pradhan-seeks-obc-status-for-14-odisha-communities

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also the Member of Parliament for Sambalpur, has formally requested the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to include 14 communities from Odisha in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

 

The appeal was made in a letter addressed to NCBC Chairman Hansraj Ahir.

 

In a post on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Pradhan highlighted that the listed castes — including the prominent Khandayat community, alongside Paika, Chasa Paika, Alia, Paikali, Kalingi Shudra Khandayat, Mahanayak Shudra, Oda-Khandayat, Bayalisha, Oda, Oda Paika, Oda Paiko, Haladia Teli, and Rajashribalasi/Balasi — are already recognised as Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) within Odisha state.

 

The Minister noted that many communities on the state's SEBC list have not yet been incorporated into the Central OBC list. He explained the consequences of this omission:

 

"Because of this, people belonging to these communities are being deprived of reservation benefits in central government jobs, admissions to central educational institutions and technical/professional education institutions and various welfare schemes.”

 

Pradhan maintained that the inclusion of these communities in the Central OBC list would be a vital step towards ensuring their social and economic development. Furthermore, he argued that it would grant this substantial segment of Odisha's population their "rightful entitlements and justice".

 

"I have written to the NCBC Chairman urging him to include these communities from Odisha in the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs),” he added.

 

Currently, Odisha provides 11.25 per cent reservation for SEBCs in state government jobs and higher education, while the central government offers 27 pc reservation for OBCs in its services and institutions. Including these 14 communities to the Central list would enable them to access the significantly higher reservation benefits available at the national level.

 

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