Article 340 — Commission for Backward Classes

The article states: "The President may by order appoint a Commission consisting of such persons as he thinks fit to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes within the territory of India and the difficulties under which they labour..."

The commission is tasked with investigating their conditions and making recommendations to the Union or State governments regarding steps that should be taken to remove their difficulties and improve their conditions, including grants.

Under the powers of Article 340, the President has appointed two major national commissions in Indian history:

1. First Backward Classes Commission (1953): Popularly known as the Kaka Kalelkar Commission. It submitted its report in 1955, but its recommendations were largely rejected because it used caste as the primary criterion for backwardness, which the government felt was against the spirit of a casteless society.

2. Second Backward Classes Commission (1979): Popularly known as the Mandal Commission (headed by B.P. Mandal). Appointed by the Morarji Desai government, it identified 3,743 castes as socially and educationally backward (OBCs) comprising 52% of the population. It recommended a 27% reservation for OBCs in government jobs, which was famously implemented by the V.P. Singh government in 1990.

Article 340 also mandates that the commission's report, along with a memorandum explaining the action taken on it, must be laid before each House of Parliament by the President.