The Bihar Cabinet approves raising the quota from 50% to 75%, and a reservation bill would be presented during the current assembly session.

A proposal to increase the quota for SCs, STs, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) from the current 50% to 75% was approved by the Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday. During the current winter session, a measure on the same subject will be placed before the assembly.

After the discussion on the Caste Survey report, which was presented to the legislature on Tuesday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar affirmed the plan. The declaration from Kumar comes many months before the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Similar arguments about caste census have been made by Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the INDIA coalition throughout their electoral campaigns.

Proposal for Bihar Caste Survey
The plan aims to increase the quota percentages for Scheduled Castes (SCs) from 16 percent to 20 percent, OBCs and EBS from 30 percent to 43 percent, and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 1 percent to 2 percent. The current 10% allotment for EWS will not change.

According to the Caste Survey report, of the state’s overall population of 13.07 crore, OBCs (27.13 per cent) and the very backward classes sub-group (36 per cent) account for a staggering 63 per cent, while SCs and STs together make up little over 21 per cent.

A study brought before the assembly by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary states that there are around 2.97 crore households in the state, and that over 94 lakh of them—or 34.13%—live on less than Rs 6,000 per month.

More than 50 lakh Biharis were found to be residing outside of the state in quest of employment or better educational prospects, according to the survey. About 46 lakh people made their life in other states, while an additional 2.17 lakh left for better opportunities overseas. There were over 5.52 lakh people studying in other states, and there were approximately 27,000 studying overseas.