Why in news
A parliamentary committee on OBC welfare recommends raising the ₹8 lakh income limit for the "creamy layer" within OBCs.
The current limit, set in 2017, is considered too low and covers only a small segment of OBCs.
History
The "creamy layer" concept was introduced after the 1992 Supreme Court’s Indra Sawhney judgment to exclude socially advanced OBCs from reservations.
The income limit for the creamy layer was first set at ₹1 lakh in 1993, increased over time, and last raised to ₹8 lakh in 2017.
Recommendations
The committee recommends including data on central job quotas for OBCs in annual reports and making it publicly available for transparency.
Currently, this data is only accessible to specific ministries and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The committee also suggests a uniform formula across states to calculate the creamy layer income limit, as states currently have different criteria.
COMMENTS