# National Commission for Scheduled Castes

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is a constitutional body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, established in 2004. It is responsible for the protection, welfare, development, and advancement of Scheduled Castes in India. Article 338 of the Indian constitution deals with National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Article 338 A deals with National Commission for Scheduled tribes.

## History
### Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

The first Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was set up in August 1978 with Bhola Paswan Shastri as chairman and other four members. Members of the commission includes a chairman, a vice chairman and four other members. It was set up as a national level advisory body to advise the government on broad policy issues and levels of development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The president of India appoints the chairman of commission. The fifth schedule of Indian constitution deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Service condition and tenure is determined by president of India. Article 341 deals with notification of Scheduled Castes and Article 342 deals with notification of Scheduled Tribes.
The first Commission was constituted in 1992 with S. H. Ramdhan as chairman.
The second Commission was constituted in October 1995 with H. Hanumanthappa as chairman.
The third Commission was constituted in December 1998 with Dileep Singh Bhuria as the chairman.
The fourth Commission was constituted in March 2002 with Dr. Bizay Sonkar Shastri as the chairperson.
Consequent upon the Constitution (Eighty-Ninth Amendment) Act, 2003 the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been replaced by:
* National Commission for Scheduled Castes and
* National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

### National Commission for Scheduled Castes

The first National Commission for Scheduled Castes was constituted in 2004 with Suraj Bhan as the chairman. The second was constituted in May 2007 (chairperson: Buta Singh); the third from October 2010 (P. L. Punia); and the fourth from 2013, also with Punia as chairperson. The fifth National Commission for Scheduled Castes began work in 2017 under chairmanship of Ram Shankar Katheria. L Murugan was made vice chairman with K.Ramulu, Dr Yogendra Paswan and Dr. Swaraj Vidwan as members. The President has appointed Shri Vijaya Sampla as the chairman of the sixth National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Shri Arun Halder is the vice-chairman. Shri Subhash Ramnath Pardhi and Smt. Anju Bala are the other members of the sixth NCSC.

## Functions

The following are the functions of the commission:
* To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards
* To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes
* To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State
* To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards
* To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes
* To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify

## Chairman

| # | Name | State | Tenure | Tenure | Tenure | Commission | Vice-chairman |
| 1 | Suraj Bhan | Haryana | 24 February 2004 | 6 August 2006 | 2 years, 163 days | 1st | Fakir Vaghela |
| 2 | Buta Singh | Punjab | 25 May 2007 | 24 May 2010 | 2 years, 364 days | 2nd | N. M. Kamble |
| 3 | P. L. Punia | Haryana | 15 October 2010 | 14 October 2013 | 2 years, 364 days | 3rd | Raj Kumar Verka |
| 3 | P. L. Punia | Haryana | 22 October 2013 | 21 October 2016 | 2 years, 365 days | 4th | Raj Kumar Verka |
| 4 | Ram Shankar Katheria | Uttar Pradesh | 31 May 2017 | 30 May 2020 | 2 years, 365 days | 5th | L. Murugan |
| 5 | Vijay Sampla | Punjab | 18 February 2021 | 18 July 2023 | 348 days | 6th | Arun Halder |
| 6 | Kishor Makwana | Gujarat | 309 days | Incumbent | | 7th | |