The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is an Indian constitutional body established with a view to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and Anglo Indian communities to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution. Article 338 of the Indian constitution deals with National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Article 338 A deals with National Commission for Scheduled tribes.
The first Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was set up in August 1978 with Bhola Paswan Shastri as Chairman and other four members. Members of the commission includes a chairman, a vice chairman and four other members. It was set up as a national level advisory body to advise the government on broad policy issues and levels of development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The president of India appoints the chairman of commission. The fifth schedule of Indian constitution deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Service condition and tenure is determined by president of India. Article 341 deals with notification of Scheduled Castes and Article 342 deals with notification of Scheduled Tribes. The first Commission was constituted in 1992 with S. H. Ramdhan as Chairman. The second Commission was constituted in October 1995 with H. Hanumanthappa as chairman. The third Commission was constituted in December 1998 with Dileep Singh Bhuria as the Chairman. The fourth Commission was constituted in March 2002 with Dr. Bizay Sonkar Shastri as the Chairperson. Consequent upon the Constitution Act, 2003 the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been replaced by National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes
The first National Commission for Scheduled Castes was constituted in 2004 with Suraj Bhan as the chairman. The second was constituted on May 2007 ; the third from October 2010 ; and the fourth from 2013, also with Punia as chairperson. The fifth National Commission for Scheduled Castes began work in 2017 under chairmanship of Ram Shankar Katheria. L Murugan was made vice chairman with K.Ramulu, Dr Yogendra Paswan and Dr. Swaraj Vidwan as members.
Functions
The following are the functions of the commission:
To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards
To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes
To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State
To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards
To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes
To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify
