Kolkata, May 19: The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, announced on Tuesday the regularization of 66 communities in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation list, effective from before 2010. This decision follows the recent cancellation of the existing OBC list by the state government.
According to the notification issued, these 66 categories will remain in the OBC list prior to 2010. Experts believe this move signifies a significant shift in the state’s reservation policy, potentially increasing competition among OBC groups.
The Backward Classes Welfare Department made this decision in compliance with an order from the Calcutta High Court’s division bench on May 22, 2024. The court had previously annulled the provisions for 10% reservation for Category-A and 7% for Category-B under the OBC category.
Additionally, the total reservation for OBCs in the state has been reduced to 7%. The order from the Governor clarified that these 66 categories will now be eligible for 7% reservation in government jobs and positions.
The list includes several traditional and social communities such as Kapali, Kurmi, Nai (Napit), Tanti, Dhanuk, Kasai, Khandayat, Turha, Paharia Muslim, Devang, and Hajjam (Muslim).
The notification also states that individuals from Scheduled Castes who have converted to Christianity and their descendants have been included in this list. The state government believes this decision will ensure social justice and transparency in accordance with the court’s directives.
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