15 new castes added to OBC category yet to get reservation benefits at national level
Notwithstanding addition of 15 new castes/groups to the list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Jammu and Kashmir last year taking total castes to 42, 19 such castes are yet to benefit in Central quota of OBCs as they have not been added so far in the list despite the issue being taken up by various stakeholders.
Earlier, there were a total of 27 castes mentioned in Other Social Castes (OSCs) as there was no OBC category in Jammu and Kashmir. Later, the Government added 15 more castes taking total number of castes in the OBC category to 42. Reservation in the Government jobs and educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir which was four percent for OSCs was raised to 8 percent for OBCs by an act of Parliament last year. The OSC category was omitted from the reservation list.
Officials, however, told the Excelsior that all 42 castes now in the OBCs list are enjoying eight percent reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir but only 23 castes are availing such benefits as far as the Central Government jobs and institutions are concerned.
“This is mainly because of the fact that the 15 new castes as well as four previously inducted castes are yet to be incorporated by the Union Ministry of Social justice and Empowerment in the J&K list of OBCs,” they said, adding the issue is being taken up by the concerned authorities. Besides, some other stakeholders including the OBC bodies and BJP’s OBC leaders have also taken up the issue with the OBC Commission.
Every State/Union Territory has its own list of OBCs based on which they are given reservations in their own State/UT as well as the national level by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry. The lists are changed from time to time by the States/UTs with inclusion of more castes in the OBC category.
As per the procedure, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has to recommend the inclusion of newly added lists in the OBCs category to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for reservation in the Government jobs and educational institutions at the national level.
As per the officials, the entire process is expected to take some time and till then only 23 castes of the OBCs will continue to get benefits of reservation at the Centre while in Jammu and Kashmir, all 42 castes are getting quota in jobs and education. Apart from 15 new castes, four already included castes are too yet to find place in reservations at the Centre, they said.
The OBCs have 27 percent reservation at the national level. However, in Jammu and Kashmir, they were given eight percent reservation in the Government jobs and educational institutions. Still, it was double from four percent quota being given under Other Social Castes category previously in Jammu and Kashmir.
Following uproar over reservation in Jammu and Kashmir going beyond 60 percent, the Open Merit students have also shown resentment. Omar Abdullah Government has already constituted a Cabinet Sub Committee to consider the issue of reservations and submit a report to the Government.
The UT Government had last year constituted a Commission to recommend percentage of reservation to be given to the OBCs in the elections of Panchayats and Municipalities. This was for the first time that OBCs got reservations in the local body polls as earlier this privilege was given only to women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The women have 33 percent reservations in local bodies while SCs and STs are being given quota as per their population. Reservations for OBCs in Panchayats and Municipalities were cleared by the Central Government after Parliament approved a bill to this effect.
Municipal and Panchayat polls which were due in Jammu and Kashmir in October-November 2023 were deferred due to reservations granted to OBCs in these bodies. The elections will be held only after the Commission submits its report to the Government.
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