Question: How are the three recommendations of the Mandal Commission an effort to solve the problems of the ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs) ? Analyse.
The correct answer:
The Mandal Commission was constituted in India in 1979 with the mandate to identify the socially and educationally backward classes in the country and recommend measures to improve their status. The Commission submitted its report in 1980, which recommended several measures to address the problems of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Here are the three key recommendations of the Mandal Commission and how they were an effort to solve the problems of the OBCs:
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Reservation in government jobs and educational institutions: The Mandal Commission recommended that a quota of 27% of government jobs and educational institutions should be reserved for the OBCs. This recommendation was based on the understanding that the OBCs had been historically marginalized and excluded from opportunities for education and employment. By providing reservations in government jobs and educational institutions, the Commission hoped to address the lack of representation of the OBCs in these sectors and provide them with greater opportunities for social and economic mobility.
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Economic and social welfare programs: The Commission also recommended that special economic and social welfare programs be introduced to improve the status of the OBCs. These programs were aimed at providing the OBCs with access to basic amenities such as education, healthcare, and housing, as well as opportunities for skill development and entrepreneurship. The Commission recognized that economic and social backwardness were closely linked and that social welfare programs alone would not be sufficient to address the problems of the OBCs.
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Review of the criteria for identifying backward classes: The Commission also recommended that the criteria for identifying socially and educationally backward classes be reviewed periodically to ensure that they are relevant and up-to-date. The Commission recognized that the social and economic conditions of the OBCs were not static and that new groups could emerge as backward over time. By reviewing the criteria periodically, the Commission hoped to ensure that the benefits of reservation and welfare programs are targeted at those who need them the most.
