Mandal Commission

In 1979, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Morarji Desai and the Janata Party, set up the Mandal Commission. Their job was to figure out which groups in society were socially or educationally disadvantaged.

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Introduction

In 1979, the Mandal Commission, also known as the Second Backward Classes Commission, was set up in India to pinpoint socially and educationally backward groups in the country.
Led by B. P. Mandal, the commission delivered its findings in 1980, but the recommendations were put into action only in 1990.
The commission found that 52% of India’s population belonged to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Initially, they suggested that government job reservations should match this percentage.
To adhere to the Supreme Court’s limit, OBC reservations were capped at 27%, ensuring the overall reservations stayed below 50%.
Notably, the commission also identified backward classes among non-Hindus.

Mandal Commission Recommendations

The Commission found that 52% of the country’s population belonged to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Initially, they suggested that government job reservations should be in line with this percentage. However, this conflicted with a previous Supreme Court decision, which limited overall reservations to under 50%. The Commission also identified backward classes among non-Hindus.

The recommendations are briefly mentioned below:

Job Opportunities for OBCs: Ensure 27% of public sector and government jobs are reserved for OBCs, even if they don’t qualify based on merit.
Promotion Opportunities: Implement a 27% reservation for OBCs in promotions across all levels in public services.
Carry Forward of Unfilled Quota: If the reserved positions remain unfilled, allow the quota to be carried forward for three years and then reassessed.
Age Relaxation: Provide age relaxation for OBCs equivalent to that for SCs and STs.
Roster System: Develop a roster system for backward classes similar to the existing one for SCs and STs.
Widespread Reservations: Extend reservations to Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), banks, private sector undertakings receiving government grants, colleges, and universities.
Legal Provisions: Ensure the government enacts the necessary legal measures to enforce these recommendations.

Impact of Mandal Commission

The government’s decision to implement the Mandal Commission sparked widespread protests, with students resorting to extreme measures like self-immolation to express their opposition.
The implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations faced significant backlash, particularly from students who chose to protest in a drastic manner by setting themselves on fire.
The government’s intention to enforce the Mandal Commission’s findings led to a wave of demonstrations, and tragically, some students resorted to self-immolation as a form of protest against the decision.
Eventually, the implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations was legally challenged in the case of Indra Sawhney vs Union of India. This case became a pivotal point in the ongoing debate over the commission’s impact and the fairness of its implementation.

Merits of Mandal Commission

Increased Representation: The Mandal Commission helped in increasing the representation of SEBCs in government jobs and educational institutions.

OBCs Well-Represented in Jobs: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment noted that from 2014 to 2021, over 27% of direct recruitments in government jobs were consistently from Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Education Access for OBC Students: Thanks to reservation policies, many OBC students got the chance to pursue higher education. This led to a big increase in OBC student numbers in universities and colleges.

Growing OBC Presence in Higher Ed: From 2014-2021, the Ministry of Social Justice observed a steady rise in OBC enrollment in Higher Educational Institutions, showing that more OBC individuals were getting into higher education.

Focus on Social Justice: The Mandal Commission’s suggestions were all about social justice, making sure everyone, especially those historically left behind, got an equal shot at opportunities.

Demerits of Mandal Commission

Limited Impact on Upliftment:

Only a handful of communities have actually benefited from reservation policies, as per the Justice Rohini G. Commission.
Out of around 6,000 castes and communities in the OBC category, just 40 have received 50% of reservation benefits for education and civil service recruitment.

Politicisation:

Politicians often use reservation as a tool for gaining votes, a trend that started with the politicization of the Mandal Commission in the 1980s.
Even today, it continues to be exploited for political gains. For instance, a recent incident in Karnataka saw a politician advocating for the removal of the 50% limit on SC/ST/OBC reservations.

Negative Impact on Merit:

The reservation policy has adversely affected merit-based selection.
Deserving candidates are sometimes overlooked, and seats are filled by individuals with lower merit, impacting the overall quality of candidates.

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