Tamil Nadu Timeline

Social ReformRise of Dravidian rule

Reservation raised to 49 percent

· Chennai

Reservation raised to 49 percent
Government of Tamil Nadu, GODL-India · Wikimedia Commons

The DMK government raised the backward classes quota from 25 to 31 percent and the SC/ST quota from 16 to 18 percent.

Following the Sattanathan Commission report, the DMK government in 1971 increased reservation for backward classes from 25 percent to 31 percent. Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was raised from 16 percent to 18 percent. Total reservation in the state stood at 49 percent. Karunanidhi also created a separate ministry for backward classes welfare, the first in the country.

Related events

  1. 1921

    1. 1921ChennaiLegislation

      First Communal Government Order on reservation

      The Justice Party government issued the first Communal Government Order, reserving government posts for different communities.

  2. 1969

    1. 1969 to 1970ChennaiSocial Reform

      Sattanathan Backward Classes Commission

      The first Backward Classes Commission of Tamil Nadu, headed by A. N. Sattanathan, recommended a separate Most Backward Class category.

  3. 1970

    1. 1970ChennaiEducation

      SC and ST students exempted from tuition fees

      A 1970 Government Order exempted Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students up to the Pre-University Course from paying tuition fees.

  4. 1979

    1. Jul 1979 to 21 Jan 1980ChennaiSocial Reform

      Income ceiling introduced for backward class reservation

      The MGR government introduced an annual income ceiling to exclude better-off families from backward class reservation.

  5. 1980

    1. 21 Jan 1980ChennaiSocial Reform

      Income ceiling withdrawn, backward class quota raised to 50%

      After electoral setbacks, the MGR government withdrew the income ceiling and raised the backward class quota from 31% to 50%.

  6. 1989

    1. 1989ChennaiSocial Reform

      Separate 20% quota for Most Backward Classes

      The DMK government split the 50% backward class quota into 30% for Backward Classes and 20% for Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities.

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