Constitution Section 335 — Claims of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to services and posts

Part XVI — SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO CERTAIN CLASSES

Constitutional

Summary

When the government fills jobs under the Union or a State, it must consider the claims of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as long as the overall efficiency of the administration is not harmed. This section also allows the government to make special rules for these groups, such as lowering qualifying marks in exams or relaxing evaluation standards, and providing reservation in promotions to certain government jobs.

Official Text

The claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State:Provided that nothing in this article shall prevent in making of any provision in favour of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes for relaxation in qualifying marks in any examination or lowering the standards of evaluation, for reservation in matters or promotion to any class or classes of services or posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.