President Appoints Commission to Examine Sub Categorization of other Backward Classes under Article 340 of the Constitution

The President on 02.10.2017, in exercise of the powers conferred by article 340 of the Constitution appointed a Commission to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes. This decision, taken on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, reinforces, in the spirit of his teachings, the Government's efforts to achieve greater social justice and inclusion for all, and specifically members of the Other Backward Classes. Sub categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs.

The composition of the Commission is as follows:

(i) Chairperson -Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini,

(ii) Member -Dr. J.K. Bajaj

(iii) Member(Ex-officio)-Director, Anthropological Survey of India,

(iv) Member (Ex-officio)-Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India

(v)Secretary of the Commission-Joint Secretary, Department of SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

The terms of reference of the Commission are as under

(i) to examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of Other Backward Classes with reference to such classes included in the Central List;

(ii) to work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such Other Backward Classes; and

(iii) to take up the exercise of identifying the respective castes or communities or sub-castes or synonyms in the Central List of Other Backward Classes and classifying them into their respective sub-categories.

The Commission is required to present their Report to the President within a period of twelve weeks of assumption of charge by the Chairperson of the Commission.

On receipt of the Report of the Commission, the Central Government will consider ways and means for equitable distribution of the benefits of the reservation in Central Government jobs and admission in Central Government Institutions amongst all strata of the Other Backward Classes.

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