The West Bengal Backward Class Development Department has instructed District Magistrates to re-verify all Backward Class certificates, including Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) documents issued in their districts from 2011 to 2026. This directive covers the three terms of the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state. Insiders from the current state secretariat of Nabanna revealed that strong legal action will be taken against those obtaining OBC certificates unlawfully by submitting fake documents.
Around 1.69 crore Backward Class certificates have been issued in West Bengal over the past 15 years. This figure includes approximately one crore SC certificates, 21 lakh ST certificates, and 48 lakh OBC certificates. The state secretariat insider mentioned that all these 1.69 crore Backward Class certificates will undergo re-verification by the respective District Magistrates to prevent unauthorized individuals from benefiting from privileges like reservation.
The West Bengal Backward Class Development Department issued this directive after identifying irregularities in the issuance of certain Backward Class certificates during the previous administration. District Magistrates have also been instructed to take action against any state government official found guilty of wrongly issuing caste certificates for personal gain.
In May 2024, the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench invalidated all OBC certificates issued in West Bengal since 2010, declaring the OBC lists created after 2010 in the state as illegal. Additionally, in December of the previous year, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) removed 35 castes from West Bengal from the central OBC list, all belonging to the Muslim community. The BJP, as the principal Opposition party in West Bengal before the recent regime change, had accused the previous administration of manipulating the OBC criteria to include only Muslims in the new communities added to the OBC list.
