SSC
Which commission recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government services?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Mandal Commission
Detailed Solution
The Second Backward Classes Commission, popularly known as the Mandal Commission, was set up on 1 January 1979 by the Janata Party government of Prime Minister Morarji Desai. It was chaired by B.P. Mandal, a former Chief Minister of Bihar. Its task was to identify the socially and educationally backward classes of India and suggest steps for their advancement.
The Commission used 11 indicators, social, educational and economic, to identify backward classes. It estimated that OBCs formed about 52% of India's population, and identified 3,743 castes as backward. It submitted its report on 31 December 1980. Its key recommendation was 27% reservation for OBCs in central government jobs and public sector undertakings. The figure of 27% was chosen so that total reservation, including 22.5% for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, would stay below 50%.
The report was not implemented for about ten years. In August 1990, the government of Prime Minister V.P. Singh announced that it would implement the recommendation of 27% reservation for OBCs in central government jobs. This led to large protests, especially among students.
The decision was challenged in the Supreme Court. In the Indra Sawhney case (1992), also called the Mandal case, a nine-judge bench upheld 27% reservation for OBCs but ruled that the "creamy layer" (well-off sections) among OBCs must be excluded, that total reservation should normally not exceed 50%, and that there should be no reservation in promotions (later changed by amendments).
In 2006, 27% OBC reservation was extended to central educational institutions.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Kalelkar Commission (1953-55) was the First Backward Classes Commission, chaired by Kaka Kalelkar.
- ✗The Sachar Committee (2005-06) studied the social and economic status of Muslims.
- ✗The Rohini Commission (2017) examined the sub-categorisation of OBCs.
Quick tip
Remember: Mandal Commission = 2nd Backward Classes Commission (1979), B.P. Mandal, 27% OBC reservation, implemented by V.P. Singh (1990), upheld in Indra Sawhney (1992).
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Committees & Commissions Questions
View all ›- Q1.The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000) was chaired by:
- Q2.Which committee recommended the inclusion of Fundamental Duties in the Constitution of India?
- Q3.The recommendation that the appointment of Governors should be non-partisan was made by the:
- Q4.The Lodha Committee reforms are associated with:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Committees & Commissions — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Committees & Commissions, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the important committees and commissions set up in India, both before and after independence, on subjects such as administration, elections, Centre-state relations, local government, education, banking and the economy, along with their chairpersons and key recommendations. Questions usually name a committee and ask what it dealt with, or name a subject and ask which committee examined it. Examples include the Dhar and JVP committees on the linguistic reorganisation of states, the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-state relations, and the Narasimham Committee on banking reforms. A table of committee, chairperson and subject is the best way to revise. Practise the committees and commissions questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.