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Bengal Tables New OBC List and Raises Reservations to 17% as BJP Alleges Religious Bias

Grounded in a Supreme Court-mandated socio-economic survey, the list faces criticism for breaching judicial norms by disproportionately favouring Muslim communities

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Overview

  • The Assembly approved a fresh OBC roster of 140 subgroups—49 in Category A (more backward) and 91 in Category B—following a Supreme Court-ordered survey to replace the list struck down by the Calcutta High Court.
  • Official figures show the updated list includes 80 Muslim and 60 non-Muslim communities, while BJP leaders point out that 86 percent of the latest additions are Muslim castes.
  • State notification raised the OBC reservation quota in government services from 7 percent to 17 percent, allotting 10 percent to Category A and 7 percent to Category B classes.
  • Opposition figures Suvendu Adhikari and Amit Malviya accused the TMC of vote-bank politics and contempt of court, highlighting provisions that grant OBC status to converts.
  • The TMC maintains that all inclusions are based solely on socio-economic backwardness and says the survey of 50 further communities will conclude by month’s end, allowing frozen admissions and recruitments to resume.