Telangana: For a further ten years, the Telangana government has extended reservations for backward classes in education and employment, including a five-year age concession for recruitment.

In May 2011, the existing BC reservations in undivided Andhra Pradesh were extended for another ten years, till May 31, 2021. A total of 112 castes were allocated quotas, with the orphaned and underprivileged children being included as the 113th group in 2015.

The government adopted the recommendations of the Telangana State Commission for BCs in September last year, adding 17 more castes to the list of BCs under Groups' A 'and' D'. The overall number of communities with BC reservations now stands at 130.

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As a result, reservations for various backward classes — BC-A (7 percent), BC-B (10 percent), BC-C (1 percent), BC-D (7 percent), and BC-E (4 percent) — will be extended for another ten years, until May 31, 2031.

Reservations in favor of the BC E group, which includes socially and economically disadvantaged Muslims, will be contingent on the outcome of a civil appeal currently pending before the Supreme Court, according to BC Welfare department Principal Secretary B. Venkatesham, who issued the orders on Friday.

Since 1970, when BC reservations were initially imposed on the suggestions of a panel led by K.N. Anantaraman, they have been extended for various periods of time. This was the fifth time an extension had been granted.

The new directives came after the BC Commission sent a letter to the government telling them that the existing reservations were due to expire on May 31.