Which one of the following amendments to the Constitution of India int

Which one of the following amendments to the Constitution of India introduced the concept of “Constitutional bodies” ?

42nd Amendment
73rd Amendment
89th Amendment
97th Amendment
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Combined Section Officer – 2021-22
The correct answer is C) 89th Amendment.
The question is somewhat ambiguously phrased as the concept of ‘Constitutional bodies’ (bodies established by the Constitution) existed from the beginning. However, among the options, the 89th Amendment Act, 2003, specifically established the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) as a separate constitutional body by amending Article 338 and inserting Article 338A. Prior to this, there was a combined National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This amendment clearly created a new, distinct national-level constitutional commission.
– The 42nd Amendment (1976) is known as the ‘Mini-Constitution’ but did not introduce the *concept* of constitutional bodies, although it made significant changes to the Constitution.
– The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions and led to the constitutional mandate for State Election Commissions and State Finance Commissions. While these are constitutional bodies, the 89th amendment’s creation of a separate National Commission for STs is a direct establishment of a national-level commission by amendment.
– The 97th Amendment (2011) gave constitutional status to Co-operative Societies but did not create a constitutional commission or authority in the same sense as others.
– Considering the options, the 89th amendment is a clear example of establishing a new constitutional body (NCST) through amendment, making it a strong candidate for the intended answer despite the questionable phrasing of the question.