A study conducted by the NCM said that Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians are not so distinct from other Dalit groups and an argument for treating them differently could not be sustained.

Asserting that not according Scheduled Caste status to the two communities would amount to being discriminatory, the report said, "There are compelling arguments in favour of such an inclusion based on principles of natural justice and fairness".

"If no community had already been given SC status, and if the decision to accord SC status to some communities were to be taken today through some evidence-based approach, then it is hard to imagine how District Magistrates and Deputy Commissioners could be excluded," it said. The balance of pragmatic considerations is also in favour of their inclusion, it said.

Like in the Sachar Committee report, the study concluded that Dalit Muslims were the worst off as compared to Dalit Christians and their counterparts in other communities like Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs.

"With respect to proportions of population in poverty or affluence, Dalit Muslims are unquestionably the worst off among all Dalits, in both the rural and urban sectors," the study said.