Karnataka Panel Recommends Raising OBC Quota To 51% Based On Caste Census Data

The caste census commission in Karnataka has proposed an increase in the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from the current 32 per cent to 51 per cent for education and employment within the state, reported India Today.

Should this recommendation be implemented, the total reservation in Karnataka would rise to 85 per cent, including 10 per cent for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and 24 per cent for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST).

Photo Credit: PTI

The commission has further advised the Congress-led government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to introduce horizontal reservation policies within existing employment quotas.

Horizontal reservation ensures that groups such as women and persons with disabilities receive representation across all vertical reservation categories-namely SC, ST, and OBC.

The panel's proposal stems from findings in a recent survey, which estimated the population of backward classes in the state at nearly 70 per cent.

Drawing on this data, the report argues that aligning reservation levels with population share is essential for the fair distribution of government opportunities and benefits.

"Although the survey indicates that the backward classes constitute 69.6 per cent of the population, the present commission has observed that even half of Karnataka's population is not receiving reservation. Without population-based reservation, government resources will not be equitably distributed," the panel stated in its recommendations.

The long-anticipated Socio-Economic and Educational Survey-commonly referred to as the caste census-was submitted to the state government in February last year and presented to the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday.

A special Cabinet meeting is scheduled for April 17 to deliberate on the report before any decision is taken regarding its adoption.