Lok Sabha Question No. 4246 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Inclusion of Castes in OBCs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dr. Manna Lal Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4246 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.08.2025

## INCLUSION OF CASTES IN OBCS

## $4246. DR. MANNA LAL RAWAT:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and the total number of castes included in Other Backward Class (OBC), State and caste-wise;
- (b) the major policy and legislative provision made for adding or removing castes under OBC category after the year 2014;
- (c) whether the Government has given constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC);
- (d) if so, the details of description of the powers and functions conferred to the commission under it;
- (e) whether the National Commission for Backward Classes currently received any proposal for inclusion of castes belonging to any State or community in OBC; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof along with their current status?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a): Total number of entries in the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) is 2,479.
- (b): Vide 102nd and 105th Constitution Amendment, Article 342A was inserted and modified for the purposes of inclusion or exclusion in the Central List of OBCs.
- (c) & (d): Clause (5) of Article 338B provides that it shall be the duty of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC):
- (i) to investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the socially and educationally backward classes under the Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards;
- (i) to inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the socially and educationally backward classes;
- (iii) to participate and advise on the socio- economic development of the socially and educationally backward classes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State;
- (IV) to present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards;
- (v) to make in such reports the recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio- economic development of the socially and educationally backward classes; and
- (vi) to discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the socially and educationally backward classes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.

Clause (8) provides that the Commission shall, while investigating any matter referred to in subclause (a) or inquiring into any complaint referred to in sub-clause (b) of clause (5), have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit and in particular in respect of the following matters, namely:-

- a. summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath;
- b. requiring the discovery and production of any document;
- c. receiving evidence on affidavits;
- d. requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office;
- e. issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents;
- f. any other matter which the President may by rule, determine.
7. (e) & (f): The inclusion, exclusion and revision of the Central List of OBCs is a continuous process. After getting constitutional status to till date the NCBC has tendered 09 (Nine) Advices to Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

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