The West Bengal government, under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has issued a notification to regularize 66 communities that were part of the state’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation list before 2010. This move follows the recent scrapping of the existing OBC list by the new government. The decision to retain the 66 categories in the OBC list before 2010 is seen as a significant shift in the state’s reservation policy, potentially intensifying competition within the OBC categories.
The Department of Backward Class Welfare, in compliance with a Calcutta High Court Division Bench order dated May 22, 2024, has made this decision regarding the OBC reservation system in the state. The court had previously invalidated the allocation of 10% reservation for Category A and 7% for Category B within the OBC categories, leading to a reduction in the total OBC reservation to 7%. The Governor’s order specifies that the 66 categories will now be entitled to a 7% reservation in government services and posts.
Among the communities included in the list are traditional and social groups like Kapali, Kurmi, Nai (Napit), Tanti, Dhanuk, Kasai, Khandait, Turha, Paharia Muslim, Devanga, and Hajjam (Muslim). The notification also mentions that individuals who converted to Christianity from the Scheduled Castes and their descendants are part of the list. The state government believes that this decision aligns with the court’s directives, aiming to uphold social justice and transparency.
