The Union Cabinet today gave its
approval for making amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) in respect of 13 States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand,
Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal) and three Union Territories (Chandigarh, Delhi
and Puducherry) by way of inclusion / correction / deletion of
castes/communities according to advices received from the National Commission
for Backward Classes (NCBC). The amendments will notify 115 changes recommended
by the NCBC.
The proposed changes will enable
persons belonging to these castes/communities to avail benefits of reservation
in government services and posts as well as in central educational institutions
according to existing policy. They will also become eligible for benefit under
various welfare schemes, scholarships, etc. being administered by the Central
Government, which are at present available to persons belonging to the OBCs.
Background:
The NCBC was set up in pursuance to
the Supreme Court judgement in the IndiraSawhney case. As per the NCBC Act
1993, Section 9 ("Functions of the Commission") states that:-
i. The Commission shall examine
requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the
lists and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward
class in such lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it
deems appropriate and;
ii. The advice of the Commission
shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government."
The NCBC has been tendering advice
to the Central Government from time to time. A total of 30 Notifications have
been issued so far and till date, a total of 2343 "entries" (an
"entry" means a caste, including its synonyms, sub-castes etc.) have
been notified in the Central list of OBCs for 24 States and six Union
Territories. The last such notification was issued on 08.12.2011. Since then,
many more advices for inclusion/ deletion of castes/ communities and correction
in the existing list of OBCs, have been received from the NCBC.
Source : PIB
