Relevance: GS-2 (Constitutional Bodies, Social Justice) | Source: The Hindu
The National Commission for Backward Classes has advised the Union Government to exclude 35 communities—mostly Muslim—from West Bengal’s Central OBC List, citing improper inclusion and lack of robust socio-economic justification.
About the NCBC & Its Constitutional Position
- Established under 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018.
- Article 338B: Grants constitutional status, composition, powers and duties.
- Advises the Central Government on inclusion/exclusion in the Central List of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.
- Has powers of a Civil Court for investigation.
OBC Reservation Structure –
- Central OBC quota: 27% reservation in Union services and central educational institutions.
- Central OBC List is only prepared by the Union Government, not States.
- State OBC Lists are separate; States may give their own OBC reservation.
- Art 16 : Identification based on social and educational backwardness, not religion.
- The Supreme Court (Indra Sawhney, 1992) capped total reservations at 50%, unless exceptional grounds exist.
- The NCBC’s recommendation is binding in procedure, but the Union makes the final decision.
Issues in NCBC functioning & Key Recommendations
| Challenges Highlighted | Suggested Reforms (Various Committees/Reports) |
| Inadequate socio-economic data for classification | Use socio-economic caste data; adopt periodic surveys to update lists. |
| Variation between State and Central OBC Lists | Create uniform criteria for backwardness assessment. |
| Delays in verification | Dedicated research units & faster grievance-processing system. |
| Politicisation in inclusion decisions | Strengthen objective indicators; ensure decisions are data-driven, not political. |
| Limited monitoring of welfare outcomes | Establish impact-assessment mechanisms and coordinate with ministries. |
The episode highlights India’s larger challenge: balancing data-driven social justice with federal coordination and preventing the politicisation of caste-based inclusions.
Mains Practice
Q. “The recent recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes reflect deeper structural weaknesses in India’s OBC identification and reservation system.” Discuss the challenges and propose reforms to ensure a fair, data-driven framework. (15 marks)
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
Start Yours at Ajmal IAS – with Mentorship StrategyDisciplineClarityResults that Drives Success
Your dream deserves this moment — begin it here.