Question

What is Mandal Commission ? What were its main recommendations ?

Hint:

The Mandal Commission is inextricably linked with one key number: 27\%. Remembering this number is the key to understanding its most impactful recommendation and the subsequent "Mandal politics" in India.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Mandal Commission was a landmark commission in Indian politics that focused on the issue of affirmative action for backward classes.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
What is Mandal Commission?
The Mandal Commission, officially known as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai. It was headed by B.P. Mandal. The commission's primary mandate was to identify the socially and educationally backward classes of India and to recommend measures for their advancement.
Main Recommendations:
The commission submitted its report in 1980 with several recommendations, the most significant of which were:
1. Identification of OBCs: The commission identified more than 3,700 castes and communities as Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs), or Other Backward Classes (OBCs). It estimated that these classes constituted about 52\% of the country's population.
2. Reservation in Jobs and Education: The commission's most prominent recommendation was the implementation of a 27 percent reservation for OBCs in jobs in the central government and public sector undertakings. It also recommended the same percentage of reservation for admissions to central government-funded educational institutions. This was suggested to bring the total reservation for SC, ST, and OBC to 49.5\%, staying under the 50\% ceiling set by the Supreme Court.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The Mandal Commission was a commission established in 1979 to identify India's socially and educationally backward classes (OBCs). Its main recommendation was to implement a 27\% reservation for OBCs in government jobs and educational institutions.