The Research wing conducts ethnographic and socio-cultural studies of various communities, especially on the Scheduled Communities of the state, by incorporating anthropological perspectives for research and classification of community studies. Research wing also known as Anthropology wing. The primary methodologies, such as ethnography, genealogy etc., are used to determine the caste status of a person or a community. Kerala Scheduled Castes and Scheduled (Regulation of issue of community certificates) Act 11 of 1996 recognized the Anthropology Wing as an Expert Agency to investigate SC/ST claims about the community status of individuals, especially those referred by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala, Scrutiny Committee, Screening Committee, and other Government agencies.

 

 

A separate Vigilance Cell is also functioning to curb the SC/ST bogus claimants with an ulterior motive to grab the benefits of the reservation policies. The anthropology wing also conducts training programs for the revenue official to maintain the rules and regulations concerning issuing community certificates as per the Act 11 of 1996. This wing also conducts anthropological studies of the cases referred by the Kerala State Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes Commission and cases referred by the other agencies and departments for determining the caste status of the SC/ST communities. This wing also conducing inclusion/exclusion studies.