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Other Backward Class

Term for socially or educationally disadvantaged group of people in India

The Other Backward Class (OBC) is a collective term used by the Government of India to classify communities that are "educationally or socially backward" (i.e., deprived/disadvantaged). It is one of several official classifications of the population of India, along with general castes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs and STs). The OBCs were found to comprise 52% of the country's population by the Mandal Commission report of 1980 and were determined to be 41% in 2006 when the National Sample Survey Organisation took place. There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India; it is generally estimated to be sizable, but many believe that it is higher than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or the National Sample Survey.

In the Indian Constitution, OBCs are described as socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC), and the Government of India is enjoined to ensure their social and educational development ,  for example, the OBCs are entitled to 27% reservations in public sector employment and higher education. The list of OBCs maintained by the Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is dynamic, with castes and communities being added or removed depending on social, educational, and economic factors. In a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed that as of January 2016, the percentage of OBCs in central government services is 21.57% and has shown an increasing trend since September 1993. Likewise, in 2015, at educational institutions, funds meant for OBC students under the reservation policy were not used properly or were underused in cases of upgrading infrastructure as well as in violation of faculty recruitment of OBCs according to the 49% reservation policy.

Until 1985, the affairs of the Backward Classes were looked after by the Backward Classes Cell in the Ministry of Home Affairs. A separate Ministry of Welfare was established in 1985 (renamed in 1998 the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment) to attend to matters relating to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. The Backward Classes Division of the Ministry looks after the policy, planning, and implementation of programmes relating to social and economic empowerment of OBCs, and matters relating to two institutions set up for the welfare of OBCs, the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation and the National Commission for Backward Classes.

01Government obligation

Under Article 340 of the Indian Constitution, the government must promote the welfare of the OBCs.

The president may by order appoint a commission consisting of such persons as he thinks fit to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) within the territory of India and the difficulties under which they labour and to make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the union or any state to remove such difficulties and as to improve their condition and as to the grants that should be made, and the order appointing such commission shall define the procedure to be followed by the commission. ... A commission so appointed shall investigate the matters referred to them and present to the president a report setting out the facts as found by them and making such recommendation as they think proper.

, Article 340 of the Indian Constitution

A 1992 decision of the Supreme Court of India resulted in a requirement that 27% of civil service positions be reserved for members of OBCs. In a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed that as of January 2016, the percentage of OBCs in central government jobs is 21.57%.

**NFHS Survey estimated only Hindu OBC population. Total OBC population derived by assuming Muslim ABCation in the same proportion as Hindu OBC population.
**NFHS Survey estimated only Hindu OBC population. Total OBC population derived by assuming Muslim ABCation in the same proportion as Hindu OBC population.

02Socio-economic status

There existed a huge disparity among various castes and communities classified as Other Backward Class, even before the implementation of the reservation policy in government jobs and educational institutions, as per the recommendation of the Mandal Commission report. While a major section of Other Backward Castes was extremely backward, there existed a section that owned considerable land and employed Scheduled Castes (SC) as agricultural labourers. In the agitation for implementation of the report of Mandal Commission, Scheduled Castes supported the Other Backward Castes, but after the implementation of these recommendations on the direction of Supreme Court of India, the tension between a section of OBCs and SCs increased.

In some states of North India, the Yadavs, Kurmis, and the Koeris, which were called "upper-OBC", were well off, due to ownership of a sizeable amount of land. The abolition of Zamindari system in post-independence India raised many of the members of these communities to the status of landlords. Following the Green Revolution in India, their landholdings and economic prosperity increased further; they acquired education and became an active participant in government jobs. Further, after the Mandal agitation subsided in North India, OBC leaders gained political power to outnumber the upper caste legislators in most of the north Indian states. This led to the formation of the OBC-led government in many states of North India. They also ended up claiming the high ritual status, which is defined as Sanskritisation.

However, the OBC consolidation in some of the states of north India like Bihar, left many other OBC communities away from the development process. The political and economic prosperity was cornered by the dominant Backward Castes like Koeri, Kurmi and Yadav; this was witnessed in the formation of political blocs in the state after 1995, in which, either side was dominated by these three castes.

Within this section of OBCs called upper-OBC, there also exists disparity in educational attainment and political mobilisation. While the Yadavs were the biggest beneficiary in political achievements, their political progress didn't improve their position in the caste hierarchy and the spread of education among them also remained less as compared to more educationally advanced communities like Awadhia Kurmi, Koeri and Bania. Since the Yadavs were associated with cattle herding in contrast to other upper-OBCs, who were owner cultivators, trespassing into field of landlords and regular struggle with the latter was a challenge for their survival. The mobilisation of Other Backward Class for social-economic ascendancy was not observed at the same pace and in the same manner in different north Indian states. In north India, states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also have substantial populations of Backward Castes, yet, no movement as seen in states like Bihar took place in these states. Many observers have mentioned that in Bihar, the upper OBCs viz. Koeri, Kurmi, and Yadav's political ascendancy went hand in hand with land reforms and peasant movements, benefitting these three castes. These movements changed not only their political position but also their socio-economic profile. However, in the case of Madhya Pradesh, the national political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress accommodated the Backward Class in the political structure of the state in a way that socio-political movement of any kind was prevented from taking place.

03Demographics

Kalelkar Commission

Adjacent is the distribution of population of each religion by caste categories, obtained from merged sample of Schedule 1 and Schedule 10 of available data from the National Sample Survey Organisation 55th (1999-2000) and National Sample Survey Organisation 61st Rounds (2004-05) Round Survey.

The First Backward Classes Commission was established by a presidential order on 29 January 1953 under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar and submitted its report on 30 March 1955. It had prepared a list of 2,399 backward castes or communities for the entire country, of which 837 had been classified as the "most backward". Some of the most notable recommendations of the Kalelkar Commission were:

  1. Undertaking caste-wise enumeration of the population in the census of 1961;
  2. Relating the social backwardness of a class to its low position in the traditional caste hierarchy of Indian society;
  3. Treating all women as a class as "backward";
  4. Reservation of 70 percent of seats in all technical and professional institutions for qualified students of backward classes.
  5. Reservation of vacancies in all government services and local bodies for other backward classes.

The commission in its final report recommended "caste as the criteria" to determine backwardness. However, the report was not accepted by the government, which feared that the backward classes excluded from the castes and communities selected by the commission might not be considered, and those in most need would be swamped by the multitudes, thus receiving insufficient attention.

Mandal Commission

The decision to set up a second backward classes commission was made official by the president on 1 January 1979. The commission is popularly known as the Mandal Commission, its chairman being B. P. Mandal, submitted a report in December 1980 that stated that the population of OBCs, which includes both Hindus and non-Hindus, was around 52 percent of the total population. The commission prepared a list of 3,743 backward castes or communities for the entire country, of which 1,937 had been classified as the "depressed backward class". It developed 11 indicators or criteria to identify OBCs, of which four were economic.

Twenty-seven percent of reservations were recommended owing to the legal constraint that the total quantum of reservations should not exceed 50 percent. States that have already introduced reservations for OBC exceeding 27 percent will not be affected by this recommendation. With this general recommendation, the commission proposed the following overall scheme of reservation for OBC:

  1. Candidates belonging to OBC recruited based on merit in an open competition should not be adjusted against their reservation quota of 27 percent.
  2. The above reservation should also be made applicable to the promotion quota at all levels.
  3. Reserved quota remaining unfilled should be carried forward for three years and de-reserved thereafter.
  4. Relaxation in the upper age limit for direct recruitment should be extended to the candidates of OBC in the same manner as done in the case of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
  5. A roster system for each category of posts should be adopted by the concerned authorities in the same manner as presently done in respect to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe candidates.

These recommendations in total apply to all recruitment to public sector undertakings, both under the central and state governments as well as to nationalised banks. All private sector undertakings that have received financial assistance from the government in one form or another should also be obliged to recruit personnel on the aforesaid basis. All universities and affiliated colleges should also be covered by the above scheme of reservation. Although education is considered an important factor in bringing a desired social change, "educational reform" was not within the terms of reference of this commission. To promote literacy the following measures were suggested:

  1. An intensive time-bound programme for adult education should be launched in selected pockets with a high concentration of the OBC population.
  2. Residential schools should be set up in these areas for backward-class students to provide a climate especially conducive to serious studies. All facilities in these schools including board and lodging should be provided free of cost to attract students from poor and backward class homes.
  3. Separate hostels for OBC students with the above facilities will have to be provided.
  4. Vocational training was considered imperative.
  5. It was recommended that seats should be reserved for OBC students in all scientific, technical and professional institutions run by the central as well as state governments. The quantum of reservation should be the same as in the government services, i.e. 27 percent.

NSSO

NSSO estimated state wise Other Backward Classes demography
State and Union Territories2011 Census populationApproximate OBC populationOBC percentageNo of Central OBC Communities
(as of Agaust 2018)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands380,58169,00018.1%5
Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana)84,580,77742,629,00050.4%190
Arunachal Pradesh1,383,72739,0002.8%0
Assam31,205,5767,895,00025.3%28
Bihar104,099,45265,166,00062.6%132
Chandigarh1,055,450234,00022.2%60
Chhattisgarh25,545,19811,623,00045.5%67
Dadra and Nagar Haveli343,70915,0004.4%10
Daman and Diu243,24792,00037.8%44
Goa1,458,545261,00017.9%17
Gujarat60,439,69224,297,00040.2%105
Haryana25,351,4627,174,00028.3%73
Himachal Pradesh6,864,6021,174,00017.1%52
Jammu and Kashmir12,541,3021,430,00011.4%23
Jharkhand32,988,13415,438,00046.8%134
Karnataka61,095,29733,908,00055.5%199
Kerala33,406,06121,814,00065.3%83
Lakshadweep64,4734500.7%0
Madhya Pradesh72,626,80930,140,00041.5%68
Maharashtra112,374,33337,983,00033.8%256
Manipur2,855,7941,505,00052.7%4
Meghalaya2,966,88936,0001.2%0
Mizoram1,097,20618,0001.6%0
Nagaland1,978,5024,0000.2%0
NCT of Delhi16,787,9413,274,00019.5%56
Odisha41,974,21813,935,00033.2%197
Puducherry1,247,953962,00077.1%58
Punjab27,743,3384,467,00016.1%65
Rajasthan68,548,43732,423,00047.3%69
Sikkim610,577309,00050.6%8
Tamil Nadu72,147,03054,904,00076.1%182
Tripura3,673,917603,00016.4%42
Uttar Pradesh199,812,341108,898,00054.5%76
Uttarakhand10,086,2921,846,00018.3%78
West Bengal91,276,1157,941,0008.7%98
India1,210,854,977532,776,00044%2,479

The National Sample Survey puts the figure at 41% while Mandal commission at 52%. There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India, with census data compromised by partisan politics. It is generally estimated to be sizable, but higher than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or and National Sample Survey. However, as of 2006, the number of backward castes in Central list of OBCs has increased to 5,013 (without the figures for most of the Union Territories), per National Commission for Backward Classes from 2,399 and 1,743 communities identified the Kalelkar and Mandal commission respectively.

Sub-categorisation

In October 2017, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind notified a five-member Commission headed by Delhi High Court's former Chief Justice G. Rohini under Article 340 of Indian Constitution, to explore the idea of OBC sub-categorisation. The National Commission for Backward Classes had recommended it in 2011 and a standing committee too had repeated this. The committee has a three-point mandate:

  1. To examine the "extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation" among various castes and communities that come under the Central OBC list.
  2. To work out the mechanism, criteria, and parameters for the actual sub-categorisation. The actual OBC reservation will continue to be 27% and within this, the committee will have to do the re-arranging.
  3. Bringing order to the Central list of OBCs by removing any repetitions.

The committee will have to deliver the report within 12 weeks of its constitution. The lower OBCs form around 35% of the population in Uttar Pradesh. OBC sub-categorisation has already been implemented at state level by 11 states: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir region and Haryana, and the union territory of Puducherry. The term of the commission has been extended to 31 May 2019. Its report stated that prime beneficiaries of 97% OBC reservation include Yadav, Kurmi, Jat (Jats of Rajasthan except those of Bharatpur and Dholpur district are in Central OBC list), Saini, Thevar, Ezhava and Vokkaliga castes. After 13 extensions to its tenure, Rohini Commission submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on 31 July 2023. The report is more than 1,000-pages long and is divided in two parts- the first part deals with how the OBC quota should be allocated; and the second part is an updated list of all 2,633 OBC castes across India.

05Central List of OBCs

Lists of OBCs are maintained by both the National Commission for Backward Classes and the individual states. The central list does not always reflect the state lists, which can differ significantly. A community identified as a nationally recognized OBC in the NCBC central list may be so recognized only in specific states or only in limited areas within specific states. Occasionally, it is not an entire community that is thus classified but rather some parts within it. As of 2023, Maharashtra has the highest number of OBC castes listed under the Central List of OBCs, followed by Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Distribution of state-wise caste in Central OBC list
State/UTNumber of castes in Central OBC list
Maharashtra261
Odisha200
Karnataka199
Tamil Nadu181
Bihar136
West Bengal98
Uttar Pradesh76
All India2633

Christians

The Karnataka State Government has issued notification granting OBC reservation benefits to Brahmin Christians, Kuruba Christians, Madiga Christians, Akkasali Christians, Sudri Christians, Scheduled Caste converts to Christianity, Setty Balija Christians, Nekara Christians, Paravar Christians and Lambani Christians.

The Kerala government grants OBC reservation benefits to Nadar Christians included in the South India United Church (SIUC), Anglo-Indians and the Latin Catholic community of Kerala.

The Government of Maharashtra grants OBC reservation benefits to East Indian Catholics.

Politically important social groups listed as OBC

Listed Brahmins and other priestly communities

06Caste surveys held in Indian states

  1. Socio-Economic Survey of Kerala 1968: In 1968, the Communist government under E. M. S. Namboodiripad ordered a socio-economic survey of each resident in the state of Kerala, to assess caste inequalities. Until the census of 2011, this survey was the only caste-based count conducted in post-independence India. The survey was not very conclusive, since it merged several unrelated castes into one group (for example, Ambalavasis and Tamil Brahmins were grouped along with Malayali Brahmins). The survey found that individuals belonging to higher castes possessed more land and had relatively higher per capita income as compared to the general population. The survey found that 33% of the state's population was forward caste, almost half of whom were Syrian Christians. According to the survey, 13% of the Brahmins, 6.8% of the Syro-Malabar Catholics, 5.4% of the Jacobites and 4.7% of the Nairs owned more than 5 acres of land. This compared with 1.4% of the Ezhavas, 1.9% of the Muslims, and 0.1% of the Scheduled Castes who had that much land in their possession.
  2. Telangana's Samagra Kutumba Survey 2014 [published 2022]: The report reveals that Telangana's population of around 36.9 million is distributed among various caste groups. Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) represent approximately 18.48% and 11.74% of the population, respectively. Most of the population belongs to Backward Castes (BCs), making up 51% of the population, although the findings were never made public due to various court cases against it. Other castes comprise 16.03%, while religious minorities account for 10.65% of the population.
  3. Karnataka Caste Census 2015 [status unknown]: The Social and Educational Survey ordered by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 2014 to inform Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations in Karnataka is yet to be published as of 2023. Initiated by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, the survey involved 1.6 lakh government employees canvassing around 1.3 crore households, costing the state Rs 169 crore. However, the report remains unpublished despite eight years passing, multiple government tenures, and repeated calls for its release from various political leaders. Controversy surrounds the issue with successive social welfare ministers, including H Anjaneya and Kota Shrinivas Poojary, blaming delays on incomplete tabulation and non-submission by the state BC Commission headed by MP Jayaprakash Hegde. Some sources suggest political pressure and potential upheaval in the state's power dynamics, particularly concerning the traditionally dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, as reasons for the report's non-disclosure. In June 2023, Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has decided to accept the 2015 socio-economic caste survey report, potentially stirring controversy as it reveals that the population of Vokkaligas and Lingayats is lower than commonly believed, with Dalits being the largest demographic group.
  4. Uttarakhand OBC Survey [ongoing]: The ongoing Other Backward Classes (OBC) survey in Uttarakhand has experienced significant delays and issues with accuracy, leading to intervention by the single-member dedicated commission. Various districts have reported non-compliance with survey guidelines, including instances of reliance on outdated data rather than conducting new door-to-door surveys, as seen in Khatima. In response, the commission has cancelled the flawed survey, ordering a redo within 15 days, and transferred the officer in charge. Similar corrective measures have been taken in Champawat and Dharchula. Despite these efforts, the commission has yet to receive any completed data, not even from Dehradun, and the survey's conclusion has been extended to June 2023.
  5. Bihar caste-based survey 2022: 2022 Bihar caste-based survey first report was released on 2 October 2023. The report showed that extremely backward classes (EBCs) account for 36.01 percent of the 13.07 crore population of the state. OBCs, EBCs together account for 63% of the total population of Bihar. On 9 November 2023, Bihar Assembly Passed Bill For 65% Caste Quota excluding 10% EWS Quota, in government jobs and educational institutions. The new reservation quota percentages include 20% for Scheduled Castes, 2% for Scheduled Tribes, 18% for Backward Classes, 25% for Extremely Backward Classes, and 10% for the economically weaker section among the Upper Castes.
  6. Odisha Backward Classes Survey 2023 [ongoing]: On 1 May 2023, the Odisha government initiated a comprehensive survey targeting state notified 211 Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), which is expected to conclude by 29 June 2023. Administered across all 314 blocks and 114 urban local bodies of Odisha, the survey is being conducted by the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) using both online and offline methods. The survey aims to evaluate social and educational conditions of backwardness, factoring in various indicators such as occupation and educational qualifications. Initially, centers for data submission were established in Anganwadi Kendras and various PDS outlets, but later in the special survey drive the door-to-door data collection method was also adopted. The compiled data is expected to be published after five months of survey completion. It's noteworthy that the survey is being conducted under the OSCBC Act, 1993 and the OSCBC (Amendment) Act, 2020, allowing family heads or senior individuals to provide family data, including ration card, Aadhar card, or voter identity details.
  7. UP Backward Classes Commission OBC quota report for ULB[ongoing]: The final report determining quotas for backward classes in urban local body polls is expected to be available by June 2023. The Backward Classes Commission, established on 28 December, plans to submit a preliminary report within three months. The commission aims to collect empirical data on backward classes, following Supreme Court and high court guidelines for OBC reservation in civic body elections. The commission's work involves data collection from district officials, studying processes in other states, and addressing objections from political parties.
  8. Haryana Backward Classes Commission Chairman Report
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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Other Backward Class, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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