The Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes, which submitted the first-ever survey on Socially Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) on Tuesday, said totally 53,96,132 households comprising a population of 1,94,88,671 belonged to backward classes in the State.
As against an OBC community population widely believed to be exceeding 50% in the State, the survey finds backward class population constitutes only 39.31% of the projected population of 2023. As per the 2011 Census data, Odisha had 4,19,50,951 population. The forecast population in 2023 is 4,95,65,045.
The population of the SEBC category in the State was never incorporated in any Census operation. This was the maiden attempt to find representation of backward class in State’s population.
The survey which was intended at ascertaining social and educational condition of population belonging to SEBC, reveals a miserable condition of backward class population. It indicates 37.6% of backward class population was stuck with the primary level education while 2.8% were employed in government sector.
No homogenous distribution
As per the findings, the distribution of population belonging to SEBC in the entire Odisha is not homogenous. Eleven of 30 districts are identified having moderately (15%- 30% population) SEBC population. The districts include Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal. Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh. These are largely tribal-dominated districts.
Eight districts which can be identified as highly SEBC population-inhabited (30-45% population) are Angul. Balasore. Baragarh. Cuttack, Deogarh, Jajpur. Kalahandi and Khordha.
The remaining 11 districts, where more than 45% SEBC population are present, are termed as a very highly SEBC population. They are Balangir, Bhadrak, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jagatsighpur, Kendrapada, Nayagarh. Nuapada, Puri and Subarnapur. There are six such districts — Puri, Nayagarh, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Boudh and Ganjam — where SEBC population was found above 50%.
“It can be concluded from the survey that, 36.67% of districts of the State are very highly, 36.67% of districts are highly and 26.27% are moderately SEBC population-inhabited districts,” says the report.
The education background of SEBC population, as per survey, is deplorable. “Irrespective of so many incentives launched by the government, the educational spread among this population is negligible. With an increase in the level of education of State, the share of the population of this category witnesses a drastic decline,” it says.
As far as specialised and professional education is concerned, the share of the SEBC population becomes further dismal. The report says, “the survey establishes that the SEBC population till date exhibits educational backwardness and their presence in higher education and skill education seems to be very negligible which casts a negative repercussion on their employment opportunities.”
The survey observes engagement of SEBC people is very feeble in government service with 2.8% representation in the sector. The share of the SEBC population surveyed is negligible as professionals, the percentage being 1.3%. As high as 25.2% of the participants reported that they are into the occupations which is categorised as ‘others’. About 19.3% population having their own land are into agriculture.
“The overall outcome of the survey brings to the forefront the fact that, this section of population of the society, irrespective of their dominant numerical strength in the State population, are socially and educationally backward. The process of development is slow among them and till date many of the societal benefits are not accrued to them,” the Commission says in the report.
It said that the SEBC population are in need of special assistance through formulation of target-oriented socio-economic welfare schemes for their inclusive growth to change their status in society.
The survey was necessitated due to lack of reliable and authentic data about the current social and educational status of the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (Other Backward Classes) in the State. It had become an impediment for planning and formulating different policies different policies and programmes for the welfare of these classes which was a constitutional mandate and a commitment of the government for their inclusive growth and development, it said.
