Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs): An Expert Committee has been constituted by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of Shri B.P. Sharma (former Secretary, DoPT) on 08.03.2019 

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

Expert Committee for revisiting Creamy Layer for OBCS


An Expert Committee has been constituted by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of Shri B.P. Sharma (former Secretary, DoPT) on 08.03.2019 to examine the issues related to Creamy layer equivalence among the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs).

The Terms of Reference for the Expert Committee are as under:-

I. To examine issues arising from the implementation of the OM dated 08.09.1993 and to revisit the criteria evolved by the Expert Committee (Prasad Committee) and thereafter to give recommendations for redefining, simplifying and streamlining the concept of creamy layer while keeping in view the observations of the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case.

II. If then necessary, to give recommendations for establishing the equivalence of posts of employees in PSUs etc. mentioned in Category II-C of the OM dated 08.09.1993.

III. To examine the issue of candidates of Civil Services Examination where cases have not been settled.

IV. To examine and recommend whether the Certificates of Equivalence issued by State Governments in respect of posts and services under the instrumentalities controlled by the State Government should be accepted for applying the test of equivalence for comparability vis-a-vis State Governments posts while applying the exclusion criterion of creamy layer; if so, then recommend modalities for issuing such Equivalence Certificates with adequate safeguards and level of authorities of State Government for approving such Certificates.

V. To examine the specific cases of candidates, who had submitted Equivalence Certificates from various authorities of States, which were not considered in absence of a policy in this regard in the Civil Services Examination 2017 and to make specific recommendation on each case, whether to accept the Equivalence Certificate, in consultation with the authorities of the concerned State Governments to satisfy about the veracity of such certificates.

VI. Any other matter that is referred to the Committee by the Competent Authority.
The report of the Committee is likely to be received soon.

This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Source: PIB