Editing Other Backward Class (section)

===Mandal Commission===
{{main|Mandal Commission}}

[[File:PopulationEstimations.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|**NFHS Survey estimated only Hindu OBC population. Total OBC population derived by assuming Muslim ABCation in the same proportion as Hindu OBC population.]]

The decision to set up a second backward classes commission was made official by the president on 1 January 1979. The commission is popularly known as the Mandal Commission, its chairman being [[B. P. Mandal]], submitted a report in December 1980 that stated that the [[population]] of OBCs, which includes both [[Hindus]] and non-Hindus, was around 52 percent of the total [[population]] according to the Mandal Commission. The number of backward castes and communities was 3,743 in the initial list of [[Mandal Commission]] set up in 1979–80.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bc-dc-or-ec-what-lies-ahead-of-the-census-haphazard-lists-and-multiple-definitions-could-pose-hurdles-in-establishing-identity-during-the-caste-count/cid/518585|title=BC, DC or EC? What lies ahead of the census - Haphazard lists and multiple definitions could pose hurdles in establishing identity during the caste count|website=www.telegraphindia.com|access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/reservation-policy-for-obcs-who-would-benefit-and-the-costs-involved/1/180979.html|title=OBCs: Who are they?-Reservation policy for OBCs: Who would benefit and what are the costs involved|date=17 July 2006 |access-date = 2006-07-17}}</ref> The number of backward castes in Central list of OBCs has now increased to 5,013 (without the figures for most of the Union Territories) in 2006 as per [[National Commission for Backward Classes]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/ldquoTime-to-curb-number-of-backward-castesrdquo/article14834500.ece|title=Time to curb number of backward castes|newspaper=The Hindu|date=13 September 2007|access-date=4 March 2019|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-muslim-obcs-and-affirmative-action/233259|title=The Muslim OBCs And Affirmative Action|website=Outlook (India)|date=30 November 2006 |access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/secc-2011-headed-mandal-2-quotas-2019-2347952.html|title=SECC 2011: Why we are headed for Mandal 2 and more quotas before 2019|website=Firstpost|date=17 July 2015|access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref> Mandal Commission developed 11 indicators or criteria to identify OBCs, of which four were economic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/753490/redesigning-reservations-why-removing-caste-based-quotas-is-not-the-answer|title=Redesigning reservations: Why removing caste-based quotas is not the answer|first=Ajaz|last=Ashraf|website=Scroll.in|date=5 September 2015 |access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref>

The National Sample Survey puts the figure at 41%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060611/main2.htm |title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Main News |publisher=Tribuneindia.com |access-date=2012-09-21}}</ref> There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India, with census data compromised by partisan politics. It is generally estimated to be sizable, but higher than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or and National Sample Survey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/060524/43/64i2a.html |title=What is India's population of other backward classes? |first=Arun |last=Anand |date=24 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526112503/http://in.news.yahoo.com/060524/43/64i2a.html |archive-date=26 May 2007}}</ref>

Twenty-seven percent of reservations were recommended owing to the legal constraint that the total quantum of reservations should not exceed 50 percent. States that have already introduced reservations for OBC exceeding 27 percent will not be affected by this recommendation. With this general recommendation, the commission proposed the following overall scheme of reservation for OBC:

# Candidates belonging to OBC recruited based on merit in an open competition should not be adjusted against their reservation quota of 27 percent.
# The above reservation should also be made applicable to the promotion quota at all levels.
# Reserved quota remaining unfilled should be carried forward for three years and de-reserved thereafter.
# Relaxation in the upper age limit for direct recruitment should be extended to the candidates of OBC in the same manner as done in the case of [[scheduled castes and scheduled tribes]].
# A roster system for each category of posts should be adopted by the concerned authorities in the same manner as presently done in respect to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe candidates.

These recommendations in total apply to all recruitment to public sector undertakings, both under the central and state governments as well as to nationalised banks. All private sector undertakings that have received financial assistance from the government in one form or another should also be obliged to recruit personnel on the aforesaid basis. All universities and affiliated colleges should also be covered by the above scheme of reservation. Although education is considered an important factor in bringing a desired social change, "educational reform" was not within the terms of reference of this commission. To promote literacy the following measures were suggested:

# An intensive time-bound programme for adult education should be launched in selected pockets with a high concentration of the OBC population.
# Residential schools should be set up in these areas for backward-class students to provide a climate especially conducive to serious studies. All facilities in these schools including board and lodging should be provided free of cost to attract students from poor and backward class homes.
# Separate hostels for OBC students with the above facilities will have to be provided.
# Vocational training was considered imperative.
# It was recommended that seats should be reserved for OBC students in all scientific, technical and professional institutions run by the central as well as state governments. The quantum of reservation should be the same as in the government services, i.e. 27 percent.{{citation needed|date=October 2010}}

{{static row numbers}}{{sort under}}{{Table alignment}}{{row hover highlight}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text defaultright col1left hover-highlight" "
|+ NSSO estimated state wise Other Backward Classes demography<ref>{{cite report |title=Handbook on Social Welfare Statistics |publisher= Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India |location=New Delhi |date=September 2018  |url=https://socialjustice.nic.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/HANDBOOKSocialWelfareStatistice2018.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630165440/https://socialjustice.nic.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/HANDBOOKSocialWelfareStatistice2018.pdf |archive-date=30 June 2020}}</ref>
! State and Union Territories !! 2011 Census population !! Approximate OBC population !! OBC percentage!! No of Central OBC Communities <br />{{nobold|(as of Agaust 2018)}} 
|-
| [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]] || 380,581 || {{number and percent | 69,000 | 380581 | 1 | disp=table}} || 5
|-
| [[Andhra Pradesh]] (including [[Telangana]]) || 84,580,777 || {{number and percent | 42629000 | 84580777 | 1 | disp=table}} || 190
|-
| [[Arunachal Pradesh]] || 1,383,727 || {{number and percent | 39000 | 1383727 | 1 | disp=table}} || 0
|-
| [[Assam]] || 31,205,576 || {{number and percent | 7895000 | 31205576 | 1 | disp=table}} || 28
|-
| [[Bihar]] || 104,099,452 || {{number and percent | 65166000 | 104099452 | 1 | disp=table}} || 132
|-
| [[Chandigarh]] || 1,055,450 || {{number and percent | 234000 | 1055450 | 1 | disp=table}} || 60
|-
| [[Chhattisgarh]] || 25,545,198 || {{number and percent | 11623000 | 25545198 | 1 | disp=table}} || 67
|-
| [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli]] || 343,709 || {{number and percent | 15000 | 343709 | 1 | disp=table}} || 10
|-
| [[Daman and Diu]] || 243,247 || {{number and percent | 92000 | 243247 | 1 | disp=table}} || 44
|-
| [[Goa]] || 1,458,545 || {{number and percent | 261000 | 1458545 | 1 | disp=table}} || 17
|-
| [[Gujarat]] || 60,439,692 || {{number and percent | 24297000 | 60439692 | 1 | disp=table}}|| 105
|-
| [[Haryana]] || 25,351,462 || {{number and percent | 7174000 | 25351462 | 1 | disp=table}}|| 73
|-
| [[Himachal Pradesh]] || 6,864,602 || {{number and percent | 1174000 | 6864602 | 1 | disp=table}}|| 52
|-
| [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] || 12,541,302 || {{number and percent | 1430000 | 12541302 | 1 | disp=table}} || 23
|-
| [[Jharkhand]] || 32,988,134 || {{number and percent | 15438000 | 32988134 | 1 | disp=table}}|| 134
|-
| [[Karnataka]] || 61,095,297 || {{number and percent | 33908000 | 61095297 | 1 | disp=table}} || 199
|-
| [[Kerala]] || 33,406,061 || {{number and percent | 21814000 | 33406061 | 1 | disp=table}} || 83
|-
| [[Lakshadweep]] || 64,473 || {{number and percent | 450 | 64473 | 1 | disp=table}} || 0
|-
| [[Madhya Pradesh]] || 72,626,809 || {{number and percent | 30140000 | 72626809 | 1 | disp=table}} || 68
|-
| [[Maharashtra]] || 112,374,333 || {{number and percent |37983000 | 112374333 | 1 | disp=table}} || 256
|-
| [[Manipur]] || 2,855,794 || {{number and percent | 1505000 | 2855794 | 1 | disp=table}} || 4
|-
| [[Meghalaya]] || 2,966,889 || {{number and percent | 36000 | 2966889 | 1 | disp=table}} || 0
|-
| [[Mizoram]] || 1,097,206 || {{number and percent | 18000 | 1097206 | 1 | disp=table}} || 0
|-
| [[Nagaland]] || 1,978,502 || {{number and percent | 4000 | 1978502 | 1 | disp=table}} || 0
|-
| [[Delhi|NCT of Delhi]] || 16,787,941 || {{number and percent | 3274000 | 16787941 | 1 | disp=table}} || 56
|-
| [[Odisha]] || 41,974,218 || {{number and percent | 13935000 | 41974218 | 1 | disp=table}} || 197
|-
| [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] || 1,247,953 || {{number and percent | 962000 | 1247953 | 1 | disp=table}} || 58
|-
| [[Punjab]] || 27,743,338 || {{number and percent | 4467000 | 27743338 | 1 | disp=table}} || 65
|-
| [[Rajasthan]] || 68,548,437 || {{number and percent | 32423000 | 68548437 | 1 | disp=table}} || 69
|-
| [[Sikkim]] || 610,577 || {{number and percent | 309000 | 610577 | 1 | disp=table}} || 8
|-
| [[Tamil Nadu]] || 72,147,030 || {{number and percent | 54904000 | 72147030 | 1 | disp=table}} || 182
|-
| [[Tripura]] || 3,673,917 || {{number and percent | 603000 | 3673917 | 1 | disp=table}} || 42
|-
| [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 199,812,341 || {{number and percent | 108898000 | 199812341 | 1 | disp=table}} || 76
|-
| [[Uttarakhand]] || 10,086,292 || {{number and percent | 1846000 | 10086292 | 1 | disp=table}} || 78
|-
| [[West Bengal]] || 91,276,115 || {{number and percent | 7941000 | 91276115 | 1 | disp=table}} || 98
|-
! India || 1,210,854,977 || {{number and percent | 532776000 | 1210854977 | 1 | disp=table}} || 2,479
|}