The term “General Caste” (or General Category, often abbreviated as GEN or Unreserved – UR) in India is not a specific list of castes but rather an administrative classification for those communities that are not eligible for government-mandated reservation benefits.
In the context of the Indian reservation system, the General Category is the designation for communities that fall outside the following reserved categories:
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Scheduled Castes (SC): Former “Untouchables.”
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Scheduled Tribes (ST): Adivasi or tribal communities.
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Other Backward Classes (OBC): Socially and educationally disadvantaged groups.
Communities within the General Category
The General Category primarily includes the traditional high-status castes from the Hindu Varna system, as well as many groups from other religions who do not meet the criteria for other reserved categories.
1. Hindu High Varnas
These groups traditionally occupy the highest social positions and are generally the most populous in the General Category:
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Brahmin: The priestly and educated class.
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Kshatriya (Rajput): The warrior and ruling class.
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Vaishya: The merchant and trading class (though many smaller Vaishya groups are now classified under OBC).
2. Other Prominent Hindu Groups
This includes numerous sub-castes and groups that are economically and educationally advanced:
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Jat (A large and politically powerful agricultural community, though they are classified as OBC in some states).
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Bhumihar (Landlords and agriculturists, primarily in Eastern India).
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Kayastha (Scribes, administrators, and professionals).
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Maratha (The dominant community in Maharashtra, though they frequently seek OBC status).
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Reddy, Kamma, Kapu (Dominant agricultural and political communities in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana).
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Nair (Historically aristocratic and land-owning community in Kerala).
3. Non-Hindu Communities
Many communities from minority religions, if they don’t meet the specific backwardness criteria, are also placed in the General Category:
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Syed, Shaikh, Mughal, Pathan (Ashraf Muslims): The perceived elite of the Muslim community.
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Christians: Many high-status Christian denominations and communities (e.g., Syrian Christians in Kerala, Anglo-Indians).
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Sikhs: Many high-status Sikh groups (e.g., Khatri, Arora, and economically advanced sections of the Jat community).
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Jains and Parsis (Zoroastrians): These mercantile communities are generally in the General Category.
Current Reservation Changes (EWS)
Since 2019, a major change has been introduced within the General Category through the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation.
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EWS Criteria: The EWS provision provides a 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions specifically for economically disadvantaged individuals within the General Category.
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Exclusion: To qualify for EWS, an individual must belong to the General Category and must meet income and asset criteria (e.g., typically having an annual family income below ₹8 Lakh).
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Impact: This means that the General Category is now administratively split into two segments: General (Unreserved) and General (EWS).