Govt approves inclusion of 15 new castes in central OBC list

The union cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the central list of other backward classes (OBCs) to include 28 communities in eight states including Uttarakhand which goes to the polls early next year. The other seven states are Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,

Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand. A total of 28 changes were recommended by the national commission for backward class (NCBC) in these states.

Of the 28 communities that have been included in the central list, 15 are new entries while nine were sub-castes and 4 were corrections.

The changes will enable the people belonging to these castes/communities to avail the benefits of reservation in government services and posts as well as in central educational institutions according to the existing policy. They will also become eligible for benefits under various welfare schemes, scholarships etc. that are administered by the Centre and is presently available to the persons belonging to OBCs.

So far, on the recommendation of the NCBC, a total of 2479 entries for inclusion, including its synonyms, sub-castes, etc. in the central list of OBC have been notified in 25 states and six union territories. The last such notification was issued till September, 2016.

The NCBC scrutinizes appeals for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the lists and hears complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in such lists.

The commission’s advice is binding upon the government.