Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha on Sunday expanded the Union Territory’s social caste list by adding 15 new classes such as Jats, West Pakistani Refugees, Gorkhas, Wagheys and Pony Walas, ANI reported.

Under the Jammu and Kashmir’s Reservation Rules, social castes have 4% reservation in government jobs, Kashmir Observer reported.

The social caste list has been redrawn on the recommendations of the Jammu and Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission constituted by the government in 2020. Former High Court judge Justice GD Sharma heads the three-member panel.

In the notification, the government also said that the term “Pahari Speaking people” in Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules has been replaced with “Pahari Ethnic people”.

The words for potters (kumhars), shoe repairers who work without machines, bangies khakrobes (sweepers), barbers and washermen will also be substituted.

Full list of classes

  • Waghey (Chopan)
  • Ghirath/Bhati/Chang
  • Jat
  • Saini
  • Markabans/Pony Walas
  • Sochi
  • Christian Biradari (converted from Hindu Valmiki)
  • Sunar/Swarankar
  • Teeli (Hindu Teeli along with already existing Muslim Teli)
  • Perna/Kouro (Kaurav)
  • Bojru/Decount/Dubdabay Brahmin Gorkans
  • Gorkhas
  • West Pakistani refugees (excluding SCs)
  • Acharyasa