BJP MP K. Laxman Seeks Central OBC Status for 32 Castes from Telugu States

The issue of extending reservation benefits to several backward communities from the Telugu states was raised in Parliament on Monday, with BJP Rajya Sabha member K. Laxman urging the Union government to include 32 castes from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the Central Other Backward Classes (OBC) list .

Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha , Laxman said that adding these communities to the Central list would help thousands of eligible candidates gain access to reservation benefits in Central government jobs and admissions to educational institutions . He explained that many members of these communities currently miss out on such opportunities because their names are not included in the national OBC list.

According to the MP, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has already recommended the inclusion of these communities after examining their social and economic conditions. Of the total, 27 communities belong to Telangana while five are from Andhra Pradesh .

Laxman pointed out that although these communities are recognised as OBCs at the state level , they are not part of the Central OBC list. Because of this gap, members of these groups cannot avail the 27 per cent reservation provided for OBCs in Central government recruitment and admissions to centrally funded institutions . As a result, many students and job aspirants from these communities are unable to compete for opportunities under the Central quota.

The BJP leader said that the continued exclusion of these communities from the Central list has affected their educational and employment prospects . He stressed that communities which are socially and economically backward should receive the benefits guaranteed under the Constitution.

Laxman also informed the House that similar issues exist in other states as well. He said some communities in states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are also facing difficulties because they are recognised as OBCs at the state level but are yet to be included in the Central list.

Urging the government to act quickly, Laxman requested the Centre to implement the NCBC recommendations at the earliest. He expressed hope that the government led by Narendra Modi would examine the issue positively and take steps to resolve this long-pending demand , ensuring fair opportunities for backward communities.