The Supreme Court has stayed the Calcutta High Court’s earlier decision that cancelled the Other Backward Classes (OBC) status granted to several communities in West Bengal after 2010. Reacting to this, Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu welcomed the apex court’s move and said it was a “win for social justice”. The HC verdict had impacted thousands of individuals from OBC categories, including those working in education and government services.
I’m writing about this issue because it highlights an important intersection of politics, policy, and social justice. Reservation-related matters always carry weight in India, where caste-based inequalities still influence opportunities. The HC decision created concern among many people who were already serving in public jobs under the OBC category. With the SC stepping in and putting the order on hold, it offers temporary relief. It’s crucial that we understand what this stay means legally, socially, and politically, especially for students and job aspirants who are directly affected by such reservation policies.
Supreme Court’s Stay: What Happened and Why It Matters
The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud put a hold on the Calcutta High Court order that had earlier scrapped the OBC status of 77 communities included in the state’s list post-2010. The HC had found fault in the process followed by the then Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in preparing the list, saying it was driven by political motives and lacked data-based justification.
This stay from the SC means the affected communities will continue to enjoy their OBC status for now. The matter will now be examined in detail by the court before a final ruling is given.
Education Minister Bratya Basu’s Statement
West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu welcomed the SC’s intervention. He said the High Court verdict had “shaken the constitutional values” and described the Supreme Court’s stay as “a big step towards protecting the marginalised”. According to him, the ruling had not only impacted students and jobholders but had also questioned the very process of identifying backward classes, which is a responsibility shared by both the state and the Centre.
He also criticised the BJP for allegedly trying to undermine the rights of backward communities, stating that such decisions threaten the future of lakhs of families.
Political and Legal Background
The controversy goes back to a 2010 notification issued by the West Bengal government under the TMC leadership. It added new communities to the state OBC list, giving them access to reservations in education and public employment. In 2024, the Calcutta HC ruled that this addition was politically motivated and quashed the OBC status for those groups.
However, several affected individuals challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court, citing job security, academic admissions, and the future of students preparing under the reserved category.
The SC took note of these concerns and granted interim relief by staying the HC’s judgment.
Who Are the Affected People?
The 77 communities included after 2010 make up a large portion of Bengal’s backward population. This includes many who work as schoolteachers, administrative staff, and government employees under the OBC quota. Had the HC decision been implemented immediately, their jobs and educational benefits could have come under legal risk.
This stay from the Supreme Court allows them to continue without disruption till the matter is finally resolved.
Why This Issue Deserves Attention
Reservation issues are always sensitive in India. They don’t just impact numbers on paper—they affect real lives, especially in education and jobs. If court decisions like these are implemented suddenly, people who’ve spent years building their careers and futures under certain legal assumptions find themselves in limbo.
It also brings up bigger questions about how backwardness is defined, who decides it, and whether states have enough data to back their decisions. As a student or a job aspirant from an OBC background, this is something one cannot afford to ignore.
