Explanation: In 1979, the Morarji Desai Government appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission under the chairmanship of B.P. Mandal, a Member of Parliament, in terms of Article 340 of the Constitution to investigate the conditions of the socially and educationally backward classes and suggest measures for their advancement.

• The commission submitted its report in 1980 and identified as many as 3743 castes as socially and educationally backward classes.
• They constitute nearly 52% component of the population, excluding the scheduled castes (SCs) and the scheduled tribes (STs).
• The commission recommended for reservation of 27% government jobs for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) so that the total reservation for all ((SCs, STs and OBCs) amounts to 50%.

Source: Laxmikanth Polity