National Commission for Backward Classes recommended the inclusion of at least seven communities and their synonyms in the Central List of Other Backward Classes.
About NCBC
- Constitutional Body: NCBC was granted Constitutional Status under Article 338B (inserted through 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018).
- Article 338 B Mandates Union and every State Government to consult the NCBC on all major policy matters affecting the rights of OBCs.
- Composition: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three other members appointed by the President.
- Conditions of service and tenure of office is determined by the President
- Functions
- Inclusions and exclusions in the lists of backward communities for job reservations.
- Providing advice to the Central Government.
- Investigating and monitoring safeguards for backward classes.
- Inquiring into specific complaints related to their rights and safeguards.
- Participating in socio-economic development and evaluating progress
- Power of NCBC: All the powers of a civil court while trying a suit.
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New Communities Added to Central OBC List for Government Benefits and Schemes
- Eligibility for Benefits: Inclusion in the Central OBC list will make these communities eligible for Central government schemes and appointments.
- Communities Cleared: The communities approved include:
- Lodh, Lodha, Lodhi
- Badgujar
- Suryavanshi Gujar
- Leve Gujar, Reve Gujar, Reva Gujar
- Dangari
- Bhoyar, Pawar
- Kapewar, Munnar Kapewar, Munnar Kapu, Telanga, Telangi, Pentarreddy, Bukekari
- State Recognition: These communities are already categorized as OBCs in Maharashtra’s state list and benefit from state schemes and reservations.
- Hearing Process: The NCBC conducted hearings over the past six months, with a two-member bench led by Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.
- Pending Requests: The NCBC chairperson mentioned that three to four more communities might be recommended for inclusion soon, from a total of 21 requests.
- Criteria:Inclusion decisions are based on current socio-economic data, specifically data from 2015 or later, as per a Supreme Court requirement.
- Previous Cases: The NCBC has previously stalled inclusion requests for around 80 communities, mainly Muslim, from West Bengal due to lack of current data on their backwardness.
- Focus on Expediency: Since taking charge in December 2022 the Chairperson has prioritized expediting pending inclusion requests for various communities in the Central OBC list.
Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
- Other Backward Class is a Collective term used to classify castes which are educationally or socially disadvantaged.
- Central List : Article 342A (1) authorized the President (in consultation with the governor of the state) to specify the Central list of the OBCs, in relation to a particular State or Union Territory.
- Any modification to the central list of the OBCs can be done only by the Parliament.
- State List : Article 342A (3) empowers every State or UT to prepare and maintain for its own purposes, a list of SEBC entries which may be different from the Central List.
- The Constitution’s 127th Amendment (2021) empowered States and Union Territories to create their own lists of socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCs) and allocate reservations accordingly.
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Constitutional Provisions OBC
- Article 15(4): State has the power to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward class i.e., the OBC.
- Article 16(4): State is empowered to enact laws for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of OBCs.
- Article 340: President, may by order appoint to investigate the conditions of SEBCs and to make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the Union or any State to remove such difficulties and to improve their condition.
October 10, 2024
