WB govt notifies 66 OBC communities for 7% reservation after court order

The West Bengal government notified 66 communities for 7% OBC reservation, including Muslim groups, after a court order. The government also increased the upper age limit for recruitment to state government posts by five years.

New OBC List Notified for 7% Reservation

The BJP-led West Bengal government on Tuesday notified 66 communities under the Other Backwards Classes (OBC) category, including several Muslim communities, making them eligible for 7 per cent reservation in government jobs and services.

The new notification comes just days after the Suvendu Adhikari-led government cancelled the existing OBC list in the state.

The notification, issued by the Backwards Classes Welfare Department on Monday, follows a Calcutta High Court Division Bench order dated May 20, 2024. The court had set aside 2010 and 2012 notifications through which 66 castes were included in the State List of OBCs for reservation benefits under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution.

According to the notification, the High Court had directed that the reservation already enjoyed by these classes should not be disturbed and that reservation for OBCs in the state should be restricted to 7 per cent for the 66 classes affected. The list includes communities such as Kapali, Baishya Kapali, Kurmi, Sutradhar, Karmakar, Kumbhakar, Swarnakar, Teli, Napit, Yogi, Goala, Gope, Ahir, Yadav, Moira, Modak, Barujibi, Satchasi and Malakar, among others. It also included Muslim communities such as Hajjam (Muslim), Chowduli (Muslim), Pahadia Muslim and Jolah (Ansari-Momin).

Upper Age Limit for Govt Jobs Increased

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government also increased the upper age limit for recruitment to state government posts by five years. The state cabinet has taken this decision, fulfilling the BJP's poll promise for age relaxation in recruitment.

The Finance Department has formally notified the revised age limits, which came into effect on May 11. According to a press note from the Chief Secretary's Office, for recruitment through the Public Service Commission, West Bengal, the maximum age will now be 41 years for Group 'A' posts, 44 years for Group B' posts, and 45 years for Group 'C' and Group 'D' posts.

In cases where the existing prescribed upper age limit for any post is already higher, that higher limit will continue to apply. For other appointments, including recruitment by state statutory bodies, government companies, and local authorities covered under the West Bengal Regulation of Recruitment in State Statutory Bodies, Government Companies and Local Authorities Act, 1999, the upper age limit has been fixed uniformly at 45 years. (ANI)

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