The Orissa government has announced that a special legislation will be brought in the coming Budget Session to ensure 27 per cent reservation in government jobs for other backward classes (OBCs). The government said steps will be taken to improve the provisions for OBCs in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution after the bill is passed in the Assembly.
Reservation of 11.25 per cent for OBCs will be implemented as an interim measure and 15.75 per cent of jobs will be kept vacant. The vacant posts will be filled up after completion of the legal process. In earlier decision, the government had announced 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in government jobs in 1994. After the apex court put a limit on reservation in jobs at 50% per cent, quota for OBCs was brought down to 11.25 per cent as the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes enjoy 38.75 per cent reservations.