The Kerala government has decided to expand the state’s Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) list by adding 28 communities, a move that will allow students from these groups to access reservation benefits and other educational concessions in higher education.
The decision was taken at a recent cabinet meeting after the state government accepted the recommendations submitted by the State Backward Classes Commission. Although these 28 communities were already recognised under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, they had not been included in the SEBC list, which is the decisive classification for availing reservation and related benefits in colleges and universities.
According to an official statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, this exclusion had persisted for decades and had effectively prevented students from these communities from receiving educational reservation benefits, despite their social and educational disadvantages. As a result, many eligible students were unable to access concessions and opportunities that were available to other similarly placed groups.
The government noted that the existing SEBC list in Kerala was primarily based on the recommendations of the Kumara Pillai Commission constituted in 1965. Over time, however, changes in social realities and administrative oversights led to certain communities being left out of the SEBC framework, even though they continued to be classified as OBCs.
Officials said the issue was flagged recently, prompting the government to seek a comprehensive report from the State Backward Classes Commission. After examining historical records, representations from affected communities and present-day conditions, the commission concluded that the exclusion was unjustified and recommended the inclusion of all 28 communities in the SEBC list. The cabinet subsequently approved the proposal.
With this decision, students belonging to communities such as Ambalakkaran, Anchunadu Vellalar, SIUC-Nadar, Naidu, Thachar (carpenter), Thol Kollans, Vishavan (Malabar), Ezhuthasan, Vanians, Yogis, Shaiva Vellala, Kaniyar and the Ezhava-Theya section, among others, will now become eligible for reservation and other educational benefits in higher education institutions.
The move follows long-standing demands and petitions from these communities, which have consistently sought equal access to educational opportunities and state-supported concessions. Government sources said the inclusion is intended to correct a historical omission and bring parity in access to higher education.
Officials added that the revised SEBC list will help ensure better financial assistance, institutional support and access to welfare schemes for students from these communities, enabling them to pursue higher studies without systemic disadvantage.
Education experts and representatives of the affected communities welcomed the cabinet’s decision, describing it as a significant step toward addressing gaps in the reservation system and promoting social justice.
The state government said the updated SEBC list will strengthen Kerala’s broader efforts to support socially and educationally disadvantaged groups and ensure that eligible students are no longer denied opportunities because of outdated classifications or administrative lapses.
