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How BJP is undoing three decades of Mandal gains and still getting OBC support

The Modi govt wants to include salary earnings to calculate household income to determine the 'creamy layer' among OBCs. If implemented, it will exclude even the lower middle class.

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Headlines can be deceptive. Sometimes they only tell the half-truths, possibly because they have been managed to camouflage the bigger story, which are hidden in the fine prints or in the subtexts.

The Narendra Modi government’s proposal to increase the creamy layer income limit for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), who constitute about 52 per cent of India’s population, is seemingly one of those instances when headlines won’t tell the real story. Reports citing increase of income limit from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh per annum should make for happy reading — more OBCs in the non-creamy layer category would mean more people eligible for reservation in higher educational institutions and government jobs.

But here’s the part that headlines won’t tell: for the first time, the central government is going to include an individual’s salary to calculate household earnings, which would determine the creamy layer category for members of that family. In one stroke, a large number of salary earners will be excluded from the ambit of OBC quota.

With this move, the Modi government will undo three decades of progress that the Mandal Commission brought. Ironically, this will happen at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is boasting of adding new sections of what is called the ‘lower and marginalised OBC community’ into its fold of voters.


Also read: To tweak OBC creamy layer or not. A Modi govt decision that can cost BJP the Bihar election


What the govt wants to achieve

The creamy layer criteria came with the Supreme Court’s nine-judge bench ruling, popularly known as the Indira Sawhney Judgment, on the Mandal Commission report in November 1992. The bench ruled in favour of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central government jobs, provided the ‘creamy layer’ were excluded. In 1993, rules were laid out to determine the creamy layer. Households earning more than Rs 1 lakh annually, from sources other than salary and farming, were considered ‘creamy layer’ and thus kept out of the OBC quota. This limit, after several revisions, currently stands at Rs 8 lakh.

But now the Modi government wants to include salary while calculating household income. The reason, as stated by the government-appointed Sharma Committee, is that it will rationalise the criteria and simplify the calculation process. The National Commission for the Backward Classes (NCBC), which had initially objected to this proposal, has reportedly given its nod. However, members of the commission have privately told me they were “coerced” into accepting the proposal.

By pushing this idea, the Modi government wants to achieve two things.

First, with Bihar assembly election barely four months away, the BJP would be able to tell voters that it has pruned the high earners from the OBCs and only the poor and needy will get the benefits of the reservation now. Besides seeking to make inroads into a section of OBCs, this move is also intended to cut into the votes of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its alliance partner Congress in Bihar. Most OBCs still vote for the RJD.

Second, the BJP is moving ahead with its politics of savarna appeasement and with this step, it would be able to tell its core voters that it has delivered on the promise of weakening the subaltern assertion.

It’s easy to understand how. If a large section of salaried, both private and government, are excluded from the OBCs, it will weaken the overall OBC narrative. In any section of the society, the role of the vanguard is played by the advanced section and the middle class. The educated middle class is the articulator of grievances of the community. If that class is pruned and clipped from the rest, it will be difficult for the poorer sections of the community to fight battles where the government has decided to dilute the quota benefits.


Also read: Bihar election is more crucial for Modi than Nitish. So NDA is leaving nothing to chance


How OBCs will be affected

The proposed criteria, if implemented, will exclude even the lower middle class OBCs. Take the example of a family where both parents are primary school teachers. In all probability, their combined annual salary would be above Rs 12 lakh. Now, if their daughter applies for a government job, she will not be considered for the OBC quota.

The concept of creamy layer is itself problematic, in that this idea does not find a place in the constitutional framework. The OBC quota has its genesis in Article 340 of the Constitution, which talks only about social and educational backwardness. The concept of creamy layer is derived from the idea of economic criteria, which was not part of the Constitution until the Modi government amended Articles 15 (4) and 16(4) to include economically weaker section (EWS) category to give 10 per cent quota to the upper castes.

In that sense, the BJP is marching ahead with the idea of weakening the concept of social backwardness, which was the basis of reservation. Quota was never meant to be another poverty alleviation programme. It is an affirmative action policy that seeks to do some justice for those sections of the Indian society that have been discriminated against for centuries based on caste. The BJP is reducing reservation to another MGNREGS or Garib Kalyan Yojana.


Also read: How Modi-Shah’s BJP is becoming a victim of their OBC reservation plot


Undoing the Mandal gains

The bigger issue with such incremental but impactful change is that the BJP is undoing the gains achieved with the implementation of the report of the Mandal Commission, or the Second Backward Classes Commission.

Caste atrocities are still rampant in India but a section of the discriminated society has been able to make its voices heard in no small part due to the benefits of the reservation in central government jobs and higher education institutions, which were the only two out of 40 recommendations made by the Mandal Commission to be implemented.

Now, new criteria are being proposed to exclude a class of citizens from jobs and educational institutions, despite their negligible presence in places of decision-making. As reported by ThePrint, of the 89 secretary-level posts in the Modi government, not a single one is held by an OBC. The same is the case with professor-level posts in central universities, as reported by The Indian Express.

The Modi government has informed Parliament many times that the OBC quota has not been implemented in full. The most problematic is the government’s refusal to release the Socio Economic Caste Census data, which prohibits any real understanding of the situation of OBCs. Without such data, the government is contemplating a change in the creamy layer criteria, which will further reduce the number of prospective OBC candidates for government jobs and seats in educational institutions.

As under the Article 16(4), underrepresentation should be one of the primary criteria for giving reservations in jobs. The current proposal of the Modi government is not adhering to this basic principle.

What then makes the BJP believe that this idea will find traction among a section of the OBCs? Perhaps it is the party’s ability to manage headlines.

Dilip Mandal is the former managing editor of India Today Hindi Magazine, and has authored books on media and sociology. Views are personal.

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69 COMMENTS

  1. A good step by government. Reservation is for those who really needs it. Not for beggars who after having lots of wealth even want to beggs. Kuch log hamesha bhikh hi mangte Hain chahe sarkar kuch bhi KR de unke liye. Even if the government give them their ass they want more.

  2. The author is known for inciting caste based clashes and is preparing for forthcoming elections. I am aghast reading how casually he writes that the combined family income (2 members) of Rs.12.00 lacs or so isn’t a criteria for assessing the poverty status of the family. Considering paucity of resources, such vehement disposal of goodies will always be at the cost of a more deserving person or family in a society that’s by and large deprived.

    Coming to the much abused point of social justice. Author and his ilk continuously roar about ‘centuries of discrimination based on caste’. Few important points:

    1. Currently (and since many years), there are similar lop sided laws in support of those sections of the society that were discriminated against. These are laws which means that discrimination against the upper caste comes with an aid of law and its been proven multiple times that such laws are more frequently ‘abused’ than ‘used’.

    2. A century back India’s population was hardly 25 crore (including Bangladesh & Pakistan) , 2 centuries back it was less than 20 crore (including many more geographical areas). The number of discriminated would automatically be extremely low in numbers. In current times reservation is discriminating against far larger population year after year and every year it’s perhaps discriminating against more people than total number of discriminated against. This is disproportionate revenge that must stop.

    3. Other than People in Power and Priests of Top temples, no one enjoys any perks of strength, no one enjoys any immunity from law and in such times, grabbing reservations as a right and visibly as an act of revenge is nothing but a tool to divert great minds out of India to places where those minds will be respected even as secondary citizen.

    Reservations are an organised crime against the nation, its growth and development, sacrificing millions of meritorious and bright minds to the vengeful communist tactic is disastrous and must be stopped even if military has to be imposed to control further vengeful attacks on critiques of any form of reservation.

    • Dear friend Atul Pandey,let me answer your grievance under point no 2 of your comment.Whatever be the population,the aggrieved section of people were more in number than the forward community people who monopolized public services.Let me narrate the position in the then Madras Presidency in the year 1911.The Forward Community occupied 68.7% posts in various government departments even though their proportionate strength in total population was only 3.2% .On the other hand,the aggrieved section of Hindus occupied only 21.9% of posts as against their proportionate strength of 87.4% in the total population of the Presidency-Source-GO MS No-1561 (Public Department) dated 19-12-1912.To render social justice,the then ruling Justice Party Government and its successors passed 3 Communal Government Orders between 1921 and 1928.In 1928,the government ordered appointments in the following ratio;-For every 12 vacancies,the aggrieved section of Hindus to be given 5 posts,the forward community with 2 posts,Muhammnadans with 2 posts,Anglo-Indians and Christians with 2 posts and others
      including Depressed Classes with 1 post.Source-Government Order dated 15-12-1928.That was the first reservation order in the country.The
      concept of inefficiency among reserved category employees is a myth.This myth was shattered by a survey held by a leading English daily a few years back.Even during the Corona pandemic,thousands of Corona patients in Tamil Nadu were saved by government doctors who got their medical education under reserved category.

  3. Where from you produce non-existent data?Only the above data is available.You prove that equal opportunities were provided to all categories,if you can.You are side tracking the issue by asking for non-existent data.

  4. LAC showed what has been achieved by supporting unsupportable . following wrong policies at allegorical level it is said if donkeys are made to live in race horses stable donkeys will become race horses or race horses will become near donkeys ???? poverty has in creased in magnitude due to fractured policies … and still doing more of he same

  5. What is that the fourth estate has done to empower the really the OBC either independently or collectively. Has there been any concerted activity to build skill sets in OBC class to uplift them and also gainfully engage them? Take agriculture. How much of the media time was really spent on how and what should be done to uplift the agriculturists’ ‘ financial status? None whatsoever to my mind. I for one feel and want that if I pay a vegetable vendor or fruit vendor, at least 60% should go to the agriculturists. In reality what the agriculturist gets is a measly 20% and less. Our farmer suicides are calibrated by the judicial system favoring the middle men. Also because of this as a society we have the attitude not to pay the agriculturist what we pay the vendor.

  6. I think all secretarial posts, judges, ministers etc should be reserved for OBCs, BCs, SC and ST only. This will solve the problem of under representation and unfilled posts to a great extent I think!

  7. To determine CREAMY LAYER,ALL income of a Family{Husband and wife} including salary should be included.Otherwise the REAL LOSERS will be POOR OBCs.When the quota remains the same if more claimants {including those under Creamy layer} enter the race Real poor will get much less on TWO counts.
    1.Creamy Layer will fare better in competition
    {2}Number of persons/claimants will be more for same number of vacancies.

    • With the creamy layer in place so long, the 27% seats could never be filled up and you, Sir, are talking about more completion from the creamy to the non-creamy. What a joke, Sir? A completely twisted argument indeed!

  8. Quote “more OBCs in the non-creamy layer category would mean more people eligible for reservation” is neither good news nor bad news. The benefits to OBC does not depend on how many are eligible, this number is already fixed by law. I think the argument can be turned on its head. Increasing the creamy layer amount from 8 lakhs to 12 lakhs will bring in more creamy OBCs in reservation categories. This will worsen the chances of really Low income OBCs. Hence I oppose it.

  9. Income is income from various organised sources. Even the limit of income limit of Rs.7lakhs for creamy layer concept awful/laughing stock apart from salary perks. Laughing stock considering per capita income of Indians. Reservation benefits grabbed by organised people deprived low income reservation category OBC people. Exclusion of SC/ST categories from creamy layer concept will increase the hardships of unorganized SC/ST categories people. Moreover reservation benefits should be time bound and endless in nature is unwarranted. Those days job opportunities /educational facilities very low compared to today’s conditions and continuing vote bank reservation benefits for centuries is against level playing field. Economic conditions of individuals is more important than caste certificates overlooking mark sheets of individuals.

    • //and continuing vote bank reservation benefits for “centuries” is against level playing field// Hai Badri,reservation was brought after independence only.For many centuries,education was denied to Suthirar and Panjamar. Reservation for OBCS came to be implemented at all India level only from 1993.Even after 27 years,full quota of 27% has not been given all over India.Please read history of reservation before making sweeping comments.//those days job opportunities/educational facilities very low// that’s why entire opportunities were cornered by the higher castes?//economic conditions of individuals is more important than caste certificates of individuals//Certain classes of people were not allowed to have education due to their birth for many centuries.To remove this type of social injustice only ,reservation policy was brought to bring level playing field in the society.It may take at least 20 years Have patience and tolerance.Your quota of tolerance not yet over.

  10. Presently, “all natural-human-senses” of “the each and every citizen of the Union of the Nation-India and the States within it or of the all senses of “the white-collared-people” and ” the citizens, “who are detached” from “the hereditary-occupation” or the life purpose” in “the ancient-Indian-culture” etc,
    , ” are, presently resulted or corrupted” by “the Castes-ism” or “the Religions-ism” or ” the Sexes-ism” or ” Races-ism” or “Descents-ism” or ” the place of the births-ism”or “its various-groups-ism” or the ” scheduled-castes-ism” or the “scheduled-tribes-ism”or ” “the other backward-classes-ism” or ” the minority-group of Various-Religions-ism” or ” the General category of the Castes-ism” etc or “in the other words, “the hates-ism” or ” the anti-national-ism” or “the corruption “etc”
    i.e Principally based on “the communal Award lines” i.e “Principally-based on the birth-marks of the forefathers “. i.e Principally based on “the communal-Award-lines”, i.e “Principally based on the Communal-Census of the Indian people in the year-1931”, i.e. under “the the British-Imerial-Master’s-Power-Rule” and subsequently embodied in the Constitution of the Govt of the India Act -1935 , for the British -Imperial-Master’s-Power-Rule and Principally based on “the their Policy of the Divide and Rule ” , prior to the commencement of the Constitutionally-created-the Secular state of Union of the Nation-India and
    States within it . Presently, The Constitutionally created the Secular State of the Union of the Nation-India is “perfectly and completely” converted to “the Communal-Award-State” of “the Union of the Nation-India and the States within it”, by “the Present-Self-Rule”. Where gone ? “The Constitutionally “aimed or objected”, “the dignity” and “the Status” and “Opportunity”, and “the Fraternity” of the each and every citizen of the Nation-India and it’s ” the Constitutionaly-Guareenteed” ,”the Universal-non-discrimination-Status of the each and every citizen of the Nation-India” . ( Ref: “the Preamble of the Constitution of the Nation-India-1950 “, i.e “The Declarations or the Objects ” of “the Creation of the Constitution of the Nation-India-1950” or “Pl vide”, the Constitutional-Artcles -12, 13 ,14, 15 , 16(1), 16(2), 17, 18, 19, 23, 29, 32, 226 and 359 of the Constitution of the Nation-India-1950. etc or “the Part-III of the Constitution of the Nation-India-1950″.,. ). Whether, the People of the Union of the Nation-India are capable to differentiate in ” the Constitutional difference in between “the Part-III and The Part-XVI of the Constitution of the Nation-India -1950” or “the Constitutional difference in between the Constitution of the Nation-India-1950 for the Constitutionally-Created-the Secular State of the Union of the Nation-India-1950, i.e. for “the Present-Self-Rule” and “the Govt of India -Act -1935” for “the British-Imperial-Master’s-Power-Rule” on the people of “the Communal-Award-State” of the Union of the Nation-India, i.e prior to “the 26 th January-1950”. The Constitution of the Constitutionally-Created -the Secular State of the Union of the Nation-India-1950 is Created on “the natural” or “the scientific” or “the Constitutional- universal-principles” of “the Creations of the Constitutions on this Planet Earth” ,except the Part-XVI of the Constitution of the Nation-India,i.e by the Highest-Fotevisinery-Constitution of the Nation-India . “It is universal truth that the people of the Nation-India, becomes, universally un-governable on the principles of the communal-Award–Lines. “Presently, the Nation-India, became, un-governable by the Present-Self-Rule on the communal-Award-Lines” including its Govt Depts and Govt Servants and officials of the Union of the Nation-India and the States within it . Whether it is true or not ?

  11. Wvwn now obc seats and jobs are not filled fully and lot of backlog vacancies are there.
    There need not be any monetary limit and only three constitutional post and IAS civil service wards alone can be brought in creamy layer and let reservation be given to all OBCs

    • OBCs have been responsible for atrocities on SCs. The rural agrarian divide is not a caste divide but a land holder and land worker divide. The land is possessed by OBCs and the workers are SCs. So, the perpetrators of atrocities are not so much the upper class like Brahmins but OBCs or those aspiring to be OBCs. So, why reservations for those who commit atrocities?

  12. I am surprised rather annoyed by the author’s argument in favor of continuing reservations for creamy layer in OBC.

    The whole argument of providing reservation to all OBCs until their representation in the government jobs becomes equal to their percentage in population is erroneous. I mean if that is the objective than what is the need for all these exams and selection tests, just allocate government jobs and seats in educational institutions based on their percentage in overall population.

    It is perfectly fair to exclude people with means and resources which in this case are OBC earning more than 12 lakhs/ annum from the reservation because a) they can afford to provide their children access to resources to succeed competitively b) it will release the seat/ job for some more deserving OBC candidate who are really underprivileged and disadvantaged.

    Promoting reservation until all representation in government institution mirrors our population will only promote more castesim and division in society and will not wrongs of the past.

    • Likewise,. I didnt expect this coloured rationale from The Print.

      12 L Per Annum is a reasonable limit per family including salary. Doesn’t this pave the way for numerous OBCs who are really below the poverty line? Let us not forget that india per capita income is still at 1.35Lakh per annum.

  13. An illogical article. I dont understand why this rubbish is included in my daily newsletter. The author is clearly affected by the new changes and is still trying to benefit at the cost of the poor OBCs. Mr. Editor please do the necessary checks before publishing. I thought ThePrint is not like any other agenda driven newspaper and I m stating to feel that this is not the case.. please take down this RUBBISH.

  14. Dude.. were you high when you wrote this article? Or have you been living under a rock? If you think peoples’ salaries should not be included in the determination process, I’ll say, Welcome back to Earth! and Welcome to India.. a great country where people have been milking this reservation bullshit royally! this at the cost of deserving people being left out because they don’t belong to a certain caste. Enough of this nonsense. I’m actually shocked at the naivete of the Supreme Court – how did the court not think of including salary!!? The Mandal Commission was an atrocity and it’s time to correct it. If you earn 12 lacs pa, you can afford a good education for your children. If you still cannot, please jump out of your window. I recommend the same action for this ridiculous journalist too! Shame on you for writing this crap.

    • Reservation was provided based on social and educational backwardness under Article 340 of the constitution. and not on any economic criteria.Reservation is provided for OBCs only after 1990.If you are tired of reservation within 30 years,what would be the frustration of millions who were denied education for centuries?If possible read Katherine Mayo’s “Mother India”to know about the caste based oppression and discrimination.This American lady who traveled extensively all over India recorded resistance to open primary schools for poor students in the 1930s.

  15. Looks like the author and his close ones will be affected. They can no longer claim reservation benefits at the cost of their poorer OBC brethren.

  16. I do not understand the obsession with Government Jobs. Instead of clamoring for better education and a springboard into private enterprise and entrepreneurship, we are stuck asking for dole outs in the form of Government jobs. India needs to develop skills to compete with the rest of the world. Competing for Govt jobs will not do it.

  17. Has the author lost his nuts and bolts. What is he suggesting – are his kids / relatives impacted. Infact there should be more to be added. The adhaar to be linked to PAN, tax returns mandatory etc. To determine authenticity of NCL. God forbid such media authors and the Print claims they have high class journalists.phew

  18. U must be either a Congress chamcha or a commi?BJP is doing all it can to your soi called OBC’s so that under class people get an opportunities.Stop spreading lies.

  19. OK where is creamy layer thought in SC and
    . S. T reservation. Now creamy SCand St enjoy. Bring ordinance for them also.

    My suggestion. Don’t totally remove creamy layer from quota. Allot 50% allotted reservation to non creamy and balance 50% among all reserved.

    • I agree. we should bring ordinance for SC ST creamy layer also.

      Govt is making right step in the right direction

  20. OK where is creamy layer thought in SC and
    . S. T reservation. Now creamy SCand St enjoy. Bring ordinance for them also.

    My suggestion. Don’t totally remove creamy layer from quota. Allot 50% allotted reservation to non creamy and balance 50% among all reserved.

  21. Only by promoting merit can India become super power and prosperous. Let us not forget that by continuing reservations, we are still promoting the infamous ‘Divide and Rule’ policy of the British. Any and all Compromises on merit, only ends in mediocrity. High time to end this reservation policy.

    • You speak like an upper caste. Brahmins reserved education to themselves and became meritorius, others want the same, so in time they will become meritorious.

  22. Provide free education, additional coaching, mid-day meals, but please do not compromise merit and push India to mediocrity. End Reservations. Build more world class schools, colleges, Institutions and provide quality educations and promote meritorious students. Perpetual spoon feeding and hand holding will create a perennially spoiled generation.

  23. This is what is called hindering India’s Inequality, OBCs have got more than required clout in the society, specially the affluent ones. The real benefit of reservation has never reached the poor OBCs and when government is trying to balance it people like you who are sold create problems. DO whatever you want this new India knows who is working for their benefit

  24. The entire article makes no sense! The quota remains 27%, how will it reduce the number of the OBC employees in Govt offices?
    A family earning of over Rs 12 lakh deserves quota? These families are churning the quota butter for generations now preventing the poor class of OBC to come forward. I have many examples around me itself.

    Infact, its high time to introduce creamy layer for SC/STs as well.

    • Concur with the reader. Author failed to articulate areas of concerns because of this change. India has changed tremendously in last 30 years and no short change time to re-look at the policy. Author also lost on overall objective is to get equal opportunity to all majorly thru economic uplift.

  25. What do you want to achive by seeding negativity in everything. If the salary has to be used, it will be used across the board for all categories. The rule remains same for all. Thats why we call u antinationals as you try to divide the country all the time snd portray BJP as creamy layer party. On the contrary BJP sucks more out of middle class (largely creamy layer) and midfle glass is given no benefits in return(health insurance etc.). Thats why creamy layer is sloely moving out of India..you guys vomit amonst yourself on caste rights and all non-deserving privileges. Anyway redervations will be irrelevant after doNe time as govt hass to privatise everything to avoid losses due to incompetent and lazy work culture created over time. So no free lunches just becoz u have reservation. So take the crappy reservatikn privilege in your hand and dance on the street. Continue voting for parties that play politics with reservation. And for media houses like you, continue enhancing your readership by promoting such divisive articles

  26. I am a happy OBC with a monthly income of one lakh and if I hold a govt job I may earn one and a half lakhs a month and my children may train in the best neet training centers in India and no one can question this social justice.But my poor OBC brothers must keep their mouth shut or OBC solidarity will collapse.We all thank the print for maintaining OBC solidarity at the cost of social justice

  27. Sir, with due respect I don’t see any problem in removing people above 12L. There are people who will not find it convenient to express annual income in lacs.

  28. About time this shit went. The idea that a family earning 12 Lacs per annum needs reservation in the name of OBC quota and another family with the same income gets nothing is repulsive. This is a perfect example of yellow journalism ! Mandal commission was one of the greatest tragedies to hit this nation.

  29. Your assertion that not a single professor level post is held by OBC is utterly false. I worked for IIT M for 23 years – and I can vouchsafe that a vast majority of them – more than 60% – are from OBC category. Some senior level administrative positions given to academics are being manned by OBC/SC and ST groups. Why do you write false news and mislead the public. Your credibility has come down. Regards, ak pattabiraman, Chennai

    • Who is writing false news my dear friend?According to official data accessed thro’ RTI,that too by an alumni of IIT,Madras,as on June,2019,of the 684 faculties in IIT,Madras,a whopping 599 are from Other Castes(General Category),which is 87% of the total strength.Only 16 of them are from SC,66 OBC and 3 from ST category that means only 2%,10% and 0.4% respectively.Data also shows that a majority of Dalit,tribal and backward class candidates,who applied for faculty posts were not even called for an interview.In 2019,for instance,271 people applied for jobs of which just 5 were interviewed and 2 got selected.In 2018,682 people applied of which just 16 were called for interview.”Official data shows this has been the trend since 2014″says the activist and alumni who filed the RTI application.According to official data,less than 3% of those teaching at the IITs across the country are from reserved categories,According to another news report in Dec,2019,4 of the top 5 IITs haven’t filled Phd seats reserved for SC,ST,OBC candidates.In IIT,Madras,no ST Phd candidate was there in 2013-14 In the following years,it had 0.4%,0.9%,1% and 0.8%(as against stipulated 7.5%).Only 7%,5%,6%,4%&7% of SC seats were filled in 2013-14,2014-15,2015-16,2016-17 72017-18.The data was collated by SFI and submitted to the current HRD Minister.The Directors of the IITs are saying that no candidates were available.Prince Gajendra Babu,Educationist ,reacts thus”These IITs have a constitutional obligation to ensure an adequate number of marginalized people get admitted into research seats.If there are less no.of people,they should have written to the Government stating the same.They should have explored the reason behind not getting enough students.May be IITs haven’t advertised these positions properly.They have failed in their constitutional responsibility”Whose credibility has come down,my dear friend?

      • Perfect reply to all those OBC haters…Those who r opposing OBC reservation or not implementing OBC reservation properly are all anti Indian….Those who oppose reservation and create obstacles in implementation of reservation are anti National people…BJP is using only 2 policies.. Divide & rule policy and 2nd media management and 3rd is Using Judiciary systematically against backward classes…It wants vote of HINDUS but after election it refers same hindus as OBCs, SC, ST…..The opposition parties need to put these facts & figures in front of backward class people mainly just before LS & Assembly election..Most of the Electronic media channels are biased in this regard and busy in diverting the people’s attention from the real issues…They will talk about discrimination in Film industry, racism in USA but will keep mum on implementation of SC, ST & OBC who are hindus only ..Stopped recruitment of SC/ST/OBC for recruitment of teaching staff in IIT/IIMs/IISC….No more promotion in reservation categories….In Maharashtra reduced OBC seats in ZPs….Sell of BPCL, VRS for BSNL…..All this affected SC/ ST/ OBCs which are Hindus only….and still expect Hindus should support BJP in Bihar…Election ke time par Hindu aur badme vo SC , ST hai….nahi to OBC Hai Open hai….great.

  30. To The Print,
    u r always worried if Modi will win, instead focus more on whether India will gain. What’s wrong if deserved ones get the job or seat, instead of creamy layer. Why can’t India support a deserved person, why can’t India do justice with the deserved candidate, why can’t India stop brain drain.

  31. What a bullshit arguments, you have given
    Income salary will give more opportunity for poor among the obcs, it’s a boon for poor among obcs,

  32. What a bullshit arguments, you have given
    Income salary will give more opportunity for poor among the obcs.

  33. Welcome move to help our OBC friends who actually need this reservation. Not people with lacs and getting the benefits under the garb of being oppressed. Living in posh Delhi colonies and getting free admissions as IAS IPS while the poor brothers suffer

  34. Excluding salary income created a lot of distortion in deciding who is a deserving OBC. I don’t understand why including salary income is a problem to this writer unless he has some personal agenda to suppress real OBCs to benefit rich undeserving OBCs. Total rationalisation calls for inclusion of agricultural income also. It appears that government is defining income as Income-tax Act, which doesn’t include agricultural income.

  35. Even 12 lakhs is far too much. 12 lakhs is 10 times more than the average annual per capita income. If somebody who earns 12 lakhs a year is not able to compete in general category and needs quota benefits, then God save India. Creamy layer should be linked to per capita income and fixed at between 5 to 8 times of per average per capita income. BJP as usual wants votes from OBCs by pandering to quota and upper castes by saying they believe in merit. It is time they are forced to make a choice.

    And yes salary should definitely be included in income calculation. Infact creamy layer should be applicable to ST/SC quota as well. Gradually quota levels should be brought down and general merit percentage should be increased over next 10 yrs to 75% merit and 25% quota. Ambedkar wanted quota gone and BJP professes to follow Ambedkar. So it is time the BJP puts it’s money where it’s mouth is.

  36. Even going by the example cited by Mr Mandal, why should a kid get a “reservation” if her parents are earning Rs 12 lakh a year? This is the average salary of many software professionals in India today.

  37. I am taken a back by elitistic view that only creamy layer in OBC group can care of needy OBC ! To say reservations are only for social disadvantage reasons and economic progress has no bearing is to say reservations are thete to remain permanently as there is no other criterion except economic which can be measured to declare absence / elimination of social disadvantages . While BJP might have brought some constitutional changes recently author conveniently forgets implementation of Mangal was possible by constitutional changes in nineties . My fear is this type of wicked logic will result in well meaning upper caste to cynicism .

  38. So in writer’s opinion a family earning 12 lakh per year still feels disempowered and the parents cannot afford to give their children a shot at best opportunities.

    You forget that purpose of reservation is not to give some birthright to certain people. It is to provide equitable opportunities to those sections of society who are not able to uplift themselves.

    1 lakh per month income is a large amount, one can afford a nice house, sending your children to good schools and save up for college. What would such a family need reservation for.

    On other hand an OBC family earning 20k per month do need help because they cant afford the best schools and other good quality resources for upward social mobility. thats where help is required and thats where it is being targetted.

    The purpose of reservation is to break the social stagnation and once you are pulled out of that chain (ie when you can afford equal opportunity indicated by your income here) then you should vacate the slot for other OBCs who are not doing as well as you.

  39. Author should well know that 70% of Indians live with less than 8,000 a month. Such a proposition will help the poorest of the poot–Antayodya of gandhiji. Those who talk about class/ caste politics, the creamy layers are the one who have hijacked OBC politics(Author should read green revolution and Democratic upsurges of Yogendra Yadav). On question of Constitution not having provisions of creamy layer is even more patently false– Reservations are based on adequate representation–if the maha backwards and Extreme Backwards are not represented then state ought to make a Class under intelligible differentia under Art 14. A simple maths will tell you till you if 27% reservations are retained then no matter if creamy layer is excluded still the OBC who are leigible will be more than the required seats and will get reservations. Author is more fixated with Kamma, Yadav, kappu etc then the poorest person who needs representation. And why should those well off still get reservation when whole logic of reservations come with sunset clause…. The govt had very well made clear that today politics will be of empowerment — earn on your own govt will facilitate you but don’t be dependent(this is swaraj). Its fashionable to blame govt for everything. Sir allow others to come history has shown that one middle class is replaced by another, The author clearly has status quoist mentality.

  40. It was silly on the part of the Supreme Court to exclude Salary. Is it pocket money for peanuts? Now, this government has done the right thing. Think about it! Even with almost Rs.1 lakhs earnings per month, the person can claim to be BACKWARD. This is possible only in India. These parasites are bleeding Indian economy. OBCs have enjoyed reservation from cradle to grave for 30 years. Time to end it, also the reservation for SC and ST, which they have enjoyed for seventy years.

    • ” OBCs have enjoyed reservation from cradle to grave for 30 years. ” — Which cradle to grave are you talking about ? Reservation in central govt education institutions came only in 2007. There is no reservation in promotion for OBCs in govt jobs as far as i know.

  41. Intent is quite clear. If 27 years of moth eaten reservation has brought representation of OBCs to mere 13% against sanctioned 27% and actual population of 52%, this step will reduce the number of applicants to such an extent that most of the seats will be vacant. If lower middle and middle classes are being clipped in the name of this phony concept of creamy layer, who will make use of the reservation? What is the drop out rate of OBC communities? Where is the quantifiable data? Where is OBC census?
    Parliamentary committee on OBC welfare with 30 OBC politicians including BJP leaders across the political spectrum had recommended against the proposal.
    I haven’t seen a matrimonial ad which says “creamy layer OBC,SC,ST” can contact.
    It also doesn’t augur well for SC,ST reservation because effort is to shift the basis of reservation to economic parameters and equating EWS, OBC and SC/ST reservation. No wonder, it is in consonance with the statements made by their ideologue mentor 5 years back.

    • ” If 27 years of moth eaten reservation has brought representation of OBCs to mere 13% ” —- afaik, this 13% is in *central government class-A jobs* which is barely 1,00,000 in number. Even there, they don’t count the pre-mandal OBC employees who went through general.

  42. If a family is making 12 Lac per annum then it should be fine if they don’t receive any reservation. There are many families whose income is not even 5 Lac.
    People sitting in Delhi thinks avg salary of a teacher is above 50k per month, which is not the case. They should go tier 2 and tier 3 town to know reality.

  43. The example provided by the author clearly showcases that he thinks only for the metro-dwelling population which is a minority. A family with over 12 lakh annual income in salary in a smaller town is by no means applying for some poverty alleviation scheme. If the goal of reservation is to help the people subdued for centuries by their caste, then increasing the creamy layer limit would certainly help those who have so far not gotten the benefit of reservation, since those earning more than 12 lakh would have utilized their reservation benefit before. And if they did not, then they were probably not as subdued as their counterparts from other regions. So the point remains that the benefit should still transfer to those who were harassed and suffered the most. That is the whole point of Mandal commission. Moreover, OBC is a very big umbrella which has been getting diluted with further newer additions, the recent Maratha movement in Maharashtra is a prime example. This again necessitates having a creamy layer limit to help those truly in need. Otherwise you are just left with a select few people claiming reservation benefits for many generations.

  44. Reservation ke 70 saal ho gaya aur humaare desh mein abhi bhi phichada air ati phichada warg mauzud hai, sawaaal ye uthta hai ki kya reservation se hi iss pichdepan ko door kiya jaa sakta yaa phir samay aa gya hai reservation ki maujooda samay ke chashme dwara dekha aur parkha jaaye.

  45. Dilip Mandal should just answer this rather than writing articles with bogus theories. Any family which has annual income of more than 12L per annum[salaried], do they really need any reservation.?.! Reservation should not be an entitlement on basis of birth rather it should be a support system of the poor & marginalised section.

  46. Analysis is wrong in the fact that the 27 percent reservation for OBC means poor OBC will continue to get the reservation.

  47. For once I wish to applaud the Modi Government. The Government jobs were being collected by the “creamy layer” – the report talks of only secretary level positions as decision makers – what about the OBC representation in JS Level and other levels.

    The report is slanted and not journalism.

    • As if an OBC category Secretary cannot take decisions?It was reported by The Print in Aug,19,that of the 275 joint secretaries,only 19 were OBCs,13 SCs and 9 STs .Of the 93 additional secretaries,just 6 are SCs,5 are STs and NO OBCS.(Are you happy?) These are all facts,my dear friend.

      • Your point will be considered seriously if you also provide information on how many from the OBC, SC, STs applied for the position. That will give us more accurate data on their numbers. To those who applied, what was the determining factor which encouraged them to apply for these positions. How many of these candidates apply for these positions annually and how many are rejected. What are the determining factors for rejections? What are the determining factors for acceptance? This data which you’ve given is not enough. Besides, including the salary of an individual into consideration, which has not been done thus far, will open doors for those who are deserving, belong to these categories, want to do these jobs, and yet cannot go ahead because they don’t have the necessary economic or social means. Its time to level the playing field.

        • The Additional Secretaries and Joint Secretaries are career civil servants(All India Service Officers)and of high seniority,All PROMOTIONS and appointments to these posts are directly made by the Appointment Committee of the Union Cabinet.A Principal Secretary in a state government can be deputed/posted as Joint Secretary in the center .It implies that these officers are IAS officers,who mostly join as Deputy Collectors in the beginning and become Joint Secretaries/Additional Secretaries by virtue of their seniority after getting various promotions in between.Naturally,there will be a pool of candidates aspiring to become Joint Secretaries/Additional Secretaries(including SC,ST and OBC candidates)If you want to prove that equal opportunities are given,onus is on you to provide data saying that enough candidates were not available from reservation category.There were some reserved category people who were selected in small number.That shows there were candidates from this category.

          • The previous question about providing data remains unanswered. Actual numbers have to do the talking. Since you brought data into the picture, I’m only pushing the point forward. Yes, numbers are important provided the entire picture is made clear. Cherry picking facts is not data.

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