Special Provisions for SC, ST & OBC

📚 This topic is part of the national Constitution — read our full, in-depth write-up: Special Provisions for SC, ST & OBC →

📖 Quick summary

Safeguards for SC, ST and OBC communities are spread across Articles 15, 16, 330, 332, 335, 338, 338A, 338B and 340. The National Commissions for SC (Art 338) and ST (Art 338A) became separate constitutional bodies via the 89th Amendment (2003); the National Commission for Backward Classes (Art 338B) followed via the 102nd Amendment (2018). Reservation is capped at 50% (Indra Sawhney, 1992), with a 10% EWS quota (103rd Amendment) sitting outside that cap.

This national-framework topic is identical for APPSC as it is for UPSC — for the full deep-dive with all the detail, follow the link above.

💡 Key Facts

NCSC (338) and NCST (338A) — constitutional since the 89th Amendment (2003).
NCBC (338B) — constitutional since the 102nd Amendment (2018).
50% reservation ceiling (Indra Sawhney, 1992); EWS 10% sits outside it.

🔖 60-Second Revision

SC/ST/OBC safeguards spread across Art 15, 16, 330, 332, 335, 338, 338A, 338B, 340.
50% cap + EWS 10% exception (103rd Amendment).