Centre to form panel for OBC sub-groups

The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to set up a panel to examine sub-categorisation of the socially and educationally Other Backward Castes (OBCs).

It also gave nod to enhance the annual income ceiling for the OBC creamy layer category from the current Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.

The stratification of the OBC quota could lead to a quota within quota in OBC reservations, in a move that may have far-reaching impact on national politics.

This could affect educationally and socially advanced communities within the backward classes like the Yadavs, who have benefited from the policy of positive discrimination brought by the Mandal Commission recommendation over the past three decades.

The move to enhance the annual income ceiling would increase the existing number of beneficiaries of various government programmes and schemes including, 27% quota in education and employment under the non-creamy layer OBC category.

The Cabinet approved the two proposals at its meeting here on Wednesday.

“The Union Cabinet today (Wednesday) approved a proposal for setting up of a Commission under Article 340 of the Constitution to examine the issue of sub-categorisation of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs),” the government said in a statement.“We will request the President (Ram Nath Kovind) to constitute the Commission for sub-categorisation of the OBCs specified in the (central) list,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the meeting.