BharatNotes This section covers the rights, constitutional protections, and policy frameworks for India's vulnerable populations. UPSC GS1 treats these as society topics (caste, gender, marginalisation); GS2 tests welfare policy design and implementation. Both angles require understanding the constitutional basis, landmark legislation, and current data.
Chapters
| # | Chapter | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalit Rights & SC/ST Protection | Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, SC/ST (PoA) Act, Article 17, untouchability, reservation |
| 2 | OBC Reservation & Social Justice | Mandal Commission, OBC reservation, creamy layer, EWS (103rd Amendment), SEBC |
| 3 | Tribal Issues & PVTGs | PESA 1996, Forest Rights Act 2006, PVTGs, displacement, 5th & 6th Schedule, tribal welfare |
| 4 | Gender Issues & Social Justice | Patriarchy, son preference, sex ratio, Women's Reservation Act (106th Amendment), gender budget |
| 5 | Women's Rights — Legal Framework | Domestic violence, POCSO, dowry laws, maternity benefit, equal pay, recent legal reforms |
| 6 | Child, Elderly & Disability Rights | POCSO, JJ Act, MWPSC Act, Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, UNCRPD |
| 7 | Minority Rights Framework | Articles 25-30, NCM Act 1992, six notified minorities, Waqf Act, AMU minority status, PMJVK |
| 8 | Human Trafficking — Prevention & Rehabilitation | Article 23, ITPA 1956, Palermo Protocol, NCRB data, Ujjawala, Trafficking Bill, Operation Muskaan |
| 9 | International Social Conventions & India | CEDAW (1979), UNCRC (1989), CRPD (2006), India's ratifications, reservations, UPR at UNHRC |
