National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)

​Established          : 1993
Govt Body Type   : Statutory
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National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was initially constituted by the Central Govt by The National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. The Supreme Court of India in its Judgment of Indra Sawhney & Ors. Vs. Union of India(1992)  directed the Govt. of India, State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to constitute a permanent body in the nature of a Commission or Tribunal for entertaining, examining and recommending upon requests for inclusion and complaints of over-inclusion and under-inclusion in the list of OBCs. Pursuant to the direction of the Supreme Court, the Government of India enacted the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993  for setting up a Commission at National Level viz. “National Commission for Backward Classes” as a permanent body.

Member in Commission
The Commission shall consist of the following Members nominated by the Central Government

• A Chairperson, who is or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court
• A social scientist
• Two persons, who have special knowledge in matters relating to backward classes and
• A Member-Secretary, who is or has been an officer of the Central Government in the rank of a Secretary to the Government of India.​

Term
Every Member shall hold office for a term of three years from the date he assumes office. A Member may, resign from the office of Chairperson or, as the case may be, of Member at any time writing  to the Central Government.

Function of the Commission

1. The Commission shall examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the lists.
2. The advice of the Commission shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government. 

Power of the Commission
The Commission while performing its functions it have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit and in particular, in respect of the following matters, namely

• summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India.
• requiring the discovery and production of any document.
• receiving evidence on affidavits.
• requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court of office.
• issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents.