Ahmedabad, April 29

A state in western India said today it will reserve 10 per cent of government jobs and university spots for people whose income falls below a certain threshold after deadly caste protests last year.

India sets aside a proportion of official positions and post-secondary places for its lower castes to try to counter historic discrimination, but that has caused deep resentment among other communities, who say it freezes them out.

At least 10 people were killed when thousands of Patidars, a relatively well-off caste of farmers and traders, took to the streets in Gujarat to demand they be included in those quotas.

They argue that they are struggling to compete with lower castes who are given preferential access to government jobs.

Chief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel said today a new quota system would be set up to cover those with a household income lower than 600,000 rupees ($9,000) a year, regardless of their caste.

“People from general category having annual income limit of Rs 6 lakh will get 10 per cent EBC reservation in education institutions & government jobs,” tweeted Patel, referring to the category of Economically Backward Class.

However, the Patidars, who waged fresh protests in Gujarat earlier this month, say they should be included in the Other Backward Castes category, whose members have their own, more generous quotas.

Community leader Lalit Vasoya accused the Gujarat government of a “political move” to end the divisive protests ahead of elections for the state assembly next year.

“Our demand for inclusion under OBC will remain as it is. We do not accept this decision of the government,” Vasoya said.