Defining Backward Class

• The term ‘class’ signifies a form of social stratification. It is defined as a stratum of people who share similar socio-economic status or position.
• A class is considered to be backward if its members are economically and educationally less privileged compared to other classes in that society.

Backward Class and the Constitution

• The Constitution refers to the term ‘backward classes’ in Articles 15(4), 16(4) and 340(1).
• Articles 15(4) and 16(4) empower the State to make special provisions for any socially and educationally backward class of citizens.
• Article 340(1) authorises the appointment of a Commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes.

Definitional Issues

• The term ‘backward classes’ which had originally been in use during colonial times lacked any clearly defined parameter regarding the inclusion and exclusion of groups described collectively as backward.
• The definition of the term “backward class” remained imprecise, even at the time when the Constitution was being debated and drafted.
• There were two broad ways in which the term was used in the debates of the Constituent Assembly.
• One was an inclusive group of all sections of society that needed preferential treatment. In such a usage the term ‘backward classes’ included the “untouchables”.
• In the other usage, the term that was used was ‘Other Backward Classes.’
• However, the category ‘backward classes’ was not defined as precisely as the categories of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• It denoted other categories of people who were underprivileged and marginalised.

Other Backward Classes (OBC)

A community is classified as “OBC” if it qualifies as “backward” based on a complex set of social, economic and educational criteria, as specified by the National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC).