In a significant step towards inclusivity, the Supreme Court of India has, for the first time, introduced reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in its staff recruitment process. This decision follows the recent implementation of quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

The decision to extend reservation benefits to OBCs, along with the existing provisions for SCs and STs, physically challenged individuals, ex-servicemen, and dependents of freedom fighters, was formalized through an amendment to the Supreme Court Officers and Servants (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1961. A notification regarding this implementation was issued on July 3, 2025.

The amended Rule 4A states that reservations in direct recruitment to various posts will be extended to candidates belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs, physically challenged individuals, ex-servicemen, and dependents of freedom fighters. These reservations will be in accordance with the rules, orders, and notifications issued by the Government of India, ensuring alignment with existing reservation frameworks for posts carrying equivalent pay scales.

Specifically, 15% of the posts will be reserved for Scheduled Castes, 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs will receive their share as per central rules.

This reform is a "historic" step that aligns the Supreme Court's hiring policies with national affirmative action standards. By opening up more opportunities for underrepresented groups, the court is setting an example for other government bodies to follow.

The decision to introduce the OBC quota comes more than three decades after the Supreme Court's nine-judge bench validated the 27% reservation for OBCs in Central government services in the Indira Sawhney judgment of November 1992.

Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, the second Dalit top judge of the country, also took the initiative to introduce a roster system for the recruitment of candidates from SCs and STs as Supreme Court staff. The roster specifies the post-wise quota for SCs and STs in recruitment and promotion, in accordance with the five-judge Constitution Bench ruling in R K Sabharwal vs State of Punjab in 1995. This ruling stated that reservation in government appointments should be post-based, not vacancy-based, and that there should be separate rosters for direct recruitment and promotion. Under the roster system, a post identified for a particular category will remain with that category even after the retirement of the person holding the post.

While the inclusion of OBCs, SCs and STs, physically challenged individuals, ex-servicemen and dependents of freedom fighters marks a significant stride towards inclusivity, the notification does not mention reservations for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).