Maharashtra government grants reservation to Maratha community under a new category called ‘Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC)’

The Maharashtra government has recently cleared reservation to the Maratha community under a new category called ‘Socially and Educationally Backward Class’ (SEBC) in educational institutes & jobs. Hence, the Marathas will get reservation from an independent quota and this will not affect the reservations given to the Other Backward Class (OBC). As per report of State Backward Class Commission, the SEBC category can be extended benefits of reservation under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution, and in view of such extra-ordinary and exceptional condition, the state government is liable to take action. At present, the total reservation in Maharashtra is 52% — 13% for SCs, 7% for STs, 19% for OBC, 2% for Special Backward Classes (SBCs), 3% for Vimukta Jati, 2.5% for Nomadic Tribe-B, 3.5% for Nomadic Tribe-C (Dhangar) and 2% for Nomadic Tribe-D (Vanjari). The politically dominant Maratha community constitutes over 30% of the state’s population.