Rajasthan government passes bill raising OBC Reservation to 26% from 21%

Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to raise the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) from 21% to 26%. With this, the total quota in the state for government jobs and seats in educational institutes increases to 54%, higher than the 50% ceiling set by the Supreme Court. The Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointment and Posts in Services under the State) Bill, 2017, seeks to provide 5 per cent reservation to Banjara, Baldiya, Labana; Gadiya Lohar, Gadoliya; Gujar, Gurjar; Raika, Rebari, Debasi and Gadariya, Gadri, Gayari. Under the new arrangement, there will be no SBC category as it does not have constitutional approval. Instead, there will be OBC and 'Most OBC' categories.