Where and who

STRENGTH: Approximately 51 per cent of Andhra Pradesh’s total population of 8 crore.

QUOTA: 25 per cent in education and government employment.

PROMINENT FACES: PCC president K Keshav Rao and Deputy Leader of Opposition, T Devender Goud.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH: No OBCs listed

ASSAM

WHO: 29 communities. Ahom, Moran and Matak, Baria, Darjubi, Chutia, Choudang, Ghose, Kumar, Rudra and Paul (all three of Barak valley), Kupadhar, Mahsiya, Manipuri (including Manipuri Brahmins and Manipuri Muslims), Mukhi, Napit, Nepali, Rajbangshi or Koch, Sudra Das or Dey, Saloi, Sut, SC converted to Christianity, Tantrupal, former tea garden labourers, Teli, Yogi (Nath), Maimal (Muslim fishermen), Maria. Apart from these, also another list of 90 tea garden and former tea garden tribes which have been categorised as ‘More Other Backward Classes’ (MOBC) but are included within OBS for the quota.

STRENGTH: No official data. Government’s rough estimate is 27 per cent of the state’s 2.66 crore population. Other organisations claim it’s 35 per cent.

QUOTA: 27 per cent in both job recruitment as well as government educational institutions.

PROMINENT FACES: Chief minister Tarun Gogoi (Ahom), union minister of state for fertilizer and chemicals Bijoy Krishna Handique, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, filmmaker Jahnu Barua, ULFA C-in-C Paresh Barua.

BIHAR

WHO: Divided into two categories—Annexure 1 and Annexure 2 or Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). 109 groups make up the EBCs and 32 the OBCs. The latter includes Yadavs, Kurmis, Banias, Koeri.

STRENGTH: 52 per cent (Of this 20 per cent OBC).

QUOTA: 33 per cent in government jobs as well as educational institutes of the state government.

PROMINENT FACES: Railway minister Laloo Yadav, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

CHHATTISGARH

WHO: 90 groups (mostly the ones listed in Madhya Pradesh).

STRENGTH: 42.78 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 14 per cent in educational institutes and government jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: Education minister Megharam Sahu, panchayat and rural development minister Ajay Chandrakar.

GUJARAT

WHO: 138 communities including Parmars, Prajapatis, Modis, Koli Patels, over 20 castes from the Muslim community and another 20 from other communities, potters and tailors.

STRENGTH: No official data but according to the Caste Welfare Department it is about 52-55 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 27 per cent in all state government employment and state funded education institutes.

PROMINENT FACES: Chief minister Narendra Modi—he’s from the Ghachi community. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), Bharatsinh Solanki (Thakore), Vajubhai Vala (state BJP president) and Arjun Modhvadia (Leader of Opposition, Gujarat).

HARYANA

WHO: 72 communities. Yadavs, Ahir and Gujjars among others.

STRENGTH: Rough estimate is 20 to 25 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 27 percent in educational institutions and in direct recruitment to Class III and Class IV posts.

PROMINENT FACES: Working president of Haryana Congress Ram Prakash, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh, state revenue and irrigation minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

WHO: 48 groups notified in 2004, none of them are very prominent. Include Aheri, Bahti, Ghirth, Kurmi, Ghasi, Gowala, Gadaria, Bagria, Hansi, Chirimar, Gorkhas, Ghai, Labana, Nai, Takkhan, Maha Brahman, Acharj, Jat, Mallah and Bujhru.

STRENGTH: Nearly 17 per cent of the state’s population, according to figures collected by local government agencies from panchayat records.

QUOTA: 18 percent for class III and IV jobs and 12 per cent for class-I and II jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: Former Speaker of the state assembly Chaudhry Sarvan Kumar and Chander Kumar, former minister and sitting Lok Sabha member from Kangra.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

WHO: What are OBC in other states are known as socially and educationally backward classes here.

STRENGTH: No official data. Rough estimate: 30 per cent

QUOTA: 31 per cent in education and government jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: Leader of Opposition in state assembly Abdul Rahim Rather.

JHARKHAND

WHO: Listed 30 groups include Sundi, Yadav, Bania, Momin (Muslim) and Kurmi Mahato.

STRENGTH: No official data.

QUOTA: 14 per cent in educational institutes and in jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: State home minister Sudesh Mahato, former Lok Sabha MP Suraj Mandal.

KARNATAKA

WHO: 203 communities that are further divided on the basis of degree of backwardness. Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva Lingayats are two dominant groups.

STRENGTH: According to the backward classes commission the percentage of OBCs in the population is around 70.

QUOTA: 32 per cent in education and government employment. Creamy layer is excluded.

PROMINENT FACES: Almost all of Karnataka’s top politicians belong to OBC groups. Former prime minister H D Devegowda, former Chief Minister S M Krishna, former chief minister J H Patel, former chief minister S Bangarappa, former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah.

KERALA

WHO: 68 communities. Ezhavas, Muslims, Latin Catholics, Nadars, Scheduled Castes converted to Christianity, Dheevara, Vishwakarmas and a few other groups.

STRENGTH: Over 54 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 40 per cent for government jobs. But state government-deputed Justice KK Narendran Commission found out that Ezhavas already held eight per cent more jobs than than the 14 per cent reserved for them. Significantly, the Narendran Commission also found that out of the total 3,25,554 employees in the state Government departments and judiciary, 1,57,008 (as on August 1, 2001) belonged to the Backward Classes, which works out to 48.23 per cent of the total government jobs—shooting the stipulated 40 per cent quota.

PROMINENT FACES: CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and chief Minister Achuthanandan, Union minister Vayalar Ravi of the Congress. Many well-known writers, academics, bureaucrats, artists and business leaders. A random list would include celebrated Hollywood director Manoj Night Shyamalan and the late O V Vijayan, two state Governors, Ambassadors and at least four former Chief Justices, a former DG of BSF and the current DG of Coast Guard, at least two state police chiefs and four serving Additional DGs of Police in Kerala, among others.

MADHYA PRADESH

WHO: 356 on the list including 90 Muslim groups. Others include those traditionally engaged in animal husbandry, carpenters, wall painters, washermen, weavers, fishermen, tailors, potters, barbers, bangle sellers.

STRENGTH: A little over 50 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 14 per cent in education and government jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: Uma Bharti, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former CM Babulal Gaur.

MAHARASHTRA

WHO: Traditional skilled workforce of the village community as well as educationally backward sections among converted Christians. State government added 35 more communities six months ago, taking the total number to 344. The newly included communities include East Indian Christians.

STRENGTH: Said to comprise about 52 per cent of the the state’s 9.69 crore population—but that’s just projections based on the 1931 data.

QUOTA: 19 per cent in education and employment.

PROMINENT FACES: PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, former chief minister Gopinath Munde, celebrated rural poet N D Mahanor and vice-chancellor of Mumbai university Vijay Khole.

MANIPUR

WHO: Meitei—this includes Meitei Brahmin, Meitei Sanamahi and Meitei Rajkumar. Also falling under the Meitei umbrella are the Meitei Pangal (Muslims); Nepali; Teli (non-locals who have been domiciled in Manipur since 10 years and their descendants.

STRENGTH: OBC Commission set up in August 2005 is yet to submit its report.

QUOTA: 17 per cent in government employment. Prominent faces: Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

MEGHALAYA

WHO: 20 listed include Ahom, Baruli, Baroi, Ghosh, Kumar, Nepali, Sudra Das or Dey, Sikh Harijan, Tantripal, former tea garden labourers.

STRENGTH: No separate data for OBCs. According to 2001 census, the others category (that includes OBCs) is about 13. 6 per cent of the total population.

QUOTA: None.

PROMINENT FACES: None in this predominately tribal state.

MIZORAM & NAGALAND: No OBCs listed

PUNJAB

WHO: State government hasn’t notified list of OBCs in the state but has listed 69 castes as backward. However, the National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC) had notified 66 groups as OBCs in Punjab. The list includes Sainis, Kamboj, Kashyap Rajput and Labanas.

STRENGTH: Estimated 26 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 10 per cent in educational institutes and government jobs for the backward castes.

PROMINENT FACES: Former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, rural development minister Lal Singh.

RAJASTHAN

WHO: 110 groups, prominent among them Jat, Yadav, Mali, Saini, Gurjar, Vishnoi, Lodhi, Raisikh, Charan, Meo, Kayamkhani, Darji (tailor), Nai (barber), Kotwal, Chobdar.

STRENGTH: 54 per cent of state’s population.

QUOTA: 21 per cent in jobs and medical and engineering colleges.

PROMINENT FACES: Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Sis Ram Ola (Union Minister), Sumitra Singh (Speaker of Assembly), Gyan Prakash Pilania (Former DGP, now Rajya Sabha MP, the Nawab of Tonk.

ORISSA

WHO: In Orissa OBCs are called Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) that number 210 and include almost all communities except Brahmins and Kayastha. Khandayats, Telis, Vaishyas are considered backward even though they are powerful in the state.

STRENGTH: 52 percent of Orissa’s 3.67 crore population.

QUOTA: 27 per cent in government service.

PROMINENT FACES: Former railway ministers Srikant Jena and Kanhu Charan Lenka, Biju Janata Dal secretary general and former panchayati raj Minister Damodar Rout, agriculture minister Surendra Nath Nayak, revenue minister Manmohan Samal, former sports and youth affairs minister Ranendra Pratap Swain.

SIKKIM

WHO: Bahun, Chettri, Newar and Sanyasi.

STRENGTH: Data not available.

TAMIL NADU

WHO: 256 groups including Vanniyars (Most Backward Caste) who comprise roughly about 35 per cent of the OBCs.

STRENGTH: About 50 per cent of the state’s 6.46 crore population

QUOTA: 50 per cent in education and government employment.

PROMINENT FACES: Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi and his nephew and Union Minister and Dayanidhi Maran (they belong to the Isai Vellallar community of musicians) are just two of the many prominent OBC faces.

TRIPURA

WHO: 46 communities. Prominent are Nath or Yogi Goala and Ghosh.

STRENGTH: 46 per cent of state’s population.

QUOTA: None.

PROMINENT FACES: Assembly speaker Ramendra Nath (CPI-M) and Opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath (Congress).

UTTARANCHAL

WHO: 84 communities including Gorkhas, Rai Sikhs, Jat Sikhs, Gujjars, Momin Ansar, Teli and Jojha. State government plans to extend it to residents of certain backward areas, irrespective of caste.

STRENGTH: No official data. According to the Backward Class Commission chairman Kumwar Pranav Singh, it’s 40 per cent of the state’s population.

QUOTA: 14 per cent in educational institutes and jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: MLA Pranav Singh, former Raja of Landhoura in Haridwar district.

UTTAR PRADESH

WHO: 79 groups including Yadav, Sonar, Jatav, Kurmi, Giri, Gujar, Gosai, Lodh and Kamboj.

STRENGTH: According to the OBC Welfare department it’s 50.02 per cent of the state’s 176 million population.

QUOTA: 27 per cent in educational institutes and government jobs.

PROMINENT FACES: Chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chaudhary Ajit Singh (RLD), Beni Prasad Verma (SP), Kalyan Singh (BJP).

WEST BENGAL

WHO: 64 groups including Tili, Sadgop, Satchashi, Napit.

STRENGTH: An estimate prepared by the Backward Castes’ Welfare Department puts it at 13.4 per cent of the state’s 8 crore population.

QUOTA: 7 per cent in government and government-aided schools and in government jobs.