CIC seeks sub-caste data in civil services lists

The Central Information Commission has recommended that Department of Personnel and Training include sub-caste details in civil services selection lists to improve transparency in assessing reservation outcomes across SC, ST and OBC categories

New Delhi: The Central Information Commission has recommended to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to include sub-caste details in the final lists of the civil services exam to better assess how reservation policy benefits are distributed across caste groups.

The recommendation came while disposing of a second appeal filed by an RTI applicant seeking caste-wise details of candidates selected to the Indian Administrative Service through the 1995 examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

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During the hearing, the DoPT submitted that service allocation data is maintained only at the level of broad social categories such as SC, ST and OBC, and not at the sub-caste level. They also said that records dating back to 1995 were not traceable.

The DoPT official added that the list of candidates allocated to services (along with their category) on the basis of CSE-2017 onwards is available on the department’s portal. The commission noted that while such detailed data was not available on record, there was a “plausible scope” for including sub-caste information in future disclosures.

The commission also said that lists of candidates, along with their categories, are already available in the public domain for recent exams. However, it underlined that adding sub-caste details alongside aggregated categories could help ensure that the benefits of reservation policies reach a wider and more diverse range of communities.

“In light of the above, the Commission recommends DoPT that the sub-caste details along with the aggregated caste categories (such as SC, ST, OBC, etc.) may be included in the final list of selected candidates of CSE to ensure transparency with an objective that the benefits of reservation policies and affirmative action reach a broader and more diverse range of communities within larger caste categories,” its order said. The CIC found no deficiency in the response provided by the authorities under the RTI Act in the present case and disposed of the appeal.