Commission Report
Kalelkar Commission Report
The Kalelkar Commission, formally known as the First Backward Classes Commission, was constituted in 1953 by a Presidential Order under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar. The Commission was entrusted with the responsibility of examining the social and educational conditions of backward classes in India and formulating recommendations for their systematic upliftment and integration into the national development framework.
In its report submitted in 1955, the Commission identified a large number of backward castes and communities across the country and classified several of them as most backward. It emphasized the structural relationship between social backwardness and the traditional caste hierarchy of Indian society, thereby establishing a socio-structural basis for policy intervention.
Principal Recommendations
Systematic caste-wise enumeration of population
Recognition of social backwardness based on traditional social hierarchy
Special institutional support for women and backward communities
Reservation in educational institutions
Reservation in government services and local bodies
Although the Commission adopted caste as a principal criterion for determining backwardness, its recommendations were not fully implemented at the time due to administrative, social, and policy considerations. Nevertheless, the Kalelkar Commission represents a foundational milestone in the evolution of India’s reservation policy and social justice framework, and it continues to hold enduring historical and policy significance.
National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) (1993)
A constitutional body established to investigate the conditions and difficulties of socially and educationally backward classes.
The National Commission for Backward Classes was established in 1993 as a statutory body to institutionalize the protection and development of backward classes. It was later granted constitutional status in 2018, which further strengthened its authority and role. The NCBC functions as a permanent institutional mechanism for addressing the concerns of OBC communities. It investigates grievances, advises the government on policy matters, examines inclusion and exclusion in the OBC lists, and monitors the implementation of welfare schemes. The commission plays a crucial role in classification, grievance redressal, and policy evaluation. Through its work, the NCBC ensures that social justice policies are not only framed but also implemented effectively. Its presence in the governance structure provides legal protection, transparency, accountability, and institutional continuity for OBC welfare and empowerment.
NCBC Review Committee (2001)
The NCBC Review Committee was constituted in 2001 to evaluate the performance, structure, and functioning of the National Commission for Backward Classes. The committee examined the operational efficiency of the commission and identified areas where institutional strengthening was required. It focused on improving administrative systems, coordination with government departments, transparency in functioning, and policy implementation mechanisms. The recommendations of this committee contributed to strengthening the institutional capacity of the NCBC, improving governance standards, and enhancing service delivery. This review process helped in transforming the NCBC into a more efficient, accountable, and modern institutional body capable of handling complex social justice responsibilities.
Rules Of Procedure in NCBC
| S.No. | View / Download |
|---|---|
| 1 | Modalities for caste/communities inclusion and exclusion(size : 0 MB)  |
| 2 | Rules Of Procedure in NCBC(size : 9.38MB) |
Justice Rohini Commission (2017)
The Justice Rohini Commission was established in 2017 to examine the issue of sub-categorization within OBC communities. The commission recognized that the benefits of reservation were being disproportionately accessed by certain dominant communities, while many extremely backward groups within the OBC category remained marginalized. The purpose of the commission was to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits by identifying internal inequalities and recommending fair sub-categorization models. It focused on data-based classification, regional disparities, and access inequality. The commission’s work promotes the principle of equity within social justice by ensuring that reservation benefits reach the most deprived sections among OBCs. It represents an advanced stage of policy evolution where the focus is not only on inclusion but also on fairness within inclusion.