Press Information Bureau

A review meeting was held on 09th September, 2025 on the rights of OBC reservation in the State of Kerala. In the meeting, it was found that some castes belonging to OBC backward classes have been given reservation in the name of religion, out of which 10 per cent is for all Muslims and 6 per cent is for Christians, by which the rights of the original OBC communities are being taken away to grant reservation benefits to Muslims and Christians for political gain. The Commission asked to provide evidence and basis for reservation in the name of religion, but the State Government Secretary and their Officers are unable to provide evidence in the Commission. Considering such looting of OBC reservation not proper, the Commission directed that as per rights of the original OBCs the caste be added as per rules.

In Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in Kerala State, the matter of granting of 10 percent reservation to Muslim and 6% to Christians was submitted by the Secretary, Backward Classes Development Department and other Officers before the National Commission for Backward Classes in the review meeting held on 09th September, 2025 in written and oral form during the evidence.  The State Government of Kerala submitted written and oral information. The clarification from the Government on the Reservation has been sought by the Hon’ble Hansraj Ahir, the Chairperson of the Commission.

In this regard, Has OBC participation in Reservation been extended to Muslim and Christian communities on religious grounds on the basis of the survey report and investigation related report and the Court verdict for?  If the State Government finds this reservation justified, its grounds and reports have been sought by the Commission. The Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department and other senior Officers of the State Government have expressed their inability to present evidence for the religious division and classification of reservation.

Has this prevailing reservation ever been examined by the State Government, the Ministry of Social Justice and the State Backward Classes Commission? Is there any improvement process going on? On being asked by the Commission, the authorities did not give a clear reply in this regard, in view of the reservation provided by the State Government of Kerala, the Commission, has issued directions to provide a clarification within 15 days.

According to the State Government Policy, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) have been given separate percentage in General and Higher Education, Recruitment and Medical Education. The reservation percentage in recruitment of the Kerala Government also appears to be less than 27 per cent. The Commission, expressing its displeasure, had also sought a complete list of the Kerala State Governments Reservation policy, Reservation basis, Jobs, Higher Education and the religious community in whose name reservation has been granted.

The Officers of the State Government of Kerala have submitted the documents of reservation to the commission on 26.09.2025 in the office of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) at Delhi which are totally lacking in clarity. This is the assumption of the Commission that the norms or guidelines under which OBC Reservation have been made all have been violated.

This makes it clear that the share of reservation of the original OBC category has been given to Muslims and Christians. On this serious matter, the Constitutional Reservation and other benefits to the OBC category castes are not jeopardize, hence the Commission holds a review meeting under Article 338B of the Constitution of India. The State of Kerala has also not followed the reservation policy and rules and the Commission feels so. The Commission has informed to uphold the right of the original OBC category. Reservation given without reports and basis is to hurt the original OBCs.

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KV

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