Status: The Indian Constitution provides for the reservation of 15%, 7.5% and 27% to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes respectively in posts and services. As per the latest available data, the representation of each of these sections in 72 union ministries/departments stood at 17.5%, 7.7% and 22.1% respectively as of December 2020. In other words, the achievement figure for the OBC is still less than the level mandated under the constitution. Further, the number of appointments made through recruitment and promotions has declined, both overall and for the reserved categories. Similarly, while the number of SC, ST and OBC students has increased in higher education, thousands of teaching posts are lying vacant in various central educational institutions. i ii iii iv v vi vii