Bihar caste survey: Who are EBCs that form largest chunk of the state population?

The Bihar caste survey has shown that people belonging to the Extremely Backward Classes or EBCs form the largest group, comprising 36.01% of the state's population.

EBCs are a group of some 130-odd castes that occupy the lower rungs of the OBC spectrum. Prominent among them are Mallah the fishermen, Nai the barbers, Lohar the blacksmith, Teli who are in the oil business and Nonia who traditionally made salt.

They usually work for influential groups for a living and are often called Pachpaunia, which means the ones serving five groups.

According to the Indian Express, the EBCs are the biggest social group comprising 4,70,80,514 individuals or 36.01% of the state’s population. The OBCs number 3,54,63,936 (27.12%), and the Scheduled Castes (SCs) 2,56,89,820 (19.65%).’

Scheduled Tribes (STs) number only 21,99,361 (1.68%), the bulk of the tribal population having become part of Jharkhand after the bifurcation of the state in 2000. The “unreserved” category comprises 2,02,91,679 individuals (15.52%).

Bihar’s population, according to the survey, is 13,07,25,310, compared to the 10.41 crore recorded in the 2011 census.

Also watch: Bihar govt releases caste survey results: OBCs, EBCs comprise 63%