Modi Cabinet Affirms No ‘Creamy Layer’ Provision for SC/ST Reservations

The recent decision by the Modi Cabinet clarified that there is no provision for a creamy layer in reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) under the Constitution. During a cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav emphasized that the government is committed to the original constitutional provisions established by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, which do not include a creamy layer for SCs and STs.

This decision came after the Supreme Court suggested that states might have the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs to better target reservations for the most disadvantaged within these groups. However, the Supreme Court’s suggestion was not part of its official judgment but rather a remark by one of the justices. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal urged against misinterpreting these observations as a change in policy. The central government has decided not to modify the current reservation provisions despite these discussions.