The Scheduled Castes (SCs) is a constitutional category, not merely a social description, comprising communities that historically faced untouchability and severe social discrimination. The term itself originated in the Government of India Act, 1935, replacing the earlier colonial term "Depressed Classes". The concept was enshrined in the Constitution to solve the problem of systemic social exclusion and ensure equality and justice for these marginalized groups.
The mechanism is primarily governed by constitutional Articles and related legislation. Article 341 empowers the President to specify the list of Scheduled Castes for each State or Union Territory. The foundational provision is Article 17, which abolishes untouchability and makes its practice a punishable offence. Affirmative action is implemented through Articles 15(4) and 16(4), which enable reservations in educational institutions and public employment. Political representation is secured by Articles 330 and 332, which reserve seats for SCs in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, respectively.
The concept connects directly to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), a constitutional body established under Article 338 to monitor safeguards and investigate complaints. It also connects to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (the SC/ST Act), a special criminal law enacted to protect SCs from caste-based crimes. The structure of the NCSC was recently changed by the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, which separated it from the combined SC/ST commission. Furthermore, the reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was extended for 10 years by the Constitution (126th Amendment) Bill, 2019.