creamy layer n. (in India) the wealthiest citizens in the lowest castes. Editorial Note: This term has come about because of discussions about assigning quotas, or reservations, for certain jobs to guarantee that they are given to individuals in groups that have been historically or traditionally discriminated against. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...
Would it be fair to compare this to the African-American term “talented tenth”?
Maybe, but there’s something more formal about “creamy layer,” as it has to do with the government deciding who qualifies for reserved employment.