Bhubaneswar: Sambalpur MP and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Chairman Hansraj Ahir to include 14 communities from Odisha, including the Khandayat community, in the central list of OBCs.

Pradhan has recently written a letter in this regard to the NCBC Chairman.

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Communities like Khandayat, Paika, Chasa Paika, Alia, Paikali, Kalingi Shudra Khandayat, Mahanayak Shudra, Oda-Khandayat, Bayalisha, Oda, Oda Paika, Oda Paiko, Haladia Teli and Rajashribalasi/Balasi communities or castes have been included in the list of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in Odisha, said the Union Minister in a social media (X) post today.

“I have written the NCBC Chairman urging him to include these communities from Odisha in the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs),” added Pradhan.

Inclusion of Khandayat and 13 other communities in the OBC list will be a major step towards social justice, said Pradhan

According to Pradhan, the people of these communities from Odisha have been denied reservations in central government jobs as well as educational and technical institutions for study purposes due to their non-inclusion in the central list of OBCs.

“Inclusion of these communities in the central list of OBCs will ensure their social as well as economic development. Besides, it will be considered as a major step towards social justice,” said Pradhan.

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It is worth mentioning here that the Odisha provides 11.25 per cent reservation for SEBC people in state government jobs and higher education.

On the other hand, the Centre provides 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in the central government jobs and educational institutions.