Hisotry of Mandal Commission Report

The concept of caste-based reservations was originally suggested by William Hunter and Jyotiba Rao Phule in 1882. It was implemented by a number of British reforms, including the Government of India Act of 1919 and the Minto-Morley Reform of 1909. The following is the more report about the Mondal Commssion Report.

Formation and Background:

1. Formation: The Mandal Commission was constituted in January 1979 by the Janata Party government, with the primary objective of identifying and recommending measures for the upliftment of socially and educationally backward classes.
2. Chairperson: The commission was headed by B.P. Mandal, a former Chief Minister of Bihar. It consisted of multiple members, each with expertise in different fields.
3. Objective: The main goal of the commission was to assess the social and educational status of various communities in India and recommend measures to address backwardness, particularly in terms of representation in government jobs and educational institutions.

Recommendations:

1. Reservation Quota: In its report submitted in 1980, the Mandal Commission recommended the reservation of 27% of government jobs for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
2. Educational Institutions: The commission also suggested reservations for OBCs in educational institutions, including universities and colleges.

Implementation:

1. Protests and Controversies: The implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations in 1990 sparked widespread protests, particularly in urban areas. Critics argued that the move would lead to reverse discrimination and questioned the criteria used to identify backward classes.
2. Impact on Society: The implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations significantly altered the landscape of government job reservations and affirmative action policies in India. It aimed at providing opportunities to historically marginalized communities.
3. Political Ramifications: The decision to implement the Mandal Commission’s recommendations had political consequences, contributing to the fragmentation of the Janata Dal party and influencing subsequent electoral politics in the country.

Post-Implementation Developments:

1. Debate and Discussions: Over the years, there have been ongoing debates about the percentage of reservations for OBCs and discussions about whether economic criteria should be considered in addition to social backwardness.
2. Legal Challenges: The Mandal Commission’s recommendations faced legal challenges in the Supreme Court, but eventually, they were upheld.
3. Revisions and Expansions: Some states in India have also implemented reservations for economically backward sections among the forward castes, leading to further discussions on the criteria for reservations.

Mandal Commission: In 1979, the Janata Party government, led by Prime Minister Morarji Desai, established the Mandal Commission, formally known as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), in India. The commission’s primary mandate was to “identify the socially or educationally backward classes” within the country.

In this article, We have covered the Mondal Commission, its History, the Timeline of Mondal Commission, Recommendations, and many more in detail.

Let’s dive right in.