Yadav Caste Category — OBC Classification in India

Category: Other Backward Class (OBC)

Central OBC List: • Yadavs are included in the Central OBC List recommended by the Mandal Commission (1980) • The Mandal Commission Report was implemented in 1990 (V.P. Singh government) • OBC reservation: 27% in central government jobs and central educational institutions

Legal basis: • Article 15(4) of the Indian Constitution: allows the State to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes • Article 16(4): allows reservation in appointments for adequately represented backward classes

Creamy layer exclusion: • OBC individuals with annual family income above ₹8 lakh (as of the current threshold) are classified as 'creamy layer' and are NOT eligible for OBC reservation benefits • The creamy layer concept ensures reservation benefits reach the genuinely backward sections

Yadavs and Ahirs refer to the same community in different regions:

• Ahir: the name used in Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra • Yadav: the name used more broadly across India, and particularly in UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh

Both terms refer to the same caste group — traditionally associated with cattle herding, dairy farming, and agriculture. The community claims descent from Yadu (a legendary king in the Mahabharata, ancestor of Lord Krishna's lineage).

State-wise classification: • Most states: OBC • Some states may have further sub-categorisation within OBC (OBC-A, OBC-B, BC-I, BC-II, etc.) — the specific sub-category varies by state • For central government purposes: OBC (Central List)

OBC (Other Backward Class) reservation in India:

• Constitutional basis: Articles 15(4) and 16(4) • Percentage: 27% in central government jobs and central educational institutions (implemented 1990) • State-level OBC reservation varies (many states have higher percentages for state services) • Total reservation cap: Supreme Court ruled in Indra Sawhney case (1992) that total reservation cannot exceed 50% in general (exceptions apply for extraordinary circumstances)

Three reservation categories in India (central government):

1. SC (Scheduled Castes): 15%
2. ST (Scheduled Tribes): 7.5%
3. OBC (Other Backward Classes): 27% Total: 49.5% (leaving 50.5% unreserved/general)

EWS reservation: • 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) — introduced by 103rd Constitutional Amendment (2019) • Available to those not covered under existing SC/ST/OBC reservations • Family income less than ₹8 lakh per year

Note: Reservation benefits help communities gain equitable access to education and government employment — it is a social justice measure enshrined in the Constitution.