In the Rajya Sabha, BJP MP calls for implementing OBC sub-quota for Central schemes

During Special Mentions astatine the Rajya Sabha connected Wednesday (March 18, 2026), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bihar Bhim Singh called for the sub-categorisation of the 27% Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota for Central schemes, a taxable mooted by the Union authorities erstwhile it commissioned a study connected it successful 2017, but has enactment it connected clasp since the report’s submission successful 2023.

Sub-categorisation of the OBC socio-economic class has been done by assorted State governments for a portion now, and recognises the graded backwardness of communities wrong a fixed categorisation. In 2015, the erstwhile National Commission for Backward Classes had recommended sub-categorisation of the Central database of OBCs, and the authorities constituted the Justice G. Rohini Commission successful 2017.

“Unless this is done, the highly backward castes volition not beryllium capable to person their due benefits”, calling for the part of the 27% OBC quota arsenic per the “Karpoori formula”, named aft erstwhile Bihar Chief Minister and a champion of societal justness politics, Karpoori Thakur. According to this, Mr. Singh called for reserving 9% for Other Backward Castes, 6% for Intermediate Backward Castes, and 12% for Extremely Backward Castes, wrong the 27% quota for OBCs.

“There is inequality adjacent among the assorted castes included successful the OBC category. Some castes are comparatively ‘advanced’, portion the bulk are ‘poor and highly backward’. Experience shows, and galore studies person verified, that providing preservation arsenic a azygous artifact is preventing the due benefits of the 27% preservation from reaching each castes,” Mr. Singh said, arguing for the sub-categorisation.

While the Justice G. Rohini Commission submitted its study to the President successful 2023, the Union Social Justice Ministry has not said thing astir what is contained successful it. Meanwhile, successful 2024, the Supreme Court of India, successful a landmark judgment, recognised graded backwardness successful the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categorisations arsenic well, permitting State governments to proceed with sub-categorisation of these categories also.