Forward caste (also known as Forward Class, Forward Community, and General Class) is a term used in India to denote groups of people who do not qualify for any of the positive discrimination schemes operated by the government of India. These schemes are known as Reservation Benefits. Those groups who do so qualify are listed as Other Backward castes orScheduled castes and scheduled tribes, and they can take advantage of defined quotas for education benefits, government employment and political representation. The lists of Forward, Other Backward and Scheduled castes, and Scheduled tribes are compiled irrespective of religion. The lists are subject to change from time to time, dependent upon social, educational and economic factors. However, although lists are produced for those groups entitled to take advantage of the quotas, there is no such list for the forward caste group; if a person does not belong to any of the listed groups then that person is by default a member of a group classed as forward caste
Economic and educational status
Estimates put the forward castes population at anywhere from 5-15%.
Status of reservation quotas in various states of India
The table below gives the proportion of the households belonging to various reserved categories in the total population as per the NFHS 2007 survey conducted by the Government of India
| State | GEN | OBC | SC | ST | OTH / NA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 26% | 49% | 18% | 7% | 0% |
| Bihar | 22% | 59% | 19% | 1% | 0% |
| Chattisgarh | 11% | 45% | 14% | 30% | 0% |
| Gujarat | 35% | 39% | 15% | 11% | 0% |
| HP | 61% | 14% | 20% | 5% | 0% |
| Haryana | 52% | 23% | 25% | 0% | 0% |
| J&K | 68% | 10% | 13% | 9% | 0% |
| Jharkhand | 16% | 45% | 11% | 28% | 0% |
| Kerala | 56% | 31% | 11% | 2% | 0% |
| MP | 21% | 40% | 18% | 21% | 0% |
| Maharashtra | 47% | 26% | 16% | 11% | 0% |
| Manipur | 55% | 12% | 7% | 26% | 0% |
| Meghalaya | 9% | 3% | 7% | 81% | 0% |
| Mizoram | 3% | 1% | 1% | 95% | 0% |
| Nagaland | 8% | 14% | 5% | 73% | 0% |
| Orissa | 30% | 27% | 20% | 23% | 0% |
| Punjab | 58% | 10% | 32% | 0% | 0% |
| Rajastan | 22% | 45% | 19% | 14% | 0% |
| Sikkim | 14% | 41% | 9% | 36% | 0% |
| TN | 2% | 75% | 22% | 1% | 0% |
| Tripura | 39% | 21% | 23% | 17% | 0% |
| Uttarakhand | 62% | 15% | 21% | 3% | 0% |
| UP | 24% | 50% | 25% | 1% | 0% |
| WB | 34% | 24% | 26% | 16% | 0% |
| Delhi | 67% | 14% | 17% | 1% | 1% |
| Arunachal | 25% | 5% | 6% | 62% | 2% |
| Goa | 70% | 17% | 5% | 5% | 3% |
| Assam | 50% | 22% | 13% | 10% | 5% |
| Karnataka | 28% | 44% | 15% | 6% | 7% |
The Government of India does not collect community census data except for SC/ST. Economic and educational level of various social groups are gauged using large-sample surveys. The National Sample Survey taken in 1999–2000 and the National Family Health Survey taken in 2005-2006 (or perhaps an earlier round of the NFHS) estimated economic, educational, and health indicators of various communities. These surveys were used extensively in the report submitted by the oversight committee.
As of 2007, forward castes had to compete only in the open category, as they are considered socially, educationally, and economically advanced. At that time the reservation proportion stood at 50% in central-government educational institutions and central-government jobs. However, in certain states, such as Tamil Nadu, the reservation percentage was around 69%.
Economic status
The 1998–1999 National Sample Survey calculated the economic status of forward communities separately for rural/urban areas in various income brackets. It shows
- Only 6.4% of forward castes in rural areas appear in upper income bracket with per capita monthly income stands at above Rs 925 per month.
- 30% of rural population is made up of forward castes.
- More than 65% of forward castes per capita income stands below Rs 525 per month.
For urban areas:
- Only 5.6% of forward castes appear in the upper-income bracket with per capita income at or above Rs. 1925 per month (around US $40).
- More than 25% of forward castes per capita income stands below Rs. 500 per month (around $10).
- More than 30% of forward castes above 15 years of age are illiterate.
- Only 8% of forward castes are graduates.
- Around 85% of forward castes above 15 years of age have done equal to or below secondary education (10 Years of education).
Currently forward castes are only allowed to compete for seats in the unreserved category in educational institutions and central government jobs, irrespective of their educational/economical status in the society. However, a significant percentage of the Forward caste population lives below the poverty line and more than 30% of the members of this community are illiterate. To meet their aspirations, demands have been raised for providing separate reservations for the poor among Forward caste populations. Many political parties like Congress, BJP, Samajwadi Party, LJP, Rastriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India(Marxist), Bahujan Samaj Party have supported proposals for providing separate reservation for the poor among the forward castes. These parties account for over 400 of the 542 members in the current parliament, as well as holding power in most states in the union.