Modi plans jobs quota for India’s ‘upper caste poor’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government announced plans yesterday to set aside a quota of government jobs for poorer members of India’s upper caste.

India already “reserves” jobs for impoverished and disadvantaged lower castes for civil service jobs and college places. Modi’s plans would help households with an annual income of less than $11,000, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. The change would require a change to the constitution, which caps the number of reserved jobs and college places at 50 per cent.

The plans were approved by the cabinet yesterday. They require approval from both houses of parliament. Caste-based quotas are meant to provide equal opportunities for India’s poorest and most marginalised groups.