Context: The bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs was unanimously passed by the Maharashtra Assembly.

About the recent decision

• This decision was a response to the findings of the survey conducted by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).

• The survey had found that a significant portion of Maratha families faces economic hardships, with a notable percentage falling below the poverty line.

Key highlights of the Survey

• The survey further highlights the disproportionate representation of the Maratha community in sectors such as agriculture, where a majority of farmer suicides involve members of this community.

• Inadequate access to higher education, economic distress and limited participation in state government jobs underscore the socio-economic challenges faced by the Maratha community.

Key highlights of the draft bill

• The draft bill underscores the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community, emphasizing the state government's prerogative to identify and address such disparities through affirmative action.

• The bill recognizes the need to enhance access to educational and employment opportunities for Maratha youth, who are currently constrained by factors like illiteracy and lack of vocational training.

About the Maratha community

• Maratha is a community present across Marathi-speaking region extending from Mumbai to Goa, who in history were yeoman warriors.

• They are largely rural class of peasant cultivators, landowners, and soldiers.