What led to the Second Backward Classes Commission being commonly known as the Mandal Commission?

The Commission's Chairperson was named Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal

Reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) had been implemented in southern states since the 1960s, if not earlier. However, this policy was not operational in northern Indian states. The demand for reservations for backward castes in northern India and at the national level gained significant momentum during the tenure of the Janata Party government from 1977 to 1979. Leading this initiative was Karpoori Thakur, who served as the Chief Minister of Bihar at that time. He spearheaded the introduction of a novel reservation policy for OBCs in Bihar.

As a consequence of these developments, the central government established a commission in 1978 with the mandate of examining and proposing strategies to enhance the conditions of the backward classes. This marked the second instance post-Independence where the government had constituted such a commission. Accordingly, this commission was officially designated as the Second Backward Classes Commission. It is commonly recognized as the Mandal Commission, named after its Chairperson, Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal.