Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently admitted that he did not adequately protect the interests of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) during his political career. Speaking at a party event in New Delhi, Gandhi expressed regret for not understanding the issues faced by OBCs in depth, saying "I made a mistake". He stated that his lack of understanding prevented him from advocating for a caste census earlier in his career. He acknowledged that this shortcoming "opened up space" for the BJP.

Gandhi stated, "I have been in politics since 2004...When I look back, I can see that I made a mistake. I didn't protect the OBCs like I should have…It was because I could not understand your issues in depth at that time". He also clarified that this was his personal failing, not a failure of the Congress party.

He contrasted his understanding of issues affecting Dalits, Adivasis, women, and minorities, saying he should receive "good marks" for his work on their behalf. However, he conceded that his understanding of OBC issues was lacking. Gandhi stated, "when it came to Dalit, Adivasi, women's issues, the Congress party was on track in the last 10 to 15 years…However, when it came to OBC issues, the Congress' understanding of the challenges they were facing and the type of actions the party should have and could have taken, we fell short".

Gandhi is now advocating for a nationwide caste census to address this gap in understanding and to promote social justice. He described the recent caste survey conducted in Telangana as a "milestone for social justice in the country". He also highlighted the potential for the census to serve as a foundation for policy making. The Congress party has promised to conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions.

Furthermore, Gandhi has accused the Modi government of deliberately marginalizing Bahujans (SC, ST, and OBC communities) in higher education by keeping a large percentage of reserved faculty positions vacant in central universities. He cited government data showing high vacancy rates for ST, OBC, and SC professor and associate professor positions. Gandhi alleges that the Modi government is systematically keeping SC, ST, and OBC teaching posts vacant in central universities.

The Congress is also exploring a graded internal quota system within OBCs, based on their level of backwardness. This proposal, discussed during the party's OBC advisory council meeting, aims to ensure that the most deprived receive a larger share of government assistance. The party is considering the slogan "Jitna Pichada, Utna Madadh", wherein the extent of backwardness of an OBC community will determine the extent of government assistance. The Haryana-based functionary said categorisation within OBCs could range from four to six groups, with the most backward getting the highest priority in schemes and grants. The Congress-backed council also demanded that the Centre raise the reservation ceiling to 75%, pointing to the inclusion of the EWS quota as a precedent.