'Over 47,000 complaints received by National Commission for Scheduled Castes since 2020'

New Delhi: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has received over 47,000 complaints in the past four years, with cases of atrocities against Dalits, land disputes, and issues related to government jobs being the predominant concerns, according to official data revealed through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by PTI.

The data, shared by the NCSC, shows a breakdown of the complaints registered from 2020 to 2024. In the year 2020-21, the commission received 11,917 complaints. This figure rose to 13,964 in 2021-22, while in 2022-23, the commission handled 12,402 complaints. So far in 2024, 9,550 complaints have been registered.

Speaking to PTI about these figures, NCSC Chairperson Kishor Makwana highlighted that the majority of the complaints pertain to atrocities committed against members of the Scheduled Castes (SC) community. Other prominent issues include disputes over land and grievances related to employment in the government sector.

“In a bid to address these complaints more efficiently, starting next month, I or my members will personally visit state offices to assess the challenges faced by people,” Makwana said. He added that he has been holding hearings four times a week to meet with individuals and address their concerns.

“Since taking charge, I’ve made sure my office remains accessible to the public. It’s important that people know we are here to help,” he added.

A senior official at the NCSC revealed that Uttar Pradesh accounts for the highest number of complaints filed, among all states. The commission reportedly receives between 200 and 300 complaints daily, with a significant portion resolved within days. The data shared represents those complaints still under active consideration.

“There isn’t a single complaint that goes unattended. Every grievance is under review and in the process of being resolved,” the official confirmed.

In addition to the complaints received by the NCSC, data from the national helpline set up for atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) reveals that 6,02,177 calls were received, resulting in 5,843 grievances. Of these, 1,784 cases have been resolved to date. Uttar Pradesh once again accounted for more than half of the total calls, with 3,10,623 received from the state.

According to the government’s latest report under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2022, the majority of atrocities against SC individuals occurred in 13 states, accounting for 97.7 per cent of all cases. Uttar Pradesh registered the highest number of cases under this act, with 12,287 cases (23.78 per cent of the total), followed by Rajasthan with 8,651 cases, and Madhya Pradesh with 7,732 cases. Other states with significant cases of caste-related atrocities included Bihar (6,799), Odisha (3,576), and Maharashtra (2,706). Together, these six states accounted for 81 per cent of all reported cases across the country.