New Delhi

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for the amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in respect of two States (Gujarat and Uttarakhand) for making suitable amendments in the Central List of OBCs, by way inclusion/correction of castes/communities as per the advices received from the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

The amendments will enable the persons belonging to these castes/ communities to avail the benefits of reservation in Government services and posts as well as in Central Educational Institutions as per the existing policy. They will also become eligible for benefit under various welfare schemes, scholarships etc. being administered by the Central Government, which are at present available to persons belonging to the OBCs.

The following castes/communities have been included in the Central List of OBCs in the two States of Gujarat and Uttarakhand:-

Gujarat: Sipai and Patni Jamat or Turk Jamat (all Muslims)

Uttarakhand: Kahar , Tanwar Singhariya

Background:

The NCBC was set up in pursuance to the Supreme Court judgement in the Indra Sawhney case as per the NCBC Act 1993. Section 9 (“Functions of the Commission”) of the NCBC Act 1993 states as under:-

1. The Commission shall examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the lists and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in such lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it deems appropriate; and

2. The advice of the Commission shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government.

The NCBC has been tendering advice to the Central Government from time to time. A total of 35 notifications have been issued so far and till date, a total of 2404 “entries” (as “entry” means a caste, including its synonyms, sub-castes etc.) have been notified.

PIB