The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a constitutional body under Article 338B, recommended excluding 35 communities from West Bengal's Central OBC list. The NCBC found that these communities did not meet the criteria for backward class status at the central level, though they may remain on the state OBC list.
Article 338B was inserted by the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, granting constitutional status to the NCBC. The Commission has the power to examine and make recommendations on inclusion and exclusion of communities in the central OBC list. Its recommendations are advisory in nature. The Central OBC list is distinct from state lists and is used for reservations in central government jobs and educational institutions.