The survey was conducted during the tenure of H. Kantharaj, who was chairman of the Karntaka Backward Classes Commission, in 2015.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Socio Economic and Educational Survey (caste census) report, accepted by the Karnataka government on Friday, has proposed an increase in reservation to other backward classes (OBCs) from the existing 32% to 51 %. This would result in total reservation in the State going up to 85%, including 10% to the economically weaker sections (EWS) and 24% to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The survey puts the backward classes population to be around 70% of the State population.

New categories

It also proposes creation of a new category for the purpose of reservation and movement of castes between categories. The proposed re-classification of matrix for reservation has been drawn adopting the creamy layer concept, which will be applicable even to Category 1, which had been exempted earlier. The number of categories proposed has gone up from the present five to six, with an addition in Category 1 — as A and B.

A separate category of 1-A has been created for nomadic castes. Several most backward castes that were in 2-A category have also been moved to 1-A that has been provided with 6% reservation. The population of castes in Category 1-A is about 34.96 lakhs or about 8.40% of the State’s population.

Orphan children not knowing their castes have also been given reservation in 1-A. In all, Category 1 has 4% reservation currently.

The most backward

“The nomadic castes cannot compete with any other castes and hence we felt a separate category is required for them under 1-A. The categorisation and percentage reservation allocated to each is based on education, employment and other factors,” sources said.

Among the other changes, Kurubas are learnt to have been moved from Category 2-A to 1-B, with other castes that gets overall 12% reservation for a total population of 73.92 lakh or 17.74 % of the State’s population. The reservation for Muslims in Category 2-B has doubled from 4% to 8%, documents obtained from government sources show.

According to the proposed reservation matrix, the Category 2-A, will have 10% reservation for a population of 77.75 lakh or about 18.70% of the total population. It currently has 15 % reservation. Category 3-A, comprising Vokkaligas and others, will have 7% reservation for a population of 72.99 lakhs or about 17.53% of Karnataka’s population. Currently, the category receives 4% reservation.

Panchamsali demand

The Panchamasalis whose decade-long demand to be included in 2-A category has not been met with. They will continue in Category 3-B along with other Lingayat sub castes and other communities. The 3-B with a population of 81.37 lakhs or 19.55 % of the State population is given 8%, up from 5% currently.

The report submitted by the former chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes K. Jayaprakash Hegde in 2024 was based on the survey conducted during the tenure of H. Kantharaj in 2015. The survey includes 5.98 crore population of the 6.35 crore projected population in 2015.