OBC Population in India: 657 Million by 2025

India’s OBC population is a significant demographic, projected to reach 657 million individuals by 2025, which constitutes approximately 45% of the nation’s total population of 1.46 billion.

OBC, commonly referred to as obc india, represents Other Backward Classes—these are groups that encounter social and economic difficulties but do not fall under the categories of Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST).

We will utilize two tables—one detailing the OBC population in millions and another illustrating percentages—to explore the distribution of OBCs across various regions, the reasons for state-level discrepancies, and the implications for matters such as obc reservation in india.

State-wise OBC Population in India

Rank	State/Union Territory	OBC Population (Millions)
1	Uttar Pradesh	119.00
2	Bihar	82.41
3	Tamil Nadu	56.45
4	Andhra Pradesh	53.04
5	Maharashtra	45.60
6	Karnataka	43.87
7	Telangana	25.60
8	Kerala	22.11
9	West Bengal	19.71
10	Rajasthan	17.82
11	Odisha	16.63
12	Madhya Pradesh	15.30
13	Gujarat	12.18
14	Jharkhand	11.40
15	Haryana	7.80
16	Delhi	6.30
17	Assam	5.85
18	Chhattisgarh	4.32
19	Punjab	3.30
20	Jammu and Kashmir	1.92
21	Uttarakhand	1.80
22	Himachal Pradesh	1.44
23	Tripura	0.72
24	Puducherry	0.60
25	Goa	0.45
26	Manipur	0.36
27	Meghalaya	0.30
28	Chandigarh	0.24
29	Sikkim	0.18
30	Mizoram	0.12
31	Nagaland	0.12
32	Arunachal Pradesh	0.09
33	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	0.06
34	Lakshadweep	0.00
35	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.00
36	Ladakh	0.00

National Total: 657 million

The initial table presents the OBC population in millions, with Uttar Pradesh at the forefront, housing 119 million individuals, followed by Bihar with 82.41 million, and Tamil Nadu with 56.45 million.

Collectively, these three states account for over 257 million OBCs—nearly 40% of the national figure.

What accounts for Uttar Pradesh’s prominence? It is the largest state, with a population of 238 million, and over 50% of its residents belong to the OBC category, including Yadavs, who represent 19.4% of the OBC population.

This data is derived from the 2001 census, which recorded 7.56 crore OBCs, a number that has increased alongside population growth.

Bihar’s substantial OBC count is attributed to 63.1% of its population being OBCs, which includes Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) at 36.01%, within its total population of 130.7 million.

In contrast, smaller regions such as Mizoram (0.12 million) and Nagaland (0.12 million) exhibit minimal OBC populations.

Certain Union Territories—such as Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Ladakh—report no OBC presence.

The reason for this absence is that these areas are predominantly tribal, lacking OBC communities.

What explains this distribution? OBCs are more prevalent in larger, agrarian states.

Data from the NSSO in 2006 indicates that 41% of the national OBC population resides in these regions, while estimates from UDISE+ for 2021-22 suggest a figure of 44.9%, which has been adjusted to 45% for 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 1.2%.

Southern states, such as Andhra Pradesh, with a population of 53.04 million, have significant OBC numbers stemming from communities like the Kapu.

Percentage of every Indian States in OBC population

Rank	State/Union Territory	% Share of OBC Population
1	Tamil Nadu	74.4
2	Bihar	63.1
3	Andhra Pradesh	51.9
4	Uttar Pradesh	50.0
5	Karnataka	63.3
6	Kerala	61.0
7	Telangana	51.3
8	Maharashtra	38.0
9	Gujarat	20.0
10	Odisha	35.0
11	Rajasthan	20.0
12	Jharkhand	25.0
13	Madhya Pradesh	20.0
14	Haryana	25.0
15	Delhi	30.0
16	Assam	13.0
17	Chhattisgarh	15.0
18	Punjab	11.0
19	Jammu and Kashmir	15.0
20	Uttarakhand	15.0
21	Himachal Pradesh	20.0
22	Tripura	6.0
23	Puducherry	40.0
24	Goa	25.0
25	Manipur	3.0
26	Meghalaya	2.5
27	Chandigarh	20.0
28	Sikkim	3.0
29	Mizoram	10.0
30	Nagaland	5.0
31	Arunachal Pradesh	4.0
32	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	10.0
33	Lakshadweep	0.0
34	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	0.0
35	Ladakh	0.0

National Average: 45.0%

The second table examines the percentages, revealing Tamil Nadu at 74.4%, Bihar at 63.1%, and Karnataka at 63.3%.

The substantial representation in Tamil Nadu is attributed to groups such as Vanniyar, establishing OBCs as the predominant demographic in rural regions.

Bihar’s figure of 63.1% comprises OBCs (27.13%) and EBCs (36.01%), including communities like Yadavs and Kurmis.

Following are Uttar Pradesh (50%) and Andhra Pradesh (51.9%), both northern and southern states exhibiting a robust OBC presence in their villages.

In contrast, northeastern states such as Meghalaya (2.5%) and Sikkim (3.0%) report low percentages due to their predominantly Scheduled Tribe (ST) populations.

The absence of OBC representation in Lakshadweep, which stands at zero percent, indicates a complete tribal demographic.

What accounts for these percentages?

States with a historical prevalence of backward classes in agriculture, such as Tamil Nadu, show elevated OBC shares.

Conversely, low percentages in tribal regions highlight the diversity among India’s groups—OBCs are defined by caste, while STs are identified as tribal.

The national average stands at 45%, situated between the NSSO’s 41% and the Mandal Commission’s 52%, which reflects ongoing discussions regarding these statistics.

Variations in OBC Populations

The data illustrates that OBCs are predominantly located in a limited number of states.

Uttar Pradesh leads in OBC population due to its size and the presence of numerous OBC castes, including Yadav.

Southern states like Tamil Nadu (74.4%) exhibit high percentages from communities such as Thevar, closely linked to rural existence.

In contrast, northern states like Haryana (20%) and Punjab (11%) display moderate OBC shares, represented by groups like Jat.

The northeastern regions and islands report low or nonexistent OBC populations as they are primarily tribal, with OBCs not being the dominant demographic.

What explains this distribution? OBCs tend to reside in areas where caste systems have historically been entrenched, particularly in agricultural and village settings.

Notably, the Mandal Commission estimated that OBCs constituted 52% of the population in 1980, while the NSSO reported 41% in 2006.

A recent survey in Bihar in 2023 indicated a 63.1% OBC population, intensifying demands for a caste census.

This situation has implications for OBC reservations in India—OBCs are allocated a 27% quota in employment and educational institutions to alleviate poverty.

However, the uneven distribution necessitates increased support in states with high OBC populations, such as Bihar.