Odisha cabinet nod for inclusion of 22 castes in SEBC list

Subject: Polity

Section: Constitution

Concept:

Odisha cabinet on Saturday cleared the inclusion of 22 castes in the list of Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC).
The Cabinet has approved the proposed Amendment of the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) Act, to include such Backward Classes in the State list of SEBCs.
Presently, there are 22 no’s of castes/communities along with their synonyms, which have already been notified by the Govt. of India as OBCs for the State of Odisha, but they have not yet been included in the State list of SEBCs for Odisha.

List of socially and educationally backward classes:

The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was established under the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act, 2018 gave constitutional status to the NCBC, and empowered the President to notify the list of socially and educationally backward classes for any state or union territory for all purposes.
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2021 amends this to provide that the President may notify the list of socially and educationally backward classes only for purposes of the central government.
This central list will be prepared and maintained by the central government.
Further, it enables states and union territories to prepare their own list of socially and educationally backward classes.
This list must be made by law, and may differ from the central list.

Background

Article 15(4) of the Constitution of India enables the State to make any special provisions for the advancement of any Socially and Educationally Backward Classes of citizens.
Further, Article 46 of the Constitution of India provides that, the State shall promote, with special care, the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.