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NCRB's 'Crime in India' data (placed before Rajya Sabha) shows cases registered against Scheduled Castes under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 rose from 45,995 (2020) to a five-year peak of 53,372 (2023), before easing to 48,669 (2024).
Convictions and persons convicted both hit five-year highs in 2024: 5,192 convictions and 10,839 persons convicted — the latter more than double the 2020 figure of 4,855.
Cases pending trial rose every year across the period, reaching 2,87,694 by 2024 — also a five-year high, reflecting a growing case backlog even as conviction numbers improved.
Penalises specific offences against SC/ST persons; provides for Special Courts/Exclusive Special Courts for speedy trial
Compiles and publishes 'Crime in India', the official annual crime-statistics database including SC/ST Atrocities Act data
A rise in 'cases registered' does not by itself indicate worsening social conditions — it can also reflect improved reporting/registration under the Act. Separately, the STEADY RISE in pending trials across all five years, even as conviction numbers rose in 2024, points to case backlog accumulating faster than disposal — a distinct governance issue about Special Court capacity, not about the underlying crime rate.
Simple Analogy: More cases getting registered can mean more crime, more reporting, or both — but a growing pile of undecided cases is a separate, unambiguous signal about how fast the justice system is processing them
GS Paper 2 > Social Justice > SC/ST Welfare and Protection
Which Ghazal singer was conferred with the prestigious Deenanath Mangeshkar Award in April 2023?
Answer: Pankaj Udhas
Moderate — NCRB crime data is periodically tested, especially SC/ST welfare data
NCRB's official annual publication compiling State/UT-wise crime statistics, including SC/ST Atrocities Act data