The National Commission for Backward Classes was established according to the provisions of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. This Act was enacted in pursuant to the direction of the Supreme Court in the Mandal case judgement for setting up a National Commission for Backward Classes at the Centre as a permanent body. The Constitution of India, also, in its Article 340 made provision for the appointment of a Commission to investigate the conditions of and the difficulties faced by the socially and educationally backward classes and to make appropriate recommendations. The National Commission for Backward Classes consists of five Members. According to the provisions of the Act, the Commission shall examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the Central List of Backward Classes and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in the lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it deems appropriate. The Central Government may undertake revision of the lists with a view to excluding from such lists those classes who have ceased to be backward classes or for including in such lists new backward classes.
