Caste census report: OBC reservation proposed to be hiked from 32% to 51%

The Socio Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report, accepted by the Karnataka government on Friday, has proposed an increase in reservation to other backward classes (OBCs) from the existing 32% to 51 %. This would result in total reservation in the State going up to 85%, including 10% to the economically weaker sections (EWS) and 24% to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The Socio Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report, accepted by the Karnataka government on Friday, has proposed an increase in reservation to other backward classes (OBCs) from the existing 32% to 51 %. This would result in total reservation in the State going up to 85%, including 10% to the economically weaker sections (EWS) and 24% to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The survey puts the backward classes population to be around 70% of the State population.

It also proposes creation of a new category for the purpose of reservation and movement of castes between categories. The proposed re-classification of matrix for reservation has been drawn adopting the creamy layer concept, which will be applicable even to Category 1, which had been exempted earlier. The number of categories proposed has gone up from the present five to six, with an addition in Category 1 — as A and B.

A separate category of 1-A has been created for nomadic castes. Several most backward castes that were in 2-A category have also been moved to 1-A that has been provided with 6% reservation. The population of castes in Category 1-A is about 34.96 lakhs or about 8.40% of the State’s population.

Orphan children not knowing their castes have also been given reservation in 1-A. In all, Category 1 has 4% reservation currently.

“The nomadic castes cannot compete with any other castes and hence we felt a separate category is required for them under 1-A. The categorisation and percentage reservation allocated to each is based on education, employment and other factors,” sources said.

Among the other changes, Kurubas are learnt to have been moved from Category 2-A to 1-B, with other castes that gets overall 12% reservation for a total population of 73.92 lakh or 17.74 % of the State’s population. The reservation for Muslims in Category 2-B has doubled from 4% to 8%, documents obtained from government sources show.