In keeping with Article 340 of the Constitution of India, the Mandal Commission Report (Dec. 31, 1980), has identified “Other Backward Classes” of India on the basis of both social and educational backwardness. Excluding Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who account for 15.05% and 7.51% respective (totally 22.56%) of the total population of India, the Commission estimated the population of Hindu “Other Backward Classes” to be 43.70% and of non-Hindu OBCs to be 8.40% of the total population. It estimated 52% of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains as belonging to socially and educationally Backward Classes (OBCs). The population of OBCs thus covered by the Mandal Report constitutes 52% of India’s population. According to the Report, the Non- Hindu communities and religious groups are 16.6% of the total population and the forward Hindu castes and communities are 17.58% of the total population. The Commission’s estimates were based on the caste wise Census of 1931 (no caste-wise population census was done in India thereafter).
Calculating on this basis and up-dating the information further in relation to the 1991 Census which estimates India’s population to be around 845 million, the population of castes, communities and religious groups estimated to be now covered by the Mandal Report are 1928 lakh Hindu OBCs, 492 lakh Muslims, 84.5 lakh Christians, 73.3 lakh Sikhs, 29.4 lakh Buddhists and 20.6 lakh Jains.
3,000-year-old injustice: The Commission states that “mythology, scripture and ritual” have enabled a hierarchical caste order to survive in India for over 3,000 years. Under it, the lower caste ‘shudras’ have suffered unequal treatments and serious injustices in social, educational and economic fields, resulting in their backwardness. It has pleaded for a human and just social order, barons’ equality, non-discrimination, special protection for the weaker sections and justice in accordance with the Constitution and law Criteria for Non-Hindus OBCs: The Commission evolved the following rough and ready criteria for identifying non-Hindu OBCs: –
(I) All untouchables converted to any Non- Hindu religion, and
(ii) such occupational communities which are known by the name of their traditional hereditary =. occupation and whose Hindus counterparts have been. included in the list of Hindu OBCs (examples: Lohar, Darji, Badhai etc.)
Mandal Recommendations: Gist of the Commission’s recommendations are: Reservation of 27% appointments or posts in services under the State for OBCs, including in promotion quota. The Scheme to be made applicable also to all public sector undertakings, all nationalized banks, all Universities and affiliated Colleges and all Government aided private sector undertakings. The reservations to apply to all Government services as well as technical and professional institutions both in the Centre and the State.
Phased up-gradation of special educational facilities, in selected areas containing high concentration of OBCs. Special emphasis on vocational training; Special coaching facilities in the technical and “professional institutions to OBC students.
Special Programmes for upgrading skills of village artisans, subsidized loans to them for setting up small-scale industries. Separate network of financial and technical institutions to be set up by all State Governments, for promoting participation of OBCs in industry and business. Rigorous implementation of progressive land reforms and structural changes in existing scheme of production-relations to be affected by all States.
Welfare programmes specially designed for OBCs should be financed by the Central Government in all States in the same manner and to the same extent as done in case of SCs and STs.
Implementation of Report: During discussion of the Report in Parliament, V.P. Singh, then Prime Minister, had strongly supported the Commission’s Report and had assured phased implementation of the Commission’s Recommendations. He had also promised representation of a Minority Committee Member on Selection Boards, more legal powers to Minorities Commission, Reservation of 40% seats for “poor” in Parliament and Assemblies and reservations for women in panchayats, zilla parishads and municipalities.
It is unfortunate that as yet copies of the Mandal Commission Report have not been made available to the people. Public knowledge of the report is therefore hazy, even more than 10 years after submission of the Report to Government. Those to be benefited by the Report being 52% of the population, deserve a better deal. The Government should therefore expedite publication of the Report. it should also make available translations of the: Report in all recognized languages of the Country. The public has a right to information. Denial of it for so long, is causing serious misgivings in the public mind.
