Term of G Rohini panel on sub-categorisation of OBCs extended till November

The Union Cabinet today extended the term of a five-member panel which is looking into the sub-categorisation of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), till November, an official statement said.

The commission, headed by Justice G Rohini (retd), was formed with the approval of President Ram Nath Kovind on October 2 last year and was stipulated to submit its report within 10 weeks from the assumption of charge by the chairperson, it said.

It started functioning on October 11 and has since interacted with all the states and Union territories that have reservation for OBCs and the state backward classes commissions.

The commission has held extensive meetings with the stakeholders, including the state governments, state backward classes commissions, various community associations and people belonging to various backward classes.

It also obtained caste-wise records of OBCs admitted in higher educational institutes as well as similar caste-wise data of recruits in central departments, Central public sector undertakings, public sector banks and financial institutions.

"Based on the emanating information from the data as processed and analyzed, the Commission has expressed that a round of discussion with the states and their backward classes commission was required before finalising the sub-categorized lists and the report," the statement said.