GK Question

polity medium fill_blank

Article 243T, inserted by the 74th Amendment, mandates reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Municipalities in proportion to their population in the Municipal area, with reservation for SC/ST women within the ______ reservation quota.

  1. economic
  2. women's
  3. general
  4. backward class

Answer: women's

SC/ST reservation in Municipalities: (a) Article 243T (74th Amendment): Mandates reservation for SC/ST in Municipalities: (i) Proportionate to population: Seats reserved for SC/ST in proportion to their population in Municipal area, (ii) Rotation: Reserved seats rotated after each election to ensure broad participation, (iii) Women within SC/ST: One-third of SC/ST reserved seats also reserved for women from those categories (within the women's reservation quota), (b) Applications: (i) Political representation: SC/ST members elected to Municipalities in proportion to population; increased political participation of marginalized groups, (ii) Policy impact: SC/ST representatives prioritize issues affecting their communities (housing, sanitation, education, anti-discrimination), (iii) Empowerment: Political participation builds confidence, leadership skills, social status for SC/ST communities, (c) Challenges: (i) Proxy leadership: Dominant caste members may influence SC/ST representatives, limiting independent voice, (ii) Capacity building: Training needed for SC/ST representatives on urban governance, legal procedures, advocacy, (iii) Social barriers: Caste discrimination may limit effective participation, voice of SC/ST representatives in Municipalities, (d) Illustrates transformative urban federalism: Constitutional amendment operationalizes social justice in urban local governance; reservation enables political representation of marginalized groups, influencing municipal priorities.

Topic Article 243R - Municipal Reservation for SC/ST
Exam Relevance SC/ST reservation in Municipalities frequently asked in UPSC and SSC exams