The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
PART IV DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY
Article 46: Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections
Leading cases
- Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992)The Court upheld 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes under Article 16(4) subject to exclusion of the creamy layer, set a normal 50% limit, barred reservation in promotions prospectively, and struck down the 10% economic quota.
- State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951)The Communal G.O. allotting seats in State medical and engineering colleges by religion and caste violated Article 29(2) and was void under Article 13; directive principles cannot override fundamental rights.
- Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India (2022)By a 3:2 majority, the Constitution Bench upheld the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019, which enables up to ten per cent. reservation for economically weaker sections other than SCs, STs and non-creamy layer OBCs.
Questions on this article
1 question in 4 of our papers cite Article 46.