Supreme Court to consider special Bench on OBC creamy-layer criteria for CSE 2025
The Centre seeks clarification on whether its March 11 judgment applies to 958 candidates already recommended by UPSC under the earlier creamy-layer determination. The court agreed to examine the request for a special Bench.
New Delhi1 min read
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The Supreme Court on 25 August 2026 agreed to consider setting up a special Bench to hear the Centre's plea for clarification on the applicability of its 11 March judgment on OBC creamy-layer criteria to candidates of the Civil Services Examination 2025.
The Department of Personnel and Training asked for directions that would allow service allocation for 958 candidates recommended by the Union Public Service Commission on the basis of the creamy-layer determination applied before the March verdict.
The March 11 judgment had refined the parameters for identifying the creamy layer among Other Backward Classes. The Centre's application seeks to know whether that refined test must be applied retrospectively to the 2025 CSE process or whether the earlier determination can stand for candidates already selected.
A special Bench would be constituted if the court finds the issues require focused consideration separate from the regular roster. The request comes after the UPSC completed its recommendation process and the government began allocating services and cadres.
Any change in the creamy-layer status of the 958 candidates would affect the final list of officers entering the All India Services and Central Services. The Centre has stated it was ready to implement the March judgment going forward but sought clarity for the batch already in the pipeline.
The court has not yet fixed a date for the special Bench hearing. The outcome will determine whether the existing recommendations remain intact or whether a fresh evaluation is required for the affected candidates.
