Essay on Definition and Description of Backward Classes – Though the term “Backward Classes” is popularly used by sociologists it is not defined properly. Still for our purpose of study we may define it in the following way:
1 .Justice K. Subba Rao, former Chief Justice of India, defined ‘backward classes’ as — “an ascertainable ;and identifiable group of persons based on caste, religion, race, language, occupation and such others, with definite characteristics of backwardness in various aspects of human existence — social, cultural, economic, political and such others.”
2. We can generally define ‘backward classes’ as those social groups or classes or castes which are characterised by Mlliteracy and lack of education, poverty, exploitation of labour, non- representation in services and untouchability.
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3. In simple words, the term ‘backward classes’ can be defined as a social category which consists of all the socially, educationally, economically and politically backward groups, castes, and tribes.
Description of the Backward Classes:
The Backward Classes Commission in its Report of 1956 described the Backward Classes as consisting of the following groups:-
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1. Those who suffer from the stigma of untouchability or near untouchability. These groups are classified as scheduled castes (SC).
2. Those tribes who are not yet sufficiently assimilated into the mainstream of the national life. These groups are classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST).
3. Those tribes who, due to long neglect, have been forced to commit crime. These tribes were previously known as criminal tribes (before 1953) and are presently called Denotified Tribes or Ex- Criminal Tribes.
4. ‘Other Backward Classes’ which consist of
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(a) those nomads who have no occupation of a fixed habitation and are given to mimicry, begging, jugglery, dancing, etc.,
(b) Communities consisting largely of agricultural or landless labourers,
(c) Communities consisting largely of tenants without occupancy rights and those with insecure land tenure,
(d) Communities consisting of a large percentage of small land owners with uneconomic holdings,
(e) Communities engaged in cattle breeding, sheep breeding or fishing on small scale,
(f) Artisan and occupational classes without security of employment and whose traditional occupations have ceased to be remunerative,
(g) Communities, the majority of whose people, do not have sufficient education and therefore have not secured adequate representation in Government services,
(h) Social groups from among Muslims, Christians and Sikhs who are still backward socially and educationally, and
(i) Communities not occupying positions in social hierarchy.