SC to Examine Plea for ‘Creamy Layer’ Concept in SC/ST

On 12th August 2025, the Supreme Court of India agreed to examine a petition seeking the introduction of a “creamy layer” system within Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) reservations to ensure equitable distribution of benefits.

Key Points

Petition Details: The plea argues that current SC/ST reservation benefits disproportionately go to relatively well-off sections, leaving the most deprived still in extreme poverty.
Proposed Reform: Introduction of a two-tier system within SC/ST quotas, prioritising economically weaker members before extending benefits to those who are financially better off, without reducing the total percentage of reservations.
Government Position: The Union government has maintained that the creamy layer concept does not currently apply to SC/ST quotas, reiterating this after assurances from the Prime Minister to BJP MPs.
Legal Precedent: The petitioner cited the 2024 seven-judge Constitution Bench decision in State of Punjab vs Davinder Singh, where Justice B.R. Gavai suggested formulating distinct criteria to identify and exclude the ‘creamy layer’ among SC/STs.
Rationale: The petition argues that excluding affluent members would promote genuine equality, pointing to factors such as income, living standards, vocation, and rural–urban disparities.
Socio-Economic Impact: It highlights “intra-community economic stratification,” where a small influential section has leveraged reservations to gain high-ranking positions and quality education, while poorer members remain disadvantaged.