Supreme Court to consider special Bench on OBC creamy layer for CSE 2025

The Supreme Court on August 25, 2026, agreed to consider setting up a special Bench to hear the Centre's plea on the applicability of its March 11 judgment on OBC creamy-layer criteria to candidates of the Civil Services Examination 2025.

The Department of Personnel and Training has sought directions to 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 11 verdict.

The March 11 judgment addressed the criteria for identifying the creamy layer among Other Backward Classes for reservation purposes. The Centre's application seeks clarity on whether that ruling affects the already completed selection process for the 2025 cycle.

Service allocation for the recommended candidates has been held pending the clarification. The DoPT argues that applying the new criteria retrospectively to this batch would create practical difficulties and delay appointments.

The court indicated it would examine the request for a special Bench given the implications for a large number of candidates and the administrative process. No final order on the substance was passed on Tuesday.

The issue touches the intersection of reservation policy, examination cycles and judicial directions on exclusion of the creamy layer. Previous rulings have sought to ensure that benefits reach those intended while preventing concentration among more advanced sections within the reserved categories.