The inclusion of 15 new castes and modification in 13 other castes in the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were approved by the Government on the 30th of November, 2016.
According to a PTI report, a total of 28 changes in respect of 8 states – Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, J&K and Uttarakhand – were recommended by the National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) but only 15 new entries were made.
“The changes will enable the persons belonging to these castes/communities to avail the benefits of reservation in Government services and posts as well as in Central Educational Institutions as per the existing policy,” according to an official statement. The benefits also include various schemes, scholarships etc.