Maharashtra scraps 5% Muslim quota in government, semi-govt jobs and educational institutions

The Maharashtra Government’s Social Justice Department has issued a fresh Government Resolution, withdrawing its earlier order that granted a 5% reservation to the Muslim community in educational institutions as well as government and semi-government jobs.

The decision was taken in line with court rulings and the prevailing legal position on the 2014 policy.

The quota had been implemented for admissions in educational institutions as well as recruitment in government and semi-government jobs.


The population of the Muslim community in the state is 11.5%. Both the Justice Rajinder Sachar Commission (2006) and the Justice Ranganath Mishra Committee (2004) have demonstrated the economic and educational backwardness of the Muslim community with statistics. In 2009, the Congress-led government established the Dr Mehmoodur Rehman Committee, which recommended an 8% reservation for the Muslim community in education and jobs.

Back in 2014, before the assembly elections, the then Congress-NCP government issued an ordinance granting 16% reservation to Marathas and 5% to Muslims in admissions to government-run schools and colleges, as well as in jobs. It had also decided to extend the 5% quota to 50 Muslim communities by including them under the newly created Special Backward Category-A.