Maharashtra gazette from 1918 being used to give Marathas OBC benefits
The Maharashtra government has decided to use records from the 1918 Hyderabad Gazette to help some Marathas obtain OBC (Other Backward Classes) benefits.
This old document, from the Nizam's era, documented agricultural Marathas as socially and economically backward and, in some cases, as Kunbis.
Thanks to a new resolution, local officials can now verify and issue Kunbi caste certificates for these Marathas.
Competition for limited OBC quota could heat up
Since this change, over five lakh people have received Kunbi certificates, but not all Marathas are covered—so reactions are mixed.
Some landless Marathas can apply using affidavits, but there's concern that competition for the limited OBC quota (just 17%) could heat up among more than 350 castes.
The Congress party wants clearer rules and is pushing for a bigger OBC quota like Telangana's model so everyone gets a fair shot at reservations.