New commission for socially, educationally backward

The Union cabinet has approved setting up of National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes replacing the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a cabinet meeting on Wednesday and approved amending the Constitution and inserting Article 338B for setting up the new commission.

The bill to be introduced in Parliament proposes:

Insertion of a new Clause (26C) under Article 366 to define Socially and Educationally Backward Classes;

Insertion of provision after Articles 341 and 342 viz. 342 A to provide for Parliament's approval for every inclusion into and exclusion from the Central List of Other Backward Classes;

Repeal of National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, and Rules framed thereunder;

Dissolution of the Commission constituted under the Act of 1993;

Composition of the new Commission, i.e. National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, with a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and three other Members.

Set up in 1993, the NCBC was entrusted with examining requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the lists and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in such lists and advice central government on the matter.

--IANS

and/in/vt