Question map
Which one of the following Commissions is related to Article 338A?
Explanation
Article 338A of the Indian Constitution is related to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) [2]. Originally, Article 338 provided for a single Special Officer for both Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), which was later replaced by a multi-member commission under the 65th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1990 [4]. To provide more focused attention to the development of STs, the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003 bifurcated the combined commission into two separate constitutional bodies [3]. Consequently, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes remained under Article 338, while the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes was established under the newly inserted Article 338A in 2004 [3]. In contrast, Article 338B deals with the National Commission for Backward Classes [5].
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 92: World Constitutions > SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO CERTAIN CLASSES > p. 705
- [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 49: National Commission for STs > CHAPTER 49 National Commission for STs > p. 438
- [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 48: National Commission for SCs > EVOLUTION > p. 436
- [4] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 48: National Commission for SCs > EVOLUTION > p. 436
- [5] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 32: MINORITIES, SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES > CHAP. 32] MINORITIES, SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES 461 > p. 461