Demographic Revolution and Social Justice: Reimagining Karnataka OBC Communities in the 21st Century

Abstract Other backword classes (OBC) population in Karnataka is not even 70 percent as per the 2025 Socio-economic and Educational Survey, which restructured the complexion of the demography and hence of the policy priorities. It aims at giving a concrete view (and detailed depiction) of Karnataka OBC communities and their profile by the contemporary society as in terms of: Social life economy during life, politics of representation and politics of policy. OBCs do have their numbers but are deprived in several dimensions: literacy (52% as against the state's average rate at 68%); healthcare (45% compared to 68% in the state, and representation is limited only to the dominant sub-groups if 646 sub-castes don't have any of their own in the electoral lobby. The 2025 caste census- pitched to be a matter of political mobilisation on a pitch to raise OBC reservations from 32% to 51%- has opened up debates on sub-categorisation, constitutional headroom and social closure. The marginal household income of OBCs (other backward classes) households in rural areas being ₹47,000 compared to the state average of ₹56,320 is an instance of economic backwardness with 40 per cent landlessness area and 43% percentage areas emerge as below poverty line. This divide leaves contrast two realities of digital transformation versus digitised exclusion 32% only of OBC households having smartphones in contrast to the state’s 67 per cent. Asides from stocks, the current policy to-do-list, in the broader transformative empowerment (skilling, entrepreneurship and technology-enabled service delivery) is streets ahead.