Kolkata
Calcutta High Court Order Reshapes Bengal OBC Policy
The Government of West Bengal has issued a fresh notification identifying 66 classes under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for reservation in government services and posts following directions from the Calcutta High Court. The state has also withdrawn the earlier reservation structure that separately allocated quotas for OBC-A and OBC-B categories.
The Government of West Bengal has notified a revised list of 66 classes under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category for reservation in state government services and posts following a directive from the Calcutta High Court.
The notification was issued by the Backward Classes Welfare Department of the state government and follows the Division Bench order of the High Court regarding the validity and structure of OBC reservations in the state.
Under the revised arrangement, the state government has withdrawn the earlier reservation structure that provided 10 per cent reservation for OBC-A and 7 per cent reservation for OBC-B categories.
The new notification confirms that the 66 OBC classes included in the State List prior to 2010 under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India will continue to remain valid for reservation benefits.
Officials stated that the earlier two-category reservation structure has effectively been struck down in line with the court’s observations and directions.
The Calcutta High Court had earlier examined issues relating to the identification and inclusion of OBC communities in the state list, particularly concerning procedures followed after 2010.
The latest move is expected to have implications for recruitment, reservation policies, and administrative procedures in state government departments and public sector appointments.
Legal and political discussions over reservation policy in West Bengal have intensified in recent months, especially concerning constitutional provisions, social justice measures, and the process of identifying backward classes.
The state government is expected to issue further administrative guidelines regarding implementation of the revised reservation structure in government recruitment and related matters.
Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| Total OBC Classes Notified | 66 |
| Issuing Department | Backward Classes Welfare Department |
| Court Involved | Calcutta High Court |
| Earlier Reservation Structure | 10% OBC-A, 7% OBC-B |
| Current Position | Earlier two-category system withdrawn |