The constitution of India grants some protection to backward classes, besides the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. These are to be found amongst all religious sects Hindus, Muslims, Christians etc. The framers of the Indian constitution were well aware about their miserable and apathetic living conditions, who have continued to be socially condemned and economically oppressed for centuries. Constantly they resolved in the preamble, to secure to all justice–social, economic and political, equality of status and of opportunity and to promote among them all fraternity, assuring the dignity of the individual. India, which is a secular and democratic country, is regarded as a model of pluralistic society, which is reflected in its cultural pluralism of various religions, castes, languages and regions. About 82 per cent of the Indian population follows Hinduism and 15 per cent Islam and its plurality is visible in the four-fold varna system (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) and about 5,000 castes and sub-castes. Now the segmental aspects of traditional four-fold varna system is reflected in terms of four major caste groups created by the modern participatory democratic political system such as the scheduled castes (SCs: 16.73%), the scheduled tribes (STs: 7.95%), other backward classes (OBCs: estimated to be 52%) and the rest regarded as upper castes or forward castes (estimated 23%). These four modern caste categories also include social segments of the minorities. The present work mainly deals with other backward classes (OBC).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Arvind Kumar
Dr. Arvind Kumar (b. 23-03-1953), University Professor, Department of Zoology, S.K. University, Dumka has 24 years' experience as an outstanding teacher and researcher. He is a recipient of National Merit Scholarship all through his college and university years and got meritorial fellowship of CSIR, New Delhi. He has been awarded Professor W.A. Nizami Gold Medal by the Zoological Society of India in 2000during 11th annual Congress. He did his M. Sc. In Zoology in 1976 and Ph.D. in 1982 on Eco-Physiology of Aquatic Insect from Bhagalpur University. He has done pioneering work in the field of limnology, aquatic insect ecology, biodiversity, conservation and tribal ecology. Dr. Kumar has successfully guided more than 11 research scholars for Ph.D. and got more than 205 research articles and reviews published in reputed national and international journals. He has authored/ edited more than 15 books and is also on the Editorial Board of more than a dozen esteemed national and international journal. Dr Kumar is a fellow, life-member and member of number of organizations and is also working as office bearer of some of them. Dr. Kumar has charied a number of sessions of different seminars/ symposia. He was also made convener of the National Symposium organized by S.K. University in 1998. He has been invited to different Universities, such as, University of Madras, Chennai, Dr. R.M.L. Avadh University, Faizabad, etc. to deliver lectures' on different topics of Environmental Sciences. Presently, Dr. Kumar is the Charman of Board of Environment Impact Assessment & Ecoplanning, Jharkhand, President of Tribal Ecoconservation Society ad Secretary General of Society of Environmental Sciences. He is also the Chief Editor of Journal of Current Sciences and the Editor of Indian Journal of Environment and Ecoplanning. Professor Kumar has visited Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy & Vienna in 2005 and China, Japan & Singapore in 2006 in order to deliver lectures during international symposia. He is a fellow, life member and member of number of organizations and is also working as office organizations and is also working as office bearer of some of them. Dr. Kumar has chaired a number of sessions of different seminars/symposia in India and abroad. He has been editing there international scientific journals at a time regularly since more than fifteen years and is Editor-in-Chief of The Ekologia , Chief Editor of Journal of Current Sciences & Editor of Indian Journal of Environment and Ecoplanning. Dr. Kumar is also the hon'ble member, Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, Ranchi.
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