The identification of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in India has a long history, beginning even before independence, when some provinces listed “depressed classes.” After 1947, the Constitution recognized “socially and educationally backward classes” (SEBCs) as distinct from Scheduled Castes and Tribes, making them eligible for affirmative action.

At the national level, two major commissions shaped this process. The First Backward Classes Commission (Kaka Kalelkar Commission, 1953) used indicators like caste, occupation, education, and representation in services. However, its recommendations were largely ignored. The turning point came with the Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commission, 1979), which relied on social, educational, and economic criteria—such as literacy rates, reliance on manual labor, and family assets. It estimated that OBCs made up 52% of the population and recommended 27% reservation in central government jobs and higher education. Implemented in 1990, this sparked major political debates. In the Indira Sawhney case (1992), the Supreme Court upheld the policy but introduced the concept of the “creamy layer,” excluding the more advanced sections. To manage this, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was created in 1993.

At the state level, separate Backward Classes Commissions were formed, often using broader and region-specific criteria like traditional occupation, landlessness, or lack of basic amenities. As a result, state lists of OBCs are generally longer and more varied than the central list, reflecting local social hierarchies.

Thus, identifying OBCs remains a complex and evolving process, balancing caste, socio-economic factors, and regional realities.