UPSC Mains 2020 GS2 Q15 — Constitutional Bodies

• The legislative and procedural mechanism under Article 368 for elevating a body from statutory to constitutional status.
• Limitations of the current NCW under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
• Arguments for how constitutional status grants autonomy, investigative powers, and binding recommendations (using NCST/NCSC as analogies).
• Counter-arguments or limitations showing that constitutional status alone doesn't solve systemic gender inequality.
• Specific powers currently missing that a constitutional body would possess (e.g., powers of a civil court, direct reporting to the President).

• Failing to mention the specific constitutional amendment process (Article 368) and special majority requirements.
• Writing a generic essay on women's problems in India rather than focusing on the 'institutional' capacity of the NCW.
• Ignoring the 'reasons' for why constitutional status might NOT be a panacea (e.g., implementation gaps, political appointments).
• Confusing statutory bodies with constitutional bodies without citing examples like the 102nd Amendment for NCBC.

Allocate 4-5 marks for the technical procedure of constitutionalization (majority types, Bill introduction). Spend the remaining 10-11 marks on the analytical section, split equally between 'reasons for greater justice' and 'critical evaluation of institutional effectiveness' to ensure a balanced 15-mark response.