Constitutional Provisions for SCs and STs — Amendments

Amendment	Year	Description	Impact
1st Amendment	1951	Added Article 15(4) to the Constitution, enabling the State to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.	Provided the constitutional basis for affirmative action and reservations in educational institutions, allowing the state to address historical inequalities and promote the advancement of disadvantaged communities.
65th Amendment	1990	Replaced the single-member office of the Special Officer for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with a multi-member National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (NCSCST) under Article 338.	Strengthened the institutional mechanism for safeguarding the interests of SCs and STs by creating a more robust, multi-member constitutional body with broader powers to investigate, monitor, and advise on their welfare.
89th Amendment	2003	Bifurcated the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into two separate commissions: the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) under Article 338 and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) under Article 338A.	Recognized the distinct issues and challenges faced by tribal communities, leading to the creation of a dedicated commission for STs. This ensured a more focused approach to tribal welfare, development, and protection of their unique rights and culture.
103rd Amendment	2019	Inserted Articles 15(6) and 16(6) to provide for a 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in educational institutions and public employment, respectively.	Introduced a new category of reservation based solely on economic criteria, distinct from existing reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. This amendment sparked debates on the 50% reservation ceiling and the constitutional validity of economic criteria for affirmative action, significantly altering the landscape of reservation policy.