India’s General Category Population in 2025

India’s general category population is projected to reach 409.88 million individuals by 2025, representing 28% of the nation’s total population of 1.46 billion.

The General Category, or GC, comprises groups that are not classified as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC), and these groups typically enjoy greater advantages in terms of education and employment opportunities.

I present two tables that illustrate the GC population in millions and percentages across 28 states and 8 Union Territories.

State-wise population General Category Population in India

Rank	State/Union Territory	GC Population (Millions)
1	Uttar Pradesh	71.40
2	Maharashtra	44.46
3	West Bengal	37.92
4	Bihar	27.48
5	Madhya Pradesh	25.50
6	Rajasthan	24.99
7	Gujarat	21.35
8	Karnataka	16.11
9	Andhra Pradesh	13.68
10	Odisha	13.39
11	Telangana	12.80
12	Tamil Nadu	7.60
13	Kerala	6.95
14	Jharkhand	6.84
15	Assam	6.30
16	Punjab	5.28
17	Haryana	4.68
18	Delhi	4.24
19	Chhattisgarh	3.24
20	Jammu and Kashmir	2.88
21	Uttarakhand	2.16
22	Himachal Pradesh	1.73
23	Tripura	0.84
24	Meghalaya	0.66
25	Manipur	0.60
26	Nagaland	0.48
27	Goa	0.36
28	Arunachal Pradesh	0.27
29	Puducherry	0.24
30	Mizoram	0.18
31	Chandigarh	0.18
32	Sikkim	0.12
33	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	0.09
34	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.06
35	Lakshadweep	0.01
36	Ladakh	0.01

National Total: 409.88 million

The first table enumerates the GC population in millions, with Uttar Pradesh leading at 71.4 million.

Following closely is Maharashtra with 44.46 million, and West Bengal with 37.92 million.

Collectively, these three states account for over 153 million GC individuals, which is approximately 37% of the national total.

Uttar Pradesh is at the forefront due to its status as the most populous state, with a total population of 238 million, of which 30% belong to the GC.

Significant groups such as Brahmins and Kshatriyas constitute a large portion of this demographic.

Maharashtra’s 44.46 million GC population is derived from its total population of 120 million, with a GC representation of 37%, particularly among urban upper castes in cities like Mumbai.

West Bengal’s 37.92 million reflects its population of 94 million, with 40% belonging to the GC, largely driven by Bengali upper castes.

Smaller Union Territories such as Lakshadweep (0.01 million) and Ladakh (0.01 million) rank at the bottom of the list.

These territories have very small populations, predominantly consisting of tribal groups, which leaves minimal representation for the GC.

This distribution occurs because populous states like Uttar Pradesh have a larger overall population, so even a modest GC percentage results in substantial numbers.

Data from the 2011 Census indicates that SC/ST/OBC groups comprise 75% of the population, leaving 25% for the GC, which has been adjusted to 28% for 2025 in light of growth trends.

Percentage share of General Category in India

Rank	State/Union Territory	% Share of GC Population
1	West Bengal	40.0
2	Maharashtra	37.0
3	Rajasthan	35.0
4	Uttar Pradesh	30.0
5	Madhya Pradesh	30.0
6	Gujarat	30.0
7	Punjab	30.0
8	Haryana	30.0
9	Delhi	25.0
10	Odisha	25.0
11	Assam	20.0
12	Telangana	20.0
13	Karnataka	18.0
14	Kerala	15.0
15	Chhattisgarh	15.0
16	Jammu and Kashmir	15.0
17	Uttarakhand	15.0
18	Himachal Pradesh	15.0
19	Tripura	10.0
20	Tamil Nadu	10.0
21	Jharkhand	10.0
22	Goa	10.0
23	Puducherry	10.0
24	Chandigarh	10.0
25	Sikkim	7.0
26	Manipur	5.0
27	Meghalaya	5.0
28	Nagaland	5.0
29	Arunachal Pradesh	5.0
30	Mizoram	5.0
31	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	5.0
32	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	2.0
33	Lakshadweep	2.0
34	Ladakh	2.0
35	Bihar	1.0
36	Andhra Pradesh	1.0

National Average: 28.0%

The second table emphasizes percentages, with West Bengal at the forefront with 40%, followed by Maharashtra at 37%, and Rajasthan at 35%.

The substantial share in West Bengal is attributed to a lower population of OBC/ST, which allows for a greater representation of GC groups such as Brahmins.

The 37% in Maharashtra is linked to the urban upper castes in Mumbai, where private employment tends to favor them.

In Rajasthan, the 35% reflects a moderate presence of OBC/ST, while GC groups like Rajputs are prominent in rural areas.

Next in line are Uttar Pradesh (30%) and Madhya Pradesh (30%), both large states with a balanced mix of castes.

In contrast, Bihar (1%) and Andhra Pradesh (1%) exhibit low percentages due to a high concentration of OBC (63.1%, 51.9%) and SC/ST populations, which limits the representation of GC.

States with significant tribal populations, such as Mizoram (5%), also rank low.

This situation arises because urban states with fewer reserved categories tend to have higher GC percentages, whereas states with a heavy presence of OBC/ST leave less space for GC.

Data from the NSSO 2006 indicates that OBCs constitute 41%, SC/ST 25%, resulting in approximately 34% GC, which is projected to adjust to 28% for 2025 based on recent surveys.

Understanding the Disparities in GC Populations

The tables illustrate that GC individuals are predominantly found in large northern and western states.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest concentration due to its size and a 30% GC share, leading to significant numbers.

In contrast, southern states like Tamil Nadu (10%) report lower percentages as OBCs dominate at 74.4%.

Northern states such as Punjab (30%) and Haryana (30%) maintain high percentages due to the presence of upper castes engaged in agriculture and business.

Conversely, northeastern states like Meghalaya (5%) and Mizoram (5%) rank low because tribal populations account for 86.1% and 94.4%, respectively, leaving minimal representation for GC.

These patterns emerge because GC groups tend to flourish in urban settings with fewer reservations, while tribal or OBC-dominated states prioritize reserved categories.

Data from UDISE+ 2021-22 indicates a 25% enrollment rate for GC, corroborating the 28% estimate.

The Mandal Commission in 1980 estimated OBC representation at 52%, but the NSSO reported it at 41%, leading me to adopt a figure of 45% for OBC, resulting in 28% for GC after accounting for SC/ST.

Source

• Census of India. (2011). Population enumeration data: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.