Sub-categorisation of OBCs

News Highlights

The Union Cabinet recently granted the Justice Rohini Commission (Commission for Sub-categorisation of OBC ) its 13th extension, giving it until January 31, 2023 to submit its report.

The decision to give it another extension is also significant because it comes amid growing calls for a caste census from both opposition and ruling party allies.

Background

National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) proposed the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) back in 2015.
2017, President Ram Nath Kovind, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 340 of the Constitution, appointed a commission to examine the issue of sub-categorisation of OBCs to ensure social justice in an efficient manner by prioritising the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs)
- Commission was chaired by retired Justice G. Rohini, .

Article 340

(1) 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 within the territory of India.

(2) 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 recommendations as they think proper.

(3) The President laid the report so presented together with a memorandum explaining the action taken thereon before each House of Parliament.

Need of Sub-categorisation

OBCs are granted 27% reservation in jobs and education under the central government.
- However, there is a widespread perception that only a few wealthy communities among the over 2,600 on the Central List of OBCs have secured a significant portion of this 27% reservation.

Sub categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs.
- That is it ensures “equitable distribution” of representation among all OBC communities.

Nine states have already sub-categorised OBCs.

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, Karnataka, Haryana, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are the states involved.

What are the Commission’s terms of reference?

To examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Central List;
To work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such OBCs;
To take up the exercise of identifying the respective castes or communities or sub-castes or synonyms in the Central List of OBCs and classifying them into their respective sub-categories.
To study the various entries in the Central List of OBCs and recommend correction of any repetitions, ambiguities, inconsistencies and errors of spelling or transcription.

The Commission’s findings so far:

The Commission analysed the data of 1.3 lakh central jobs given under OBC quota over the preceding five years and OBC admissions to central higher education institutions over the preceding three years.
The Findings were
1. 97% of all jobs and educational seats have gone to just 25% of all sub-castes classified as OBCs;
2. 24.95% of these jobs and seats have gone to just 10 OBC communities;
3. 983 OBC communities — 37% of the total — have zero representation in jobs and educational institutions;
4. 994 OBC sub-castes have a total representation of only 2.68% in recruitment and admissions.

Pic Courtesy: Times of India

Content Source: Indian Express