Question

The Scheduled Castes Commission is defined in which article of the Constitution?

• A. Article 338
• B. Article 342
• C. Article 338 A
• D. Article 340

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Article 338

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is defined in Article 338 of the Constitution of India.

It's important to note the evolution of this article:

• Originally, Article 338 provided for a Special Officer for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

• The 65th Amendment Act of 1990 replaced the one-member Special Officer with a multi-member National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

• The 89th Amendment Act of 2003 bifurcated the combined commission into two separate bodies:

  • The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (under Article 338).

  • The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (under the newly inserted Article 338A).

So, while its structure has changed over time, the core provision for the Scheduled Castes Commission remains in Article 338.