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In India, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are socially and educationally disadvantaged. In contrast to Scheduled Classes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST), OBCs are a separate category. There is a list maintained by the Central Government of India that identifies the castes and communities considered OBCs. It is one of several official Indian population classifications, along with general castes, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes (SCs and STs).
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What is the OBC Category?
There is no definition of Other Backward Classes in the Constitution. In April 1993, the Government enacted the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Act in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Indira Sawhney’s case. “Backward classes,” according to Section 2 of the NCBC Act, refer to those backward classes of citizens not belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Difference Between the Creamy and Non-Creamy Layers of the OBC Category
The list of Castes and Communities that are considered Other Backward Classes has been made public by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The Indian government uses the collective phrase “Other Backward Classes” to categorise castes that have social and educational disadvantages. Along with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, it is one of the official classifications of India’s population (SCs and STs).
| Creamy Layer | Non-Creamy Layer |
| The Other Backward Classes’ members who are in the creamy layer are not eligible for reservation. | The advantage of the reservation is available to Other Backward Classes members who are in the non-creamy layer. |
| Income – Above 8 Lakhs | Income – Below 8 Lakhs |
| Total family income exceeds the 8 LPA family income cap (Income from salaries or agricultural land shall not be clubbed) | Family Income Limit – Total family income is less than the 8 LPA (Income from salaries or agricultural land shall not be clubbed) |
| In the event of competitive exams, they are classified as a General category and are not eligible for any form of relaxation offered to OBCs. | They can avail advantages, such as age relaxation and exam attempt relaxation for competitive exams. |
| If a person is not requesting any form of reservation, no such document is needed to be filed by them. | Every person requesting OBC status must produce a certificate stating their “OBC non-creamy layer status” that was granted by one of the authorities listed in the DOPT Office Memorandum. |
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Benefits of Being Included in the OBC List
Both the Central Government and State Governments are conducting numerous programmes and plans to elevate Other Backward Classes (OBC). Several advantages include
- Regarding seats in government posts (such as IAS, IPS, etc.) and government institutions, there is a 27% reservation quota (like the IIMs and IITs).
- There is a modification of the maximum age requirement for a number of exams, including the UPSC Civil Services Exam.
- There are fewer restrictions on how many times you can take a test.
- Regarding cut-off marks, there is a relaxation
How Many Attempts for OBC in UPSC?
The UPSC offers accommodations for the OBCs, in the IAS Exam. Additionally, the board places some restrictions on some groups of persons and offers some flexibility in others. The applicants for the exam should therefore make sure they meet all requirements for admission before submitting their applications.
UPSC Attempts for OBC – An Overview
The UPSC typically gives each candidate who is taking the exam six chances to pass. For other kinds of candidates, the commission also offers some flexibility. As a result, depending on which group each candidate falls under, their total number of attempts is different from one another.
| Candidate Category | Number of attempts |
| OBC (Other Backward Classes) | 09 |
| PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disability) + OBC | 09 |
The information in the table above about OBC candidates’ UPSC efforts was obtained from the UPSC’s official website, and it is clear that the number of attempts given for OBC applicants is greater than the attempts made by candidates in the general category.
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FAQs
The SC list now includes the following 17 OBC sub-castes: Kahar, Kashyap, Kevat, Mallah, Nishad, Kumhar, Prajapati, Dheevar, Bind, Bhar, Rajbhar, Dhimar, Batham, Turha, Godia, Manjhi, and Machhua.
Income Requirement for Classifying OBCs as Non-Creamy Layer. The parent’s annual income must be less than Rs. 8 lakhs for the applicant to be considered an OBC non-creamy layer candidate. For the purposes of estimating annual income for creamy layer status, salaries and agricultural revenue are not to be taken into account.
Based on the annual Income and Education, the OBC category is further broken into a number of categories. OBC A families earn between 5 and 8 lakhs per year. OBC B’s income ranges from 1 to 5 lakhs. OBC C has a family income of under 1 lakh.
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