Bihar assembly passes hike in caste quota to 65 percent, opposition BJP supports

With unanimous support, the Bihar state assembly approves hike in quotas for SCs, STs and backward classes from 50 to 65 per cent.

The state assembly passed the amendment bill related to increase the quota of reservation in the state government jobs for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Extremely Backward Caste and Backward Castes from 50% to 65% unanimously. Opposition BJP also supported the amendment bill.

The proposed reservations are beyond the fifty percent cap as set by the Supreme Court in 1992. The approved bill now needs to be signed into law by Governor Rajendra Arlekar.

The revised quotas now provide for 20 percent reservation for Scheduled Caste candidates, with 18 and 25 percent for Other Backward Castes and Extremely Backward Castes.