politics in India. These developments are complex, for various kinds of | Class 12 Political Science Notes

Political Rise of Other Backward Classes

A significant political development in the 1990s was the rise of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as a major political force. OBCs are communities identified by the government as socially and educationally backward, distinct from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Historically, many OBCs had limited access to education and government employment.

The decline of Congress support among backward castes created political space for parties representing these groups. The Janata Party government in 1977 and later the Janata Dal in the 1980s brought together various OBC-based political groups, especially in northern India. Leaders like Karpoori Thakur in Bihar pioneered reservation policies for OBCs at the state level.

The Mandal Commission, appointed in 1978 and chaired by Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, was tasked with identifying backward classes and recommending measures to improve their conditions. Its 1980 report recommended reserving 27% of central government jobs and educational seats for OBCs. However, the recommendations were not implemented immediately.

In 1990, the National Front government decided to implement the Mandal Commission’s job reservation recommendations, sparking widespread protests, especially among upper-caste youth. This 'Mandal issue' became a central political debate, polarizing society and politics.

The implementation of OBC reservations increased political awareness and mobilization among backward castes. Several new political parties emerged, demanding greater representation and power sharing. These parties argued that since OBCs constituted a large segment of the population, democratic fairness required their adequate representation in administration and politics.

This period also saw the rise of Dalit political organizations, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Kanshi Ram, which mobilized Dalits and other marginalized groups. The BSP achieved electoral success in states like Uttar Pradesh, marking a new phase in caste-based political assertion.

The rise of OBC and Dalit politics reshaped Indian democracy by broadening political participation and challenging traditional power structures. However, it also raised questions about the monopolization of gains by certain castes or families within these groups and the effectiveness of policies in improving the lives of the most deprived.

📊 Diagram: Photographs of B. P. Mandal and Kanshi Ram illustrate key leaders associated with the Mandal Commission and Dalit political mobilization respectively.

🧪 Activity: Students can debate the impact of Mandalisation on Indian politics and society, discussing both the benefits and challenges of caste-based reservations.

🔗 Connection: This section connects to discussions on communalism, secularism, and the rise of religious identity politics in the subsequent sections.