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The Narendra Modi-led regime promises sweeping changes in a host of areas, but one aspect in which it seems to have bowed to tradition is the caste composition of the council of ministers. Among ministers of state without independent charge, the pattern completely changes.Various upper castes, like Brahmins, Rajputs, Kayasthas and Vaishyas in the north or socially dominant communities that are for all practical purposes 'forward' like Lingayats, Vokkaligas and Marathas, account for 20 of the 46 ministerial berths. OBCs have 13 representatives, tribals six and dalits three.
Only three of the 46 ministers can clearly be identified as non-Hindus - Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a Sikh, and Najma Heptulla, a Muslim. Two others - Smriti Irani and Maneka Gandhi - are difficult to define by caste/community. What is interesting is how the caste mix changes across different levels of responsibility. Among the 24 Cabinet members (including Modi), 12 are upper caste, five OBC, two dalit and one a tribal. At this level, there is a marked dominance of the upper castes.
Only three of the 46 ministers can clearly be identified as non-Hindus - Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a Sikh, and Najma Heptulla, a Muslim. Two others - Smriti Irani and Maneka Gandhi - are difficult to define by caste/community. What is interesting is how the caste mix changes across different levels of responsibility. Among the 24 Cabinet members (including Modi), 12 are upper caste, five OBC, two dalit and one a tribal. At this level, there is a marked dominance of the upper castes.