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Bhagwat Prasad Makwana Appointed NCSK Chairperson

Bhagwat Prasad Makwana was named Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, with Kaishab Bihari as Vice-Chairperson and three Members.

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Bhagwat Prasad Makwana Appointed NCSK Chairperson — GK24 title card

Why in News

On 6 September 2026 the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment announced the appointment of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three Members of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, effective up to 31 March 2028.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has filled the top posts of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK). The announcement came on 6 September 2026. A Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and three Members were appointed together.

Who was appointed

Bhagwat Prasad Makwana becomes the Chairperson. Kaishab Bihari becomes the Vice-Chairperson. Manoj Kumar Balmiki, Sushma Gaudiyal and Ravi Ramu Kalose join as Members. All five appointments run to 31 March 2028, which is the unexpired part of the present Commission's tenure.

PostName
ChairpersonBhagwat Prasad Makwana
Vice-ChairpersonKaishab Bihari
MemberManoj Kumar Balmiki
MemberSushma Gaudiyal
MemberRavi Ramu Kalose
Term ends31 March 2028

The Chairperson's record

Mr Makwana holds a Master's degree in Economics. His work has centred on the welfare and empowerment of Scheduled Caste communities. He has earlier been Vice-Chairman and then Chairman of the Safai Karamchari Commission under the Government of Uttarakhand. He has served as an Independent Director on the Board of NHPC. He was also a Member of the Central Monitoring Committee set up under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

The Vice-Chairperson

Mr Bihari also holds a Master's degree in Economics. He is a farmer by profession and comes from Odisha. He has worked for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other disadvantaged groups, and has held organisational responsibilities in that field along with civic and social bodies.

The three Members

Mr Balmiki is an entrepreneur. He served on the State Safai Karamchari Commission of Uttar Pradesh from 2019 to 2022 and has held posts in organisations working for Scheduled Castes and safai karamcharis. Ms Gaudiyal is a Professor in the Hindi Department at Bareilly College, Bareilly, with a Master's degree and a Ph.D. from Kumaun University, Nainital; she has served on this Commission before, and her research covers Dalit literature, Dr B. R. Ambedkar, women's empowerment and current social and political questions. Mr Kalose is a retired municipal engineer with a Diploma in Civil Engineering who has worked on the grievances and welfare entitlements of safai karamcharis.

What the Ministry said

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment welcomed the new team. It said their combined experience in social welfare, public service, administration and academia should strengthen the Commission in carrying out its mandate. The Ministry expects the Commission to safeguard the rights, dignity and socio-economic well-being of safai karamcharis across the country.

Important Facts

BodyNational Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)
ChairpersonBhagwat Prasad Makwana
Vice-ChairpersonKaishab Bihari
MembersManoj Kumar Balmiki, Sushma Gaudiyal and Ravi Ramu Kalose
TermEffective up to 31 March 2028
Appointing DepartmentDepartment of Social Justice and Empowerment
Chairperson's earlier postVice-Chairman and Chairman, Safai Karamchari Commission, Uttarakhand
Relevant lawProhibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013

Exam Point of View

Remember the name of the new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, the three Members, the parent Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, the term ending on 31 March 2028, and the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013 named in the release.

Practice Questions

Q1.AppointmentsEasy

Who has been appointed Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis?

  1. A.Kaishab Bihari
  2. B.Bhagwat Prasad Makwana
  3. C.Manoj Kumar Balmiki
  4. D.Ravi Ramu Kalose
Show answer

Correct answer: B. Bhagwat Prasad Makwana

Explanation

The correct answer is Bhagwat Prasad Makwana. The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment appointed him Chairperson of the Commission, and the release sets out his background: a Master's degree in Economics, long experience in social work for Scheduled Caste communities, earlier service as Vice-Chairman and then Chairman of the Safai Karamchari Commission under the Government of Uttarakhand, a term as an Independent Director on the Board of NHPC, and membership of the Central Monitoring Committee constituted under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Every wrong option here names someone appointed in the same order but to a different post. Kaishab Bihari in option A is the Vice-Chairperson, while option C and option D name two of the three Members. That is precisely how such questions are framed, so learn the post beside each name rather than the list of names alone.

Q2.AppointmentsMedium

Until what date will the new appointments to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis remain effective?

  1. A.31 March 2028
  2. B.31 December 2027
  3. C.30 September 2029
  4. D.31 March 2030
Show answer

Correct answer: A. 31 March 2028

Explanation

The correct answer is 31 March 2028. The release states that the appointments will be effective up to that date, which corresponds to the remaining tenure of the present Commission. This is an important point of principle and not just a date to memorise: the new Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Members do not begin a fresh full term of their own but serve out the unexpired part of the Commission's existing tenure. Options B, C and D are plausible-looking dates that do not appear in the release. A related detail worth carrying is the composition: one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson and three Members were appointed in the same order, namely Bhagwat Prasad Makwana, Kaishab Bihari, Manoj Kumar Balmiki, Sushma Gaudiyal and Ravi Ramu Kalose. The appointments were made by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Q3.AppointmentsMedium

The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis comes under which ministry?

  1. A.Ministry of Labour and Employment
  2. B.Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
  3. C.Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  4. D.Ministry of Rural Development
Show answer

Correct answer: C. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Explanation

The correct answer is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The release is issued by that Ministry, and the appointments were made by its Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Ministry also welcomed the new team and said it expects their combined experience in social welfare, public service, administration and academia to strengthen the Commission in discharging its mandate of safeguarding the rights, dignity and socio-economic well-being of safai karamcharis. Options A, B and D are ministries whose work touches sanitation, urban services or employment in some way, and that overlap is what makes them tempting, but none of them administers this Commission. Fix the link in memory through the subject matter: safai karamcharis are a question of social justice for the Scheduled Castes, and this Commission accordingly sits with the social justice ministry.

Q4.AppointmentsHard

Which Act is named in the release in connection with the new NCSK Chairperson's earlier work?

  1. A.The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955
  2. B.The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013
  3. C.The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993
  4. D.The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Show answer

Correct answer: B. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013

Explanation

The correct answer is the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The release records that Bhagwat Prasad Makwana served as a Member of the Central Monitoring Committee constituted under that Act, before his appointment as Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis. Option C names the earlier statute on the same subject, which the 2013 Act replaced, and it is therefore the most difficult distractor to reject. Options A and D are genuine laws protecting the Scheduled Castes but deal with untouchability offences and atrocities rather than manual scavenging, so neither is named here. Carry the Chairperson's other credentials with this: a Master's degree in Economics, earlier terms as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Uttarakhand Safai Karamchari Commission, and a stint as an Independent Director on the NHPC Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new Chairperson of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis?

Bhagwat Prasad Makwana. He holds a Master's degree in Economics and has earlier served as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Safai Karamchari Commission of the Government of Uttarakhand and as an Independent Director on the NHPC Board.

Until when do these appointments to the NCSK remain effective?

Up to 31 March 2028. The release explains that this corresponds to the remaining tenure of the present Commission, so the new Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and three Members serve out that unexpired period.

Which department made these appointments?

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under the Government of India. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment welcomed the new Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Members on 6 September 2026.

Sources