Question

The upliftment of the backward classes had been the prime concern of the
A)Arya samaj
B)Prarthana Samaj
C)Satyashodhak samaj
D)Ramakrishna mission

Answer 1

Hint: The term ‘backward classes’ which had originally been in use during colonial times lacked any clarity and even at the time when the Constitution was being debated and drafted. The category ‘backward classes’ was not defined as precisely as the categories of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Complete answer: Option A: Arya samaj, literally means “noble society” and was founded by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati on 10 April 1875. Dayanand was against the caste system in India, he tried to rehabilitate the Vedic caste system. This option is incorrect.
Option B: Prarthana Samaj, literally means “prayer society” in Sanskrit language and was founded by Dadoba Pandurang with an aim to make people believe in one god. They aimed to bring about social reforms in society by working for the rights of depressed classes and ending the caste system.
Option C: The categories/castes in the country that suffer extreme forms of social, economic and educational backwardness on account of ancient practices of untouchability and certain others on lack of infrastructure and geographical isolation are known as scheduled classes. The Satyashodak Samaj was formed by Mahatma Phule in 1783 in Pune. The fundamental reason was to provide education to the lower castes and liberate the oppressed in the society such as Dalits, Shudras and women. In The Constitution of India, protection and safeguards have been prescribed for the weaker sections, scheduled class(SCs), Scheduled Tribes(STs). Either specifically or how to insist on their general rights as citizens; in order to promote their educational and economic interests and eliminate social handicaps. This option is the correct answer.
Option D: Ramakrishna Mission, was named after the Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and was founded by Swami Vivekananda. The principles of the mission are purely humanitarian and are not connected to politics.
Therefore, Option C is the correct answer.

Note: In India, on 1 January 1979, the Mandal Commission or the socially and educationally backward classes commission (SEBC) was established by the Janata Party government under the prime minister Morarji Desai. Seats have been secured for socially and educationally backward classes (including SC, ST and OBCs), with a further reservation for other weaker categories. The central aim that the Mandal Commission had in India was the identification of the conditions regarding social and educationally backward classes for the account of reservations of seats and quotas.