Kolkata, May 20: The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has announced significant changes to the OBC reservation policy, reducing the overall reservation from 17% to 7%.
Under the new policy, this reservation will now be exclusively granted to “genuinely backward Hindu communities” that are not included in the SC and ST categories. Additionally, the benefits previously extended to Muslim communities under the OBC category have been terminated with immediate effect.
A notification released on Tuesday stated that the state government has regularized 66 communities that were included in the OBC list before 2010. This decision is said to comply with a directive from the Calcutta High Court issued on May 22, 2024.
Previously, 10% reservation was allocated under OBC Category-A and 7% under OBC Category-B. The new policy abolishes both categories, consolidating the total reservation to 7%.
According to the order from the Governor, the 66 communities listed prior to 2010 will now qualify for 7% reservation in government jobs and services.
This list includes various traditional Hindu communities such as Kapali, Kurmi, Nai (Napit), Tanti, Dhanuk, Kasai, Khandayat, Turha, and Devang.
The state government asserts that the new policy aims to promote social justice, transparency, and adherence to court directives.
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