OBCs AND SUBCATEGORIES
1. Context
Andhra Pradesh will conduct a backward classes census starting around November 15 to determine the exact population of the state's 139 backward-class communities. This move follows Bihar's recent caste survey and highlights the growing demand for caste enumeration and subcategorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
2. Who are the Other Backward Classes (OBCs)?
- Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are marginalized communities and castes in India that are neither Scheduled Castes (SCs) nor Scheduled Tribes (STs).
- Their social and educational backwardness is often rooted in their caste status.
- The Indian Constitution, under Articles 15(4) and 16(4), mandates affirmative action for OBCs, allowing the state to make special provisions for their advancement and reserve appointments or posts in their favour.
- OBCs are generally identified based on their traditional occupations, primarily in agriculture and artisanal crafts.
- However, there are significant disparities in marginalization levels among various OBC castes. A key distinction is between land-owning OBCs and those who don't own land.
- The demand for subcategorization of OBCs has grown due to the perception that a few dominant OBC groups have disproportionately benefited from the 27% reservation policy implemented following the Mandal Commission recommendations.
3. Bihar's caste survey
- Bihar's caste survey revealed that 27% of the population belongs to "backward" castes and 36% to "extremely backward" castes (EBCs).
- The state has a history of attempts to categorize backward classes, with the Mungeri Lal Commission's recommendations implemented in the 1970s.
- The Karpoori Thakur Formula divided the 26% reservation among OBCs, economically backward OBCs, women, and the poor from "upper castes."
- Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has focused on reaching out to EBCs, a significant vote bank.
- The current OBC reservation is divided among BC-I, BC-II, and OBC Women, but this could change based on the caste survey findings.
4. First OBC Commission
- The initial OBC Commission, led by Kaka Kalelkar, was established by the government of Jawaharlal Nehru on January 29, 1953, and it submitted its report on March 30, 1955.
- To identify socially and educationally backward classes, this commission applied specific criteria, including low social standing within the traditional caste hierarchy of Hindu society, a lack of general educational advancement within the majority of the caste/community, inadequate or nonexistent representation in government positions, and insufficient representation in trade, commerce, and industry.
- This commission created a list of 2,399 backward castes or communities across the country, with 837 of them categorized as the "most backwards."
- It also recommended the inclusion of caste enumeration in the 1961 census, along with a 25-40% reservation in various government job tiers and a 70% reservation for technical and professional institution admissions.
- Unfortunately, the report never underwent parliamentary discussion and remained unimplemented due to the government's perception of impracticality in creating an all-India list.
4.1. Second OBC Commission
- The second OBC Commission, known as the B.P. Mandal Commission, was appointed in 1979 during Morarji Desai's Janata government.
- However, its implementation was only officially declared in 1990 under the government of V.P. Singh.
- The Mandal Commission identified 3,743 castes and communities as OBCs, estimating their population at 52%.
- It recommended a 27% reservation in government jobs and admissions to all government-run scientific, technical, and professional institutions.
- The 27% OBC quota did not incorporate subcategories, although one member of the commission, L.R. Naik, dissented and proposed the division of OBCs into intermediate backward classes and depressed backward classes.
- The Central Government's Official Memorandum regarding the implementation of the Mandal recommendations, issued on September 25, 1991, stipulated that preference should be given to candidates from the economically disadvantaged sections of the SEBCs within the 27% reservation.
- Nevertheless, the central government consistently implemented the quota by treating the entire OBC population as a single group and excluding the "creamy layer" of affluent candidates, as per criteria established after a Supreme Court ruling.
5. Subcategories in States
Over the years, state governments have devised their own criteria for distributing reservation benefits among various OBC categories, a practice that began well before the implementation of the Mandal recommendations at the national level.
- In Andhra Pradesh, OBCs are categorized into five subgroups:
(A) Aboriginal tribes, Vimukt Jatis, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, etc.;
(B) Professional groups like tappers, weavers, carpenters, ironsmiths, goldsmiths, kamsalins, etc.;
(C) SC converts to Christianity and their descendants;
(D) all other OBC castes and communities not covered in the previous three categories;
(E) 14 Muslim OBC castes were identified in 2007.
- These groups share 29% reservation benefits, divided into 7%, 10%, 1%, 7%, and 4%, respectively. Telangana follows a similar model.
- In Karnataka, the 207 OBC castes are divided into five sub-groups.
- Jharkhand has two groups: Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and Backward Classes.
- In West Bengal, the 143 OBC castes are categorized into More Backwards and Backwards.
- In Maharashtra, the 21% OBC reservation is divided between the Special Backward Category (2%) and Other Backward Classes (19%).
- In Tamil Nadu, the 50% OBC quota is distributed among Backward Classes (26.5%), Backward Class Muslims (3.5%), and Most Backward Classes/Denotified Community (20%).
- In Kerala, the 40% OBC reservation is divided into eight subgroups, including Ezhava/Thiyya/Billava (14%) and Muslims (12%).
- In Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh established a Social Justice Committee to subcategorize SCs and OBCs to provide quotas within quotas.
- The Hukum Singh Committee categorized Yadavs as 'forwards' among the backward classes and ranked more influential communities like Jats below them, placing Jatavs at the top among SCs.
- The report faced challenges in the Supreme Court, and the BSP-BJP government led by Mayawati did not proceed with the implementation.
6. UPA’s subcategorisation bid
- The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government sought to address the issue of subcategorization of OBCs in response to political developments and the BJP's emphasis on OBC identity.
- In 2015, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) proposed dividing OBCs into three subcategories: Extremely Backward Classes, More Backward Classes, and Backward Classes.
- However, this recommendation was not implemented, and a new commission under Justice G Rohini was formed in 2017.
- The Rohini Commission submitted its report in 2023, but its contents are not publicly available.
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For Prelims: Rohini Commission, OBC, National Commission for Backward Classes, Hukum Singh Committee, B.P. Mandal Commission, Kaka Kalelkar Commission,
For Mains:
1. "Discuss the significance of caste enumeration and subcategorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the context of India's reservation policies. How does it impact social equity and representation?" (250 Words)
2. Critically assess the role of the Mandal Commission and subsequent commissions in addressing the issue of OBC reservation and subcategorization. Discuss the challenges and opportunities in implementing subcategorization policies. (250 Words)
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Previous Year Questions
1. Consider the following organizations/bodies in India: (UPSC 2023)
How many of the above constitutional bodies? (a) Only one Answer: A 2. The First Backward Classes Commission was chaired by: (Dehli Police Constable 2020) (TNPSC Group 1) A. V.P. Singh B. PG Shah C. Kaka Kalelkar D. Anup Singh Answer: C |
Source: The Indian Express
