National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

Why in news?

• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has been dysfunctional for the last four years and has not delivered a single report to Parliament, a parliamentary committee has said in a recent report.

About National Commission for Scheduled Tribes:

• NCST was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
• By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely:
  • (i) National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)
  • (ii) National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

Composition:

• The Commission comprises a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and three full-time Members
• They are appointed by the President.
• At least one member should be a woman.
• They hold office for a term of 3 years.
• The Chairperson has been given the rank of Union Cabinet Minister and the Vice-Chairperson that of a Minister of State and other Members have the ranks of a Secretary to the Government of India.
• The members are not eligible for appointment for more than two terms.

Functions:

• To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Tribes under the Constitution.
• To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Tribes;
• To participate and advise in the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Tribes.
• To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards.

PRACTICE QUESTION

With reference to ‘National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’, consider the following statements

1. Out of the three members in the commission, there should compulsorily be one women member.

2. All the members of the Commission have tenure of 3 years.

3. Members of the commission are appointed by President of India

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

                      D

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