The term UR category means Unreserved Category. It refers to individuals who do not belong to any reserved categories, such as the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) or Other Backward Classes (OBC).
In India, government departments, competitive exams and educational institutions use this classification to distinguish between reserved and unreserved candidates.
What Is UR Category?
The UR category, or Unreserved Category, includes citizens who belong to the General or Open Category and are not eligible for caste-based reservation benefits.
People under the UR category compete for seats or positions purely based on merit, without availing any relaxation in cut-off marks or fees.
For example, in a recruitment exam, authorities reserve 50% of the posts for SC, ST and OBC candidates and offer the remaining posts to UR category candidates belonging to the General or Open category.
UR Category in Official Certificates
When applying for government jobs, universities or competitive exams, applicants are often asked to mention their caste or category.
If a person does not fall under any reserved group, they must select the UR category in certificate or mark themselves as ‘General’. This helps institutions identify which candidates are applying under the unreserved quota.
Significance of UR Category in India
The concept of the UR category in India ensures that a portion of opportunities remains open for all candidates based purely on merit. It helps to maintain a balance in the reservation system.
Therefore, the UR category, or Unreserved Category, represents individuals who belong to the General section and do not benefit from any reservation policies in India’s education or employment systems.
