NCBC recommends raising reservation quota for OBCs in Bengal, Punjab

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has recommended an increase in the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public employment in Punjab and West Bengal.

The Commission's decision comes after a review of the current reservation policies, oral statements, and documentary evidence, aiming to align with the directives laid out by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case, according to an advisory.

Currently, Punjab allocates 25 per cent of public employment positions to Scheduled Castes and 12 per cent to OBCs, totalling 37 per cent reservation.

The NCBC has proposed enhancing the OBC quota by an additional 13 per cent, bringing the total OBC reservation in public employment to 25 per cent.

This adjustment will adhere to the Supreme Court's ceiling of up to 50 per cent reservation for socially and educationally backward classes.

D K Tiwari, Additional Chief Secretary of the Punjab Government, appeared before the NCBC on February 22, expressing the state's commitment to implement the Commission's recommendations.

West Bengal's OBC categorisation involves 35 newly included castes/communities.

As on date, 143 communities were included in the state List of OBCs out of which 83 castes/communities belonged to Muslim religion.

A total of 179 OBC communities are enlisted in the state list of OBCs in West Bengal. Category 'A' (more backward) contains 81 castes out of which 73 communities belong to Muslim religion and Category 'B' (Backward) contains 98 out of which 45 communities belong to Muslim religion. Reservation for Category 'A' (More Backward) is 10 per cent and Category 'B' (Backward) is seven per cent.

Reservation quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes is 22 per cent, six per cent and 17 per cent respectively in respect of services and posts under the control of West Bengal in establishments run or aided by the government.

"By issuance of notifications, 17 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes in respect of services and posts under the government of West Bengal has been ensured. Thus the total reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes for public employment comes to 45 per cent," it said.

The NCBC observed that remaining five per cent quota in public employment under the control of state government may be enhanced in respect of OBCs as per ceiling up to 50 per cent in compliance of Supreme Court directions.