Learn about the Mandal Commission , a 1979 report that identified and recommended measures for the upliftment of socially and educationally backward classes (OBCs) in India. Find out the key recommendations, the background, the challenges and the outcomes of the report. The Mandal Commission represents a watershed in India’s journey toward inclusive governance. Despite facing immense criticism and societal upheaval, it succeeded in institutionalizing the rights of backward classes and shifting the national conversation toward equity. The Mandal Commission was a 1979 report that identified socially and educationally backward classes in India and recommended reservations for them in jobs and education. The report led to protests, court cases, and constitutional amendments, and is still a controversial issue in Indian politics. The Mandal Commission , officially known as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), was set up on 1st January 1979 by the Indian Government under the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai. The Commission was chaired by an MP, B P Mandal . The chief mandate of the Mandal Commission was to identify the socially or educationally backward classes of India and to consider reservations as a means to address caste inequality and discrimination. The Commission submitted its ...
