Over 2.86 Lakh Kunbi Records Traced in Pune District, 51,000 Certificates Issued
Pune, 10th September 2025: More than 2.86 lakh Kunbi records have been identified in Pune district over the past two years, with 51,349 applicants receiving official Kunbi caste certificates, according to district administration data.
The highest number of certificates have been issued in Ambegaon, Junnar and Khed talukas, officials said. The process gained momentum after the state government issued guidelines on verifying documents for Maratha-Kunbi certificates in line with the Hyderabad Gazetteer.
The initiative followed intense agitation led by Maratha activist Manoj Jarange, who had staged a hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan demanding reservation benefits for the Maratha community.
“More than 2.86 lakh Kunbi records were located in the district. Out of over 51,000 applications, certificates have been distributed as per eligibility,” a senior official from the district administration confirmed.
Before 2023, around 47,000 people had already received Kunbi certificates in Pune district. The large-scale verification drive in the past two years significantly increased the number.
As part of the process, officials scrutinised 13 types of documents, including genealogy records, revenue papers, educational certificates, agreements from the Nizam-era, charters issued by princely states, and other national documents. Only after statutory and administrative checks were completed were certificates granted.
Authorities stressed that the Kunbi certificate holds significance as it enables members of the Maratha community to avail reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, subject to eligibility.
