Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) to include 14 communities from Odisha, including the Khandayat community, in the central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Taking to social media platform X, Pradhan said he has written to NCBC Chairman Hansraj Ahir, requesting that communities listed in the Odisha state Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) list—Khandayat, Paika, Chasa Paika, Alia, Paikali, Kalingi Shudra Khandayat, Mahanayak Shudra, Oda-Khandayat, Bayalisha, Oda, Oda Paika, Oda Paiko, Haladia Teli, and Rajashribalasi/Balasi—be included in the Central OBC list.
Highlighting the disparity between the state and central lists, Pradhan said many communities recognised as SEBC in Odisha are not part of the central OBC list. Members of these communities, he added, are consequently deprived of benefits such as employment in central government jobs, admission to educational and professional institutions, and access to welfare schemes.
ଓଡ଼ିଶା ସରକାରଙ୍କ ଏସଇବିସି ତାଲିକାରେ ଥିବା ଖଣ୍ଡାୟତ, ପାଇକ, ଚଷା ପାଇକ, ଆଳିଆ, ପାଇକାଳି, କଳିଙ୍ଗୀ ଶୂଦ୍ର ଖଣ୍ଡାୟତ, ମହାନାୟକ ଶୂଦ୍ର, ଓଡ଼-ଖଣ୍ଡାୟତ, ବୟାଳିଶା, ଓଡ଼, ଓଡ଼ ପାଇକ, ଓଡ଼ ପାଇକୋ, ହଳଦିଆ ତେଲି ଏବଂ ରାଜଶ୍ରୀବଳାସୀ/ବଳାସୀ ଜାତିକୁ କେନ୍ଦ୍ରୀୟ ଓବିସି ତାଲିକାରେ ସାମିଲ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରୀୟ ପଛୁଆ ବର୍ଗ ଆୟୋଗର ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ…
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) November 23, 2025
“Including these communities in the Central OBC list would promote their social and economic development and be an important step toward securing rights for this large social group in Odisha,” the minister added.
Odisha currently provides 11.25 per cent reservation for SEBC communities in state government jobs and higher education. In comparison, the Centre offers 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central government employment and educational institutions.
