Eligibility criteria for OBC creamy layer in India

A child of OBC parents is counted as “creamy layer” (hence, not eligible for OBC reservation) if the parents meet any exclusion in the DoPT Schedule.

Major triggers include:

(i) holding Constitutional posts (President, Supreme Court/High Court Judges, CAG, UPSC/PSC members, etc.);

(ii) being Group A/Class I officers (either parent), or certain Group B/Class II cases as detailed;

(iii) professional and business income above the notified income/wealth limits; and

(iv) specific high-rank posts with equivalence rules (including PSUs as clarified in later OMs). Separately, an income test excludes families whose gross annual income (excluding salary and agricultural income) exceeds the notified cap for three consecutive years.

If any Schedule-based exclusion applies, income may be irrelevant—the child will be creamy layer. For PSU/aid-institutions, DoPT/NCBC circulars and equivalence rules apply.