IAS Pooja Khedkar row raises question if it is time to update the OBC 'creamy layer income ceiling
Pooja Khedkar's alleged misrepresentation of the 'non-creamy layer' certificate has brought attention to the 'OBC creamy layer' criteria and its enforcement. Many genuine backward class aspirants are facing difficulties and are hopeful that the current BJP government will address the long-overdue revision of the 'creamy layer' limits for Mandal reservations. The revision has been pending for seven years, despite being due every three years to account for inflation.
The last revision in 2017 increased the 'creamy layer' threshold from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh. Those in this well-off segment among OBCs are not eligible for education and job quotas meant for the backward classes.
G Karunanidhy, General Secretary of the All India OBC Employees Federation, pointed out the disparities caused by this delay. «During the seven years, the Union govt has revised the salary structure of its employees and increased their dearness allowance (DA) from 24% to 46% till July 2023, and ignoring these indexes for income ceiling for reservation is unjustified.
The new central govt has settled in. We demand immediate revision of income ceiling for creamy layer to Rs 15 lakh,» he said.
In 2020, the Union Ministry of Social Justice proposed a cabinet recommendation to increase the income ceiling from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. The proposal included a significant change: redefining the 'income criteria' for the 'creamy layer'.
According to a 1993 memorandum, 'income' excludes 'salary' and 'agricultural earnings'. However, the new recommendation suggested incorporating 'salary' into the income calculation, sparking resistance from the National Commission for Backward Classes and senior OBC leaders within the BJP. They argued that including 'salary'
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