Subcategorization of OBCs
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Content
- Introduction
- Past Commissions and their recommendations about Subcategorization
- Findings So far
- Need of Sub-categorization
- Other Impacts of Subcategorization
- Hurdles that subcategorization may face
Introduction:
- OBCs, the beneficiaries of 27% reservation in central government jobs, are not a monolith. Within the OBC are hundreds of castes, all at different level of marginalization.
- A perception has developed that some dominant groups in OBCs are reaping the benefits and advantages of reservation whereas the very marginalized groups are not able to reap the benefits. Therefore, a demand for subcategorization and sub-reservation within the OBC community emerges.
- It should be noted that some states like Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and WB etc. already have such kind of subcategorization.
Past Commissions and their recommendations about Subcategorization:
i. First OBC Commission headed by Kaka Kalelkar was constituted in 1953 during the time of Jawaharlal Nehru’s government. It submitted its report in 1955.
- This commission prepared a list of 2,399 backward castes in the country and categorized 837 of them as “most backward”.
- This report was never discussed in the Parliament and never implemented.
ii. Second OBC Commission: BP Mandal Commission: It was appointed by 1979 Morarji Desai’s Janta government, but its implementation was announced only in 1990 by VP Singh Government.
- Here no subcategorization was recognized; But one of the members, L R Naik had said in is dissent that OBCs should be split into intermediate backward classes and depressed backward classes.
iii. In Feb 2014, the NCBC examined the issue of subcategorization which in its report suggested that OBCs should be subcategorized into Extremely Backward Classes, More Backward Classes and Backward Classes. This recommendation was not implemented.
In Oct 2017 a new Commission for Subcategorization of OBCs was constituted under the chairpersonship of Justice G Rohini, a retired judge of Delhi High Court.
- It’s original tenure of 12 weeks was extended 14 times till it submitted its report on 31st July 2023. This report hasn’t been made public yet.
- Terms of Reference: Originally, it had three terms of reference.
- Examining the extent of inequitable distribution of benefit of reservation among different castes of OBCs in the Central List.
- Develop a scientific criteria/mechanisms/parameters for subcategorization.
- Identify respective castes/communities/sub-castes in the central OBC list and classify them into respective sub-categories.
- A fourth, was added later: 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.
- Note: Article 340 of the Indian Constitution provides that the President may by order appoint a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes.
Findings So far:
- In 2018, 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, including universities, IITs, NITs, IIMs and AIIMS, over the preceding three years. The findings are:
- 97% of all jobs and educational seats have gone to just 25% of all sub-castes classified as OBCs;
- 983 OBC communities — 37% of the total — have zero representation in jobs and educational institutions;
- 994 OBC sub-castes have a total representation of only 2.68% in recruitment and admissions
What is the current level of OBC recruitment in Central Jobs:
-
- As per the 2018-19 annual report of the Department of Personnel and Training, OBC representation is 13.01% in group-A central government services, 14.78% in group-B, 22.65% in group-C (excluding safai karmacharis) and 14.46% in group-C (safai karmacharis).
- RTI information tells us that there was not a single professor or associate professor appointed under OBC quota in Central Universities.
- The data showed that 95.2% of the professors, 92.9% of associate professors and 66.27% of assistant professors were from the general category (which may also include SCs, STs and OBCs who had not availed the quota). At assistant professor level, representation of OBCs was just 14.38%
Need of Sub-categorization
- Equitable distribution of benefits: A perception that only a few affluent communities among the over 2,600 included in the Central List of OBCs have secured a major part of 27% reservation.
- Focus Policy implementation: Various government policies can be tailored specifically to meet the requirements of the most vulnerable groups.
- NCBC had recommended subcategorization in 2015
Other Impacts of Subcategorization
- It will be a significant addition to the Mandal Commission-based OBC system.
- Political Implication: It is being seen as an attempt by government to reach out to the most backward classes.
Hurdles that subcategorization may face:
- It may be opposed by dominant OBC groups and regional parties dominated by dominant OBC groups.
- Subcategorization with OBC Enumeration would be a challenge as caste based population data is not publicly available and central government has shown reluctance towards the idea of caste census.
- Subcategorization would make proper allotment of seats to each reserved group in the new
roster system a very difficult task.
Way forward
Subcategorization of OBCs would be successful if the following conditions are met:
- Enumerate the OBC population for objective sub-categorization.
- Make the recommendations of Justice G Rohini committee public and let it be debated by various stakeholders.
- Ensure transparency in criteria for subcategorization avoiding ambiguity in classification process.
- Sensitize OBC communities (including the dominant OBC communities) to make them aware of the need of sub-categorization.
- Periodic review of subcategorization to keep the list updated as per the changing socio-economic conditions of various groups.
- Ensure effective implementation of OBC reservation at all levels and take steps against the institutions not doing so.
- Improve the roster system to make sure SC/ST/OBC get the number of seats they are entitled to.
- Establish legal and regulatory framework which ensures effective implementation of subcategorization and makes available fast track grievance redressal