The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has recommended an increase in the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in public employment in Punjab and West Bengal.

The commission’s decision comes after a review of the current reservation policies, oral statements, and documentary evidence, aiming to align with the directives laid out by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case, according to an advisory.

Currently, Punjab allocates 25% of public employment positions to Scheduled Castes and 12% to OBCs, totalling 37% reservation.

The NCBC has proposed enhancing the OBC quota by an additional 13%, bringing the total OBC reservation in public employment to 25%.

This adjustment will adhere to the Supreme Court’s ceiling of up to 50 per cent reservation for socially and educationally backward classes.

Punjab additional chief secretary DK Tiwari appeared before the NCBC on February 22, expressing the state’s commitment to implement the Commission’s recommendations.

West Bengal’s OBC categorisation involves 35 newly included castes/communities. As of date, 143 communities were included in the state List of OBCs out of which 83 castes/communities belonged to the Muslim religion.