Most number of OBCs in IAS from TN-Chennai-Cities-The Times of India

Most number of OBCs in IAS from TN-Chennai-Cities-The Times of India

Most number of OBCs in IAS from TN
5 May 2008, 0328 hrs IST,Rema Nagarajan,TNN

CHENNAI: Politicians from the north might account for most of the sound and fury in the debate on reservations, but it is Tamil Nadu that gains the most from quotas, if recruitment to the all-India civil services is anything to go by. If people from reserved categories stopped appearing for the civil services, TN's representation would be very small.

TN accounted for nearly a quarter of the OBC candidates selected at the all-India level in both 2004 and 2005. In 2006, it accounted for 15% while Uttar Pradesh accounted for over 20% (one in every five selected OBC candidate was from UP). But TN has the largest number of OBCs making it to the civil services, much more than even UP, which has more than double its population. TN also has a larger proportion of OBCs than Delhi — from where the largest number of people get selected for the services. That is, of course, because people from all over India appear for the civil services exam from Delhi.

TN had just six general category candidates in 2004, of a total 44 selected from the state. The figures for 2005 were three out of 35 and for 2006, four out of a total of 36. From the OBC category, it had 25 and 22 candidates in the last two years, constituting more than 70% and 60% of the state's representation in the two years.

If we were to include the SC category candidates, numbering 8, 5 and 10 during 2004, 2005 and 2006, the reserved category share of the state's representation in civil services recruitment over the three years would be well over 85%, even touching 89% for the years 2005 and 2006.

The failing charm of civil services for the forward castes and the rising interest among the reserved categories, which see it as a means to empower themselves with executive power, are said to be the main reasons for the surge in reserved category candidates from Tamil Nadu and the steady decline in numbers from the general category.

P Shankar, secretary of the Retired IAS Officers Association of Tamil Nadu says the forward castes have become disenchanted with the civil services and have shifted attention to professional institutes or on going abroad.

Besides, he adds, it is a story of TN's success in affirmative action, thanks to people like Periyar. "Our OBCs are not really backward like in the northern states. The 69% reservation has been in place for a long time and so they are educationally not very backward."

Prof P Radhakrishnan of the Madras Institute of Development Studies, however, says the OBC representation is not necessarily an indication of backward class empowerment. "The OBC category in Tamil Nadu includes many upper classes and hence they do well educationally."