The body that examines requests for inclusion in, and complaints relating to, the central list of Other Backward Classes and safeguards their interests.
- Originally a statutory body set up under the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 (following the Supreme Court's Indra Sawhney judgment of 1992).
- Given constitutional status by the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, which inserted Article 338B.
- Composition: a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and three other members appointed by the President.
- Investigates and monitors safeguards for socially and educationally backward classes and advises on their socio-economic development; it has civil-court powers during inquiries.
- The 105th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2021 clarified that States and Union Territories retain the power to identify their own backward classes.
The shift from a statutory body (1993) to a constitutional one (Article 338B, 102nd Amendment, 2018) and the Indra Sawhney link are standard, frequently updated polity facts.
The NCBC became constitutional only in 2018 (102nd Amendment, Art 338B), unlike the NCSC (Art 338) and NCST (Art 338A) which were constitutional earlier; the 105th Amendment, 2021 restored States' power to make their own OBC lists.
Art 338B body (constitutional since the 102nd Amendment, 2018; statutory since 1993) safeguarding Other Backward Classes.