By Japan K Pathak, Ahmedabad, 24 December 2011

The government of India in its latest decision has decided to carve out a sub-quota of 4.5% for minorities from within the 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes(OBC) in government employment.

According to government’s official circular in this regard, ‘The castes/communities of the minorities which are included in the central list of OBCs, notified state-wise from time to time by the Ministry of social justice and empowerment, shall be covered by the said sub-quota’.

The government circular states, ‘similar instructions in respect of public sector undertakings and financial institutions including public sector banks will be issued by the department of public enterprises and by the ministry of finance respectively.’

‘These orders will have effect from 1st January, 2012,’ the circular declares.

This means from 1st January, 2012, government sector, public sector undertakings and public sector banks and financial institutions will have 4.5% reservation of minorities who fall in OBC list.

While Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Buddhist are covered under the list of minority communities, the virtue is that, in Gujarat, only some Muslim communities(listed below) and Christian communities(Christian converts from Schedule Caste) are notified as OBCs. Thus 4.5% reservation will go to them only. In Gujarat, no section of Parsi, Jain, Buddhist or Sikh community has been notified as OBC. Thus they are simply out of the 4.5% sub quota opportunity.

It is therefore clear that benefit of 4.5% minority quota will go to some Muslim communities and section of Christian converts. In other words, Kasai(butchers) will get benefit of 4.5% quota while Jains or Buddhists will not.

Here is a list of those communities of Muslims and Christians that are covered under OBC list. They are the beneficiary of 4.5% quota declared by the central government: Arab, Sumra, Chhipa, Vagher, Hajam, Khalipha, Theba, Miana, Matava Kureshi, Jat, Hingora, Tariya, Tari, Ansari, Ghanchi, Galiara, Gadhai, Fakir or Faquir, Dafer, Bafan, Khatki or Kasai, Chamadia Khatki, Halari Khatki, Gujarati Christians who are converts from Schedule Castes only, Mir, Dhandhi, Landha, Mirasi, Pinjara, Ghanchi-Pinjara, Mansuri-Pinjara, Sandhi, Siddi, Sipai Patani Jamat or Turk Jamat, Kalaal, Vanzara Muslim of Dang district only.

Reference: Central list of OBCs for Gujarat, Gujarat govt list of OBCs, GoI circular of minority OBC reservation quota

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