Nearly 100 OBC UPSC qualifiers left without jobs after creamy-layer ruling

After clearing the 2022 UPSC Civil Services Examination, candidates such as Satej celebrated their success, only to find their names missing from the official service allocation list. The Department of Personnel and Training classified them as creamy-layer OBCs, using an income-based test because their parents were employed in public-sector or private-sector jobs lacking formal government-post equivalence. A Supreme Court judgment on 11 March 2026 held that parental salary alone cannot determine creamy-layer status and mandated that authorities reassess the excluded candidates and create extra posts if needed, within six months.

The ruling highlighted the conflict between the 1993 DoPT memorandum and a 2004 clarification that had broadened the income test. Despite the verdict, the Centre has asked for guidance on applying the decision to the 2025 exam results, arguing that retroactive changes could disrupt candidates who chose categories based on the previous rules. Consequently, nearly a hundred OBC qualifiers remain without confirmed appointments, awaiting implementation of the court’s order.