Bills to enhance BC reservations to 42% passed in Telangana Assembly; legislations need Centre’s approval

Telangana Government sets in motion the process to increases BC reservations to 42% in education, employment, and local bodies, pending Central Government approval.

The Telangana Government has set in motion the process to enhance reservations to Backward Classes (BC) to 42% in education, employment and elections to rural and urban local bodies.

The State Assembly has passed two separate Bills – The Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (reservation of seats in educational institutions and of appointments or posts in services under the State) Bill 2025 and The Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill 2025 – in the Assembly on Monday (March 17, 2025).

The legislations, once approved by the Central Government, would ensure that Backward Classes will get 42%, Scheduled Castes 15% and Scheduled Tribes 10% reservation in the State.

Piloting the Bills, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the Bills were mandated as inclusive development of marginalised classes was one of the major concerns during the formation of Telangana State. There had been numerous demands/representations from the BC associations, people and political parties to enhance reservations to BCs in view of their backwardness and inadequate representation.

The State Government had accordingly decided to enhance reservations to the backward classes and ensure fair representation to SC and ST communities. Based on the Supreme Court’s direction that if a State wanted to exceed 50% of reservation, then it was required to base its decision on the quantifiable data, the government had accordingly conducted the Socio, Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste census census in addition to setting up a dedicated commission headed by former bureaucrat Busani Venkateshwara Rao to conduct contemporaneous rigorous empirical enquiry into the backwardness in representation of BC communities in local bodies.

The dedicated commission was asked to specify the proportion of reservations in the local bodies, educational institutions and for appointments and in the public services under the State Government based on social, educational, economic backwardness and inadequacy in representation. The panel had accordingly recommended at least 42% reservation for BC communities in education, employment and political representation, especially in local bodies.

The State Government after careful examination of the reports and recommendations, came to a conclusion that there was every need for revision of the existing level of reservation in admission to educational institutions and in public services. The State Council of Ministers examined the matter and approved the recommendations for enhancing BC reservations to 42%.