It has been agreed and voted by all the members in the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission that if reservation is not provided to these OBC communities, then they will not have a proportionate representation in government jobs or education.
Published Apr 13, 2025 | 12:20 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 13, 2025 | 12:21 PM
Jayaprakash Hegde submitting caste census report to CM Siddaramaiah.
Synopsis: The Karnataka government accepted the caste census which has recommended a 51 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the state. If the recommendations are implemented, the total percentage of reservations in the state will become 85 percent.
The Karnataka government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accepted the socioeconomic and educational survey report, commonly referred to as the caste census, that was presented before the state cabinet on 11 April. It recommended a 51 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the state.
The report stated that OBCs constitute 70 percent (4,16,30,153) of the total population in the state.
Meanwhile, sources said all ministers are yet to go through the details of the report, scheduled to be discussed in the cabinet meeting on 17 April.
The socioeconomic and educational survey report was prepared by the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, initially headed by H Kantharaj, in 2015, and was submitted by current Chairman K Jayapraksh Hegde in 2024.
The survey was announced when Siddaramaiah was serving his first term as the chief minister in 2015. The survey was completed and a detailed report was submitted to the chief minister in February 2024. Hegde was appointed the chairman in 2020 after the term of Kantharaj ended.
However, the announcement and acceptance of this report were postponed for a long time due to pressure from the leaders of the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities in the state. Meanwhile, leaders of the Opposition BJP and JD(S) have termed the report unscientific.
They alleged Siddaramaiah has favoured communities he preferred and made reservations accordingly.
Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka said “The release of this report at this time is just to divert attention from scams like the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) scam, kickback for contract works, price hike, misuse of funds reserved for SC (Scheduled Caste) communities and others.”
Last month, the Telangana government approved 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in education, jobs and politics. At the same time, Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Verma passed the reservation bill and sent it to President Draupadi Murmu for her assent.
In the recent two-day All India Congress Committee (AICC) convention held in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced that they aim to implement the same reservation policy across the country upon assuming power.
According to the survey report, around 5,98,14, 942 people were surveyed. The commission has recommended a 51 percent reservation for OBCs, including categories 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, who constitute 70 percent (4,16,30,153) of the total population in the state. Currently, the Karnataka government provides 32 percent reservation in various categories for backward classes.
The report recommended a six percent reservation for category 1A, which forms 8.4 percent of the state’s population (34.96 lakhs).
Other recommendations include:
Besides the recommendation for reservation, the report also mentions that the total population of SC communities in the state is 1.09 crore, and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities is 42.81 lakh and that of the communities belonging to the general category is 29.74 lakhs.
In the Indra Sawhney & Others v Union of India (1992), the Supreme Court had ruled that the percentage of reservation in jobs and education should not cross a 50 percent ceiling. If the state government were to implement the recommendations put forth by the commission in the report, the reservations would cross well over the mandated limit.
If the recommendations are implemented, the total percentage of reservations will become 85 percent, including 51 percent for OBCs, 10 percent for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and 24 percent for SCs and STs.
The report states that Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand have reservations of 69 percent and 77 percent respectively on the basis of the total population.
Meanwhile, the survey has included all subcastes under the main caste, complying with a government order dated 30 March 2002 (Order no SWD-225 BCA 2000) and also the recommendations of previous backward classes commissions.
The report also stated that the population of main caste and sub caste has increased over a period of time. It also said the total population of all subcastes under OBC has increased to 69.60 percent. It said, despite the increase in their population, the percentage of reservation provided to them is not even half, in terms of their population.
It has been agreed and voted by all the members in the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission that if reservation is not provided to these OBC communities, then they will not have a proportionate representation in government jobs or education.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
