Creamy layer

The creamy layer is a term used in Indian politics to refer to the relatively wealthier and better educated members of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) who are not eligible for government sponsored educational and professional benefit programs. The term was introduced by the Sattanathan Commission in 1971, which directed that the "creamy layer" should be excluded from the reservations (quotas) of civil posts and services granted to the OBCs. The creamy layer criteria was defined as earning more than 100,000 rupees (₹ or INR, together abbreviated Rs 1 lakh) per annum in 1993, and revised to Rs 2.5 lakh (2004), then Rs 4.5 lakh (2008), and Rs 6 lakh (2013). In October 2015, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) proposed the that a person belonging to OBC with an annual family income of up to Rs 15 lakh should be considered as minimum ceiling for OBC. The NCBC also recommended the sub-division of OBCs into 'backward', 'more backward,' and 'extremely backward' blocs and divide 27% quota amongst them in proportion to their population, to ensure that stronger OBCs don't corner the quota benefits.