Upparas found to be most backward of 22 communities

Brahmins most forward, followed by Christians

Bengaluru: The Uppara community, with a backwardness score of 134.88/200, is the most backward amongst 22 specific communities in the OBC and general list, according to the latest data from the Social and Educational Survey (caste census) report.

These details of community-wise backwardness were provided to the ministers by the backward classes welfare department during the last Cabinet meeting.

The survey with 54 questions was conducted
for 200 marks. The higher the score, the more backward a community is.

The Upparas were followed by Besthas (129.45) and Kuruba (123.50) as the second and third most backward communities, respectively. 

Forward communities

Brahmins were found to be the most forward community (11.29), followed by Christians (24.68) and Bunts (31.81).

The dominant, landowning Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities scored 41.58 and 42.60, respectively. Except for Brahmins (general), the remaining 21 communities considered in the list were categorised under the other backward classes (OBC) list.

As DH had reported earlier, the 54 questions were based on social, educational and livelihood categories. Of the 200 points, 100 points were awarded to questions on social backwardness, followed by education (68) and livelihood (32).

With 90 marks considered the cut-off point, communities scoring over 90 points were considered ‘most backward’ and categorised under category 1. 

This was further divided into 1A (125+) and 1B (90-124). While Upparas and Besthas are categorised under 1A, Kurubas come under 1B.

Earlier, there was only category 1. The Jayaprakash Hegde-led backward classes commission has recommended dividing the category into 1A and 1B, with some communities like Kuruba, which were earlier in 2A, now moved to 1B. 

Communities scoring in the range of 50-89 were considered ‘more backward’ and categorised as category 2 (2A and 2B). Communities like Idiga, Maratha, Tigala and Ganiga feature in 2A. Muslims and sub-castes come under 2B. 

Communities scoring in the 20-49 range were considered ‘backward’ and put into category 3 (those communities under 3A and 3B were retained as such).

While Vokkaligas, Balijas and so on come under 3A, Lingayats, Christians, Bunts and so on feature under 3B. Communities scoring under 19 points were considered under the general category. 

Ministers were provided a consolidated document with details of each caste spanning three pages, comprising 18 characteristics of those castes, including total number of households in the caste, population of male and female and sexual minorities, Aadhaar details, number of married people, literacy level, number of employed and unemployed people and land-holders.