protected, the report further stated.