RAS question
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which also oversees SC welfare in Rajasthan, is established under which Article?
Correct answer: (D) Article 338.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is established under Article 338 of the Constitution of India.
Explanation
Article 338 provides for a Commission for the Scheduled Castes, named the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. For SC welfare oversight, including in Rajasthan, Article 338 is the relevant constitutional article. The official constitutional text says the Commission investigates and monitors matters relating to safeguards for Scheduled Castes, inquires into specific complaints about deprivation of rights and safeguards, and participates in and advises on the planning process for their socio-economic development. The 89th Amendment, 2003, and Rajasthan's separate State SC/ST Commission for state-level matters do not change that anchor: the national constitutional body itself is anchored in Article 338.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Article 342 concerns the President's power to specify Scheduled Tribes, so it does not establish the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
- (B) Article 335 deals with the claims of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to services and posts, not with creating the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
- (C) Article 340 relates to appointing a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes, which is a different constitutional mechanism from the Scheduled Castes Commission.
Concept
This tests constitutional bodies under the RAS polity syllabus, especially commissions linked to social justice and safeguards for disadvantaged groups. It recurs because Article-based institutions often connect national constitutional provisions with Rajasthan-level welfare administration.